HELOISE: Keep coffee lasting longer

Dear Heloise: I’m sure that you get millions of suggestions each day, but I was a little disappointed that you didn’t address keeping freshly brewed coffee from degrading when talking about leftover coffee.

I don’t even drink coffee on a regular basis, but my father (who lives in Texas) tells me that if you turn the heat off as soon as the coffee is made, it doesn’t get that bitter, stale taste that is associated with bad coffee that is a few hours old. I suspect that it is the continuous heat that oxidizes the coffee and makes it taste bad.

Store it in the fridge? Even better, as long as your fridge isn’t a hiding place for onions or other smells that can affect your coffee.

When you decide to have another cup of coffee, just pour it into a microwavable cup, zap it in the microwave and you have “fresh,” hot coffee again.

John R. Newman, Khafji, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Hi, John! How nice to hear from someone who reads my column in the Arab Times in Kuwait. After brewing, the coffeepot or carafe should remain on the heat source for only 15 to 30 minutes. The experts also suggest that when using an automatic-drip coffee maker, use cold water and drink the coffee right after brewing for the best taste. They don’t recommend refrigeration after brewing because the coffee will lose some of its flavor. But, as a practical matter, if it tastes OK to you, then I say into the refrigerator it goes! Who doesn’t love a cup of fresh, delicious coffee? For unique and money-saving ways to make flavored coffees and teas, please send $3 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (61 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Coffee, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Keep ground or whole-bean coffee in an airtight container in a cool, dry place — not the refrigerator!

Heloise

Dear Heloise: I discovered a way to keep boxed products such as cornstarch and baking soda fresh and bug-free. I washed out a few plastic grated-cheese containers and, with a label maker, labeled each. An advantage of these containers is their lids, which offer the option of spooning or shaking out the contents.

Micky, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: Being a fellow Texan, my family and I enjoy Tex-Mex food often. For years, I had a problem sprinkling an even amount of jalape ±o juice over recipes. Finally, I came up with a solution. I purchased a small, inexpensive spray bottle, and, using a funnel, I filled the bottle with the juice.

Vicki in Royse City, Texas

Dear Heloise: On the right side of my kitchen faucet, I keep a clean scrubbie pad for pre-cleaning dirty dishes. When it starts looking scruffy, I put it on the left, behind my bottle of soap, and use it to clean really dirty skillets.

Verna in Ohio

King Features Syndicate