The Physics of Cooking

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNgvRSK7vmD6eECExj0lt-ln1WfP9o3s345PHub7lo2l49Ay2W0qavAsiGJN1DBwrxyYESKmi_RceuejNOmVZnsUP5IcJj-dkfsiys-RWEEX-G0qfkPyIq_6CqwZm-c88ON3YTj56naOY/s1600/physics-of-cooking+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNgvRSK7vmD6eECExj0lt-ln1WfP9o3s345PHub7lo2l49Ay2W0qavAsiGJN1DBwrxyYESKmi_RceuejNOmVZnsUP5IcJj-dkfsiys-RWEEX-G0qfkPyIq_6CqwZm-c88ON3YTj56naOY/s400/physics-of-cooking+1.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Len introducing Dave Weitz</td></tr></tbody></table>Yesterday we attended a public lecture on The Physics of Cooking sponsored by the Aspen Center for Physics, held at one of the veneus of the Aspen Institute. Speaker Dave Weitz began with  a detailed description of the course he teaches at Harvard on science and cooking, and on the various collaborators he has worked with, beginning with very famous chef Ferran Adria of Barcelona.<br /><br />Weitz then discussed and demonstrated several topics in the physics of cooking, including brief summaries of egg-cooking; using a pressure cooker (which was invented, he said, by the British Royal Society); distilling and super-cooling a liquid to make a sort of tower of ice; measuring the elasticity of boiled eggs or broiled steaks; using gels in post-modern cooking processes; understanding foams; and finally, a bit of the physics of mixing a drink.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnfbsGSyP25wrzviZQVwo-ioQ_2o6PM0iz4hvSpXAD-abEUkkscaBxPYp7U4pFHA9q52ppx7it3ZbsJJehoy7OweUtOZUaK5uKj2-pRElDsUqKF0aKmrfTpZMXCc9HzYHKYAJGfF0UoRy/s1600/physics-of-cooking+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnfbsGSyP25wrzviZQVwo-ioQ_2o6PM0iz4hvSpXAD-abEUkkscaBxPYp7U4pFHA9q52ppx7it3ZbsJJehoy7OweUtOZUaK5uKj2-pRElDsUqKF0aKmrfTpZMXCc9HzYHKYAJGfF0UoRy/s400/physics-of-cooking+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freezing an egg in liquid nitrogen: Carolyn Boyd, student helper with Dave Weitz</td></tr></tbody></table>Using three sous-vide cookers Dave demonstrated the difference between eggs cooked precisely to three very close temperatures -- 61, 63, and 65 degrees Celsius, and how the protein in the egg reacted to the different temperatures. Results: a watery egg, an semi-watery egg, and an egg that looked like a regular poached egg with a soft but solid white and oozy yolk. Caroline Boyd walked two of the eggs around the audience in the fairly large hall so that we could see the difference.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwps8nCRrIxwE2LxGYwTi_Rma5idTOzpgblqLJFCBwEK7oEeMYGVpoANmWukh6_eDx4XBZrbcbBYro8tvUGRjVVsApjQX7WAmRxQ462KO8objg_PTLg3gnGalbXE4yK9f8QbXP8U1bn1p/s1600/physics-of-cooking+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwps8nCRrIxwE2LxGYwTi_Rma5idTOzpgblqLJFCBwEK7oEeMYGVpoANmWukh6_eDx4XBZrbcbBYro8tvUGRjVVsApjQX7WAmRxQ462KO8objg_PTLg3gnGalbXE4yK9f8QbXP8U1bn1p/s400/physics-of-cooking+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aspen Chef Robert McCormick demonstrates how to encapsulate cucumber juice in<br />a thin membrane using agar and Ca2. Result "cucumber caviar."</td></tr></tbody></table>After McCormick's demo of cucumber caviar, a gel, Dave briefly discussed foams like beer foam, whipped cream, and ice cream, pointing out that whipping cream with a whisk made a more stable foam than the faster method of injecting gas, using a device that appears in the photo above (in front of McCormick's apron).<br /><br />Local bartender Jimmy Yaeger gave the final demonstration of how to mix a Negroni and how to make a perfectly clear and spherical ice cube (using very elaborate though low-tech equipment).  Yaeger uses a water-circulating ice freezer to make giant blocks of perfectly clear ice -- the circulating device removes the air bubbles that make ordinary ice cubes cloudy. He saws up the big ice block into various-sized ice cubes to provide a distinctive touch for the drinks in his bar. I was very interested in the copper pressure device used for processing a 3 inch cube of ice into a spherical ice cube. The heat-conducting property of copper causes the corners of the cube to just melt away!<br /><br />After the end of the talk was an outdoor demo of making ice cream in sealed plastic bags surrounded by another baggie of ice and salt.

