Sun birds , rather , do come round to my kitchen window sowetimes when something's cooking in the pot..Interesting , isn't it ? Sometimes they just stand there and watch..sometimes they sing real loudly too ! It's really fun to have them around !
Here's some general kitchen-keeping tips you could try . ( Some are from my family's own tips whilst others are the compilation of networking tips..Have fun !)
FOR THAT LEMONY SCENT :
This could be used for disinfecting counter-tops , when cleaning out your fridge etc .
Simply , warm some water and pour it into a spray or mist bottle once the water has cooled somewhat . Squeeze about half a lemon into the water and shake the bottle to give it a good mix . Some of you might like to put a leaf or two of mint leaves into the lemon soultion if you so choose as well . Spray on the needed areas and wait for a few minutes for the solution to act . Wipe it off or srcub the surface with a clean cloth .
FOR THOSE INFUSIONS , TINCTURES , CREAMS...
Always keep your home-made infusions , tinctures , creams , oils etc in dark , clean , sterilised bottles or jars if you want to keep for longer periods of time .
For tea leaves , keep them refrigerated in clean , air-tight conatiners or jars . I prefer glass jars as they do not have that porous or 'plastic' smell like plastic containeres do . That's my choice anyway . A well-kept container of tea leaves can last for several months , sometimes even up to a year , depending on how well you keep them . Of course , using a wet or damp spoon to scope the tea leaves is a definite ' no , no ' !
Try to make a fresh batch every twice a week if they keep that long . For those which can keep longer , perhaps once every month will do .
CAKES , BISCUITS ,MUFFINS.
To keep them fresh , always cool them sufficiently before putting them in air-tight , clean glass jar . Plastic containers tend to have that ' porous' smell . Keep them refrigerated .Do not take them out with wet hands ( common sense ! ). Mould would start growing..eeks..you would not want your beautiful muffins or cakes or biscuits to turned mouldy , do you ?
FOR HYGIENIC UTENSILS...
For burnt marks on your baking tray , you may use mild lemon juice or any remaining tea from your teapot (preferably lemon tea or any tea which you find useful in cleaning up stains on the baking tray) . Let the lemon juice or tea to work on the stains for a while before rinsing them away ( * Don't forget the good old bicarbonate of soda if you have some ). As for utensils that you have stored away for a long time , you may use some warm water to sterilize them first before using them . ( or alternatively some may prefer to add some lemon juice to the warm water ) . Always make sure that your utensils are all thoroughly dried ( some use the cloth whilst other prefer to 'air-dry' them overnight')before placing them back .
