The oils contained in most nuts are apt to go rancid if stored too long or in a warm place. To extend the life of your nuts, store them in the freezer in an airtight container.

The flavor of fresh ginger is incomparable, so, too, can be the task of peeling and chopping it. Next time, try “scraping” the peel off using the back edge of any knife. It should come off quite easily. To simplify the chopping process, try cutting the ginger crosswise (across the grain) into thin slices.¬†Then, using any flat surface (the side of a large chef’s knife or cleaver work well for this), pound the ginger against your cutting board. This should do the job for you, but if you need it a little finer, a couple of passes with your knife should finish the job easily.

Every now and then I find myself wishing for three hands in the kitchen, such as when trying to drizzle oil into a mayonnaise or vinaigrette while fervently whisking with the other hand (meanwhile, your bowl is rocking and spinning all over the place).
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If you find yourself wanting to cook a pot of beans but don’t have the luxury of soaking them overnight, try the quick-soak method. Place rinsed and sorted beans in a large pot or Dutch oven and cover with cold water (for 1 pound of dried beans add at least 2 quarts of water). Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat, cover pot and let sit 1 hour. Drain and cook as desired.

Dental floss is a must in the kitchen! It’s the perfect “utensil” to slice certain things, such as goat cheese logs or cheesecake. Simply cut a piece long enough for whatever task is at hand, hold both ends tautly and press down on item to be “sliced”. It leaves you with a clean, beautiful slice without all the mess of a wet knife.

Oversalted the soup or the gravy? Try adding chunks of raw potato.
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Placing one or two bay leaves in unused flour or rice will serve as a deterrent to weevils.

If you’ve overcooked the crème anglaise (or any other custard-type sauce) and you have a slightly curdled texture, try quickly whisking the sauce with a wire whisk. If this doesn’t work, sometimes the sauce can be blended to a smoother consistency with the help of an immersion blender, regular blender or food processor.

If you glance over at the stove-top and notice a pot that’s just about to boil over, if you can get there quickly just blow on it: the cooler air rushing over the top surface will cool things down just enough to keep it from boiling over. You then have time to adjust the cooking temperature to prevent this from happening again.

If a look into your brown sugar reveals that it has gone hard as a brick, try this trick: place the sugar in a microwaveable bowl with a couple of apple slices or a few drops of water, cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 1/2 minute or so. If still hard, try another 1/2 minute in the microwave. This will usually soften the sugar enough to work with it.