This week our Jill of All Trades, Jill Washburn, shows us some hacks for opening a bottle of wine when there is no corkscrew or opener in sight.
The first hack uses a long screw and a pair of pliers. Jill says to twist the screw through the center of the cork, leaving only a tiny bit exposed above the cork. (Jill used a small power screwdriver, but a hand screwdriver would work, as well.)
Then, take the pliers and grab the exposed screw and gently pry it up. It will bring the cork with it. With a little work, you will get enough cork exposed to be able to grab it with the pliers. From there, you should be able to gently wiggle/twist the cork out.
The next hack uses a serrated steak knife. Gently, push the blade into the cork on an angle, getting it into the cork as far as you can. Once you have it solidly into the cork. You should be able to gently and slowly twist the knife, loosening the cork. Jill says that once you can get it to move, the cork should come out fairly quickly.
The third hack is definitely the fastest. (It might also be the messiest.)
Instead of pulling the cork out, consider pushing the cork in. Jill did it with a wooden spoon and a hammer. It could also be done outdoors using a stick and a rock (or the heel of a shoe).
Jill put the end of a handle of a wooden spoon up to the top of the cork. She smacked the opposite end of the spoon with the hammer a couple of times and the cork slid right into the bottle (be prepared for a small splash), making it possible to pour the wine.
The last hack is the stuff of legends. Jill couldn't get this one to work, but some people swear by it.
Take a soft soled shoe, like a canvas tennis shoe, and stand the bottle of wine in it. Then, hold it so the bottle of wine is parallel to the floor and smack the heel of the shoe against a wall. The sloshing of the wine is said to loosen the cork. You may have better luck with it than Jill did. A viewer wrote in to say that it works better with a firmer-soled shoe.
PROJECT RATING: Pretty Easy
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