| How to Steam Pears Posted: 19 Jul 2019 05:00 PM PDT All steamed foods are cooked over simmering water, and pears or no different. First, wash, peel, chop, and core your pears. Then, just boil some water, place your pears on top, and wait for your pears to soften. If you don't have a steamer basket, you can opt to steam your pears in the microwave. Steamed pears can be made into a delicious dessert or pureed for baby food. However you decide to prepare your steamed pears, just know that you're in for a delicious treat. EditPeeling and Cutting the Pears - Choose pears that are smooth, shiny, and firm. When you're choosing pears for your steaming, make sure they are ripe and not rotten. The best way to choose good pears is to pick them up, feel them, and to look for any dark bruising. Good pears will be smooth and firm, but not too hard. Choose pears with bright, shiny skin. Some light bruising is normal, but dark bruising may mean the pear is mushy and will go bad quickly.[1]
- Some pears are sold unripe, and this is okay. Unripe pears feel very hard when you squeeze them. You can ripen your pears at home by storing them in a paper bag at room temperature with a ripe banana or apple. Depending on the type of pears you bought, this may take 4-10 days.
- Bartlett pears are similar to bananas; they change color from green to yellow when they are ripe and ready to eat.[2]
- The best types of pears to stem are bosc, Anjou, and French butter pears because they tend to keep their shape when cooked.[3]
- Wash and soak your pears in cold water and vinegar. Before eating any kind of fruit or vegetable, it is important to thoroughly wash them. Vinegar can be used to wash fruit because it will completely remove bacteria. To wash your pears, fill up your clean sink with water and add of vinegar. Add your pears and stir all of them together in the sink. Let them soak for 10 minutes to remove the wax and dirty film that covers the pears. Rinse the pears with water cool water after they've finished soaking.[4]
- Make sure your sink is clean before soaking the pears. All you need to do is wipe the sink down with liquid dish soap on a clean, damp cloth. Rinse the soap from the sink when you're finished cleaning.
- Dry your pears off when you're finished soaking them.
- Remove the skin with a vegetable peeler. Before steaming your pears, you'll want to peel the skin. To use a vegetable peeler, hold the pear in one hand and the peeler in the other. Use the peeler scrape the skin off from the top of the pear down to the bottom. Continue this motion of peeling from the top to the bottom of the pear, working your way around until all of the skin is gone.[5]
- If you don't have a vegetable peeler, you can use a paring knife for easy peeling. Use the knife in the same way as the vegetable peeler by slowly cutting away the skin. Make sure to cut away from your body.
- Core and chop the pears. To core a pear, lay it down on its side and use a knife to cut right down the middle lengthwise. Once it's cut in half use a knife to cut out the stem on the bottom. Use your fingers to pull out the stem and its string at the top of the pear. Then, using a small spoon or melon baller, scoop out the core in the center. Finally, cut your pear into slices or quarters, depending on what your recipe calls for.[6]
- The core is a small, round area that contains the seeds.
EditSteaming Your Pears on the Stove - Fill your pan with of water and set to boil. Steaming pears, or any food for that matter, does not require much water. All you'll need is in the bottom of the pan. Set it on the stove and put it on medium-high until it starts to boil.[7]
- Place the pears in the steamer basket over the boiling water. As the water continues to boil, put your pear slices in the steamer basket and place them in the pan. Since you only put or so of water in the pan, your pears won't be touching the water. Cover your pan with a lid and let the pears steam.[8]
- Steam the pears for 5-15 minutes until they are tender. The time it takes for your pears to tenderize depends on how small you cut the pieces. If you kept your pears in halves, it may take 10-12 minutes. If you cut your pears into small cubes, it may take as little as 5 minutes for them to be tender. When they're ready, they should pierce easily with a toothpick.[9]
- Leave them in the steamer for up to 15 minutes for puree or baby food.
