Twelve peeling tricks used in professional kitchens. Each turns a messy or tedious task into a quick one.

1. Onions without tears: chill them 15 minutes before cutting, or light a candle near the board (sulfur compounds get attracted to the flame).
2. Garlic cloves fast: crush with the flat of a knife. Skins slip off.
3. Whole garlic bulb: shake in a jar for 15 seconds. Skins separate from cloves.
4. Hard-boiled eggs: 5 minutes in ice water after cooking; crack both ends first; peel starts where the air pocket is.
5. Tomatoes: score an X, drop in boiling water 30 seconds, transfer to ice water. Skins peel off.
6. Peaches and apricots: same as tomatoes.
7. Ginger: scrape with a spoon — follows the grooves without wasting flesh.
8. Potatoes (boiled whole): run under cold water for 10 seconds after cooking; skin slides off.
9. Avocado: cut in half, twist, then use a spoon to scoop along the inside of the skin.
10. Citrus: microwave 10-15 seconds before peeling — loosens the pith.
11. Butternut squash: prick all over, microwave 3 minutes before peeling. Skin comes off in strips.
12. Shrimp: freeze briefly before peeling; the shells pull off without tearing the flesh.

Twelve tricks. Half of them save 5+ minutes per meal that uses that ingredient. The cumulative time back over a year of cooking is substantial.