Dear Heloise: There is a great way to GRATE CHEESE and not have a mess afterward. Use a stand-alone box grater and place it inside a very large plastic bag. Zipclose bags are best for this task. Grate the cheese, and you’ll notice that it all goes into the bag. Take out what you need, then zip it shut and put the rest in the refrigerator. — Lucy A., Mesa, Ariz.

Dear Heloise: What is meant when a label says “from concentrate”? My husband says juice from concentrate is of poorer quality. — Penny F., Hanover Park, Ill.

Penny, water is removed from the product, and it becomes “concentrated.” Water is later added back to restore the concentrated product to its normal state for consumption. This does not affect vitamins and minerals in the juice.

— Heloise

Dear Heloise: I have a cucumber dish that my friends love, and it’s so easy to make:

1 or 2 cucumbers, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 cup sour cream

Place sliced cucumber in a bowl. Mix sour cream and vinegar together, and gently stir into cucumbers. Chill for 30 minutes. This dish is especially nice on a warm day, and it adds a little “zip” to any meal. — Frances G., Evansville, Ind.

Dear Heloise: When a recipe calls for a “dry” white wine, I never know what to use. — Candice V., Gillette, Wyo.

Candice, a dry white wine could be pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc or chardonnay. When a recipe calls for dry, it’s probably best to stick with a dry wine rather than substituting a sweet wine.

— Heloise