OK, so maybe saying these 50 culinary hacks will teach you everything you need to know in order to win Top Chef is a bit of an exaggeration... but they will make prepping and cooking just about anything you can think of a whole lot easier. Besides, who doesn't love a good life hack? No one, that's who. Especially not when they do so much towards simplifying your life.
Created by U.K.,-based kitchen and interior design company Kit Stone, the infographic seen here goes a long way towards making your cooking process the best it can be. Seriously, you guys — those microwave hacks we saw a while ago were nifty, but I'm actually debating printing this one out and pinning it to my refrigerator. It's just that useful. And not just for the information it holds — everything on it is also presented clearly and cleanly, so all you need to do is glance at it to find what you need. Check out six of my favorite pointers here, and scroll down to see the entire graphic. It's so cool. I promise!
- To remove eggshell bits from your freshly-cracked egg: Dip your fingers in water before fishing out the piece of shell. I actually used this trick this morning, so I can vouch for it — it works. For realsies.
- To cut soft foods like certain types of cheeses: Use dental floss. It's the perfect cheese slicer.
- To keep your brown sugar from hardening: Stick a few marshmallows in the bag. Bread works, too. Both marshmallows and bread hold moisture well, which will keep your brown sugar from turning into a rock hard, clumpy disaster.
- To stop your pasta pot from boiling over: Balance a wooden spoon over the top of it. Check out the science of why this trick works at Wonder How-To. Who knew a wooden spoon could do so much?
- To remove the smell of garlic from your hands: Rub your mitts on some stainless steel. Just, y'know... not a knife. That's only going to end in tears and a trip to the emergency room.
- To make bacon without using your stove: Cook it on a waffle iron, or — if you're feeling adventurous — wrap it in bacon and hit it with an iron à la that hotel room grilled cheese trick we learned about recently.
For all 50 hacks, take a look at the full infographic:
