Kitchen Tips and Tricks

Over the years, I have been involved in debates, discussions and negotiations on how to organize a kitchen. After all, a kitchen is probably the most important shared space in any home.

So far, there are a few truths, almost universal. how to organize the kitchen. To this day, we:

• Keep things where they make sense. Spices might go in the pantry, or in the cabinet by the stove. Bread might belong in the refrigerator, or on the counter. In your kitchen, you decide. 
• Check your fridge for leftovers and expired foods, the night before garbage pickup. 
• Wipe your fridge after emptying it, go grocery shopping while the water evaporates. 
• When unpacking groceries, put new unopened packages behind the ones you already have. 
• Store garlic in the refrigerator. Buy a head of garlic, smash and peel each clove. Put all the cloves into whatever oil you use most, seal the jar and store this in the refrigerator. When you need cooking oil, it will be infused with garlic flavor. When you need garlic it will already be peeled. 
• For garlic bread – smash a clove of garlic from the oil jar in the fridge. Add herbs and spices, ta-da. 
• Stinky hands after working with garlic, onions or other foods? Put soap and water on your hands and scrub your stainless-steel fixtures. Something about the metal bonds to the smell. Rinse fixtures thoroughly of course. 
• Coffee filters are good for more than brewing. Strain wine through a filter into a carafe if the cork breaks. 
• Zipper storage bags can be used to marinate meats, store leftovers, crush cookie crumbs, pipe frosting, even make a cold or warm compress. 
• Handheld strainers can be used to sprinkle cocoa powder, instant coffee or superfine sugar over store-bought desserts for a homemade touch. 

Do you have any kitchen tips and tricks to share?