Q: Instead of measuring cinnamon, ginger, and cloves as called for in a recipe for pumpkin pie, use the spice mix. Stir the spice into the filling mixture until it's incorporated and then bake the pie according to your recipe instructions.
A: Use 1 3/4 teaspoons (8.5 g) of spice in pumpkin pie.

Q: Pumice stones are inexpensive (usually between $3-$10) and can be found in drug stores, natural grocery stores, and online. You can identify pumice by its porous surface. It is lightweight and usually grey or black. You can find pumice stones with rubber grips attached or as part of a brush (usually with a nail brush or other buffering tools). Use whatever you're comfortable with. Though it is possible to use pumice anywhere on your body, that doesn't mean you should. Areas with delicate skin and coarse hair (like your bikini area or face) should be avoided if possible. Removing the coarse hair would require too much pressure and damage your skin. Maybe you'd get the hair off your upper lip with time, but you'd have a very red, irritated, possibly cut upper lip instead. Not a great trade-off. The pumice method works best on legs, arms, scalps (if you're bald and looking to get that shine), and shoulders. The pumice method is a good way to perform upkeep between waxing sessions. If you do plan to use the pumice on your face or bikini area, be extremely gentle. Consider other methods first, like waxing, tweezing, hair removal creams, or shaving. Do not use the pumice on skin that is already irritated, red, sunburned, broken, or peeling. This method of hair removal will work best if the hair is softened. A warm shower or bath will give the hair time to soften up before you begin. Any time you use an abrasive on your skin (pumice, hair removal mitts, sandpaper), you risk scratching the skin, which makes you susceptible to infection. Cleaning the skin beforehand will minimize the chance of contaminating a scratch with bacteria.
A: Find a pumice stone. Decide where you want to use the pumice stone. Wash your body in warm water. Use soap or shower gel to clean the area you plan to use the pumice stone.

Q: One important difference between drinking and tasting is expectorating. Roll the wine around in your mouth, exposing it to all of your taste buds. Pay attention to the texture and other tactile sensations such as the sense of weight or body (the wine feels physical). What are the initial flavors that stand out? Most importantly, do you like it? Spit the wine into a spittoon, provided on all wine-tours, if you are planning to taste lots of wine. Getting drunk will make it harder to taste complex wines later on. If you're driving, use the spittoon. With your lips pursed as if you were to whistle, draw some air into your mouth and exhale through your nose. This liberates the aromas for the wine and allows them to reach your nose via the passageway at the back of your throat, known as the retro-nasal cavity. The nose is the only place where you can detect a wine's aromas. However, the enzymes and other compounds in your mouth and saliva alter some of a wine's aromatic compounds. You are looking for any new aromas liberated by the wine's interaction with the environment of your mouth. In other words, slurp the wine (without making a loud slurping noise, of course). Note the subtle differences in flavor and texture. Flavors and scents come in successive waves in fine wines, they are revealed as your sensors adjust to the wine. This is especially important with red wines. Don't worry if this makes you feel out of place. It is an accepted step in wine tasting. Is there any one taste that overpowers the rest? Can you detect the same flavors you smelled now that you are tasting the wine? Great wines are balanced so that they don't attack your taste buds. You can taste 2-3 different fruits, a mixture of sweet and sour, and some earthy characteristics. A little bitterness is natural, but it shouldn't ruin your palate. All wines are different -- whites and dessert wines, for example, are usually on the sweeter side. You are looking for balanced flavors, whatever they are, not one "perfect" balance. How long does the finish last? A good, 60 second or longer flavor as an aftertaste is a good sign of quality. At times, you will pick up things in the finish that was not detectable in the initial taste. Do you like the taste? Has it changed? You can use whatever terminology you feel comfortable with. The most important thing to write down is your impression of the wine and how much you liked it. The more specific or detailed you are the better your reference will be against a similar wine from another winery. Many wineries provide booklets and pens so that you can take notes. This can be a great aid in helping you to pay attention to the subtleties of the wine and remember what you like. Keep a booklet of your favorite bottles and what meal you ate them with for future reference.
A: Take a sip of wine and let it linger in your mouth. Aspirate the wine after your first taste. Take another sip of wine, this time with air with it. Look for balance in a good wine. Note the aftertaste of the wine. Write down what you think about the wine.

Q: In the case of a call, you want to speak directly with the hiring manager. Avoid talking to a general HR specialist or a customer service representative. Even if they say they will take your message, the odds of it getting to the right person are slim. Call the contact listed in the job posting, if any. If no contact is posted, dig around online for the person that seems like the most likely fit. Peak hours for every company are a little different, so do a bit of research into the industry. Restaurants, for example, will be busiest during lunch and dinner hours, but may have some down time from 2pm to 4pm. Call during non-peak hours to raise your chances of the hiring manager answering. No matter the industry, try not to call right after the start of business. People are generally bombarded with voicemails and emails at that time, and may not pick up. Don't call directly before closing, either. Your contact person is likely packing up and getting ready to leave, and may be annoyed if they have to stay longer to answer a call. If the hiring manager answers when you call, the first thing you want to do after saying hello is to give them your name and request a quick status check on the hiring process. This will let you know if they are still going through resumes or if they have moved on to interviews and hiring. You may, for example, say something like, "Hello. This is John Doe calling about the cat groomer position. I am very excited about this role and your company, and I just wanted to make sure my application was received." If the hiring manager confirms that your resume has been received, ask them if they need anything else from you. Use this as a chance to briefly talk about one of your skills related to the position. If you are applying for a graphic designer position, for example, ask the manager, "Do you need any more samples of my work? I could send some that really highlight my experience designing text-based logos." Before you hang up, thank the hiring manager for their time and ask them about a time line for next steps. If you feel particularly bold, you can even end with a line like, "When would be a good time to meet and talk about this further?"
A:
Call the hiring manager directly. Call during non-peak hours. Check on the status of your application first. Ask the hiring manager if they need anything else from you. Ask about an interview timeline.