FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF JAN. 10, 2000:
We like to pack lunches on our cross-country ski trips. Should we worry about spoilage or can we assume that if it’s cold enough for snow to stay on the ground, our lunches will be okay?
It’s a good idea to be concerned about keeping your lunch cold, even when there’s snow on the ground, says Sandy McCurdy, University of Idaho extension food safety specialist. "A thick snowpack can last quite awhile after air temperatures become spring-like," she notes.
Check the expected daytime high temperature before you set out. If it will be 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, perishable items in your backpack will be safe. Place folded clothing or a towel in your pack to insulate the food from your body. Cross-country skiing can generate a lot of heat.
Are they really making new ovens that cook with light?
Yes, there’s something entirely new under the sun in oven technology, says Bev Healy, University of Idaho extension educator. Using halogen light alone or in some cases in combination with microwaving, these new ovens cook food in a quarter of the time–and with the same quality–as conventional ovens. Unlike microwaves, they can brown, broil, roast and grill–and leave foods as tender on the inside as they are crispy on the outside.
"The principle is the same as kids’ Easy Bake Ovens," Healy says. "These ovens cook with light, only on a much bigger scale." Because of their shortened cooking times and because they require no preheating, they generally use less energy than conventional ovens.
Healy expects the new ovens–now a spendy $1,300 to $1,700–to eventually replace microwaves. "This is a very exciting development for the kitchen," she says. "Research has shown that more than half of Americans would like to have dinner ready in 15 to 30 minutes, and this oven makes it possible. Thirty years ago, the evening meal took an average of two hours to cook."
Potential disadvantages: Electrical upgrades, venting and minor remodeling may be required.
I’ve heard that rhododendrons need special care over the winter to keep them alive. I’ve lost bushes before and want to prevent that from happening again. What should I be doing?
The most important step in preventing winter damage to rhododendrons is to plant cultivars that are adapted to your area, says Danny Barney, University of Idaho extension horticulturist. According to Barney, many traditional "rhodies" are injured or killed by temperatures been 0 and +15 degrees F. Fortunately, a wide selection of newer cultivars is rated to —25 F.
Top Idaho performers include Aglo (pink), Catawbiense Boursault (rose), Edith Bosley (purple), Helliki (red), Haaga (pink), Madrid (maroon), Minnetonka (lavender), Northern Starburst (lavender), Nova Zembla (red), Rio (salmon), Samoa (red), Shams Candy (rose), Shams Ruby (red), The General (red), Tuscany (pink and red) and Vernus (pink).
For very cold sites, consider three deciduous azaleas that are rated to —40 F: Golden Lights (yellow), Rosy Lights (pink) and White Lights (white).
Heat stress weakens rhodies and makes them susceptible to winter injury. In areas where summer temperatures frequently reach 90 F or above, grow your rhodies in partial shade. Fertilize them regularly–adding sulfur or acidifying fertilizers to maintain their preferred 4.5 to 6.5 pH. Soils should be high in organic matter, well drained and evenly moist, but not saturated.
On windy sites, protect the bushes from wind burn by wrapping them with burlap or similar porous fabric. Do not encase them in plastic film, which increases the risk of fungal diseases. Keep salts used on roads and sidewalks away from them–and feel free to skip the use of anti-dessicants on their leaves.
"Many people become frantic when they see rhodie leaves curl and droop on very cold days, but these are adaptations the plants use to retain moisture and reduce freezing injury," Barney says. "Although the plants look dead, the leaves will recover as air temperatures rise."
My husband always starts the day with a cup of coffee, but I prefer tea. Is one better for you than the other?
Tea might actually be better for you than coffee, says Martha Raidl, University of Idaho extension nutrition specialist. A recent study found that people who drank one to two cups of tea each day were 46 percent less likely to develop severe atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, after two or three years. And, if they drank four cups of tea a day, their risk was 69 percent lower.
The compounds in tea that may be helpful against heart disease are flavonoids, Raidl says. Black tea contains more of these than green tea, while herbal tea has no flavonoids at all. Flavonoids, by the way, are not affected by temperature or added ingredients–so it doesn’t matter if you drink the tea hot or cold or add sugar, milk or lemon.