- Remove your pears from the heat to cool down. Once your pears are tender to your liking, remove the pan from the stove so they can cool down. It's important to let them cool completely before further preparing or serving.[10]
EditUsing a Microwave - Place the sliced pears in a microwave-safe container. Make sure the dish you use for steaming is microwave-safe. Stick with glass, ceramic, or plastic containers labeled "microwave-safe." The container you choose needs to have an air-tight lid, and it must be big enough to hold all of your pears. Place your pears inside, making sure they have enough room and you're able to fit the lid securely on top.[11]
- Avoid cold-storage plastic bowls, foam-insulated bowls, and dishes with metallic paint or trim.[12]
- Add of water and cover the dish. After you add the pears, pour in of water at the bottom of the bowl. The water provides moisture for the pears to steam. Put the lid on the container over the pears, making sure it is secure.[13]
- Microwave the pears on high for 3 minutes, then stir them. Place the container in the microwave and set for 3 minutes. Make sure to set your microwave to the highest power level. After the first 3 minutes are up, take the container out and stir the pears and water with a spoon.[14]
- Be very careful when you take the container out of the microwave, it will be very hot. Let it cool down for a minute before you take it out to stir the pears.
- Put the pears back in the microwave for an additional 3-6 minutes. After stirring, put the container back in the microwave for additional steaming. The amount of time you steam the pears depends on the size of the pear slices. If you left the pears in halves, cook for longer; up to 6 minutes. If you cut the pears into small pieces, microwave for 3 minutes.[15]
- Check the pears once they're finished in the microwave make sure they are tender. If not, put the lid back on and microwave for another minute.
EditThings You'll Need EditPreparing the Pears - 4 ripe pears
- Paring knife
- Vegetable peeler
- Spoon or melon baller
EditSteaming Your Pears on the Stove EditSteaming Pears in the Microwave - Microwave-safe dish with lid
- Water
EditResources
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| How to Block Out Noise Posted: 19 Jul 2019 09:00 AM PDT Whether it's street sounds keeping you from sleeping or office chatter disrupting your focus at work, unwanted noise can be a real annoyance. But there are ways to block out that noise! For instance, there are a lot of simple measures you can take to better soundproof your office, bedroom, or entire home. Or, you can use things like earplugs, headphones, and white noise emitters to counteract annoying sounds wherever you may be. EditSoundproofing Your Space - Place heavy curtains over any windows. Even when they're closed, windows often provide the easiest route for exterior noises to make their way inside. Try hanging curtains made of heavyweight fabric over the windows—they'll help to deaden the sound waves that penetrate the glass.[1]
- Textured fabrics like velvet or microfiber work best, and pleats or ruffles in the curtains are also beneficial.
- As a temporary measure, you can also hang blankets or towels over windows.[2]
- Lightweight curtains will not provide nearly the same amount of soundproofing, but they will let in more light.
- Roll up towels against door bottoms. If there is enough of a gap for daylight or a draft to sneak under your closed door, there's room for sound waves to come in as well. Simply roll up a bath towel and place it against the bottom of the door.[3]
- You can also roll up a small area rug or a large sweatshirt.
- Hang textured fabrics on the walls. Soft and fluffy materials with an uneven surface absorb sound waves much more effectively than solid, smooth walls. Use hooks, clips, or other methods to hang quilts, woven rugs, or similar fabrics along walls where noise penetration is an issue. They can be both decorative and functional![4]
- Try to keep hanging fabrics out of direct sunlight, especially if they are expensive. Sunlight coming through a window can fade the colors.
- Move furniture up against the walls. Tall bookcases, cabinets, and wardrobes in particular can really help deaden sounds that penetrate a wall. You're essentially thickening the wall and reducing the ability of the sound waves to pass through.[5]
- Cut and slide sheets of rigid or flexible foam behind the furniture to further increase the soundproofing.
- For maximum effect, you could add a built-in bookcase that spans an entire shared wall. Filling the shelves with books will only further enhance the soundproofing impact.
