The type of coconut that most folks use, (sweetened, flaked coconut), is best toasted in a moderate oven (300°-350°F) by placing a single layer onto a baking sheet and baking until crispy and golden brown around the edges. Be careful - this doesn’t take long! It’s best to keep a watchful eye on the baking sheet so that you don’t overcook the coconut. For the most even browning, remove the baking sheet midway during the cooking process and toss the coconut, then return the baking sheet to the oven until evenly browned and crispy. Hint: the coconut crisps up more as it cools.

Drawn butter and clarified butter are the same thing and is quite easy to make. Simply melt unsalted butter over a low flame. The milk solids will separate dropping to the bottom of the pan) and leave a golden liquid (your clarified butter) at the top.
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If you find yourself with more fresh parsley than you can use, try storing it in the freezer (cleaned and mostly dried) in a plastic Ziploc bag or wrapped in plastic wrap. Next time you need some parsley, remove bag from the freezer and chop it or crumble it with your hands. The texture will be different, but the flavor remains the same. (Will stay fresh up to 2 months.)

If you have trouble making all of your meatballs the same size, try using an ice cream scoop. They come in many different sizes and you end up with a beautifully uniform product. This technique also works well for things such as chocolate truffles and crab cakes.

If a recipe calls for buttermilk and all you have in your refrigerator is regular milk, you can make an acceptable substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to 1 cup of milk. Let this stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, or until you see the milk thicken to the consistency of buttermilk.

In order to curb the gastric disturbance which beans cause in some folks, try adding a small amount of baking soda to the beans just before serving (a teaspoon or so should do it). You should see some bubbling action, and this helps temper the affect on sensitive individuals.

If you hate throwing away that expensive vanilla bean after using it only one time to make a custard (or whatever), don’t!
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When juicing limes or lemons straight out of the refrigerator, try “nuking” them in the microwave for a few seconds (10 to 20, depending on the microwave).
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Though both shallots and scallions are in the onion family, (and some folks use the terms interchangeably), they are very definitely different. Shallots are bulbous and grow more like garlic than onions, with a thin outer layer that dries much like an onion’s outer skin.
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The zest is the outermost skin layer of citrus fruit (usually oranges or lemons). It has a great aroma. The zest can be removed from the fruit by using a citrus zester, paring knife or vegetable peeler. Only the colored portion of the skin (and not the white pith) is considered the zest. The aromatic oils in citrus zest are what add so much flavor to food. Zest can be used to flavor raw or cooked and sweet or savory dishes.