Guide
Bar soap costs almost nothing and can do almost anything
by Michael Restin
10 kitchen tips you'll wish you'd known sooner
29.6.2018
Translation: machine translated
How do you peel an orange without repainting your walls and risking losing your sight? How do you separate white from yellow? How do you open a bottle without a screw cap? Find all the answers to your questions in this article.
It's the little things in life that fill us with joy. Unfortunately, it's also those little things that send us into a tailspin - in my case at least. The kitchen becomes a real battlefield: for example, I cry when I chop onions, oh yes I feel sorry for those poor plants.... It took me ages to work out how to separate the white from the yellow. If I'd known about them beforehand, these tricks would have saved me a lot of unnecessary effort.
Shake it off
My colleague Philipp Rüegg proudly explained to me that he had found the ultimate method for peeling garlic. Naturally, I had to dig into the subject. As the video above shows, his technique works only moderately well: put the garlic in a bowl, cover with another bowl and shake vigorously. Crushing the clove with the flat of a knife is a more effective technique - some cloves may be slightly misshapen, but it makes peeling them a snap.
Well packaged
Can't get your hands on your (more or less) vacuum-packed bags? You'll have to go and buy some... Or perhaps you have clips at home to seal everything that needs sealing? Not that either? Your last hope: a knife and a lighter. Heat the blade with the lighter then slide it over the plastic bag to seal and cut at the same time - and voila, nothing too complicated!
Inner beauty
You love strawberries. Ripe and red, they're a delight. In summer, you can find it on every stall - it's the perfect dessert, fresh and healthy. If only it weren't for that ridiculous green stalk that's impossible to remove in one go. There's always a little piece that didn't want to come with the rest. Of course, it can be eaten, and no one has died from it yet. But suppose you wanted to remove it, all you'd have to do is take a small-diameter straw and push it from the bottom to the top of the strawberry to get the whole tail out.
Bag of knots
They've become less familiar to us since they cost five cents at the Co-op and Migros, but you still get one here and there. You put your shopping in it and then, naturally, close the bag to avoid losing anything on the way. When you get home, you have to put the shopping away, but you don't want to tear the bag. After all, you paid for it! Unfortunately, that's almost mission impossible... Here's a technique that will make your life easier: roll up a piece and push it towards the inside of the knot. And that's it, you can reuse the bag.
On the razor's edge
Bad knives should be banned from our kitchens. As should those that no longer cut. They're just right for the bin. Who has anything to sharpen their knives at home? I certainly don't. On the other hand, everyone has cups and plates in their cupboards.
To infinity and beyond
Some fruit should be eaten the same day. Others keep better, like bananas. They keep for a few days. Want to keep them longer? Try wrapping their tails in aluminium foil, you'll see, you'll be able to keep them twice as long!
Message in a bottle
We're walking on eggs... Separating the white from the yolk, now that's a tricky subject. Yet it's written in the recipe, you only need the yolks. How do you manage without making an omelette? You could, of course, try transferring the yolk between the two half-shells to get rid of the white, but that takes time and the result is rarely satisfactory. I've got a much simpler method for you: take a PET bottle, crush it, place the neck on the yolk and release the pressure on the bottle. The yolk is sucked into the bottle and all you then have to do is squeeze it lightly to get it out.
Having a thick skin
I don't eat a lot of oranges, but I do like to have one every now and then - especially in the summer, it's very refreshing. I don't really like orange juice, especially when it lands on my shirt or in my eyes. Here's a technique that will allow you to enjoy your oranges without getting splashed: cut the peel off in the middle of the orange, working your way around it, then take a spoon and slide it under the peel, still working your way around the orange. All you have to do now is remove the peel to enjoy the orange.
System D
You're thirsty, the beer is cold and the match has started - no time to get up and grab a bottle opener and the wooden table edge is too expensive for you. Are you really going to have to watch that tasteless mash-up between France and Denmark without a beer? No, there's a solution. The Billag bill - which you should have paid a long time ago - is still lying around on the living room table. Fold it as many times as you can, wedge your fold under the cap, hold it in one hand and take the bottle in the other, then lever it out. Depending on the strength of the cap, you'll be able to open your bottles with no more difficulty than with a conventional bottle opener. Cheers!
Keep your cool
I like raclette. I love gherkins. But I hate the jars they come in. The first time I manage to open them without a problem, but if I don't finish the jar on the first try, there's usually a sticky residue left on the rim that makes it impossible to open the jar again. There have been several occasions when I've been on the verge of giving in and dropping the jar to break it and retrieve the green gold. Those days are over now that I've discovered this trick: fill a bowl with hot water and leave the jar to soak, upside down for a minute or so - opening the jar is now child's play!
He who laughs last
Do you have a better solution? Challenge accepted! Prove it and give your cooking tips in the comments or post a video link.
Header image: Not all Life Hacks from the kitchen really make sense - you can find the best tips and tricks here
Raphael Knecht
Senior Editor
raphael.knecht@digitecgalaxus.chWhen I'm not stuffing my face with sweets, you'll catch me running around in the gym hall. I’m a passionate floorball player and coach. On rainy days, I tinker with my homebuilt PCs, robots or other gadgets. Music is always my trusted companion. I also enjoy tackling hilly terrain on my road bike and criss-crossing the country on my cross-country skis.
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