Drink

Chill soft drinks, beer and many white wines; serving them too cold can mute their aroma. Tea, coffee and drinks meant to be warming are usually served hot.

Stand the sealed bottle or can in a bowl of ice and cold water for about 15 minutes. Water conducts heat away faster than ice alone; don’t put a glass bottle in the freezer, where it could crack.

Seal it and refrigerate it if it is perishable, such as milk or fresh juice. For fizzy drinks, close the cap firmly and keep the bottle upright to slow the loss of bubbles.

Leave plenty of room in the container: liquid expands as it freezes, so a full glass bottle can crack. Fizzy drinks may lose their bubbles after thawing, and drinks containing milk can separate.

Tilt the glass and pour slowly down its side, then straighten it near the end to form a small head of foam. A clean, grease-free glass also helps the bubbles last.

Cold water or a lightly sweet drink can take the edge off chilli; milk-based drinks can also feel soothing because their fat helps disperse capsaicin. Very fizzy drinks may make the burn feel sharper.