Mind-blowing life hack videos are everywhere on social media — videos that often humble us, teaching us how to properly do something we’ve been doing incorrectly our entire lives. TikTok and YouTube are full of videos entitled things like “Things I Didn’t Know Until My 30s,” and they’re hugely popular. And for good reason. Because of videos like this, I now know how to keep paint from collecting on lids, open a beer without a bottle opener, and countless other useful life hacks that I actually use all the time. Some of these hacks are truly life-changing. It’s hard to believe that I used to constantly struggle with plastic wrap for example. But, as an avid lover of Chinese takeout, this one might be my favorite.
Did you know that your Chinese takeout box is meant to be unfolded out into a plate? It’s true. The beloved unique box shape we’ve all come to know and love is made that way for a very specific reason, and it’s been hiding right under our noses this entire time. Jewelry Gift Box
By simply unfolding the sides of this common food container, your meal is instantly plated for you, ready to be enjoyed with zero mess. No more sloppily passing around that delicious but stringy Chow Mein. Forget the days of digging around the container bottom for extra sauce. Simply unfold all of the entrees you’ve ordered and serve family style. No extra plates required.
If you’re more of a visual learner, check out this video, which shows the step-by-step process with Panda Express containers. (Then, maybe go order yourself some delicious Chinese food and try it out yourself.)
Our favorite part of this hack is that it makes it so much easier to share, which, of course, is how Chinese food is meant to be enjoyed.
Whether it’s the midst of the summer heat or the middle of a frigid winter, there’s no wrong time for a Mai Tai. This classic tiki cocktail of rum, curaçao liqueur, orgeat syrup, and lime juice is either a comforting, tropical respite from winter or the perfect accompaniment to literally having your feet in the sand on a hot summer day.
For those unaware, Tiki is a style of bartending that involves mostly rum-based cocktails in a tropical setting made to pay tribute to island cultures, most notably Polynesian culture. Popularized in the 1950s and '60s, drinks like the Mai Tai, Hurricane, Blue Hawaiian, Rum Runner, Painkiller, and others have seen a resurgence with the rise of cocktailing and a renewed interest in classic drinks.
Beautifully executed fried chicken is, perhaps, one of the few perfect things we get to have as human beings. Its warm, crispy, decadently crunchy crust with a hot and steamy, sinfully juicy, rich, and savory center is enough to make most grown men weep with pure joy. This classic dish is arguably one of the most important staples of American cuisine, and the pressure to get it right can be intense. The good news is, no one knows how to make fried chicken better than Chef Trevor Stockton, of The Restaurant at RT Lodge, and he graciously agreed to be our guide with a few of his best tips.
Chef Stockton shared with us the secret to perfect fried chicken, and the answer is a simple one. "The most important thing, other than using a quality chicken, is using quality buttermilk," he said, adding that he uses Cruze Farm Dairy buttermilk, which is churned and not homogenized. "If you can get your hands on real churned buttermilk, it will give you nice tender chicken because it still has all of its original qualities. We season our chicken very simply and then cover it with the Cruze Farm buttermilk for a minimum of 24 hours."
It's no secret that mashed potatoes are every bit as much the star of the Thanksgiving table as the turkey. Perhaps even more so in some cases. After all, mashed potatoes are the harbinger of gravy, which, let's be real, is the actual star of the show. As important as they are, though, mashed potatoes can come with some unappetizing setbacks. If your mashed potato recipe is not executed perfectly, this Thanksgiving favorite can be lumpy or gluey, underseasoned and bland, too runny or too stiff. For such a simple dish, it certainly carries its fair share of potential pitfalls.
With this simple mashed potato recipe and method, though, perfect, Michelin-quality mashed potatoes can be easily achieved every single time. The best part? It's extremely simple to remember, so there's no need to bring out the crowded recipe box for this one. The ratio for perfect mashed potatoes is 4 parts Yukon Gold potatoes, 1 part heavy cream, and 1 part European butter. We love this simple 4:1:1 ratio because it's also easily scaled up or down, depending on the size of your gathering. For example, if you have 500 grams of potatoes, you'll use 125 grams of both cream and butter.
Snack Food Box The Essential Guide for MenThe Manual is simple — we show men how to live a life that is more engaged. As our name implies, we offer a suite of expert guides on a wide range of topics, including fashion, food, drink, travel, and grooming. We don’t boss you around; we’re simply here to bring authenticity and understanding to all that enriches our lives as men on a daily basis.