Monday, November 30, 2009

Who owns Whom


This is for Marilyn + Ed, Jim + Cindee. Some builders in Japan are designing homes around the household cats, or as The Presurfer says, special features for pets. If you have the tools, here are the plans.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Have You Seen the Prices

Cheese Making Made Easy

Have you seen the price of crème fraîche in the market lately? Not a problem if you don't use it, but if your menu says you serve it, well there you are. The workaround is to make it yourself. This book and Home Cheese Making, by Ricki Carroll, will get you started and New England Cheesmaking will ship anything you can't find in town.

Sunday


Days getting shorter. There's a song in there somewhere.

Now for some coffee

Saturday, November 28, 2009

No cream, No sugar


As all my friends and family are aware, I'm just not very useful before I've had my morning cup.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Turkey Soup


photo: Black Diamond Caterers

I'm relatively sure that some of you have a turkey carcass or two laying around. (day after Thanksgiving) Therefore it must be soup time, or at very least, stock time.

Gather up the remains, and pick the good pieces of meat. These go to the fridge. Break the keel so it fits in the stockpot, add the neck, wing tips, chopped giblets (except liver) et al. Add peeled, cut carrots (mirepoix sized), white onion (same), a finger of peeled ginger (for soup, for stock - no), whole peppercorns, bay leaves and some celery. (be sure to peel it, turkey doesn't cover the bitter flavor in the outer layer) Some folks call for the white part of leeks. Certainly a great addition if you have some on hand. You can roast the bones before hand, but turkey is generally a light stock. My opinion is that this step distracts, rather than adds. Cover with cold water.

Here's the part where you must control the heat. Bring the pot to a simmer. A simmer is not a boil. In this instance, boil bad. Any time you save doing this at high heat, your going to spend at the other end trying to clarify the stock. Cock the pot a bit off the center of the flame. What this does is starts a convection cell that pushes the scum to one side or the other. (if you're using a steam jacket, it ends up in the center) You have to skim the pot regularly. If you don't, the particulates just break up and voilĂ  tout, cloudy stock. (short review: skim good, simmer good - boil bad, cloudy bad) If your stove is cranky, or full up, you can always transfer your hot pot to the oven. (200°), just remember to skim.

After about 2 or 3 hours kill the heat. Let things stand long enough for everything to settle down. Use a ladle to pull the stock out and strain through a chinoise. The point of using the ladle is to leave the layer containing those little specks of stuff in the bottom of the stockpot. If you just pour out everything, the pressure of the pour will force things through the mesh. Taste the stock, decide if you need to reduce it, (you know the drill) and if not, chill it with an ice paddle and fridge it.

Soup is soup. Take the amount of stock you need out of storage. If it has some fat on top, spoon it off and save it. You can wilt your vegetables in it (slowly, low smoke point). Cut up your goodies, spoon your vegies out of the sauté pan (leave the oil behind. You might want to heat your meat a bit to remove any clinging fat before it goes into the pot too) Uncooked stuff first, cooked stuff last... bowl, spoon, sandwich, and you're done.

The above picture is from a caterer in Saratoga Springs, NY. (link) She has a nice variation posted as well as other recipes.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Me and my Uncle

The Oscar Brandt Show, c. 1965

Anthony Asks


Anthony asks:

Why a penguin?

evilmilk.com

Monday, November 23, 2009

Lichenberg Figures


Lichtenberg figures are branching, tree-like or fern-like patterns that are created by high voltage discharges along the surface or within electrical insulating materials.

The first Lichtenberg figures were actually 2-dimensional patterns formed in dust on the surface of charged insulating plates in the laboratory of their discoverer, German physicist Georg Christoph Lichtenberg.

Mirrored from The Presurfer

Technical Description here

Sunday, November 22, 2009

It's Starting


Trimming the tree by the B of A headquarters in N. Beach. (SF)

Round-Up


Short one this morning. The hotel's hallway is being painted, so even at this hour you can hear the scritch of someone applying calk to the walls. May (Happy Donuts) is getting ready to see her family in Cambodia. She has an in ear phone on and is fielding calls from Aunts and cousins (Cambodian) while taking coffee and breakfast orders (Spanish and English) and tending to last minute details (officialese). She's her usual cheerful self, but I found that my expresso would be having rye with its huevos, changing planes in Tokyo - Bhat auntie - and would be taking the blueberry muffins out in 5 min, merci. For someone who grew up monolingual, it was a bravura performance.

