NORMAJEAN LONGFIELD

Q: How do I get Easter egg dye off my kids’ hands?

A: There are a couple of ways to safely and easily remove dye from your kids’ hands with ingredients found right in your kitchen. Just follow these easy steps.

1. Let them soak their hands in a bowl of vinegar for three or four minutes, and then add some baking soda and soak for two or three minutes more. If your kids like science projects, they will love concocting the bubbling potion!

2. Rub a homemade scrub of sugar and lemon juice on their hands until the dye comes off. If they like using tools, you can use a toothbrush to speed up the process.

Q: I’m trying to use more seasonal fruits and veggies. Can you give me a list of what’s in season during spring?

A:Here’s a list of the fresh veggies and fruits you should look forward to in March, April and May.

Vegetables

Artichokes

Arugula

Asparagus

Broccoli

Baby lettuces

Butter lettuce

Carrots

Chives

Collard greens

Fava beans

Green beans

Mint

Morel mushrooms

Peas (snow, garden, sugar snap)

New potatoes

Radishes

Rhubarb

Spinach

Swiss chard Watercress

Fruits

Apricots

Avocados

Cherries

Grapefruit

Honeydew melons

Kiwis Kumquats

Lemons

Limes

Mangoes

Oranges

Pineapples

Strawberries

Find several spring recipes using these ingredients here!

Q: I’d like to do some spring-cleaning in my pantry and kitchen. Can you tell me what I should toss and what I should keep?

A: The first step to spring-cleaning your pantry and fridge is taking it all out. Yes, that means lugging out every last can and bottle and putting them on your kitchen table or some other space where you can actually read the expiration dates. Then assemble a pile of expired goods and toss, toss, toss.
 
Here’s a cheat sheet on some common items many people keep far too long.
 
Olive oil. It will need to be tossed after six months in your pantry (after a year, if stored in the fridge).
 
Herbs and spices. You usually need to throw dried herbs away after one or two years and spices after four years. Neither ever go bad, however; they just lose their potency. The best way to check is by smelling or tasting them to see if they still have flavor.
 
Chocolate. Make sure you eat milk chocolate within a year, dark chocolate within 18 months, and super dark chocolate within 24 months (if you can even wait that long). You could store it in the fridge for a longer period, but this produces a whitish film that some find unattractive.
 
Flour. You can keep unopened flour for about a year and opened flour for six to eight months. Be sure to protect it against flour weevils by storing it in an airtight container or in the fridge.
 
Sugar. Unopened bags of granulated white and confectioners’ sugar last around two years, but brown sugar has only about a six-month shelf life.
 
After you’ve cut down on the clutter, restock your fridge and pantry by putting items with earlier use-by dates in the front so that they’re consumed first.
 
My family doesn’t really like fish, but I’m determined to make them like it on Good Friday. Do you have any fish recipes that don’t taste too fishy?
 
Try serving those fickle fish eaters halibut, yellowfin tuna, salmon, mahimahi, cod or swordfish — the fresher the better. These have much less of a fishy smell than, say, trout, and are easy to cover up with such nonfishy flavors as honey, soy or beer. Try this Almond Fish recipe (with either cod or halibut) or this Honey Mustard Salmon recipe for a new twist.

Q: I’ve heard that some foods aren’t necessarily better for you in organic form. Which types of fruits and veggies should I buy organic?

A: The scientists, researchers and policymakers of the Environmental Working Group put together a report to help people know when they should buy organic and when it isn’t necessary. Their research produced the Dirty Dozen list — items that you should definitely buy organic because their nonorganic counterparts tested positive for at least 47 different chemicals — and the Clean 15 list, which consists of foods that are safe to buy nonorganic.
 
Dirty Dozen
Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Domestic blueberries
Nectarines
Sweet bell peppers
Spinach, kale and collard greens
Cherries
Potatoes
Imported grapes
Lettuce
 
Clean 15
Onions
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Mangoes
Sweet peas
Asparagus
Kiwis
Cabbage
Eggplants
Cantaloupes
Watermelons
Grapefruit
Sweet potatoes
Sweet onions

Q: I’d like to start using more fresh herbs in my cooking. What are some good spring options?

A: If you want fresh herbs, spring is the right time to find them. Some of the most popular springtime herbs are chervil, chives and dill. Chervil is one of the more delicately flavored herbs and is great with eggs and fish. Chives, in the onion family, are particularly good in potato dishes, while dill, which brings out a mild aniseed flavor, goes great with cheese or seafood dishes. Other popular spring herbs to look out for are mint, parsley and tarragon.
 
Find more advice on spring herbs here.