It's high time to start a garden, but what if you have almost no outdoor space or, as in the case of this reader, Jean, clumsy roommates? Sew a hanging herb garden, that's what. Read on for more about Jean's ingenious solution and smart small-space garden! 

If you have yet to experience the pleasure of cheese and beer together, or if you're a strict believer in pairing cheese with wine and wine alone, here's a book to open, widen, and/or convert your mindset. 

And if you're already on the beer and cheese bandwagon, there's no question that this is a book for you. 

Item: Bee's Wrap
Price: $14.00 - $17.00 for sets of three; $12:00 for XL bread wrap
Overall Impression: This is a fantastic alternative to plastic wrap!

Q: I live in a humid first floor apartment with poor ventilation and I cannot keep potatoes good for any amount of time. They sprout incredibly fast and get really mushy. Right now I keep them in a paper bag with a few holes punched in. The paper bag is in a wicker basket with onions. 

Usually half-used containers of anything make me want to pull my hair out as I scramble for ways to use them up before the contents go bad. Not so with ricotta! In fact, I find myself looking forward to having a few spoonfuls leftover from a recipe just so I can use them however I want. My favorite nefarious uses for leftover ricotta? Here are five to try.

Blooming Shoppe Straws from BHLDN

• $7
• BHLDN

Striped and polka-dotted paper straws have been all over the party blogs the last couple of years; they're an awfully cute accessory to a picnic or party. This floral design is super pretty - picturing them with Mason jars and lemonade.

Q: I'm making pozole this weekend and want to use dried corn (not canned). I'm confused because many sites describe treating the corn with lye (nixtamalization), while other sites imply that some dried corn has already been treated. I purchased the dry corn shown here: maiz morado para pozole (purple corn for pozole).

What do you use to store your oil and vinegar? One reader sent us this really pretty setup he created for almost nothing out of Perrier bottles, which turn out to be rather good-looking, once you peel off the labels. Here's his rationale... 

What's the proper way to hold a knife? How should you open an avocado or chop a clove of garlic? More importantly, what are the ways you should never hold or use a knife? The folks behind First We Feast asked Henry Molina, a cook at Mission Chinese Food in New York, for a few quick knife tutorials, which they've illustrated in GIFs! Ah, the wonder of the GIF comes through again. 

Oval Ceramic Serving Platter from Schoolhouse Electric

• $32
• Schoolhouse Electric

I have a thing for platters without a defined lip or high edge. This "serving slab" from Schoolhouse Electric is a beautiful example of this style - really organic, and a nice price too.

Like many of you, I have fallen hard for coconut oil as of late. I love it in my scones, I love it over popcorn, I love it tossed with fresh steamed vegetables. And now here's something new to fall in love with: coconut oil nonstick spray from Trader Joe's. Oh, TJ's, it's like you read my mind.