Happy Thanksgiving

Friday, November 20, 2009

Clay Henry


As the official site for mayor of the town of Lajitas, Texas, states: many towns can claim that their mayor is an old goat, or that he enjoys his beer – but not many can validly claim that their mayor is a beer drinking goat. Literally. Lajitas has that dubious honor. In the original election in the 1980s Clay Henry I defeated a wooden Indian and a local ranch dog called Buster by a landslide and the tradition continues to this day, with Clay Henry III.

There is a wooden Indian (actually a plas-crete Indian) standing guard over a store about two blocks from here. It's certainly seems a darn sight more competent then the crew (SF) we have now. You thinking what I'm thinking?

More animals that ran for government in Business Pundit.

Noveau Oldtime

The good stuff. Story, and a larger image at BoingBoing

Thursday, November 19, 2009

The Old Neighborhood


Photo by I W Taber

Opium Dens (c. 1889) in the neighborhood. More pictures and a story here

More SF ephemera: Spots Unknown

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

The Frictionator


Photo by John Masterson

The Frictionator is a Ford F650 pickup truck equipped with a 7,000 hp GE J85 jet engine. Joe Arnold’s monster truck is capable of reaching speeds up to 200 mph and is street legal (so as long as you don’t use the jet engine).

Mirrored from Neat-o-rama

Chicken Curry


Here we have two ways to make chicken curry. Outwardly Indian, they are in fact American supermarket style. A real curry is a spice blend specific to the dish and cook, while we use a one size fits all mixture. Both recipes are suitable for lunch service, one being an á la minute and the other for holding on the steamtable. If you want to learn the traditional way to make a curry, get yourself an Indian mom, or if that isn't practical, be prepared to hunt for some unusual ingredients. (which is both great fun and an eye-opener) Linda Bladholm's The Indian Grocery Store Demystified is a place to start.

The first one is adapted from Mark Bittman (The Minimalist Cooks at Home), is written for four, but can be adjusted up or down. Rub four (boneless, skinless) chicken breasts with S&P and one teaspoon of packaged curry powder. (Check the curry's date.) Brown the breasts in ghee or an unflavored oil. Set in a fast oven to finish. French a medium onion or three shallots. Add S&P and a teaspoon curry and brown. Splash a bit of stock in to deglaze and bring the pan's heat way down. Fold in one cup of sour cream, add chicken, let it meld for a minute, plate with cilantro.

    Notes;
  • Yeah I know, boneless/skinless is the avian version of supermarket tomatoes. Oh well.
  • You do date your product when it comes in, don't you? If the curry has been sitting on the shelf forever and a day, toss it. If you don't make curry every day, buy a small jar, not the institutional size. Fresh is good, stale is not.
  • Ghee is the same as pan clarified unsalted butter.
  • Bringing the heat down is crucial. Sour cream curdles under high heat (Here's why) This is also the reason this version is unsuitable for the steamtable.
  • Subs include stabilized whole-milk yogurt (1 t flour or cornstarch / cup), adding golden currants (raisins taste good, but look a bit funky in the sauce. Currants look and taste good) Shrimp for chicken, dried coconut, slivered almonds, peas (last minute) chili of one sort or another. Do a few one-offs to find the combination you like, then work on fine tuning it.

For the second, bone, de-fat and skin whole chicken pieces. (you do have a stockpot, don't you?) Plunk them in a brazing pan (no oil) and sear them completely. Add garlic, onion or shallot to taste with some S&P. When the vegetables are wilted, add tikka masala (notes) and work the pan for a minute to open up the flavors. Cover with water or stock and set on a slow simmer to reduce. The sauce should be fairly thick when your done (at least an hour)

    Notes:
  • Tlkka Masala is a brick red spice paste, usually sold in jars. I've seen Bombay brand all over the place.
  • Instead of serving over rice, you can add cubed potatoes to make it self contained.
  • The first part of the reduction needs to take place in the brazing pan, because the chicken finishes cooking there. The second part, the thickening, can be on the steamtable. (140°+, you know the rules)

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Satin Doll

Duke Ellington is one of those composers that get taken for granted when you ask people to list their favorites. Bla and/or bla-bla, then you mention Ellington and the reply is, "yeah, but that goes without saying." Not too many people in that category.

