Kitchen Tip: Cleaning Peppers

Chopping peppers is not a chore. Here's the best way to do it.






Cut a circle around the stem at the top of the pepper.



Gently pull the "lid" off the pepper and you will remove almost all the seeds. If there are seeds stuck inside, just run some water into your pepper "cup" and swish it around and pour it out.











Slice off the bottom and... (drumroll please)





Then section the pepper neatly into slices that lie quite flat -- you can roast them like this or slice into neat pieces!

Kitchen Tip: Avocados!

Avocado Prep is Easy

One day in a New York elevator, I heard two women discussing avocados. One woman confessed that they puzzle her, "Just getting the pit out is hard," she said. And the second woman agreed.

As a native Californian, I had to break NYC elevator etiquette (eyes generally stare straight at elevator door, barely acknowledge existence of fellow passengers) and explain how to prep an avocado. So, here is how to do it -- with pictures! It's easy!


First, pick avocados that have a little give to them, like a ripe peach or pear (the Haas avocadoes with the nubbly skin are best). If it feels too soft it will be rotten inside and if it is too firm you won't want it in your sandwich, your salad or your guacamole.


Slice the avocado in half lengthwise, going around the pit. Twist the two halves and they will come apart. You will have two lovely, oval halves and the pit will be stuck in one of the halves.


Use a kitchen knife and, with a chopping motion, let the blade of the knife sink about 1/4" or so into the pit of the avocado. Then, twist the handle of the knife and the pit will pop out

At this point you can scoop the flesh out (for guacamole, etc.) or slice for sandwiches or salads. An easy technique is to slice in the skin and then slip the blade of your knife between the skin and the avocado and gently lift the slices out.

Kitchen Tip: Break an Egg

Eggs are a common ingredient when cooking and baking. When you break an egg and a bit of shell lands in the bowl with your egg it can be difficult to fish the shell out of the bowl. Here is a valuable tip. Use half an egg shell to dip the broken bit of shell out from the egg in the bowl. The broken bit is magically attracted to the egg shell in your hand. Generally, with one scoop the eggshell is removed from the eggs and you can proceed with your cooking.



This photo doesn't quite do it justice -- before you criticize, you might try holding and scooping a broken bit of eggshell out with one hand while taking a picture with the other and trying not to drop your camera into a bowl of eggs!

Do I hear someone saying I should get an assitant??

Kitchen Tip: On Vegetables, Be Flexible

In Jackson Hole, WY and in many other places that I have lived, you have to go to the market with a little flexibility in mind when it comes to vegetables.

If you are shopping for broccoli but it is limp be ready to change your plans and go for the green beans. Or, if the green beans are expensive, switch to zucchini. It's a good idea to know how to steam and season a few favorite vegetable so that you can substitute as required to take advantage of what is best at the market.

Kitchen Tip: More Juice from a Lemon

Kitchen Tip of the Day -- Juice It!

To get the most juice from citrus fruit, start with fruit at room temperature and roll it firmly before juicing.