good to know

You know how it is when you know something and you just assume others know it too? Then it dawns on you that maybe not everyone knows what it is that you know. For instance, did you know that the PLU numbers on produce stickers hold more information than just the price of the item? Important information, that can help you make more informed and conscious buying decisions.

There you have it! Check it out the next time you go grocery shopping.

I have a “Tip Index” over there on the left, under the “Pages” heading. During the first year or two of the blog, I was ultra-diligent about updating the index every time I posted a tip in a recipe. I’ve been way too lax about it recently. So, I thought I’d share with you a couple of good Cooking Tip sites.

This FIRST ONE comes from the smart people over at Cooking Light and is very comprehensive and useful. It lists 45 of the most common cooking mistakes and how to correct and avoid them.

This NEXT ONE is 100 cooking tips or “sound bites” from the celebrity chefs of the Food Network. Most are fun and helpful, for instance, #92 is spot on, and is exactly how I teach to chop an onion (with illustrations). But #97 is almost always true – but not always true as Cat Cora says it is. I mean, I’d never use a smokin’ hot pan before adding butter to saute or when I was only adding garlic to a pan of oil… since both will end up in a burnt mess within seconds… so let’s say most often, but not always, on that one. In other words, good advice here, but take it with a grain of salt.

And, THIS LAST one from Campbell’s is well organized with tips that are categorized by food type; nuts, dairy, baking, vegetables, etc.

For instance, this tip, listed under the Herbs & Spices tab, is one that I have used for years – “A nearly empty Dijon mustard jar is perfect for making a vinaigrette. Measure vinaigrette ingredients (except mustard) into the jar, screw on the lid and shake vigorously. The residual mustard on the sides of the jar will be incorporated into the vinaigrette.”

It’s an easy-to-use and helpful tip site for when you are in a hurry and looking for help with something specific.

If you have a tip, you don’t see in my Tip Index or any of these three sites, please leave a comment and pass it along to the rest of us.