Monday, November 16, 2009

The Prisoner (redux)


The Prisoner (re-boot) aired its first two episodes last night. Hope might spring eternal, but then there is that darn old reality of corporate show-business. Charlie Jane Anders mentions gonzo in reference to the original. Fair enough, the word certainly applies to the filming, budgeting, and working methods of the real one. Compare that with careful product placement, script by executive committee, and top dollar photography of the new. A great many critics (read lazy writers) have overused the word allegory, again referring again to the original. To the new one, I'd like to add slick, and telegraphing your moves. The original is labeled a cult series, (whatever the heck that means) while the new message is accessible. (corporate hipsterism, featuring individuality as represented by a fine wardrobe, kept fresh in the most difficult of situations, a romantic interest wearing flawless make-up in any close-up, a huge playing space with branded designer accoutrements, and plenty of others to cover the day to day. Buy from us kids, and you too...)

A fair question is, would the new stand on its own with a different title or conversely not having an original to re-boot? I can't say. The show-biz folks chose to ride on McGoohan's coattails. (The Pitch: we took an idea of Bill's (Gibson), mixed with a property that's come on the market, and chose fashions by Lolly, while we wrote in a star turn for the company's new line of cars) The original can best be characterized as having a time and place. Will people who weren't around then accept the new? That's up to them. I'm a tad underwhelmed myself.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Pat's Sunday


Penrose Tile

Sunday; The Prisoner is on the tube tonight. Is their any point in comparing it to the original? (rhetorical question) Will I watch it? Yes, cuz hope springs eternal. ( and I can switch to a Looney Toons marathon on 54 if it turns out to be as pedestrian as the previews indicate). Sunday round-up:

Sunny day - must take pictures.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Xia Xiaowan


This isn't a hologram; it's a succession of glass frames meticulously tinted with colored pencil by multimedia artist Xia Xiaowan. A link to more pictures in Beautiful Decay magazine here. I'll bet my cousin Dianne would love them.

Via;Posthuman Blues

Art Tatum

An celebration of Art Tatum at 100

Speaking of Artichokes


A bit too mature for eating

Artichokes are out of season in most places, but you can get plenty here and the glassed hearts are always available. Here are some notes on artichoke prep and a dip recipe you can use around Thanksgiving.

Preparation is pretty straightforward. For those in doubt, refer to PĂ©pin's Techniques or here. On acidulated water, lemons are expensive, tablets of vitamin C comparatively less so. Powder a tablet of the cheap brand and dissolve it in place of the half lemon. (no kids, the racemization of the vitamin in the manufacturing process doesn't make a lick of difference in this instance. Go with cheap.) Artichokes have a truckload of unusual compounds in them. We're concerned with two here. Polyphenol oxidase (also called tyrosinase), when combined with oxygen, turns a lovely, gooey gray. It also stains reactive metals, like that expensive steel chef's knife you just bought. The bottom line, use a non-reactive pot, a cheap knife, and keep the choke in acidulated water while preping. The second compound is cynarin. This affects the taste buds, making things taste sweeter. ( a research abstract is here) This is probably the reason behind the recommendation that artichokes not be served with wine. Use your own judgment, but remember that vinophiles (read wine(y) poseurs) can be so vocal about something they read somewhere.

About half the published recipes contain a blanc,(¼ c flour, 6 c water, salt, lemon juice) the others don't. The difference is in storage. If you're going to use the choke straight from the pot, don't bother with the blanc, if you're going to set them aside for use later, cook them in the blanc and refrigerate them in the cooking liquid. (Julia Child's discussion and recipe here. A final note: If you have a pressure cooker, give it a try. The resulting texture is smooth and almost jellied.

    Artichoke Dip:
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
  • 2 (13 3/4-ounce) cans artichoke hearts
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1 cup grated jack cheese

Notes: Squeeze the spinach dry. taste for S&P, Top with your favorite gratin and bake @350° until sides bubble. (heated through) Alternative ingredients include roasted red peppers (no more than 4 or 5 oz, or else the dip gets a bit bloody-looking) Crab meat, Roasted eggplant, cut thin Hot chili flakes, to taste, Sour cream, 8 oz (replacing the mayo)

Friday, November 13, 2009

And Furthermore..


This one has popped up on the net in a number of different places

Ever heard of lachanophobia? It's a pathological fear of vegetables. Don't laugh, it's real. Vicki Larrieux, a 22-year-old student from Portsmouth, UK, claims she is unable to keep to a healthy diet because she is frightened of vegetables.

