We’re back with another set of tips and tricks overheard in the COOK Kitchen! This edition has a few healthy salad pointers, balanced out with a couple dessert baking tips. Try out some of these salad tricks for yourself to feed your spring fever. After you eat your greens, treat yourself to some chocolate truffles from the last tip.

Tip #1: Wash Your Produce

Kenny Bush of Bistrot La Minette had a tip with a hilarious story to boot. While preparing the endives for his winter salad, Kenny told guests to always wash their vegetables before cooking. He said that grocery stores spray them down simply to give them a shiny and clean appearance, not to thoroughly wash them. One time Kenny found a dragonfly in his salad greens he bought from the store! You never know what critters may be along for the ride in your produce, so be sure to inspect and wash first!

Tip #2: Smart, Simple Salad Dressing

Laura Frangiosa dropped some salad science knowledge during a private birthday dinner at COOK. Use equal parts canola oil and olive oil for a salad dressing that won’t separate fully in the fridge. Blending canola oil with olive oil decreases the ratio of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, resulting in a less congealed dressing straight from your fridge. The salad dressing Laura made for the birthday dinner was simple: 1 cup canola oil, 1 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup finely diced shallots, blue cheese, and a small spoonful of fig jam.

Tip #3: Smacking Herbs

Sometimes cooking is a delicate process. Then there are times where you just need to smack something. That’s exactly what Beth Kaufman Strauss of Grateful Plate did when she prepared a chopped shrimp and edamame salad for a private event at COOK. When Beth was demonstrating her salad making process she took a few sprigs of mint and slapped them against the counter a few times. She explained that hitting the mint helps release its essential oils which brings out more flavor. You can do this with other herbs such as basil, just be a bit gentler so that you don’t bruise your basil!

Tip #4: A Tent For Your Pie

COOK regular and Pastry Chef of R2L Peter Scarola recently joined us for a “Tart For All Seasons” class. For cooking pies Peter recommends baking at around 425 degrees for the first 20 minutes or until the kitchen smells of fresh pastry. Then, cover the pie in the oven with a foil tent and finish baking. This will bake the pie and ensure the bottom crust is baked fully without burning the top.

Tip #5: Shrooms For Dessert?

Grace Winery‘s resident chef Scott Megill brought delicious food, some jokes and a literal food pun to COOK. Scott’s “A Shroom With A View” class featured fungi and was hosted by a fun guy! After having mushrooms with each course, Scott surprised guests at the end of the meal with chocolate truffles as a play on the subterranean fungus truffles. While this may not be a tip or a trick, who doesn’t like truffles or puns? These chocolate delights are so simple to make. First bring a pot of cream to a simmer. Next, chop some good quality chocolate and put the chocolate in a baking dish. Pour the hot cream over top of the chocolate and stir to combine. Once cool scoop out balls of chocolate ganache with an ice cream scoop. Lastly toss them in a bowl of cocoa powder for an added dimension of flavor!