- How To Keep Salt Dry
- How To Keep Sugar Dry
- How To Keep Boiled Sweets Dry (Unsticky)
I live on Achill Island (though there is a bridge across to the mainland), on the West coast of Ireland, and the weather is definitely an Atlantic stormy and damp one - even on dry days!
One of the annoying problems I used to have and which most inhabitants of Achill have is the dampness of the salt because of the dampness in the air.
The solution is a very surprising mysterious one, if you don't understand how moisture and the air work together. Of course if you do understand how they work together, then you should have figured this out - by yourself!
But before I explain why and how this method works I will put you out of your misery.
To keep salt, sugar, boiled sweets dry (and any other item which becomes wet in the air) all you have to do is place it in the FRIDGE and thereafter the salt will remain dry and will flow easily. You can also use the fridge to dry items which are already damp (I have never tried clothes etc - just small food items!). This will only really work in fridges which have the automatic de-froster mechanism.
In fact, in damp areas, salt etc should always be kept in the fridge when not in use, especially half used plastic bags of salt. If you are drying out salt etc always leave the top of the container loose so that the moisture can be removed by the refridgeration system. Depending on how damp your salt etc is you should definitely see an improvement after one day in the fridge.
The salt may be caked if it was very damp when put into the fridge. Just shake the container and it will all break apart and flow smoothly and freely.
If you want to dry the salt out very quickly then spread some of the salt on a plate and leave in the fridge for even just a few hours.
Explanation:
Cold air holds less moisture than hot air. For those who live in countries where the winter is cold all you have to do is recall a very frosty morning and you will easily remember that the air was bone DRY. It was dry because in cold air the moisture turns to water and condenses on the ground and so the air itself becomes drier.
I know most people will dismiss this out of hand but all you have to do is TRY IT OUT. IT WORKS!
This method will also keep sugar dry. If you find your opened pack of sugar going soggy just keep it in the fridge until you can put it in a container to use etc and it will flow perfectly. Am not too sure if it would work on brown sugar.
This will also keep chocolate fresh, though it is better if you break the bar of chocolate into pieces before putting into the fridge, as cold chocolate is more difficult to break up.
It is even better for keeping sticky sweets, aka boiled sweets, fresh and dry. So, open the packet, use the sweets you want and, IF THERE ARE ANY LEFT OVER!, keep the opened packet in the fridge - they will be fresh even many months later and won't be sticky at all. Though I am guessing that they will be eaten long before many months have passed! At present (15th April 2014) I have a few humbugs in the fridge which are totally fresh - I bought the packet on 6th July 2013. (I've only a FEW left).
Added Notice: (keep food from drying out)
It is important to always seal containers containing wet food (soup, cooked meats, sauces etc) before putting them in the fridge, otherwise they will also begin to dry out. In this case you don't want them to dry out - especially cooked meats.
It is important to note that whatever you take from the fridge will be cold and you need to put the salt, sugar, sweets etc in a sealed container, to acclimatize them to room temperature, and then when it is at room temperature you can pour it out into a bowl etc, otherwise the cold item taken from the fridge will immediately attract all the moisture which is in the air and will become damp fairly quickly, defeating the whole purpose. (hope all this makes sense to you).
Keep Beer As Cold As Possible
I used to keep the cans of beer (I actually drink lager) in the fridge but now I much prefer the lager not to be chilled to much.
I remember seeing a relative of mine keeping his beer in the fridge but had put it in the wrong place - I had to laugh (just to myself, I didn't want to make fun of him - he is BIGGER than me!). Admittedly this doesn't effect the temperature of the beer by much, if anything, and yet the scientific facts need to be stated for clarity.
The coldest area in the fridge is AT THE BOTTOM. My relative had stored the beer at the topmost part of the fridge thinking that that was where it was coldest.
The simple way to remember which part of the fridge is coldest is to think of the Government and politicians - HOT AIR RISES. In other words - cold air FALLS . . . to the BOTTOM of the fridge.
