This week a self-portrait from several years ago. Taken, with a fisheye lens, in our hotel room when away for the weekend — I was actually going to a school reunion.
Bascule
A device operating like a balance or see-saw, especially an arrangement of a movable bridge, by which the rising floor or section is counterbalanced by a weight.
A bridge with a movable section hinged about a horizontal axis and counterbalanced by a weight.
For quite some while — probably 2-3 years; maybe more — Marks & Spencer have been selling a range of “Southwold” beers, which we know are brewed for them by Adnams of Southwold.
Over the years I have tried probably most of them and found them at least acceptable and often quite pleasant. But then, as regular readers will know, I am partial to the odd pint of Adnams — with the exception of Broadside which I find too heavy. I especially like Adnams “Ghost Ship” and their current very hoppy lager.
Herself was shopping in a local M&S this afternoon and noticed two “Southwold” beers she’d not seen before: “Southwold Hibiscus Wheat Beer” and “Southwold Spruce IPA” in small (330ml) bottles. Being thoughtful that way, Comrade Wife bought me a couple of bottles of each to try. And I have done so.
The result? Let’s say they are not to my taste, for as the names imply they are slightly flavoured with the non-traditional ingredients.
The “Southwold Hibiscus Wheat Beer” (4.3%) is described on the bottle as “an infusion of Southwold Wheat Beer and hibiscus flowers”. It has a very slight red tinge to the otherwise mid-brown colour; and it has a fruity/flowery bouquet and slightly sweet taste.
The “Southwold Spruce IPA” (6.5%) is described in similar terms as “an infusion of hops with the fragrant, pine filled aroma of Norway spruce trees”. It is a rich brown with a slight pine bouquet.
The underlying beers would be perfectly acceptable, but I’m not a fan of what’s they’ve been turned into. I don’t much like fruit flavoured beers (which is essentially what the hibiscus one is) and I decidedly do not want my beer smelling or tasting of bathroom disinfectant.
Sorry guys, you might just as well not have bothered!
Southwold Hibiscus Wheat Beer, Overall Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Southwold Spruce IPA, Overall Rating: ★☆☆☆☆
[American] State legislatures have muddied the fruit/vegetable waters … The custom of creating state symbols dates to the [1893 Chicago World’s Fair] where … exhibits [included] the world’s largest conveyor belt, a US map made of pickles, Bach’s clavichord, a herd of ostriches, and a 22,000-pound Canadian cheese. Also featured at the Fair was the National Garland of Flowers, for which each state was asked to select a representative flower.
State flowers were soon followed by a host of other official state symbols, among them birds, trees, animals, insects, reptiles, fossils, minerals, gemstones, songs, and folk dances. Utah and Delaware now have official state stars. Maine, Massachusetts, and North Carolina have official state boats. Texas has designated the cowboy boot its Official State Footwear. In the food category, we have official state fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, herbs, beverages, muffins, cookies, and pies.
Further instalment of links to articles you really shouldn’t have missed!
As usual we’ll start with the techie stuff, after which it is all down hill into the circles of … oh, probably somewhere.
Wired reckons there are five things everyone should know about light. Does everyone really need all five of these!
I suggest you don’t read this while eating lunch … Public transport, and especially subway trains, always seems fairly grimy. And now scientists have mapped the microbes on the New York subway. And there’s nothing to make us think the London Underground is any better!
Miracle foods or marketing scam? The Guardian lifts the lid.
In the midst of the word he was trying to say,
In the midst of his laughter and glee,
He had softly and suddenly vanished away —
For the Snark was a Boojum, you see.
This week, time for more pussy porn. Here’s Harry the Cat sleeping the sleep of the just a few days ago! And what a super place to sleep too: a faux sheepskin, at windowsill height on some crates, by the window, in the warmest room of the house and over a radiator. Well wouldn’t you?!
Maureen Evans
Eat Tweet: A Twitter Cookbook
Artisan; 2010
According to the blurb on the over of this book Maureen Evans was the first person to tweet recipes — not surprising as her partner is Blaine Cook the original programmer on Twitter.
Using her Twitter account @cookbook, since 2006 Evans has condensed many recipes into the 140-character Twitter format, and along the way gathered 223,000 followers! Yes, with a little ingenuity recipes can be condensed into this tiny format, as this “pocket book” of 1020 recipes proves. And it’s fun too, in a geekish sort of way.
The book is divided into the usual sections: Vegetables, Soups, Main Courses, Cakes, Bread, Drinks etc.; there are also sections on how to read the recipes, tools, conversion charts — the latter necessary as being Canadian Maureen Evans measures everything in cups (also more concise for the Twitter format) and °F. The recipes are generally designed to serve 3-4 normal adults. Apart from the introductory material there is little text other than hints and tips interspersed with the recipes, of which there are 4 to 6 to a page. And nothing in the way of illustration. But in this context somehow it doesn’t matter.
Having said that, this could be the only cook book you’ll ever need, because Evans covers nigh on everything — certainly more than enough to always eat well. And it really is everything … from the basics of stuffing and roasting your turkey, which is actually two recipes:
Stuffed Turkey: Rmv giblets(use in Turkey Stock),rinse,pat dry(+inside). Lightly stuff main/neck cavities. Skewer-shut neck; cross,tie legs.
Roast Turkey: Put StuffedTurkey on roastrack; baste every 30m@325°F 3-3½h for 5-8lb; 3½-4h for 9-12lb; 4-6h for 13-16lb until thigh>165°F.
all the way to some lovely puddings:
Rødgrød med Fløde: Boil3c h2o/c berries &freshcurrant&cherry/c sug. Sieve; +mixd ½c strch&h2o. Stir@med until thick. Top w whipdcrm.
and cake:
Chocolate Decadence Cake: Mlt2c choc/⅔c buttr; beat+⅔c coffee&flr&cocoa. Cream c sug/3egg. Fold all; fill sqpan. 40m@350°F in bainmarie.
Have I tried any of the recipes? No. Do I need to try any of the recipes to know they work? Also no. They are so simple it’s obvious they will work well. OK so perhaps Evans has picked relatively simple recipes, but she is a cooking geek and you can be sure she, and all her Twitter followers, will have tested the recipes to destruction before they hit the book!
Are there omissions? Yes of course; there are omissions in every cook book. For instance there is no mention of Jerusalem artichokes; pheasant; quail; or gammon; nor does my favourite Garlic Roast Potatoes get in. Oh OK, so here is my Garlic Roast Potatoes, in the style …
Garlic Roast Potatoes: Chop 12-16 sm taters 1″ pces. Toss w 2T chopd garlic/T chopd rosemry/2T oil/s+p. Foil parcel. ~40m@200°C
So you may not find your very favourite recipe, but you’ll find something equally as good! And you’ll have a fun time as well!
Overall Rating: ★★★★★
Garlic-Flavored Cola Is Actually a Thing in Japan
… believe it or not, the drink actually exists in Japan!
Locally known as ‘Jats Takkola’, the unusual drink was released last month. It is produced in the city of Aomori … well-known for the huge amount of garlic that is harvested every year in July. Local companies have produced several bizarre garlic-flavored products … such as garlic beer and garlic ice cream, but latest offering, garlic cola, apparently took a fair bit of trial and error before they could make it palatable.