The Physics of Cooking

Len introducing Dave WeitzYesterday we attended a public lecture on The Physics of Cooking sponsored by the Aspen Center for Physics, held at one of the veneus of the Aspen Institute. Speaker Dave Weitz began with  a detailed description of the course he teaches at Harvard on science and cooking, an…

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Aspen Physics Center Picnic

The physics center has several gas grills and lots of picnic tables, which are all in use at the Tuesday night picnic. All the current workshop participants and their families are invited; I think most show up. Steak, chicken, vegetables, veggie patties, and lots of other grilled things are all cooked at once; people bring dinner for themselves or occasionally to share in small groups. The center offers paper and tableware, nice grilling tools, beverages (for purchase), potato chips, and watermelon. If they ever serve anything except potato chips and watermelon, I'm not aware of it.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/8961368311/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="phys-picnic0931 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="phys-picnic0931" height="375" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5447/8961368311_06b4419074.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aspen Physics Center Tuesday Night Picnic</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/8961368109/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="phys-picnic0936 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="phys-picnic0936" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8534/8961368109_8a9a2c1ac4.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After dinner conversations</td></tr></tbody></table><br />

Aspen Physics Center Picnic

The physics center has several gas grills and lots of picnic tables, which are all in use at the Tuesday night picnic. All the current workshop participants and their families are invited; I think most show up. Steak, chicken, vegetables, veggie patties, and lots of other grilled things are all cook…

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Aromas and Flavors from Jeanie

