Dear Heloise: I am a 16-year-old high school student who hates salads. My mother puts all kinds of vegetables in her salads and insists that I eat at least one helping. I don’t mind the lettuce, but the celery, tomatoes, carrots and other things in the salad are disgusting. Why do people put so many vegetables in a simple salad? — Eric L., Palmyra, New Jersey

Eric, those so-called “disgusting” vegetables add vitamins and minerals to your diet. No doubt your mother wants to keep you healthy in this cold and flu season. As you get older, you’ll come to realize that the nutrients in a salad, not to mention the roughage, will help you from getting sick and constipated. Tomatoes are high in vitamin C, and carrots are a good source of vitamin A, just to mention two ingredients from the salad. In a world where so many people have no access to fresh vegetables, count yourself lucky every time your mother prepares a healthy salad. — Heloise

RED WINE ­MYSTERY

Dear Heloise: Why are red wines supposed to be served at room temperature? — Sylvia J., Fort Wayne, Indiana

Sylvia, actually, red wine should be served a little below room temperature. In centuries past, wine was served at about 70 degrees F, which would have been about the temperature of the inside of a Norman castle. Still, others will tell you that the best temperature for red wine is 60 to 68 degrees F.

The bottle should be allowed to sit open in the air for about an hour before serving. This is to help “balance” the wine.

If you sniff the wine in your glass and it seems to burn your nose, it will need time to air out a little more. You want to bring out the full, natural fruitiness of the wine, and reduce the acidic taste as much as possible by cooling red wine at the correct temperature. — Heloise

SPICE UP YOUR CHICKEN

Dear Heloise: Do you have a recipe for teriyaki sauce? I serve chicken at least once a week, and my family is tired of the same old recipes. I thought some teriyaki might improve their feelings about chicken. — Meredith D., Venice, Florida

Meredith, I have a teriyaki sauce recipe that tastes great on chicken and shrimp. Here it is:

1 clove of garlic

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup soy sauce

Mash garlic with sugar to a fine pulp, and then mix with remaining ingredients.

If you want to impress your guests with new recipes and novel flavors, you’ll love my pamphlet “Heloise’s Seasonings, Sauces, and Substitutes.” There are all sorts of ideas to make any meal seem new. To get a copy, just go to www.Heloise.com or send $3 along with a stamped, self-addressed, long envelope to: Heloise/Seasonings, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001.

Here’s a Heloise Hint: Fresh herbs are always the best, but if you can’t find the herbs you want, look for herbs at a farmer’s market, where many dried herbs have been freshly cut and stored in glass jars. — Heloise.

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Hints from Heloise run occasionally in Lifestyles. Readers may send a hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, fax it to 210-HELOISE, or email: Heloise@Heloise.com. Letters won’t be answered personally.