How to determine if eggs are fresh

Dear Heloise: I never know how to determine whether eggs are still fresh. I remember something about putting them in water. Help?— Vivian M., Westfield, Mass. Vivian, help is here, and it’s an easy egg hint! Fill a bowl/ glass with room-temperature water. Put an egg in it. If it floats, it’s an older egg; if it sinks to the bottom, it’s a fresher egg.—Heloise

P.S. If you are using the eggs to “hard boil” (really it’s “hard cook”—you should boil the eggs for no more than a minute, then turn the heat off, cover the pot and let it sit for 15 minutes), use older eggs. Fresh ones do not have much of an air pocket and are harder to peel.

GOOD COFFEE HINTS Dear Readers: Do’s and Don’ts for making good coffee:

Start with a clean coffeepot.

Use fresh, clean water.

Do use the proper grind for the method you choose for brewing.

Do drink it right away!— Heloise

A LA … WHAT?

Dear Heloise: I’m confused! I see the term “A la this or that” on menus and have no idea what it means. I don’t do a lot of cooking and never learned what some of these culinary terms mean.—Rochelle R., Blaine, Minn.

Rochelle, don’t fret! You are not alone! Here are three explanations for you from my book “In the Kitchen With Heloise.”

“A la king”: Food that’s been prepared in a rich cream sauce.

“A la mode”: It’s French for “in the manner of.” If you see this in reference to a dessert, it means “with ice cream.”

“Al dente”: It’s an Italian term for cooking pasta so that the teeth can feel it. Pasta should never be overcooked.—Heloise

GARBAGE DISPOSAL SMELL

Dear Heloise: My garbage disposal has a terrible odor. I tried grinding lemons in it, but that gave me only a temporary solution. In a small kitchen like mine, a smelly garbage disposal is a serious problem!—Sally T., Rock Hill, S.C.

Sally, here are some hints to banish garbage disposal odors:

When you use limes/lemons/grapefruit, follow up with lots of running cold water.

Try a few drops of peppermint oil or spearmint in a cup of water, then put that into the disposal.

Put the stopper in, fill the sink with hot water, then pull the plug and run the disposal.

If the odor persists, there may be a buildup of “gunk” under the splash guard. Try cleaning the underside of the black splash guard with hot, soapy water.—Heloise

P.S. It’s important to run cold water for 30 seconds or so to push whatever you are getting rid of through the plumbing.

A ‘BERRY’ GOOD IDEA Dear Heloise: Blackberries, blueberries, etc., are sold in grocery stores in clear plastic clamshell packs. Placing a rubber band around a box prevents an “explosion” if you drop one. Good shopping.—George B., via email