My blogger friend Jeanie recently wrote about her visit to <a href="http://grandoakherbfarm.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #1c9d7b; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Grand Oak Herb Farm</a> in mid-Michigan to enjoy a flavorful tea and learn some new aromatherapy ideas. Her blog post about the farm had lots of thoughts on delightful aromas and flavors that contrast with the reading I've been doing, and especially because she included a number of ideas for crafting sachets and other aromatic items. I'm not much into crafting, but I thought it was a wonderful way to think more about the world of fragrance and flavor.<br /><br />Jeanie kindly gave me permission to make a long excerpt from her blog post, "<a href="http://themarmeladegypsy.blogspot.com/2013/06/taking-tea-at-grand-oak-herb-farm.html">Taking Tea at Grand Oak Herb Farm</a>." She wrote:<br /><br /><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpfW8dhWQQLXOqG5kT1U55P-r6MZUdL4FmTPDVXdD-TQo3uB2LC2sEeVkhzSdmc09eO-2wMvKwsGWbjPKdoR-t-1fEg2rIxKAwY5EQ2w4d4Cls63NsjonvpaLfG3t5lqlevzttRjKOsg/s1600/IMG_8571.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpfW8dhWQQLXOqG5kT1U55P-r6MZUdL4FmTPDVXdD-TQo3uB2LC2sEeVkhzSdmc09eO-2wMvKwsGWbjPKdoR-t-1fEg2rIxKAwY5EQ2w4d4Cls63NsjonvpaLfG3t5lqlevzttRjKOsg/s400/IMG_8571.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="300" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">We arrived a little early -- with a bit of time to walk around the grounds and check out the greenhouse, where fairy gardens were plentiful!</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMCKckPbhkvzrw9wYjjnmHdFMwfLMMqIKWfmNWWkvcAfXG0ARJCSfsBSe10cN3Ast-H1SoTsAmrnYoz73iwdxMkFrU3ym5CQhGw-3AZMd8ty7Y0hJoB6frG4FVk-B6OlduXVVYAnyJJI/s1600/IMG_8575.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMCKckPbhkvzrw9wYjjnmHdFMwfLMMqIKWfmNWWkvcAfXG0ARJCSfsBSe10cN3Ast-H1SoTsAmrnYoz73iwdxMkFrU3ym5CQhGw-3AZMd8ty7Y0hJoB6frG4FVk-B6OlduXVVYAnyJJI/s400/IMG_8575.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="400" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">Numerous flights of fancy passed through our minds as we enjoyed the wee gardens and the soon-to-be larger plants within.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">Then on to tea, ...and entering the tea room.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54qu2Ob15Sz_gbiMVyoiOFRYjE30ynBIwpFipI9DDLAbHEUTDL2P1RcCIQs6yeshEXZ0TkJUl1HTI6bWpfnmDIKlGGosOX_TYCnss_f7BnnVkU0TFSOAv6IxL12R9P8TIbbj-fJ4pVmM/s1600/IMG_8577.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54qu2Ob15Sz_gbiMVyoiOFRYjE30ynBIwpFipI9DDLAbHEUTDL2P1RcCIQs6yeshEXZ0TkJUl1HTI6bWpfnmDIKlGGosOX_TYCnss_f7BnnVkU0TFSOAv6IxL12R9P8TIbbj-fJ4pVmM/s400/IMG_8577.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="400" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">The table was lovely with easy-to-make tiered sandwich/dessert trays, ...</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">They were packed with sandwiches and sweets. We learned that the savory flavors were at the bottom, the saltier bits might be on the next level and at the top, the sweets! And, that you eat from the bottom up!</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWWM7-Hr_0VxE1LEreuzZwOf5btz-04OMKWfy1_RSpfa-vjhQGwiUJWnah94hiYrnJ68M21qwpEDUrx86NFUI_tiVlsVy3v1N7JsfU3mRVG7kmQsmxmw1Qng0PWAXhSz3JhLq5dhumc8/s1600/IMG_8587.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWWM7-Hr_0VxE1LEreuzZwOf5btz-04OMKWfy1_RSpfa-vjhQGwiUJWnah94hiYrnJ68M21qwpEDUrx86NFUI_tiVlsVy3v1N7JsfU3mRVG7kmQsmxmw1Qng0PWAXhSz3JhLq5dhumc8/s400/IMG_8587.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="400" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">My plate included Beulah's wonderful basil-curry chicken salad, ham with orange marmelade and dill on pumpernickel, a potato quesadilla and the most divine crostini with an herb butter that included herbs and parmesan cheese. (I could have eaten the whole plate of that!) Other sandwiches included an open face corned beef with horshradish and mint and wee cucumber sandwich rounds.