- Use plush furniture with cushions and pillows. If you've ever moved, you've probably noticed that an empty room has an echo that disappears once it's furnished. Soft pieces of furniture like couches are particularly helpful at deadening sounds, but even just adding a few pillows can be an improvement.[6]
- So, in theory, letting dirty clothes pile up in your bedroom may provide some soundproofing benefits. But don't expect your parents to buy this excuse!
- Add carpeting or rugs to the floor. Like adding furniture in the room, floor coverings help to reduce echoes that increase the impact of noise infiltration. Also, if the troublesome noise is coming from below, they'll help reduce the amount of sound that makes it into your area in the first place.[7]
- The thicker the floor covering, the greater the impact. So consider going retro with some 1970s-style shag carpeting!
- Seal up spots of air infiltration. If air can get in from outside, so too can noise. Check around windows in particular for holes, cracks, or gaps where you can feel air coming through. Use caulk or other sealants to plug up these spots.[8]
- Check around electrical outlets on exterior walls as well.
- Especially if you have older, single-pane windows, adding storm windows to the outside or clear plastic sheeting to the inside will help with both air and noise infiltration.
- Add insulation inside walls. If you live in an older home with walls that are uninsulated or poorly insulated, sound waves will have a much easier time penetrating your living space. Consider hiring a company to add blown-in insulation to the interior of your walls. It may seem like a pricey investment for soundproofing, but you'll also save quite a bit on your heating and cooling costs.[9]
- Whenever you're building new walls, exterior walls should always be well insulated. But insulating interior walls as well will provide noticeable noise blocking benefits.
- Skip pricey acoustic panels, except for ceiling applications. In reality, acoustic panels that you hang on walls and ceilings are better at keeping sound in the room than keeping it out of the room. So, when it comes to blocking outside noises, you may find that you don't get significantly better results than you can with much cheaper alternatives (like hanging curtains or quilts).[10]
- However, if the offending noise is coming through your ceiling, for instance from a noisy upstairs neighbor, hanging acoustic panels according to the product instructions is likely your best option. Building a second, lower ceiling with insulation in between is a less practical alternative.
- You can go all-out and invest in constructing a sound-proof room to get better results, but this isn't practical or cost-effective in most cases.
EditTuning Out Distracting Noises - Turn on a fan or white noise generator. Most people find sounds with a lot of variation—such as people talking—distracting, while consistent sounds are much less so. The consistent hum of a fan, for instance, can help block out distracting noises without being distracting itself.[11]
- If a fan doesn't do enough to counter bothersome noises, you might want to invest in a white noise generator. These machines produce consistent sounds that are specifically intended to help block out distractions.
- Play nature sounds or ambient music. These work similarly to fans or white noise machines, but have a bit more sound variation. CDs or apps of nature sounds like falling rain or ocean waves can block out unwanted noise and be soothing in their own right.[12]
- When it comes to music, think "elevator music"—light acoustical pieces that tend to fade into the background.
- Use earplugs or hearing protection earmuffs. If you don't want or need to hear anything, your best bet is to block sound waves from entering your ears. Soft foam earplugs are cheap and will contour nicely to your outer ear canal. You may get even better results from hearing protection earmuffs meant for use when operating power tools and the like. Look for them in hardware stores and home centers.[13]
- These methods are likely to be more practical when you're studying in your room, and less so when you're working in your office and need to hear the phone ring, etc.
- Download a self-adjusting white noise app. There are plenty of white noise apps available for download, but look for ones that use your smartphone's microphone to self-adjust the white noise to suit the ambient noise. You'll hardly notice the subtle shifts in the white noise, but the adjustments will do a better job of blocking exterior sounds.[14]
- For maximum impact, consider playing the white noise app through your earbuds, then placing hearing protection earmuffs over your ears and the earbuds.
