A vending machine is an invaluable yet totally frustrating piece of equipment. It's a godsend whenever your tummy's growling or you need an ice-cold drink on a hot summer day. But when something gets stuck inside or the machine flat-out malfunctions, it quickly becomes your ar ...more
Let's be honest, most of us buy the bottom-shelf vodka either because we're broke or because we're going to disguise the gag-inducing taste of it with juice or something fizzy. If you're cooking or baking with vodka (ice-cold vodka works wonders in pie crust), what's the point ...more
Just because a problem is small or superficial doesn't mean it can't annoy the living crap out of you. Others may think you're overreacting, or even have the audacity to roll their eyes, but you're in your own personal hell. First-world problems, white whines—call it whatever ...more
Sometimes, stock just doesn't cut it. When you're sick of the limitations in Sense on your HTC One, a new ROM can be a ray of sunshine. By installing a custom ROM, you can add or unlock new features in Sense, or you can get a pure Android experience instead. It's all up to you ...more
There's nothing better than gulping down an ice cold beer to calm the senses and ease the mind. The holiday season can be very stressful as people scramble around trying to find the best gifts for friends and family. And we all know that gifts can be very hit or miss, but it's ...more
You have warm toast, but your butter is chilled to a rock-solid state. Sure, you could warm a bit of that butter up in a microwave before spreading, but chances are you're just as impatient as the rest of us, so you slap that frigid butter on and hope for the best. It always e ...more
Despite a rocky start with plenty of feature disparity, the Google Assistant now provides a pretty consistent experience regardless of what device you're using it on. Be it Android, iPhone, or Google Home, the AI behind the Assistant is virtually identical — including its quir ...more
Ingredients: 2-3 cups sago 2 pcs gulaman 3 cups water 3 cups sugar ice-cold water or crushed ice To cook sago: In a saucepan, boil water and put in uncooked sago. Stir constantly to prevent them from sticking. Drain and rinse. Set aside. To cook gulaman: Boil water in a ...more
If you normally take your iced coffee with plain old cream and sugar, you'll find that Starbucks recently-introduced Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew will really hit the spot. It's icy, smooth, and perfectly sweetened with vanilla syrup. Maybe you've tried this drink at Starbuck ...more
Every home cook has their most-hated kitchen task. For me, peeling hard-boiled eggs and garlic are pretty high up there. Actually, peeling just about anything is, but for every annoying job, there's a shortcut to make it easier. From the folks at Household Hacker, here are 10 ...more
9GAG's infographic teaches us all sorts of conveniences and short cuts to daily life, urawaza style. Some aren't complete revelations (the first hanger trick below), but others are pretty cool (if they work!). A few I wouldn't mind trying: free wifi at the airport ice cold dr ...more
Food is a necessity, sure, but every now and then it's so satisfying to eat something because it is fun and delicious. While eating a whole tub of homemade ice cream might satisfy your need for gluttony, there's a way to take it even further—make your dinnerware edible. The B ...more
Coffee liqueur is pretty easy to make at home, and if you've read our guide on why instant coffee is a pantry essential, you know that we recommended the powdered stuff over fresh-brewed when making your own Kahlua at home...until now. Inspired by Los Angeles-based company Fl ...more
Have a need for drama? Sick of doing kitchen prep and having no one appreciate just how much work you're doing? Then take a tip from a few seriously lazy cooks and peel a few pounds of potatoes in less than sixty seconds using a power hose, a bucket, a drill, and a cheap toile ...more
Recipes are invaluable to cooks who are just starting out, but what if you want to get to the next level? Then it's time you learn how to apply simple math to food. In other words, learn how to cook using ratios, not recipes. Fortunately, there's a great book by cookbook auth ...more
Watching an ice cream pro build you a custom frozen treat mixed with your favorite fruit, candy, and/or toppings makes buying a cone even more exciting. But why go out for ice cream when you can create your favorite combinations in your own kitchen? While you might not have an ...more
If you've just done a beer run for a party and come back with a bunch of beer that isn't cold, forget the bathtub, toilet tank, freezer or whatever method you use to quick-chill your brews and try this super easy fix instead. You can have ice cold beers in seconds by using a ...more
This video tutorial from IndyMogul shows you how to create an ice frozen actor makeup special effect. The cold weather in NYC gave Indy Mogul the perfect opportunity to create a 'Frozen Actor' effect to make it look like a person is ice cold or frozen solid. Erik shows you th ...more
