Tips from the Test Kitchen

I was hoping to hear from all my readers with their favorite kitchen tips, and that’s the excuse I’m using as to why I haven’t posted anything for awhile.

Still waiting…

Well, it doesn’t look you guys are going to share, so I dug out one of my favorite tips books, 834 Kitchen Quick Tips: Techniques and Shortcuts for the Curious Cook. These tips are courtesy of the editors of Cook’s Illustrated magazine, aka my friends at America’s Test Kitchen.

The theme for these tips is Innovative Substitutes.

Rather than reaching for a potholder every time you need to lift that hot lid, place a wine cork under the handle before you start cooking. The cork stays cool even though the lid gets hot, and you will have something safe – and convenient – to grab onto.

Bonus sub-tip, or another use for leftover wine corks. Know those corn on the cob holders? The ones you need to handle the hot ear of corn, the same ones that stick you in the hand every time you reach into the drawer? Yeah, those. Stick a pair into either end of a wine cork – you’ll keep them married and prevent them from sticking you again. (Another problem is that I can only usually find one when I need them, versus the requisite two.)

When you want to make a few loaves of bread, but only have one loaf pan, try this idea. Place your sole loaf pan in the middle of a 9”x13” baking dish. Place your bread dough on either side of the loaf pan if you want to make two loaves, and put some dough in the loaf pan itself in order to make three. And please don’t be silly and think this will work for quick breads. Please. I beg you.

Bonus sub-tip: Need that dough to rise in a hurry (or in a dry climate)? Turn your dishwasher on for a few minutes, just long enough for some warm water to fill the bottom. Put your dough (in a loaf pan or a bowl covered with plastic wrap, not by itself) on the bottom rack and shut the door. Make sure you have turned the dishwasher off, or else all that work mixing the dough will be for nothing. This is great for homemade pizza dough when you don’t have hours to prepare.

Have some cookies or a cake that you want to dust lightly with powdered sugar or cocoa? Instead of pulling out the messy flour sifter, place your dusting medium in a mesh tea ball. It’s neater and easier – leaving you with a lot less mess to clean.

Need to separate some fat for gravy, but don’t have a fat separator? Use a cardboard coffee cup instead. Pour the pan drippings into the cup, and place in the freezer for about ten minutes (until the fat solidifies). Using a skewer, poke a hole through the bottom of the cup and let the good drippings drain out while the fat stays in the cup.

Peeling garlic is easy when you smash the clove, but sometimes you want to keep the cloves intact. Instead of buying one of those cannoli-style garlic peelers, use a rubber grippy jar opener thing. Rubbing the cloves against the rubbery surface of the jar opener will release the paper peel with ease.

Make a homemade tiered shelf for your cabinet by stacking 2x4 pieces of lumber. You can get these cut to the size you need at The Home Depot, or you can be adventurous and do it yourself. (I’m barely allowed to use a knife, so I have to rely on the men and women in orange aprons, or my handy husband.) Buying the pre-fab version of these shelves tends to be expensive - especially for some cheap plastic at the kitchen store.  But they are great for lining up spices and jars so you can see everything in your cupboard with one quick glance, so the homemade version is highly recommended.

When you need extra counter space (which I often do in my tiny kitchen), place a large cutting board over the sink (make sure it’s secure) or an open drawer.

Use an empty six pack container to corral boxes of wraps (such as plastic, aluminum foil and parchment paper) as well as storage and freezer bags. I’ve been doing this for years, and it’s made putting your hands on what you need fast very convenient.

Want to make some homemade pasta, but don’t have a drying rack? Nor do you want to buy one for something you aren’t going to need all that often? Just use your wooden laundry drying rack. Wipe it down real good when you’re done so you don’t get flour on your clean clothes. (I was very excited to read this tip because I got a pasta attachment for my beloved KitchenAid mixer this Christmas!)

Need a nice cold cocktail after a long day of working in the kitchen, or just working for that matter? If you can’t get the thought of that martini out of your head, but don’t have a cocktail shaker handy, just use a spill proof travel coffee mug. Fill the mug with ice, and the makings of your preferred drink, and shake (make sure the sipping hole is covered or closed). Strain through the sipping hole and the makeshift shaker is as good as the real thing.


There are a few of these tips I will need to remember as I pack up my kitchen and move to my temporary one. As functional as my little condo has been over the years, the operative word has become “little” and we’re giving up on this space and moving to B’s bigger (and further away) space. His kitchen is, quite frankly, better than mine - even if that is not saying much. It is bigger and has more cabinet and counter space. And we did recently upgrade the appliances. Sure, it doesn’t have a double oven, gas range or granite counter tops. But it’ll do just fine as we wait for the perfect kitchen, I mean perfect house, to come on the market – hopefully this spring!