How to: Keep Greens Fresh

One of the biggest problems with buying fresh produce is trying to keep it fresh. This is especially a problem for things such as fruits and vegetables which start losing nutrients the minute they are picked. I always struggle with keeping my leafy greens from wilting and drying up.

I came across an article that discussed a method to help decrease this dying process of fresh greens. It refers to a bath towel method. This is especially useful for the salad lovers out there. Cut the greens into bite-sized pieces, washing them, and shaking off the excess water in a salad spinner. Then spread the greens out on clean bath towels to air dry.

When you want to store them and put them into the fridge after drying, simply roll the towel up with the greens still inside  and secure with rubber bands to keep from unrolling. Store inside the vegetable crisper for best results. Just unroll the towel whenever you need a helping of greens.

The absorbent towels do a great job of keeping the greens moist but not damp so they stay fresh and crisp. My family tends to use  damp paper towels which are effective but this method seems like it would be even better. In any case, give this a try and see how it turns out for you.

Source: the Kitchn

Camera Lens Mug

When I first saw the above image, I was mortified. Who would do such a crazy things to what I assume was a very expensive lens? There are many photographers such as myself who would be more than happy to trade a mug for your unwanted lens. I soon realized that it was a novelty creation for photographers or anyone really to be able to enjoy their morning coffee in a product that reflected their profession or hobby.Personally I think it would be cool to bring this to work and freak everyone out as you drink from a 24-105mm lens.

This is the Camera Lens Mug equipped with a lens-cap lid, rubber-grip focus, zoom rings, and an auto-focus switch that actually switches. It’s so realistic, that before the first sip of your morning joe, you might mistake the mug for your actual lens!

The mug makes a great gift for family and friends who are photography lovers or photographers themselves. It can even be transformed into a plant pot should drinking from it not be to your preference. The design is so realistic, you’ll have to make sure not to confuse it with the real deal. That wouldn’t be pretty.

Sushi Grade Fish + SushiFAQ

With some of the prices at sushi restaurants these days, its tempting to try and just make it yourself at home. However, unless you’re making a simple California roll, other sushi that requires fresh fish might seem a bit daunting. How do you know which fish to use and whether it makes the cut as ‘sushi grade’, a special label for premium fresh fish. My family has bought fresh sushi grade salmon in the past but these days its hard to come by. So if preparing it wasn’t already pretty difficult as it is, it seems just buying the ingredients is enough for you to fork over the money for the restaurant. Personally, regardless of how cost efficient it may seem, I can’t beat the quality of real sushi chefs and their talents at making it. But for those who’d like to endeavour into the sushi making world, there’s another great sushi site (SushiFAQ) focusing on the benefits of sushi making at home, how to make it and what ingredients to buy. Here’s an excerpt…

Sushi Basics

Many posts ago I featured a funny video on the ‘How to’ of sushi eating. (Found Here) I thought I’d elaborate more on one of my most favourite meals.

There is this great online guide called Sushi Eating HOWTO. It’s a rather encyclopedic guide on all things related to sushi and sushi dining. If you’re a sushi fanatic and want to learn more traditional information such as proper eating techniques, how to order and proper names of ingredients, I’d definitely suggest giving it a read. Here are some excerpts from the site. The whole site is great and definitely worth a read.

Choosing a Sushi Restaurant

Many people I met told me that they don’t like sushi; upon pressing the matter, I learned that the place where they ate it was far less from ideal. It’s sad to think that many people cannot enjoy sushi because of a bad first experience. The usual culprit for this is a combination of lack of tradition in the place where they ate and poorly prepared fish. All fish swim in the ocean, but not all fish are suitable for sushi because how the fish is handled, from the water to the sushi bar, greatly influences its quality.

How to….

….eat in a sushi restaurant.

I found this comical video on another food blog a couple of days ago.  Please don’t take it seriously and do the things suggested as most of it is completely out of tradition. Its just an interesting watch. Enjoy!

tcgb