Tricks of the Cooking Trade

These quick and easy food tips can make quite a difference

Do you know the dos and don'ts of cooking with wine? Can you slice an onion and keep from crying? Here is a simple guide to some of the tricks of the culinary trade:
THE CRYING GAME - ONIONS
The Ancient Greeks and Romans were quite fond of the humble onion. Greek athletes made sure their diets included a generous amount of cipolle in order to ensure optimal stamina during the Olympic Games. The Romans used onions for a number of illnesses including insomnia and toothaches.
You know the story - you're chopping onions and you start to cry. That's because cutting the veggie releases sulfur compounds, which irritate your eyes and make you tear up. How do you avoid this? Refrigerate the peeled onion for about 30 minutes. This will decrease the release of the irritant gas from the onions. You can also try cutting the onion under water as you slice. Some people swear that if you hold a piece of bread or a sugar cube in your mouth, the food will absorb the gas before it reaches your eyes. And lastly, try to breath with your mouth instead of your nose.
COOKING WITH WINE
Cherem, the term for wine, is derived from a Phoenician word referring to grape fermentation. Wine cultivation spread to Ancient Greece at about 2,000 B.C. For the Ancient Greeks, wine was considered a gift of the gods. They often mixed it with water, spices, herbs and honey. The Romans continued the process of winemaking passed on by the Greeks, and they served it during many festivals and banquets.
Wine imparts a wonderful taste to your dishes. And you don't have to worry that a wine dish will break your pocket book. You don't need an ultra expensive wine to bring out the flavours of your dishes. A medium-priced wine will do. Remember, if it isn't good enough to drink, it won't get any better in your dish. Don't bother with those cooking wines on your supermarket shelves. They are filled with additives that will ruin the taste and texture of your recipe.
Wine, except for some fortified wines, should be added at the beginning of the cooking process. The wine should be simmered so that it will really seep into your dish. And don't worry about all that alcohol. Alcohol boils faster than water, so the longer you cook, the less alcohol you'll be left with.
BAKING
So you've made a batch of your grandmother's famous chocolate cookies, but they have come out too hard. No need to start all over again. Simply put the cookies in a brown paper bag with a piece of bread overnight. The cookies will absorb the moisture out of the bread, and they'll be as good as new by morning.
Has your brown sugar turned solid as a rock? No need to run out to the supermarket. Simply slice an apple and leave it overnight with the brown sugar and seal. The brown sugar will become soft again by absorbing the moisture from the apple.
How do you get that appetizing look on your pies? Whisk one egg white until frothy. Then brush on the top of your pie before baking. The egg white will make your pie look golden.
LEMONS
You've been cooking a magnificent Mediterranean meal that's fit for royalty. But that likely means you've used plenty pungent and strong herbs and veggies like garlic and onions. You wash up but the odor is still there. So how do you get rid of the smell of garlic and onions from your hands? Rub your hands with a tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice and rinse with warm water. Not only will the juice get rid of the smell, but it will also lighten your skin. In fact, the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans used the juice of lemons to lighten and tone skin. Lemons originate from Southeast Asia, and they are now considered one of Mother Nature's anti-bacterial wonders. Once regarded as the "golden apple," the lemon is considered the king of citrus fruits in Italy.
MARINADES
Use wine, vinegar, lemon or limejuice in all your meat and fish marinades. They are acidic and break down meat tissues, thereby tenderizing the meat. When it comes to adding sugar to your marinade, be cautious. Use the sweeter stuff in the last few minutes of cooking. Applying sweeter substances earlier in the cooking process will burn or dry the meat. The same goes for salt.

Publication Date: 2005-02-06
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=4896