- Invest in noise canceling headphones. As the name indicates, these types of headphones are designed to cancel out exterior noises while allowing you to listen to your chosen music, nature sounds, white noise, etc. They are a particularly good choice for air travel or commuting on public transportation.[15]
- Most of the higher-quality brands of noise canceling headphones run in the range of $200-$300 (or more) USD.[16]
- Some models have buttons that allow you to let in external sounds—for instance, so you can hear a flight attendant.
- Seek assistance dealing with noise sensitivity. You probably have particular noises that really bother you, causing a reaction that goes beyond the impact of the actual noise. For instance, you may be very distracted by the faint sound of a dog barking, due perhaps to a history of bad experiences or other factors. For this type of noise sensitivity, you may benefit from professional assistance.[17]
- Consider visiting a licensed mental health professional, who might utilize techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy to reduce your response to particular noises.
- While there isn't much evidence to support it, some people believe that hypnosis therapy can help with noise sensitivity.
EditReferences
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| How to Clean a Growler Posted: 19 Jul 2019 01:00 AM PDT Growlers are a type of jug used to store and transport beer. Most growlers are made from glass, ceramic, or stainless steel, which means they're a cinch to clean. In fact, all they need most of the time is a quick rinse with hot water. If it's been a while since you last cleaned your growler, fill it with hot water and a teaspoon of oxygen-based cleaner or powdered brewery wash and allow it to soak for about an hour. EditRinsing out a Lightly-Used Growler - Run the water in your sink until it's as hot as it can get. Turn on the tap and let it begin warming up. As it does, go ahead and pour out any beer remaining in your growler. You want it to be completely empty before you begin rinsing it.[1]
- Hot water kills more bacteria than cool or room temperature water.[2]
- Fill your growler up with hot water and swish it around inside. Hold the growler under the faucet so that the stream flows directly into the mouth. Once it's about half full, put the cap on the jug or press your palm over the mouth and shake the water back and forth.[3]
- The gentle agitation of the water will help rinse stale beer residue off the walls of the jug.
- Pour the water out of the growler. Turn the growler upside down to drain the rinsing water. Give the jug a quick shake to make sure it's completely empty. Be sure to run some water over the outside of the jug as well.
- Hold your growler with both hands to avoid accidentally dropping it—a wet growler can get pretty slippery. It may help to loop a finger or two through the handle near the top.
- Repeat 1-2 more times as needed. If you can still see or smell traces of beer inside your growler, you may need to rinse it out a second or even third time. Continue filling, swishing, and draining until the water runs clear.[4]
- It shouldn't take more than 2-3 rinses to make a lightly-used growler as good as new.
- Allow the growler to air dry with the cap off. After making sure there's no lingering water inside, set the jug aside on a countertop or other flat, stable surface to dry. If you like, you can place your growler upside down in a dish drying rack. Just make sure the mouth isn't covered, as this can cause moisture to become trapped inside.[5]
- Place a towel or some folded paper towels beneath the growler to soak up any droplets of water run off the outside of the jug.
- It's important to leave the cap off of your growler as it dries to promote airflow. Any excess moisture that's allowed to remain inside the jug is likely to result in mold or bacterial growth.
EditSoaking a Stale Growler - Fill the growler with hot water. If you have an older growler that reeks of spoiled beer, your best option is to soak it. First, make sure there are no traces of beer left inside. Then, turn on the faucet and run a stream of hot water into the mouth of the empty jug. Fill it up to the top.[6]
- Leave of space near the mouth of the growler to add your cleaning product of choice.
- Add 1 teaspoon of oxygen-based cleaner or powdered brewery wash. Use a measuring spoon to portion out your cleaning agent to make sure you're not using any more than you need. Dump the cleaner into the mouth of the growler and let it begin dissolving. This should only take a few seconds in the hot water.[7]
- Oxygen-based cleaners use the power of oxygen to eliminate odors and lift heavy stains. They're completely safe to use it in your growler or other food and beverage containers.