Alcohol is a marvelous thing. It might even be responsible for saving civilization. And we're always fans of hacking our booze intake, whether it's learning how to drink all night long without getting drunk or how to discreetly get your drink on without anyone knowing. Now, i ...more
We all know that DNA is pretty amazing, but it's not something that most of us get much hands-on experience with. Even though it's in every living thing around us, we never see it, so we rarely think about it either. A strawberry is one of the easiest things to extract DNA fr ...more
Bad news, guys. The shelf life for liquor leftovers does not apply to your two-buck chuck. While an opened bottle of your favorite whiskey will stay respectable for ages thanks to its high ABV (which makes it inhospitable to outside elements), an opened bottle of merlot will s ...more
Making a good pie crust can seem intimidating to the uninitiated, but once you master this skill, a whole world opens up to you. Not only can you make all manner of fruit, custard, and cream-filled pies once you know all the tricks, you can branch out into the world of quiches ...more
The point of ice in your cocktail is to make it cold, right? Yes and no. Obviously, ice does lower the temperature of your cocktail, but it also does other things: enhances certain flavors while masking others (handy if you're drinking less than stellar booze or wine). As Sim ...more
Many of us experience highly emotional "freakouts", so to speak, more often than we'd like. Weather you experience them personally, or via your loved ones, it can be very difficult to think rationally during an episode, and for some people it can take quite a while to calm dow ...more
During our high school years, one of us (hint: her name starts with a B) worked at Cold Stone Creamery. She loved working there, and from this love emerged a fascination with adding creative ingredients to plain ol' vanilla ice cream. We now keep this blank palate of frozen g ...more
It's Friday night, you're in the kitchen, and your guests are arriving way sooner than you want them to. The soup is not thickening like it's supposed to, the salad still needs dressing, and the pine nuts for the salad are... wait, what's that smell? Crap, the pine nuts! No, t ...more
There are many, many home remedies out there for relieving itchy mosquito bites. Everything from mud to banana peels and basil leaves to Alka-Seltzer tablets can help curb the itch. But before you even have to resort to any of those methods, you should be thinking about preven ...more
When summer rolls around, I think of two things: grilling and ice-cold beverages. To me, nothing beats loading up the grill with charcoal, letting the smell of smoke get stuck to your clothing, and imbibing the most refreshing drink you can find. Don't Miss: Make Smoked Ice f ...more
In this tutorial, we learn how to properly poach shrimp. Poaching will make your shrimp tender instead of tough, which is what happens when you boil shrimp. To know if your water is at poaching temperature, it will be steaming and hot to the touch. When it hurts to touch the w ...more
There's nothing worse than holding an ice cold brewski on a hot summer day and having no way to open it. If you're a Bud fan, you'll have no problem opening the bottle because most mass-market beers have twist-off caps. But if you have a taste for finer, more expensive brews, ...more
Once again, you've found yourself inviting comrades, companions, and compatriots over for beverages on a Friday evening whim... but alas, your alcohol cabinet is looking rather meager, and your skills are lacking. No worries—just utilize these 10 tricks and spice up your at-ho ...more
We all know that it's important to drink water regularly throughout the day. After all, it has so many benefits, including flushing toxins out of the body and maintaining kidney health and good bowel movements. Turns out that's only part of the story. While being properly hydr ...more
Fight me all you want, but it ain't a party without alcohol—whether it's a Halloween party, Christmas party, dinner party, or even a damn wedding. (If you think that people will stick around after dinner for a dry wedding, then you're sorely mistaken.) And while we'd all love ...more
The magic of an ice cold popsicle on a hot summer's day is undeniable, whether you're a child or a kid-at-heart. Neon-colored, store-bought popsicles may have a special place in your memory, but homemade popsicles are pretty hard to beat. Here's how to create delicious frozen ...more
Beer isn't just for drinking anymore. There are many useful and surprising things that an ice-cold brewski can help you accomplish, from household chores to better-tasting food. It can even help you look and feel healthier. And while it may seem sacrilegious to use a beer for ...more
When your day sucks, all you want is a tall, ice-cold glass of beer at the end of it all. Nothing complicated about having some booze to temporarily drown your sorrows. But sometimes you get stuck with crappy beer (hey-o, Keystone Ice!), and it feels like the world is out to ...more
Have you ever wanted to know what would happen if you threw a fizzy calcium tablet into boiling hot water or ice cold water? Watch this how-to video to see the results!
