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Wednesday, August 8, 2001
Outside the box

CUT THROUGH HARD ICE CREAM

Wheeler

   Donna Wheeler, owner of Marble Slab Creamery on Saratoga, said the proper equipment is the key to painless ice cream scooping.
   "Use a real ice cream spade," Wheeler said. "It's stronger and sturdier."
   Spades are available in many grocery stores and kitchen shops, she said, and will cut right through even premium ice creams when first rinsed in tap water or slightly warm water.
   Use your old ice cream scoop to help peel ice cream off the spade if it sticks. You can also take ice cream out of the freezer for a few minutes prior to serving, but don't let it loiter on the counter.
   "If you use the spade and the water, ice cream that's been sitting out too long will be too soft," Wheeler said.

   GREAT GROCERIES
   Stock up on these foods to boost your folate, vitamin C, potassium, fiber and phytochemical intake:

Dried fruit

Bananas

Skim milk

Broccoli

Fortified, whole grain cereals

Dried beans

Lean meat
   Source: California Strawberry Commission

   ITTY-BITTY BROWNIES

   Sara Lee Triple Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bites
   If you need a chocolate hit but want to avoid pigging out, this is the fix for you. Sara Lee's new Brownie Bites are ready-to-eat brownie squares you can pull out of the freezer and immediately pop in your mouth. Admittedly, something that lives in freezing temperatures but doesn't need thawing gives us the creeps, but it beats baking a whole pan of brownies and being left alone with a 13"x9" temptation.
   - Written and compiled by staff writer Leanne Libby

   Food tips
   PIZZA PERFECT
   Recipes for pizza often call for dusting a pizza paddle with corn meal before sliding the pie onto a heated stone in the oven. If the dough is wet or sticky this can be a real challenge. To prevent sticking, lay a piece of parchment on the paddle or the back of a baking sheet, and form the pie on it. Then slide the parchment onto the heated stone and bake the pie on the paper on the stone.

   GRILLING EQUIPMENT
   When choosing grilling tools always pick long handled ones to avoid burns and splatters. A basic grill kit should include: A pair of long tongs, for turning the foods; a stiff-wire brush, for cleaning the grill; a mop brush, for saucing foods; a large offset spatula, for moving delicate items; and a pair of elbow-length grill gloves for protection.

   MARINADE SAFETY
   Don't use marinades as sauces unless they are boiled after the raw meat, poultry, or seafood has been removed. If a marinade is used as a mopping sauce while grilling, make sure it is cooked for at least three minutes over high heat.



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