Useful Kitchen Hacks

Grease and flour, yawn, we all know that.  But use a nut flour, or cocoa, or finely processed cake or cookie crumbs instead (great use for leftover  baked goods).  

Check the water content on the butter that you use in your recipe.  I have found that  cheap butters have a higher water content than some of the “premium” brands and it does affect the quality of the finished product.  Less water in the butter can make a big difference. 

Something my daughter learned in Bologna is that that you should always save some of the water before you drain your cooked pasta.  It can be added back to the finished dish so that it does not dry out before being served. Adding tap water makes the dish, well, just waterier. 

When you use a “lame” or baker blade or even a razor blade, don’t slash vertically down on your final unproofed loaf, slash from the side, as the slash will unfold into a more attractive shape.