While cheesecloth and twine may sound like an ordinary and unremarkable pair of items, they are more versatile then one might think. As with many kitchen tools, it’s all about how you use them.

Here are my favorite ways to use this indispensable pair. Neither is expensive, so there’s no reason you shouldn’t keep them on hand.

You can even package a twine dispenser and some cheesecloth as a gift for a budding cook.
  

Breathable Storage

You can use cheesecloth and butcher’s twine to wrap and secure meat or produce that will benefit from air circulation in the fridge. The cheesecloth keeps the food protected but allows it to breathe, even if wrapped tightly. The food may still susceptible to bacteria, so take care to store it properly and cook it to the proper temperature.

Hang Steaming

You can steam vegetables in any large stockpot, without a steamer insert. Bundle the veggies in a thin layer of cheesecloth and tie with twine to secure; then fill the stockpot a third of the way with water and set it to boil. Hang the bundle of veggies over the boiling water using a long skewer or slotted spoon laid across the top of the pot. Cover (it’s okay if you don’t create a perfect seal) and steam to desired tenderness.

Long-Term Draining

If you’re trying to drain something for a number of hours (e.g. overnight, like yogurt), leaving it in the sink isn’t always convenient. Instead, place the item in a bundle of cheesecloth, tie it securely with kitchen twine, and hang it over a bowl somewhere out of the way. Just make sure to use a bowl big enough that the drainage won’t spill over.

Poultry Stuffing

Scooping the stuffing from a roast bird is no the neatest task. You can fix that by bundling the stuffing in cheesecloth. Once it’s tied up and secure, push the cheesecloth pouch into the bird and cook as normal. Removing the stuffing takes mere seconds. You can also us this trick if you’re simply stuffing the bird with aromatics.

Sachet

It’s easy to infuse flavor into whatever you’re cooking: A sachet is one of my favorite things to make when poaching or braising. Simply pile your favorite aromatics (herbs, garlic, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, whatever) in the middle of a small piece of cheesecloth, gather the cloth together like a hobo stick, and tie with a piece of kitchen twine. Remove and toss when the cooking is finished.

Bundle up a half cup or so of confectioners’ sugar in a small amount of cheesecloth, tie with butcher’s twine, and drop into a glass or mug. Then, when you want a nice, even dusting of powdered sugar, just shake the pouch lightly over your pastry or dessert.

WAYS TO USE CHEESECLOTH

Basting

You can soak several layers of cheesecloth in wine, broth or any other flavorful liquid (even butter if you’re feeling naughty); then lay them over any bird or beast you plan to roast. The cheesecloth will help the roast to self-baste and stay moist. Keep an eye on it though, as you may want to rehydrate it depending on how long things are in the oven.

Making Greek Yogurt

Simply spread a cheesecloth over a colander and fill with plain yogurt. Refrigerate overnight, then press. It’s that easy to make Greek-style yogurt.

Straining

You can use one or more layers of cheesecloth to strain stocks and broths, keeping unwanted debris out. Using several layers will allow you to catch even the tiniest bits, and sometimes a cheesecloth can fit more comfortably over a receptacle than your own metal strainer.
Find cheesecloth in any kitchen gadgets department or online.

WAYS TO USE KITCHEN TWINE

Trussing

This one is the obvious no-brainer, and the first reason to buy kitchen twine. Remember when trussing, that form is far more important than function. It doesn’t how matter how pretty your trussing is; the objective is to hold your roast together so the meat cooks evenly.
TWINE TIP: Put your twine in a twine dispenser for neat dispensing.
  

Then we received a pizza dough recipe from from Bruno diFabio, whose pizza was just awarded the grand prize, Best Pizza, in the Worldwide Pizza Championship.*

DiFabio is now a six-time winner as the best—and also the fastest—pizza maker in the world.

You don’t have to be fast to try your hand at his excellent dough. Check out the recipe below—but don’t plan on enjoying it today. The dough has to sit for 15-18 hours; then each dough ball must be kept in its own container, refrigerated and covered, for 3-4 days before using.

Try it and see if this recipe—the best dough in the world—is worth the time.

Find more of our favorite pizza recipes.

Pizza dough, waiting to be rolled and baked. Photo by Mariha Kitchen | IST.

Ingredients: Phase 1

 
Preparation: Phase 1

1. ADD the dry yeast to the warm water. Stir slightly. Let stand for 2-3 minutes.

2. ADD the 2 cups of water and the yeast water to a large mixing bowl.

3. ADD the flour and mix only until the ingredients are blended. The mix will feel slightly dry and lumpy; this is OK.

4. COVER the bowl with a dish towel or cheesecloth.

5. LET STAND for 15-18 hours at room temperature. The dough will triple in size and give off an amazing aroma. This pre-fermented dough is called a biga.

 
Preparation: Phase 2

1. UNCOVER the biga and add half the flour and all the water. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated.

2. ADD sugar and mix until incorporated.

3. ADD salt and mix until incorporated.

4. ADD olive oil and mix until incorporated.

5. ADD the rest of the flour and mix until incorporated.

6. REST the biga for 10 minutes, covered. This should yield about 5 pounds of dough.

7. DIVIDE the dough into sections of about a pound each and roll them into balls. Each ball will roll out into a 13″ pizza. If you have more dough than you can use, you can freeze the balls, wrapped tightly.

TO MAKE THE PIZZA

1. PREBAKE the dough: Grease a 12-inch pan or large baking sheet. Sprinkle with cornmeal (optional).

2. ROLL the dough on a lightly floured surface (the counter top is fine) roll the dough into a 13-inch circle. Transfer to the baking sheet.

