Catering to a Whim: Kitchen Hints from a Professional Caterer

My mom Beverly Klamm ran her own catering business for many years. She coordinated events from an intimate party of 10 to a company wide picnic of 1,500. Along the way she learned lots of little tricks that made her job and life easier. Here are just a few to get you started in the kitchen.

Never cut lettuce with a metal knife. A chemical reaction between the metal and the leaves accelerates the deterioration process of the lettuce. Instead firmly rap the stem on the countertop so it can be easily removed. Tear off desired portion and shred by hand. Store remaining leaves in a loose bag so excess moisture won't build up which will also accelerate rotting.

Cut tomatoes slices from top-to-bottom instead of side-to-side. This helps keep the juice from running all over your cutting board. A pinch of sugar will make tomato sauces less bitter. To easily remove skins from tomatoes, dip in boiling water for approximately one minute then plunge into cold water. The skins will peel right off.

A variation on this theme will work with potatoes too. Score the potato around the center and boil for 20 minutes or until fork tender. Drop potatoes into ice cold water or even set them in the freezer for a few minutes. The skins should just slide off in your hands.

Chill onions thoroughly before slicing to help lessen eye irritation. You can also slice them underwater. Some cooks swear holding a piece of potato between their teeth will also help or even lighting a candle. Try a combination of these techniques until you find one that works for you. To get the onion smell off your hands, simply rub your stainless steel sink. It really works!

To create luscious meringues that won't weep or shrink, dissolve a tablespoon of cornstarch in a quarter-cup of boiling water. Let the mixture cool to room temperature and then add to meringue. Top pie and bake as usual.

For fluffier meringues, use room temperature eggs. Be sure everything that touches the egg whites is clean. Even the tiniest amount of oil or grease will keep them from

You can tell if an egg is good by putting it in a bowl of water. Fresh eggs will sink. Stale eggs will float.

To prevent the yolks in boiled eggs from turning green, cool quickly after cooking. Drain boiling water and place eggs in dish with cold water. Replace water until it stays cool. Your yolks should be a soft yellow without that yucky green tinge. For easier shell removal, tap egg all over to loosen the shell. Peel egg under running water.