Terrible affliction or the fifteen minutes of fame special? In food service, we get to meet all sorts of allergies. "I want my steak very well done, I'm 'lergic' to rare." Or my personal favorite, (true story) "Oh I didn't know you made artichoke dip with artichokes. I'm 'lergic' to that. You need to adjust my bill." A writer for the NYT has made a list of things that restuarants should do to keep his custom. (Demand grab-joint prices with four star French service. Demand that the server reads your mind from a kneeling position. Demand the full attention of the house, Order off the menu whenever possible.. yes, I'm being rhetorical ) Here's my two cents on being a customer. Don't elevate a personal dislike to a medical problem. If you're alergic to something, the time to mention it is when you order, not after you've finished three quarters of the plate. (and oddly enough, the other customers probably aren't interested in your medical history) A cranky post, to be sure, but some days the customers from he** just seem to come in bunches.

Picture and quote: The Presurfer

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Neuromancer-lite


Sasha Grey

A link to io9's story about a performance piece in NYC based on William Gibson's Neuromancer.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Clasic Timepiece


Photo: Unica

Andreas Dober’s wall clock for the German luxury shop Anthologie Quartett cycles a bicycle chain to display the hour with copper digits at the top. A custom job, it prices out at $2,338.

Mirrored from Neatorama

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Baker's Clay


Thanksgiving table decorations. Time to go back in the storeroom and pull the boxes that somehow drifted behind the canned soda delivery and worked their way up the shelves and hid themselves in the far corner. Or you could make some to order. The baker's dough recipe is basic, and lends itself to anything that can be made of clay or ceramic. You can use food coloring, egg wash, or paint on it, and if varnished, can last under storage. Traditionally used to make a cornucopia (check out a French bakery window), you can do napkin rings, tree ornaments, etc.

4 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup salt, 3/2 cup water:Form ball, if dry add water 1T at a time. Knead at least 20 minutes until smooth and very elastic. Form. Bake @ 250° for 3/2 hr until slightly brown, firm and very dry. Spray with varnish.

To make a cornucopia, make a double batch of dough. Roll half out into a sheet and half into snakes (tubes). Make a cone with cardboard and aluminum foil, then use crumpled foil to make any details. (bulge on end, that sort of thing).Spray the form with no-stick or oil it. Use a cookie cutter to make a few leaves from your sheet and use the rest to drape your form.(a wet finger will seal the seams) Use the snakes to build surface texture (again, use some moisture or they will separate during baking), place the leaves and put it into the oven. After about 45 minutes, check it. If things have firmed enough, pull the form, give it an egg wash and put back in oven. The goal here is golden brown with all the moisture driven off. If the bottom is retaining a bit of moisture, turn the darn thing and give it some more oven time. Don't try to drive the process by turning the oven up, it will crack or separate. (and usually on the part you worked the hardest on). When done, let it air dry and cool, use food color or paint for any details, and spray with varnish. If you have any dough left, punch out some gingerbread men. Christmas comes soon enough.

Starlings

The European Starling, introduced by Eugene Schieffelin in 1890, have pretty much populated their niche in N. America. They're the most successful alien-species invasions ever documented to date.(stay tuned though, a few marine species are giving them a run for the record)

Suggested by BoingBoing

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Linkdump


Picture; link

Sunday's linkdump:

That should keep you out of mischief for a minute.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Ferrofluid

Ferrofluid is a magnetic medium often used as a coolant in speaker voice coils. Artists have found that it sculpts itself in the presence of controlled magnetic fields.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Hungry Bear

The Roadies Friend

An Alaskan bush pilot had his plane attacked by a bear. Apparently he hadn't cleaned sufficiently after the last fishing trip and the bear was thinking it had an easy dinner. The pilot had 2 new tires, 3 cases of Duct Tape and several rolls of cellophane delivered, then went about repairing the plane so he could fly it home. This is why Duct Tape is known far and wide as the roadies friend.

(to see more pictures, click fullscreen and use the advance arrow at bottom)

Via: Anthony

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Uhhh - Wrong


If you can't tell what's wrong in this picture, please don't do your own repairs.

