CHOW.com Senior Editor Lessley Anderson has a simple but surprising tip that will keep your coffee powerful, even as the ice melts.

CHOW Kitchen Editorial Assistant Christine Yue Gallary shows you how to make the fancy chocolate and cheese shavings.

Blogger Adrienne Capps shares her recipe for making a house hot sauce.

Blogger Adrienne Capps shares her recipe for making ketchup from scratch. It involves a lot of spices, so you’ll want to follow the written recipe to make this condiment.

Bartender at San Francisco's Heaven's Dog and owner of Small Hand Foods, Jennifer Colliau will blow your mind with this bartender secret: You do not need to boil your simple syrup. In fact, it's preferable not to! Jennifer shows you how to make simple syrup using cold tap water in this video.

Jennifer Colliau, bartender at San Francisco's Heaven's Dog and owner of Small Hand Foods, loves using mint in her drinks, but she warns home bartenders against using wooden muddlers with this delicate herb. Use a spoon instead, lest you end up with a drink that tastes like toothpaste. This tip will come in handy when you're making your next Mojito.

Esperanza Pallana, who writes the urban farming blog Pluck and Feather, says that a chicken makes the transition to old hen after about three years. Old hens don't make for good fryers, but they are perfect for stewing and soups.

Esperanza Pallana, who writes the urban farming blog Pluck and Feather, explains that a good chicken coop is more than some comfy straw and a place to rest one's chicken head. Roosting, nesting, shelter, and ventilation are key.

Esperanza Pallana, who writes the urban farming blog Pluck and Feather, says that three chickens is a good place to start. Then grow your flock from there, depending on how much space you have.

Esperanza Pallana, who writes the urban farming blog Pluck and Feather, explains that not all chickens are good for both eating and egg-laying. If you want the chicken and the eggs, your best bet is to get a "dual-purpose" breed.