alicelost's Profile

If only it could keep my dining companions from playing games on their phones at the table.

A lot of recipes I have that use superfine sugar don't call for nearly as much as a cup, so I tend to make it in my mortar and pestle.

Has anyone had a problem with these being difficult to wash or developing odors? I've avoided all products like this because I hate silicone (it always tastes like soap to me after the first time you wash it), and I wasn't sure that they would hold up very well... but a collaspsible salad spinner is almost too good to pass up.

I buy lemons (and limes) 5-10 at a time, zest them (put the zest in a small pyrex bowl in the freezer), and juice them (into half pint jar/s which lives in the fridge) as soon as I get home. I use the juice by giving it a good shake/stir and then dipping in a measuring spoon (2 TB = one lemon). I go through it pretty fast, so it's not an issue to not freeze it. I use the zest straight from the freezer and just eyeball the amounts.

Freezer zest isn't *quite* as nice as fresh zest, but it saves me time, hassle and waste, and it really is good enough. Occasionally if I don't use ANY for a few months I'll throw it out and start again.

When baking for one or two (or however much less than the recipe calls for), I turn to this recipe conversion calculator: http://www.fruitfromwashington.com/Recipes/scale/recipeconversions.php

Typing it all in may take a few minutes longer than just doing the math, but it rounds to the nearest reasonable measurement (for volume measurements, at least), which is extra helpful when you're, say, 1/7-ing a recipe.

I consider all of this things AFTER I consider something else: nutrition. What is my main missing (or what does it have least of)? Protein? Carbs? Vegetables? Start with that, then consider flavor/texture/cooking/etc.

I can't reccomend any small microwaves, but I wanted to throw out some space advice. First, we keep our microwave on a stand-alone wine rack, so it's not taking up counter space. Second, if you really want a microwave (and you don't have room to add something to put it on), is there any reason it has to be in the kitchen? Before the wine rack, we kept our microwave in the dining nook, which was fine. I could just as easily see it tastfully disguised in whatever room is near the kitchen.

I find it interesting that his way of making a drink "stiffer" is to use more alcohol, not less of everything else. Some of my favorite very-stiff drinks from my local bar aren't even a quarter cup total; that seems excessive.

Perfect timing! I just finished making some rosemary simple syrup without an actual plan for what to do with it. I knew it was going to involve lime and club soda; now I have a ratio to use!

If I was willing to drink less than completely cold water, I wouldn't bother with keeping it in the fridge in the first place. So no, I will not pour a glass of warm water into my pitcher of cold water right BEFORE I pour myself a glass.

I fill the pitcher every night after I finish the dishes so that it has all night to get cold before I start drinking out of it again. I don't drink more than a pitcher's worth each day, so that works fine.