Problem: Article: Before you turn the stove on, set up a rack in the middle of the oven. Make sure your oven comes to temperature before you bake your burgers. Get a skillet hot over medium-high heat, then add the olive oil. Add the patties to the skillet and sear them until they're golden-brown, or about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Searing the patties first will give them a fabulous texture and enhance their flavor. However, you can skip this step if you want and just bake the patties for 30 minutes. If you use a cast iron skillet or other oven-safe pan to sear your patties, you can just stick the entire pan in the oven. If your skillet isn't oven-safe, use a spatula to transfer the patties to a baking sheet when they're done searing. To accurately test for doneness, insert an instant read thermometer into a patty and check for a temperature of 160 to 165F (71 to 74C). A food thermometer is your best bet, but if you don't have one, leave them in for the full 7 minutes. Peek through the oven window to make sure they don't burn. Bake your patties for 30 minutes if you didn't sear them first.
Summary: Preheat your oven to 375F (191C). Sear the burgers for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the patties to a baking sheet if your pan isn't oven-safe. Bake the patties for an additional 5 to 7 minutes.

Problem: Article: The more you know about your products, the more you will know about how different products can add value and convenience to the product your customer is buying, as well as how to recommend upgrades or alternatives. Customers want to buy from people who know more about products than they do. Your goal as the salesperson is to let the customer know how they could easily make the product they want better, which means you have to know that product inside and out. Do your homework to make the upsell. If you work at a bookstore with a large selection of fantasy books, it'd be a good idea to read the big hits in the genre if you want to make sales in that section. If you think Gandalf was the best character in the Goblet of Fire you're not going to be a very convincing seller of fantasy books. A good salesperson will be able to quickly give customers a read and tailor their sales technique to the individual. Whether you're in wholesale or retail, a salesperson needs to let the customer's desires drive the sale. In a retail setting, try to distinguish between browsing customers who are unlikely to buy things and customers who seem to be actively looking for an item. If a customer seems to be browsing without aim, make contact and ask if you can be of assistance. Listen actively before attempting to upsell them right off the bat with an expensive feature item. If a customer seems to be shopping actively, start thinking of an upselling strategy based on their purchases or interests. If you're selling wholesale, try to get a sense of the customer's needs by asking lots of questions. Why is the customer buying so many plastic cups? What else might you be able provide them to make that goal easier and more convenient? Talk to the customer by making friendly contact, greeting them, and making yourself available for questions and assistance. Find out what it is your customer wants and use that desire to begin the process of making the sale. If your bookstore customer is browsing interestedly through the Chronicles of Narnia, start your contact by complimenting their taste: "What a great series--which have you read?" Listen to them and engage in friendly conversation if the customer seems up for it. Bring up other series they might be interested in, like the Spiderwick Chronicles or the Lord of the Rings. One of the most-complained about aspects of aggressive sales is the ubiquitous "random" upsell. It's one thing to offer additional related purchases (LOTR, bookmarks, etc.) in a friendly way at the counter, but making automatic attempts at selling the customer on the highest-end product without listening to their interests is likely to turn lots of customers off. If you approach the Narnia customer and try to sell them on the new Steve Jobs biography in hardback, which the store's running a sale on because of a big back-stock, it's likely to confound and irritate because it's a transparent upsell. Customers aren't stupid. Lay the seed of an upsell by providing a variety of other purchase options and let the customer decide. Make your suggestions related and of benefit to the customer, not of benefit to your bottom line. The price of the item you're going to try to upsell shouldn't come into play until you've already made the case for the item. Connect the most appropriate selection to the customer's desire and let them consider the price on their own. Likewise, many salespeople hesitate to make suggestions to a customer already carrying an armload of merchandise, fearing that the bill will freak the customer out. Not your problem. Be honest and provide the most valuable options for the customer, as you see it, and let them decide.
Summary: Know your products intimately. Read your customer. Make an initial contact. Recognize when hanging back will be a more effective sales technique. Let the customer decide what is affordable.

Problem: Article: To finish the natto, you'll need to warm the beans in the oven for several hours. Set the temperature to 200F (93C) and allow it to preheat fully. If your oven temperature doesn't go as low as 200F (93C), use the lowest heat setting possible. You can even go as low as 100F (38C) if possible. Use a sterilized spoon to add a thin layer of beans to the bottom of 3 to 4 oven-safe glass jar. If any of the beans fall onto the counter or table during the transfer, discard them. Make sure that the jars you use have lids. Sterilize the jars in boiling water before filling them. When the beans are in the jars, place a piece of sterilized cheesecloth over each one. Next, place the lids on the jars, closing them tightly. Once they're closed, place the covered jars in the preheated oven. Allow the beans to ferment in the oven for 22 to 24 hours. You can also place the jars in a food dehydrator to ferment the beans. When the beans are finished fermenting, remove the jars from the oven. Let them cool for at least two hours. Once the beans are cooled, remove the lids from the jars and discard the cheesecloth. Replace the lids on the jars so they're tightly closed once more. When the jars are recovered, place them in the refrigerator. Let them chill at least overnight or up to 3 to 4 days. Natto are often served as part of a Japanese breakfast. It can also be incorporated into your meals in other interesting ways.
Summary:
Preheat the oven. Add the beans to oven-safe jars. Cover the jars with cheesecloth and the lids. Place in the oven to ferment for 24 hours. Allow the natto to cool. Remove the cheesecloth and recover the jars with lids. Refrigerate the natto overnight.