Opening bottles

A waiter's friend with a double hinge is the most useful corkscrew there is, and better than most expensive alternatives.

For old or fragile corks, a two-pronged "Ah-So" opener grips the sides rather than piercing the middle, and is far more likely to get the cork out intact.

If a cork breaks, you have not ruined the wine. Push it through if you must and strain the wine.

Sparkling wine: hold the cork, twist the bottle, and ease the cork out against your thumb. It should sigh, not bang. A cork can leave a bottle at considerable speed and eye injuries are a real risk — never point it at anyone.

Keep the bottle at 45 degrees when opening sparkling wine; it reduces the chance of it foaming over.