Tricks of the trade???

[Sunbeam]

To bake a cake with a level surface, wet an old tea-towel, wrap it around the cake tin and secure with a safety-pin. Bake as normal! This really works & I do it every time I bake a cake, now!

[annie trip]

Does the above apply if you add too much pepper?? Got a new big grinder and always find i overdo it now although ther oh loves it (I am a big wuss!)

[dexterdoglancashire]

over salty food put in a raw potato.... over chillied food putin a bit of sugar....DDL

[Alison]

What gets me about most of these tips is not that they work but, how did anybody find out?????

[Nicos]

Got loads of experience getting things wrong Ailson....you'll try anthing when the boss/inlaws are about to arrive!!!!

[ugly gourd]

but its like some of the things we eat what persuaded someone to try tripe or snails or oysters raw :confussed:

[sewer rat]

Yoanbob
We used to have another use for any nasty perfumes or after shaves that were unwanted gifts - saved them for lambing time and when setting an orphaned lamb onto a new mother, spray the lamb with the chosen perfume, then spray a drop up the ewes nose - sheep are so stupid that it fooled most of them all the time - lamb smelt the same as them so no problems accepting it.

[JennieAtkinson]

I need this thread stuck up in the kitchen! Its great! Keep the ideas coming.
Can't offer any additional advice, but the white wine on a red wine stain does work if you do it straight away. I speak from experience!

[dexterdoglancashire]

Agree with you Jennie - many years ago in a friends new house, with of course, beige carpet throughout my OH knocked over his glass of - red wine! They all thought I was mad (or p****d!) when I literally leapt into action and poured my glass of white wine over the top - and yes! it did work! shame about the waste of wine though!.........................

[Squirrel]

Potatoes also take the heat out of a curry! Add salt to rhubarb to make it sweeter.

Cold tea/tea bags on swollen or inflammed eyes will help soothe - works on both pets and humans!

If you have very rough hands after gardening, a dollop of dishwash liquid and a teaspoon of sugar rubbed together over your hands will take all the rough stuff off. Finish off with good quality hand cream after you have rinsed. Also works well on the legs ladies!

[Waffler]

Actually I use a teaspoon of sugar in olive oil on the skin: it has the same abrasive action, but when you wash it off, the oil stays on your skin and acts as a softener.

[JennieAtkinson]

If you want nice soft hands - spin wool with the oil in! I always do it this way and for days after my hands are lovely and soft from the natural oils. Smell a bit mind you!

[FoxHillGardener]

If you roll lemons and limes around on a hard surface bfore juicing htem you get more juice out. I've had much practice whilst making margaritas

[Shortie]

Ok - so.....
.....I know about holding your nose if the food tastes yuk!

But I always find that the smell smell and taste hits you like a brick wall when you unpinch your nose!

Cutting onions without tears (comes without guarantees!):

I can add to this, but not much use for everyone - I find that my eye's sting less when I'm wearing contact lenses than glasses

.... Over hot curries can be cooled using lemon juice or a peice of apple

.... The water you boild your eggs in is fab for house plants when it's cooled

[sewer rat]

Just to ass to Jennie's tip about spinning natural wool to keep her hands soft - if you do not spin wool, try your hand at sheep shearing - the natural oils (esp lanolin) may keep your hands soft, but then you need to look for tips on sore backs,aching muscles and how to wash greasy jeans !!