WASHINGTON, D.C. (Washington Post) - The Washington Post Food staff recently answered questions about all things edible. Here are edited excerpts from that chat.

Q: I have too many to count bottles of whiskey and other spirits that are seriously well-aged. At what point do I pour them down the sink and toss the bottles in the recycling bin?

A: Your base spirits will keep virtually forever; your liqueurs may fade a bit over time (look for sugar crystallization and others signs of a turn, like a change in color), but generally if you're storing them right, liqueurs should keep a few years. Bailey's and other things that have cream in them, not so much. If you have opened vermouth and sherry and such, you should probably have thrown those out years ago.

My best guideline for this is smell and then taste the stuff. I recently chucked a 10-year-old bottle of St. Germain because it had started to get a little funky - not that it had actually spoiled, but it had lost its freshness and become a little odd. If you try the liqueurs and they still taste okay, then they probably are. (But do not taste an old Irish cream liqueur. Your nose should warn you off it, but I'm warning you anyway.) - M. Carrie Allan

Q: Does that apply to an unopened bottle as well? I have some of those little airline sized bottles that might be as old as I am - obviously I wasn't the one who originally acquired them.

A: Unopened will probably be OK, but again, test it out. More sugary liqueurs can sometimes degrade a bit in the bottle and anything with cream in it, I'd probably chuck out unsmelt. - M.C.A.

Q: I find that refrigerated onions keep longer, and are less likely to cause tears when slicing or chopping. Thus, I honestly don't see a downside. Tomatoes turn mealy when chilled, but what's supposed to be wrong with refrigerated onions?

A: Apparently the cold, humid conditions in the fridge cause the sugars to convert to starch, meaning they soften and go bad.- B.K.

Q: I just booked a winter trip to Iceland and am taking food suggestions. I am aware of food being expensive there, so I'm looking for advice for great food experiences to look for. I love a good bakery, and (unfortunately) am a vegetarian.

A: Can't say enough good things about the bakery Braud & Co. in Reykjavik. It's not cheap but everything I tried there (super dense rye sour bread, a whole-wheat sour loaf, blueberry buns with licorice baked on top) was worth every penny.- Kara Elder

Q: I already have a knife sharpener for a straight blade but recently purchased a lovely serrated knife. Should I purchase another sharpener with both straight and serrated options?

A: Yes, you will need a separate sharpener for the serrated knife. It looks like an ice pick and comes in different sizes and coarseness. - Tim Carman

Q: I have an odd craving some cooking something with my spicy mustard seeds, but all I can think of are heavy options like curries or stews. Any lighter options?

A: Pickle them. Always nice to have as a condiment for cheeses and salumi, and as a simpler topping for sandwiches etc. - B.S.B.