The Basics


A little reminder never hurts. Now if I could just do something about my spelling.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Greg Egan


Greg Egan will have some new books out shortly. From an interview:

Zendegi is set in Iran in the very near future; the first part of the novel takes place in 2012. The ultimate focus of the story involves brain mapping and virtual reality, but the backgrounds of all the characters are entwined with the Iranian pro-democracy movement in various ways. It’s due to be published in mid-2010.
Orthogonal is a novel I’m working on right now; it’s set in a universe with laws of physics that are different from our own. One small change in a fundamental equation — just turning a minus sign into a plus sign — leads to some incredibly rich variations in everything from the way biology works to the relativistic effects of space travel.

His homepage contains some advance copy along with writing and travel notes. (and those great apps)

Mustard Ring


This recipe is popular among the farming communities in the North-West. James Beard mentions it in American Cookery, and my Aunt Alice swears by it. If, for some reason, you're embarrassed by its rural American origins, get over it. Farmers know good food, they're in the business.

  • Clean your ring mold with a bit of vinegar and chill. Soften an envelope of unflavored gelatin in a ¼ cup of cold water.
  • Mix a ½ cup sugar, 3 tablespoons dry mustard, 1 tablespoon Dijon, and a tsp. of salt. In another big bowl, whip 1 cup of heavy cream and place in ice bath. Put a pot of water to the boil.
  • In a stainless bowl, melt the softened gelatin over the boiling water. Add 4 beaten eggs, ¾ cup red wine vinegar, and dry ingredients. Continue to stir over the hot water until the mixture becomes thick. Pull off heat, and keep stirring for a bit.
  • Fold into whipped cream. (you know the drill. A spoonful of whipped cream into the egg mixture, then fold the result into the whipped cream. Fold, not beat, not stir, not some strange geometric invention of your own devise.) Put into mold, chill.

Notes: If you don't feel comfortable with the color, egg #2, straight yellow food dye, or turmeric are all in the right range. Serve with ham, or as a salad. You can fill the center with coleslaw, sweet and sour cabbage, pickled beets, pulled beef, or just pretty-pretty. (see picture)

Monday, November 2, 2009

Koko's Earth Control

Not with a bang, but with a great soundtrack.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Synthesis


What do you get when you mix steampunk AI, politically correct chirping from a multi-species crew, and a British writer trying his hand at American shoot-'em-ups? Wantum mechanics. If the editor wants 'em, in it goes. Technobabble follows as Will's jaw sets hard:

I read this on Halloween night. While the kids were getting their treats,(and the goblins downstairs were gibbering in their beer) I was busy blowing up planets, tearing vast holes in space, and wondering how a mysterious lost race solved the propagation problem in a continent sized computer made of gold and brass cogs.(pace: BDO) But the wetminds (that's us) won, and that is what counts.

Frico (Parmesan Crisps)


This is a modular recipe, i.e. not a complete dish, but a part you can use in a number of different ways.

  • Grate a fresh (still moist) chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. You need a cup of relatively fine yield.
  • Pre-heat the oven to 325°. Put a silipat on a baking sheet. Put a tablespoon of cheese in a 2½ inch ring and press flat with your finger. (8X for 8 tulles). Put on middle rack for 8 to 10 min. (golden brown)
  • Wait for a couple of seconds for the tulle to set up, and use a spatula (spray some non-stick on it) to transfer to a mold. (an egg carton works great). You now have a crisp little basket to put something in. (spinach dip, goat cheese mouse, etc.)

Notes: Use cheese, not the pre-grated colloidal product. The *brand name* grated cheese is good for Chief Boy-R-D, but it doesn't melt properly. You don't save any money or time if you can't serve it. Keep an eye on the progress in the oven until you get the hang of it. As an aside, an oven thermometer is cheap, getting an oven repairman to regulate your thermostat isn't. Use a ring and spoon. You can freehand them, but a measured product has a nice finished look and it's easier to calculate your costs. Do the crisps in batches, they set up quickly, and transferring them to the mold takes longer than you think. Get your speed by rotating multiple sheets through the oven rather than loading a lot on one sheet. You can do them ahead, but not too far and don't fill them until just before service. Too much moisture, and crisp be gone. (although they taste great, they don't look so good)

I've seen larger ones made in egg pans on the stovetop. You could crack them into chips for a salad, slide them out and put over a plated dish, letting them set as a cover, or make a taco or cone shape and fill them. Your first batch might be a bit time consuming, but you'll soon get the hang and be turning them out presto. The measurements were adapted from The French Laundry Cookbook, which is a good guide to how they play in the deep end of the pool. (prix fixe: If you need to ask....)