Most likely it will not make much difference if any at all, nevertheless to store beer at the top of the fridge thinking it is going to be colder is declaring to the world that science is not your strongest point!
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Cut Down On Meat Intake
Most of us like meat. It is difficult to think of eating dinner after dinner without having some meat as part of the meal. However if you are attempting to lose weight, or lower cholesterol, or are trying to get as much value as possible on restricted income etc then there is a simple way.
Admittedly, this method is easiest for someone who cooks for one and also depends on what type of meals you cook.
I find that cutting up the meat prior to cooking can help to halve the amount of meat required per meal without the consciousness of cutting down, or eating less.
For example I often have a lovely meal of bacon and rice and only need to use one rasher and always end up with a piece or two of meat and gravy at the end of each meal. Yet most of us would see a single rasher as being practically no meat at all.
Cooking The Rice
What I do is to boil an individual portion of rice separately - I use easy cook rice (this is very tasty rice and always cooks very well). I always prepare the rice portion the evening before I cook it, using 1/3 of a small mug of rice and then nearly a full small mug of water and a generous, but not too much, pinch of salt. I let it soak up most of the water over night. When I want to cook it I bring it to the boil and then reduce the heat so that the rice is simmering for about 5 minutes and that's it - perfect rice.
While the rice is cooking gently, cut up a generous portion of onions and garlic and fry them. Get the rasher and use a pair of scissors and cut it in pieces (approximately 12-14 pieces). Then add herbs and spices as required and a few splashes of liquid flavourings (Tabasco sauce, the tip of a fork dipped in Bovril, Worcestershire sauce). Also add just enough water to make sauce. You will end up having a scrumptious meal. In fact if you use more than 1 rasher it will end up being too much meat!
It is possible to make wonderful meals with just a little meat and make it go a long way. You can have a savoury meal with rice, or a curried one with rice, or a savoury one with egg noodles, but instead of bacon you can also do the same with a few pieces of steak, or half a chicken breast, or half a port chop (all cut up into small pieces), or a small portion of mince.
Cooking Pasta The Easy Way
I use this method to cook the hollow tubes of pasta called Penna or Quills, but it should be possible to use this method for any type of pasta except possibly spaghetti because it is so thin, but you could try it out yourself and see if the results are acceptable.
About two hours before you intend to eat the meal put the portion of pasta in a container and cover with water to about one inche above the level of pasta. Leave it to soak. Add the salt, and maybe a few bay leaves. Then all you need to do to cook the pasta is to bring the water to the boil. Cook for about 2 minutes and the pasta is perfect! In most cases you should wait till the sauce is nearly cooked before cooking the pasta.
This method saves on fuel as you only need to boil enough water to cover the pasta - there's no need to boil a huge pot full of water. The cooking time is reduced to literally just boiling the water and then cooking the pasta which is about 2 minutes because it is pre-soaked and softened. Another positive aspect is that the pasta doesn't stick together. What more could you want?
If you want to try out the thin spaghetti then maybe only soak it for about half an hour - though finding a container wide enough to hold the hard spaghetti flat until it is soft will be difficult, though a tall container at the start (filled with water) or maybe using a basin would suit.
Stop wasting hot water when boiling water to make a mug of coffee
This is a great tip, especially for those living on their own. It's purpose is not only to use less electicity, but also to NOT WASTE electricity. It also saves time!! So you can save money and save time .... and help save the planet, all in the one go.
When I am going to boil water to make a mug of coffee, this is what I do:
My mug is half a pint and I fill the electric kettle to just above the heating element, in my kettle this requires 1 pint of water. When the kettle is boiled I use whatever water I want for the coffee. Then I empty the remainder of the water into a vacuum flask, and close the top etc. This boiled water stays very warm for hours, even overnight. The next time I want a mug of coffee I empty the hot water from the vacuum flask into the kettle, top up with cold water to just above the heating element and carry on. Because nearly half the water in the kettle is very warm the kettle boils much faster - less standing around impatiently! So in fact you are only ever boiling half a pint of COLD water, as the water stays warm in the flask even overnight.
Updated: 15th October 2015
