Dear Reena: I own two cookbooks that carry a heavy cigarette odour. Can this cigarette smell be removed?
Doreen
Dear Doreen: Begin by hanging the books on the clothesline outside on a sunny day. Bring the books inside at night (just in case it rains). You can also place sheets of newspaper between pages; the ink in the paper will absorb the odour. Be sure not to place newspaper directly on the pages, sandwich newspaper between tea towels so that no ink touches the books.
Dear Reena: I read your column about using eggshells for keeping slugs at bay. I put eggshells in my coffee pot to take away the bitterness, and it really does a good job. I have been saving shells from hard boiled eggs for this purpose. I was wondering if I could sterilize raw egg shells in my toaster oven to use in my coffee pot. What are your views on this?
Michael
Dear Michael: The easiest way to sterilize egg shells is to boil them in water with a few drops of vinegar for a couple of minutes as opposed to baking them.
Dear Reena: Maybe you can let me in on a trick or two about the following: Sometimes ice cubes crack when being extracted from the trays rather than coming out nicely formed. I have tried drying the tray before refilling and also not overfilling each well, but to no avail. Oiling each well separately doesn't seem to be an option, at least not continuously. Any ideas? I'd guess that cracking occurs more often than not.
JK
Dear JK: Ice cubes have a tendency to shatter when the tray becomes coated with hard water deposits. As water freezes, the ice sticks to the deposits.
Instead of reaching for the oil, clean the trays with vinegar. Coat the bottom of each compartment with a hint of vinegar, before adding water to combat mineral formation. Run hot water on the bottom exterior of the ice cube trays before releasing cubes. Or set the trays in a sink of hot water for a few seconds.
Dear Reena: I have always wondered if wrapping my tomato plants with strips of aluminum foil will keep the birds away.
Jessica
Dear Jessica: Since foil attracts heat, you will end up cooking your tomatoes instead of rescuing them. Instead, tie two aluminum pie pans on a string and hang them from a pole or a fence, the movement and sound will distract the birds. Or hang red Christmas ball ornaments on branches nearby before the tomatoes have a chance to ripen. The birds will soon realize that nothing red and round is delicious and leave your plants alone.
If you're desperate, drape a chicken wire cage over plants to protect them.
FEEDBACK FROM READERS
Dear Reena: I read your advice about getting rid of fruit flies and thought it was a little too much; first eliminate food sources, wash dishes, empty garbage, take out the compost bucket and then get a restaurant-style vinegar dispenser, fill part way with vinegar, put the cap on and let it sit near your fruit, and within a day or two all the fruit flies will be in the jar. This has worked for me repeatedly. I found this out because my vinegar dispenser sits on the kitchen counter.
Quinn
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