Nuke the sponge
Government food safety experts tested common suggestions for cleaning sponges, including microwaving them, running them through the dishwasher, soaking them in a 10 percent bleach solution and soaking them in lemon juice. To test the effectiveness of each method, sponges were soaked for 48 hours at room temperature in a mixture of raw ground beef and laboratory compounds that encourage the growth of pathogens. Both microwaving the sponges for 1 minute on high and running them through a full dishwasher cycle (including drying) killed nearly 100 percent of the bacteria, mold and yeast. Soaking in a bleach solution killed just 90 percent, and lemon juice knocked out only 70 percent, both well below what’s considered effective. One safety caveat: Only wet sponges should be microwaved; dry sponges can catch fire.|The Associated Press
Get garlicky
Tagawa Gardens hosts its free annual Garlic Festival this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eight varieties of organically grown garlic will be featured, the “garlic specialist” will lead classes on growing the bulbs, and garlic dishes will be served.|7711 S. Parker Road, 303-690-4722, Centennial; |Kristen Browning-Blas
French up north
Fans of French food mourned when Chantal and John Martini closed The Savoy in Berthoud after 13 years there. But the Martinis have landed in Fort Collins, opening their new brasserie in the old Somi’s space on the south edge of town. A first dinner left us with the impression that they were skimping a little – the plates looked a little bare and the wine glasses more empty than full. Best was the bavette a l’echalotte, close to the thin cuts of steak served with frites we loved in Paris, but accompanied by a lukewarm serving of mashed potatoes.|1544 Oakridge Drive, 970-377-2778, The Savoy Brasserie, Fort Collins|Kristen Browning-Blas
