Shhhhhh! Kitchen Secrets Revealed!

I didn't know that!

I love learning new things. Everyday I seem to pick up something about cooking that I didn't know. Being an avid researcher on the internet and reading every cookbook I can get my hands on helps. In our cookbook, TILL MEAT DO US PART, we will share some of our secrets, but I thought I would give you a sneak preview until the book comes out. The simplest way to reveal our secrets is listing them alphabetically.
A  Asparagus loses about 50% of its vitamin C content within 2 days after picking. Eat it the day you purchase it for best results. Avoid stalks that contain white streaks. The darker the color, the more tender it will be. Break off the top of the woody stem by holding it about halfway down the spear and bend the stalk until it snaps. Asparagus can be steamed for about 10 minutes, stir fried for about 1 minute, grilled about 4 minutes, or microwaved for 7 minutes.

B  Boiling water. Whether water boils lightly or more rapidly, the temperature will always be the same degrees. The only difference is the food will cook more evenly and retain more nutrients if the water is not rapidly boiling. You don't need to place a lid on a pot of water until it starts steaming. Until the temperature reaches 150, there is not enough steam to be trapped by a lid. It takes 23 minutes to raise 1 gallon of water to a boiling point if you put he lid on when it starts steaming and 35 if you leave the lid off. To avoid your pot from boiling over, place a wooden spoon across the top, between the lid and the pot.