- Powdered brewery wash is an alkali-based detergent commonly used by bartenders and distillers to sanitize brewing equipment. You can find it and similar products online, or at any store that carries home brewing supplies.[8]
- Let the growler soak for 1 hour. Place the cap on the jug and find a spot for it out on your countertop. As it sits, the solution will go to work breaking down bacteria and odor-causing residue on the interior walls. Afterwards, your growler will be fresh and clean and ready to be refilled.[9]
- There's no need to scrub or wipe your growler (the narrow mouth of the jug would make this tricky, anyway). Just sit back and let your cleaning product do all the heavy lifting!
- Consider setting a timer so you'll know when to come back and drain and rinse your growler.
- Empty the growler and rinse it with clean water. Remove the cap from the jug and pour its contents out into the sink. You may notice a slight discoloration in the water that comes out—this is a good thing, as it means the solution is doing its job. Once the growler is empty, swish it with hot water a few times to flush out the last of the cleaner.[10]
- The residue you rinse out of an especially dingy growler may be amber-brown, gray, or even black. Yuck!
- Don't forget to give the outside of the growler a quick rinse, too, especially around the mouth.
- Air-dry the growler with the cap off. Place the jug on the countertop or in a dish drying rack to dry naturally. This may take anywhere from 1-3 hours, depending on the surrounding conditions. Be sure to leave the mouth uncovered throughout the process to prevent moisture from hanging around inside and encouraging the growth of bacteria.[11]
- Not only will a germy growler throw off the taste of your favorite beers, it could also potentially make you ill.
- Towel drying isn't recommended, as it can leave bits of fiber behind on the walls of your growler. If you insist on drying your jug by hand, make sure you do it with a lint-free material, such as microfiber.
EditKeeping Your Growler Clean - Rinse out your growler as soon as you finish using it. Right after you polish off or pour out the last of your beer, give the jug a quick rinse with hot water. The longer it sits with droplets of leftover beer stagnating inside, the more likely it is to develop a sour smell and require more thorough cleaning.[12]
- The simplest way to maintain a growler is to get in the habit of washing it out immediately.
- Refrigerate your recently-used growler until you can clean it. If for some reason you're unable to sanitize your growler right away, put the cap on it and stick it in the fridge. The cool temperatures will help stave off the growth of mold and bacteria until you can give it some attention.[13]
- Remember, you should always refrigerate your growlers if there's still beer in them.
- Check to make sure your jug doesn't smell after you've cleaned it. Hold the mouth of the jug up to your nose and take a whiff. A well-sanitized jug will have no scent. If you detect the faint odor of vinegar, it means that there's still some residue remaining, and you'll need to rinse or soak it again.[14]
- If you've tried cleaning your growler multiple times and still can't get rid of the smell, it may be a lost cause. In this case, it's best to just throw away and acquire a new one.
- Store your empty growler with the cap off. This will allow air to circulate throughout the jug, ensuring that it dries completely and making it difficult for bacteria to set up inside. Situate your growler somewhere where dust or debris won't be able to find its way inside, such as inside the pantry or on top of a high shelf.[15]
- Just as moisture can cause germs to grow inside a sealed wet jug, the air in a dry jug can quickly become stagnant, producing an unpleasant musty smell.
- At most breweries and beer bars, you can have your beer put in a growler to take home with you when you buy a selection on tap. You can also buy growlers from online suppliers any store that sells home brewing equipment.
- Growlers made of amber glass will keep your favorite beers fresh longer than clear ones. The tinted glass helps block UV rays, which can quickly turn beer sour.
- Some beer merchants may sanitize your growler free of charge before refilling it. In that case, you won't have to worry about anything other than enjoying your beer!
EditThings You'll Need - Hot water
- Oxygen-based cleaner or powdered brewery wash
- Measuring spoon
- Clean, dry towel or paper towels
- Dish drying rack (optional)
EditReferences
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