Mommy, Make it Better

Are you a coin collector? Then I am sure you have come across old, sometimes even “dirty” coins, the ones that sometimes have hardened soil on their surfaces. To some of you, that certainly wouldn’t do for your collection.

A note of caution, My Coin Collecting reminds us of the first rule of coin cleaning:

The first rule of coin cleaning is: If you don’t know its value, don’t clean it, or if you think it is valuable, don’t clean it, or if you know it is valuable, don’t clean it. In other words, do not clean your discovered coins; leave them untouched and stored in proper holders. The reason for this is that coin dealers and collectors are interested in purchasing coins in their original condition and natural state of preservation.

Cleaning Coins, My Coin Collecting

But! If you are still decided on cleaning the dirt off your coins, I have some very easy tricks.

Get the Dirt Off Your Old Coins

Mix together some baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice until the mixture reaches a pasty consistency. Rub this paste vigorously on the surface of the coin.

If the dirt is stubborn and still stuck on the coin, get half a cup of vinegar and pour it in an aluminum-lined bowl. Soak the coin in the vinegar overnight. The next day, repeat the process of rubbing the paste on the coin. This time, it would be much easier to remove the dirt as it had already been softened when the coin was soaked in vinegar.

Happy coin-collecting!

What about you? Do you have other tips on cleaning old coins? Let the community know by commenting on this post or by emailing me at blog@mommymakeitbetter.com. I’d be so happy to hear from you.

Just claiming my Technorati Profile

Getting ready to unwind with your special someone or your friends? A bottle of champagne or red wine can surely lighten up your mood after a stressful day.

But wine is always best served chilled, and nothing is more annoying than you and your date having to wait for it while it bides its time in the refrigerator or in the ice bucket.

Freezer, you say?

I am not entirely confident about putting a bottle of wine in the freezer. Somehow I am confused as some say it is perfectly okay to do so, while other claim it would ruin the wine.

Take for example this article on Wine Lovers Page:

My advice, although it may shock those who regard wine with sacramental reverence, is simple: Stick the bottle in the coldest part of your freezer, or immerse it in a small bucket or other vessel filled with water and ice.

Contrary to popular belief, wine is not all that fragile, and shoving your wine into a home refrigerator freezer (or the icy embrace of a frosty bucket) won’t do it any damage at all.

Wine Lovers Page, 30 Second Wine Advisor: Quick chill

On the other hand, Chow.com states that

A bottle of wine takes close to two hours to chill in the refrigerator. Sticking it in the freezer will speed things up, but this is rough treatment for delicate wines.

Chow.com, How to Chill a Bottle of Wine Quickly

Is there any other way than the freezer?

The answer is yes, I have some tricks up my sleeve to help you chill your wine bottle quickly.

Chill a Bottle of Wine in Less than 20 Minutes

• Get a bucket or any tall container. Not an ice bucket, because ice buckets are not tall enough.
• Place the bottle inside the bucket.
• Lay some ice at the bottom of the container around the bottle. Then sprinkle a few tablespoons of salt (Kosher salt works best).
• Continue to add ice and salt until it reaches the neck of the bottle.
• Fill the container with tepid water.

Follow the above-mentioned steps and your wine will be chilled in no time.

What about you? Do you have other tips on how to chill wine or champagne bottles quickly? Let the community know by commenting on this post or by emailing me at blog@mommymakeitbetter.com. I’d be so happy to hear from you.

As someone who grew up watching cooking shows during weekends on Philippine TV (this was before Cable TV, Jamie Oliver, Ina Garten and Nigella Lawson), I am really fond of learning new dishes. And as someone who loves the internet and the new media, I am excited to let you know about Nestle Club’s YouTube channel.

For their first video, Julius Maggi Kitchen’s chef, Ms. Tess Sutilo, demonstrates how to make Pancit Palabok.

I also would like to encourage you to join Nestle Club. As a member, you will not only get yummilicious recipes, but articles and tips on household management, parenting and wellness, too. There are a lot of benefits of being a Nestle Club member. Best of all, it’s all for free! I am a member myself, so I can assure you that you will definitely enjoy their newsletters, recipes and promos. Click here to to join Nestle Club.