Buying and Storing Garlic

  Buying Garlic: Garlic is one of the main ingredients to many world wide cuisines. It is packed with health benefits and delicious flavor. When buying garlic, avoid the very large elephant garlic. Though we may think bigger, elephant garlic does not taste the same and is not to be used as a substitute for everyday garlic. We want to buy garlic that is firm and has plenty of dry papery shells. Any garlic head that shows signs of sprouting means they are old and not dried or stored correctly. Very old garlic will break apart easily with pressure.   Storing Garlic: Freshly bought garlic can last quite a long time if stored properly. We want to store our garlic in a cool dark place and out of sunlight. They should not be put in the fridge as this will result in spoilage. Garlic will age and spoil faster in direct sunlight. They will begin sprouting and eventually become soft and moldy. Always avoid direct sunlight when storing your garlic. The best place to store garlic is in a container that protects the bulbs from sunlight but has small holes to allow air circulation. Once the bulb is broken the cloves will last about 3-10 days. Tip: Plan ahead when cooking garlic. Its best to cut, crush or chop your garlic 10-15 mins prior to cooking in order for the alliicin to form.   What Not To Do: Never Store Garlic In Oil: This could result in Botulism, a very nasty toxin. It is best to buy your garlic oil from the store where it has been properly made. If Sprouting: The garlic is still safe to eat but its best you chop out the green as it will make your dish bitter. Properly stored garlic should never sprout though. Never Store In The Fridge: The cold temperature will ruin the taste as well as the texture of the garlic cloves....

Buying and Storing Bananas

  Buying Bananas: Bananas are one of the few fruits that can be bought all year round. They are harvested in exotic climates and shipped all over the world for our enjoyment. While at the super market you usually will want to pick a group of bananas that have a green or light green tint to them. They should be firm and have no visible bruises on them. They aren’t ripe yet but will be in a few days and ready for consumption.   Storing Bananas: The freshly bought light green bananas should be stored in room temperature. Bananas release a high concentration of ethylene gas so they should be stored separately from all other fruits and vegetables. If they are stored near other fruits and vegetable this will cause all your fresh food to spoil faster. Bananas should also be hung up to avoid bruising during the natural ripening process.  This allows you to keep your bananas for the maximum amount of time and avoid tossing brown bananas. A banana is ripe and ready to eat once they are a sunny yellow color and are at their best when they are solid yellow and have small brown spots.  Tip:  If you have any left over ripe bananas cut them up and store them in a Ziplock bag in the freezer. They will last about a month and go great in smoothies!   What Not To Do: Never Store Near Other Fruits or Vegetables: Because of the ethylene gas they release they will spoil your other fresh produce. Never Store In a Plastic or Paper Bag: The ethylene gas will be contained causing the bananas to ripen much faster.  You could do this if your bananas are to green and need them sooner rather than later. Never Store In The Fridge: Bananas aren’t used to the cold climates. Storing in the fridge will cause the natural ripening process to stop and the bananas skin will turn black while the insides won’t change much....