Now here’s a tip

• “A friend of mine went away for a month and forgot about a package of ground beef in the fridge. When he got home, the smell was hideous. We tried bleach … baking soda … ammonia … not to mention how many other chemicals and fruits we used. The smell was imbedded. A buddy told me to use newspaper. He said to take eight or more sheets of newspaper and lay a few on each shelf. To my surprise, the next day the odor was gone. It has worked for lunchboxes, coolers and shoes, too!” — T.D. in Pennsylvania

• Common substitution: You can use a tablespoon of lemon juice mixed with enough milk to make one cup for every cup of buttermilk a recipe requires. Let the mixture stand five minutes before use.