3. BAKE in a 425°F oven about 12 minutes or until browned.

4. REMOVE from oven; add sauce and toppings.

5. BAKE 10 to 15 minutes more or until bubbly.
Find more of our favorite pizza recipes.
*The World Pizza Championship is held annually in the town of Salsomaggiore Terme, in the province of Parma, Italy. oThe organizer is the Italian magazine Pizza e Pasta Italiana.

Green cardamom. Photo courtesy Suvir
Saran | Indian Home Cooking.

The shell of the pod has very little flavor. The small seeds inside are intense in both aroma and taste. You can buy cardamom whole (pods), shelled or ground, in black, green and white varieties.

If a recipe simply calls for “cardamom,” use the green variety, which has exotic floral notes. Black cardamom (actually brown in color) is stronger, smokey and resinous. White cardamom, preferred in Scandinavia, is green cardamom that has been sun-bleached for aesthetics; there is no difference in flavor.

Cardamom, often seen as an exotic spice in the U.S., is popular in numerous cuisines worldwide.

 
HOW TO STORE CARDAMOM

Store cardamom pods in a tightly sealed glass jar, away from heat and light. They can keep indefinitely.

WAYS TO USE CARDAMOM

If you have cardamom sitting in the cupboard, it’s time to break it out. The spice fits into any recipe that calls for allspice, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, mace, nutmeg, preserved lemon or rose. Start by adding a pinch, then more to suit your taste. Beyond curries and other international dishes, use cardamom in:

 
FOOD TRIVIA

Cardamom is the world’s third most expensive spice by weight, following saffron and vanilla. But in most cases, just a pinch is needed.

As with many spices, cardamom also has health benefits, which range from improving digestion to increasing one’s metabolism.

FEEL LIKE BAKING?

Make this cardamom cookie recipe from Martha Stewart.
 
Find more of our favorite spices in our Salts & Spices Section.

The Druids of Britain (think Stonehenge), circa 100 C.E., thought that mistletoe had magic properties: a cure for disease, a fertility aid, protection from witches and so forth. In a special ceremony held in late December or early January, priests would cut pieces of mistletoe from oak trees* and people would hang them in their homes.

Over the centuries, the custom of hanging mistletoe at home endured, and around 800 C.E. it may have become joined with a Viking legend.

In that legend, the god Balder is killed with a poison made from mistletoe (mistletoe is, in fact, poisonous). He is brought back to life by his mother, the goddess Frigga, who is able to reverse the effects of the poison.

Overjoyed, Frigga then kisses everyone who walks under the hanging mistletoe. Fast forward another 13 centuries: We’re still kissing people under the mistletoe.\

You can simulate mistletoe in a cocktail with a few mint leaves; but never let real mistletoe anywhere near edibles if you want to avoid acute gastrointestinal problems.

Enjoy a Mistletoe Margarita—just don’t use real mistletoe! Photo courtesy Hornitos Tequila.

Ingredients Per Drink

Preparation

1. COMBINE all ingredients except garnishes and sugar in a pitcher. Chill.

2. RIM the glass with sugar before pouring in the cocktail: Simply run a lime wedge around the edge of the glass and then dip the rim of the glass in a plate of sugar.

2. POUR and garnish each glass with 2 mint leaves and/or other garnishes. Serve on the rocks or straight up.
 
Find more of our favorite Christmas cocktails.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SOUR MIX

That specialty product called sour mix—also called Margarita mix, sweet-and-sour mix and whiskey sour mix—is simply a lemon/lime flavored simple syrup (also called cane sugar syrup), a sweetener that dissolves easily in cold beverages.

Simple syrup can be flavored. When it is citrus flavored, it is called sour mix or sweet and sour mix—sweet from the sugar, sour from the citrus.

Commercial products abound; but as with many prepared foods, you can make a better, less expensive version by just using sugar, water and citrus juice.

In fact, if you mix up your fair share of cocktails, you should always have some simple syrup at the ready. When you need sour mix, just stir in the citrus juice.

HOW TO MAKE SIMPLE SYRUP & SOUR MIX

†You’ve seen the three ingredients of natural sour mix in the recipe above. Here’s what’s in a commercial brand like Mrs. T’s: water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, sodium citrate, sodium hexametaphosphate, gum acacia, potassium sorbate (preservative), polysorbate 60, natural flavor, ester gum, sodium metabisulfite (preservative), calcium disodium EDTA (preservative), calcium lactate, calcium gluconate, yellow color 5, yellow color 6.

Could you use the space they take up to store something else?

Look for holiday cocktail recipes that use those ingredients, and clear those bottles from the shelf.

Jason Oh, Beverage Manager of the Haru Japanese restaurant chain, shared his recipes for some of Haru’s holiday cocktails, including a Cranberry Caipirinha. It’s helping us use up the cachaça, while looking colorful and tasting great.

Have Limoncello? Here’s a recipe for a Limoncello Cranberry Spritzer.
 
 
CRANBERRY CAIPIRINHA RECIPE

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. MUDDLE limes, cranberries, and orange slice in a shaker; mix in brown sugar.

2. ADD cachaça, cranberry juice, and cinnamon sugar. Shake and strain into a rocks glass.

3. GARNISH with one or two cinnamon sticks.

[2] Silver cachaça (photo © Novo Fogo).

If you have more than a few bottles that need to be drunk—and no occasion in sight—simply give them as “party favors” to the people who come over for the Cranberry Caipirinhas.

Your white elephants are someone else’s celebration!