Robert Camuto, author of Corkscrewed, says there's a lot of confusion about what organic means to wine drinkers. It doesn't automatically mean better.

Matt Duggan, general manager for LA's Lucques, thinks that people have it all wrong when they inhale deeply from a glass of spirits right after it's been poured. He suggests blowing a quick puff of air into the glass to get rid of the alcohol smell and release the liquor's true aromatics.

Michael Cecconi is the mixologist at New York's Back Forty; he also works at the Savoy and teaches at the Institute of Culinary Education. He uses two glasses as a workaround when he's without a strainer.

Karen Solomon, author of Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It, shakes her way into some deliciously fresh homemade butter using heavy whipping cream, a tightly lidded jar, and her own muscles.

Gabrielle Feuersinger, owner of San Francisco's Cake Coquette, recommends mixing different gel-based food colorings for variety and depth.

Top Chef Season 4 winner Stephanie Izard uses this quick, simple white miso marinade for beef or lamb. It provides a good salty flavor and tenderizes too.

Stephanie Izard uses a Microplane to prepare garlic and ginger for cooking, not a knife. It's much easier to get a fine mince (ban the chunks), plus it's quicker.

Amy Sherman of Cookingwithamy.com shares a quick marinating tip: Cut up that big hunk of meat into thinner slices, then toss these into a resealable plastic bag. More meat-to-marinade contact means less waiting.

Jamie Purviance, author and grillmaster , thinks that a combination of lump and briquette charcoal is best, since lump burns hotter but briquette burns longer.

Strawberries at their peak are sweet, but sometimes they need a little extra sugar. Emily Luchetti, executive pastry chef of Waterbar and Farallon, outlines when the berries should get a kick. She also recommends using a little lemon or salt to make their flavors even more intense in desserts.