Notes from
Chef Briellen

To remove water from cooked pasta faster, try using a salad spinner.

To measure sticky foods such as honey, molasses or corn syrup, coat your measuring spoon lightly with cooking oil.

Chop herbs by rolling a pizza cutter back and forth a few times. Don’t use a knife, as it could bruise and darken the herbs.

To remove scales from a fish, wash it well in cold water and then place in a large plastic bag. Working inside the bag, scrape the skin of the fish with a knife as if you were shaving. The scales will fly off and remain in the bag.

Serve vegetables as soon as possible after harvest. Store in the refrigerator, with the exception of tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, garlic, onions and winter squash.

To beat egg whites, let the eggs sit at room temperature for about half an hour first. They’ll have more volume.

To keep fruit from turning brown, drop it in cold, lightly salted water immediately after peeling.

To remove capers or other foods from a narrow jar, use a melon baller or a pointed vegetable peeler.

When baking tomatoes, either whole or stuffed, use a muffin tin that’s been well coated with cooking oil spray. The tomatoes will retain their shape.