Saving Foods for Later
Preserving the Goodness in Leftovers
·
Bread Before covering for extended freshness,
allow the bread to cool completely. If wrapping in an air-tight container,
include a paper or cloth towel inside the container, to absorb any moisture. If
storing in a plastic bag, cut a little hole in the plastic, here and there, to
allow moisture to continue to escape. Don't leave bread in a place where it
will come into contact with heat or direct sunlight.
·
Chocolate Most breads, cookies, and muffins can be
eaten soon out of the oven, but those with chocolate chips should be allowed to
cool longer before eating, enough so that you don't burn your mouth on the
molten chocolate, which can remain quite hot even after the cookie itself has
cooled to the touch somewhat.
·
Icing Though an iced treat is served with the icing
intact, the icing itself is to be eaten, or not, as to one's individual tastes.
For each forkful of treat, use your fork or knife to apply as much or as little
of the icing as you prefer to each forkful, and feel free to leave the rest of
the icing on the plate. Consider "icing" as a condiment similar to
the ketchup in which one dips one's French fries. After eating the French
fries, there is no need to eat the rest of the leftover ketchup. So it is, with
icing. You may either leave some or all of the icing on the plate for Miss
Manners, but she also will not be offended if you do choose to eat it all.
·
Pies If not eaten right away, allow a pie to cool
completely after baking, before refrigerating. Cover with plastic wrap to keep
flavors and odors from other foods in the refrigerator from affecting your
saved treats. To keep the plastic from sticking to the top of the pie, try
sticking a few toothpicks here and there in the pie first, to hold the plastic
up away from the surface.