If you love quenching your thirst with an ice-cold glass of lemonade but aren't a fan of artificial powder mixes, then this hack is for you. When your next lemonade craving strikes, instead of reaching for a glorified Kool-Aid packet, get an instant sip of summer by using pre- ...more
When it comes to barbecues, vegetarians get the short end of the stick. While you're brushing fire-roasted ribs with your favorite mouthwatering barbecue sauce, we're crossing our fingers that there's some meat-free side dishes hiding away somewhere. Don't get me wrong, we ar ...more
Baking is one of life's greatest joys. There's something truly magical about taking a half a dozen humble ingredients, mixing them until they're an odd-colored sludge, tossing them into an oven, and watching them emerge as something elegant and delicious. One of my favorite t ...more
Ice pops are like summer on a stick, with all the sweetness and stickiness of July and August. Store-bought popsicles, although refreshing, are never as good as homemade. So it's time to up your popsicle game with some of these beautiful creations, including some boozy pops (p ...more
Dawn Wells, aka Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island, demonstrates a unique way to peel an Idaho potato...without the use of a potato peeler! Watch this video tutorial from Idaho Potatoes to learn how to use a knife to peel a potato, but not just a knife... you'll boil the potato t ...more
The sweet aroma of cooked fruit filling your kitchen is one of the trademark scents of summer. Yet attaining the perfect consistency for homemade jam can be difficult to master. Often it ends up a watery mess or over-solidifies into thick mystery goo that is destined for the t ...more
Instinctively, we reach for popsicles and cold drinks when the temperatures climb, but doing something counterintuitive, like going for a hot drink or eating something spicy, is actually more effective at keeping you cool. Deutsche Well spoke with Professor Peter McNaughton, ...more
Harry Potter fans got a treat last week when Pottermore, a site created by Harry Potter author, J. K. Rowling, released a test that let users learn what form their Patronus protective charm would take. Does it need to be said? The internet almost exploded. Riding this new wa ...more
If you struggle with deciding which wine you should buy for an intimate dinner, or the type of beer with the highest alcohol content that doesn't taste like tree bark, then check out some of these great alcohol-friendly apps to make better booze decisions. There are a lot of ...more
There are few things more relaxing than a hot shower after a long hard day of toil, and there are few times when people are so vulnerable or oblivious to the possibility of a little practical joke. A splash of almost freezing water will feel even colder within the warm securit ...more
Beer, glorious beer! It can stop grilled meats from producing carcinogens, can make fried foods super crunchy, and it even saved civilization from total annihilation. Is there anything it can't do? Sadly, yes. While most of you know that a perfect pour makes all the differenc ...more
Being in a cool pool on a hot day—it doesn't get much better than that, right? Well, unless you also have some ice-cold drinks to go along. But getting in and out of the pool to grab a drink form the soda cooler or beer chest can be extremely annoying, especially if you have ...more
No better way to celebrate summer coming to an end than ice cold party favors. The Jewels of New York offer up two mouthwatering booze popsicle recipes, gratis, for your enjoyment: Blackberry Bramble Popsicle 1 1/2 cup fresh blackberries 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 cups w ...more
Every kid has had a lemonade stand. It's a child's first glimpse at responsibility and making a living, but the lemonade in this video isn't your typical lemonade stand variety. This is more like a slushy than a drink. This is a great summertime treat your guests will love, bu ...more
One of my favorite things about cocktails is that they're so diverse. They can be sweet or savory, filling or refreshing. And they can take advantage of nearly any ingredient imaginable, including egg whites, smoked ice, flavor cubes, and even beer. As a card-carrying member ...more
Imagine… your friend is drinking an ice-cold soda out of his/her styrofaom cup, and everything's fine, until… it's starts leaking everywhere! It could be utterly hilarious, or disastrously evil, depending on who your target is. The idea of this cup prank revolves around the o ...more
Often, when you crack open a beer with friends, your buddies are more focused on texting and Snapchatting than what's happening right in front of them. Smartphones have wedged their way into bars around the world—but an innovative new beer glass is encouraging patrons to put d ...more
This video teaches you how to make a whiskey sour drink from scratch. You first put 1 jigger of whiskey for each drink into a cocktail shaker. Next you add about ¾ of an ounce of lemon juice per drink. Then you add 1 tablespoon of sugar syrup. You make this by heating water an ...more
Chef Stephen Gibbs shows you a good cooking technique: blanching and shocking vegetables. Blanching is letting vegetables in hot, boiling water for a short period of time. Shocking is putting hot vegetables in ice cold water. These methods are used together in order to precook ...more
There’s nothing like a glass of ice cold lemonade on a hot day. You Will Need * 10 lemons * A fork * A manual juicer * Water * Sugar * A strainer or cheesecloth * Lemon zester * Lemon peels Step 1: Prepare the lemons Wash the lemons, prick their skins with a fork, and micro ...more
To make this special cocktail, you will need three essential ingredients: Cherry Vodka, Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, and Godiva Chocolate Liqueur. First, put three scoops of ice in a cocktail shaker, so that it is over half full. Add one to one and one-half ounces each of the Parro ...more
Make your summer memorable by whipping up some ice-cold, homemade soda in the comfort of your own kitchen, then take it along with you during your next picnic or beach trip. So long as you have seltzer water and a few key ingredients to create the syrup, you can essentially m ...more
Check out this video cooking tip from The Chef's Toolbox in Australia. Watch this tutorial to learn how to blanche vegetables like a chef. Blanching vegetables means that you place the vegetable of your choice in boiling water for a minute or two, then place them directly into ...more