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvo6ie8NCL9aGMjvZ4PP3B2d-Y7kRgdXaUWAoG6aQ6SUk8R_kYj66efAltw3-cb4CKtR1jk4nb96z-77SnDTd9QCBKe1A3mHQap7grZ8zYWEAnQiMCizZHndz4Zz-Bb_zpnZzqlRQnHTE/s1600/IMG_8579.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvo6ie8NCL9aGMjvZ4PP3B2d-Y7kRgdXaUWAoG6aQ6SUk8R_kYj66efAltw3-cb4CKtR1jk4nb96z-77SnDTd9QCBKe1A3mHQap7grZ8zYWEAnQiMCizZHndz4Zz-Bb_zpnZzqlRQnHTE/s400/IMG_8579.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="300" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">We were most captivated by her candles. Here's how to do it: In jars, put lemon verbena and orange wedges at the bottom, add a few more fragrant greens if you like. Add water and add a floating candle. What sweet fragrance! </div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNz7A6vD-O_TCiIzl1gy00brMa01htg4Gx4DX3btO38gQ4kU-yT6tN9oY-pHwH6AuKmbVsDhsOR3lX0kffn5c3rGF2-n8lDw9Z34WpyeJ2I7rlhRYiepA8DjmSP-YSrliYffxbtXHEXbI/s1600/IMG_8585.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNz7A6vD-O_TCiIzl1gy00brMa01htg4Gx4DX3btO38gQ4kU-yT6tN9oY-pHwH6AuKmbVsDhsOR3lX0kffn5c3rGF2-n8lDw9Z34WpyeJ2I7rlhRYiepA8DjmSP-YSrliYffxbtXHEXbI/s400/IMG_8585.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="300" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">We had an iced and hot tea. Beulah makes her own teas and both were delicious!</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSy76iQANEraIbVCGLZr-ZiebFomUnhtuQ-tkClxh4rjXVbnb1F28T8_jcT8Z3C7VGpgijrSF5i5Xo4ad8_FoEx3iUZKntohr_QkZ6QAXhR1-Uci4eb_-in8_39SYL8UA1V288eVmONVs/s1600/IMG_8584.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSy76iQANEraIbVCGLZr-ZiebFomUnhtuQ-tkClxh4rjXVbnb1F28T8_jcT8Z3C7VGpgijrSF5i5Xo4ad8_FoEx3iUZKntohr_QkZ6QAXhR1-Uci4eb_-in8_39SYL8UA1V288eVmONVs/s400/IMG_8584.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="300" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">After we worked our way up the tray, Beulah and Peg offered a variety of demonstrations and sharing of products they make and sell at the shop -- and were generous in sharing their. Because I don't sew, </div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLmBZK9qbXwMSrp2w7-_LWjJYE1DUzOCvrEhAtIe_2Rx1CnZ-w320xRuBOJIpN2GVgPgjIUbmq-mcxq5-fliCqbz4uJZepvFHjzisQYvUnmHwCT_9F8IkYfmfLxJEFa5bUtqbOYs6l8c/s1600/IMG_8589.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLmBZK9qbXwMSrp2w7-_LWjJYE1DUzOCvrEhAtIe_2Rx1CnZ-w320xRuBOJIpN2GVgPgjIUbmq-mcxq5-fliCqbz4uJZepvFHjzisQYvUnmHwCT_9F8IkYfmfLxJEFa5bUtqbOYs6l8c/s400/IMG_8589.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="300" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">I bought one of the micro-or-freezer sinus pillows, made from lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary and mint. Lavender brings with it healing properties -- and of course it smells wonderful!</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">My favorite was the firestarters and I will be collecting pine cones to do this. </div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOl1qjzTL-WabI7Q0ANHBDEJgMvvEwHWttkywRzvTNPiUJmuU2bMbdRR7W2gEnRuQ47fwfbPmln0f-ZFKQ-PoJ_6Cx1Fu-0PD2IsfOoNltDLfEOzs4Uwg0JE-15_CKiI7AIdRBxePj9Q/s1600/IMG_8593.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOl1qjzTL-WabI7Q0ANHBDEJgMvvEwHWttkywRzvTNPiUJmuU2bMbdRR7W2gEnRuQ47fwfbPmln0f-ZFKQ-PoJ_6Cx1Fu-0PD2IsfOoNltDLfEOzs4Uwg0JE-15_CKiI7AIdRBxePj9Q/s400/IMG_8593.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="300" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">Start with a dried pine cone and tie a long wick around the middle and knot it, so it has two ends. With twine or curling ribbon, tie dried lavender stems and if need be, a drop of lavender oil. Then melt wax -- soy wax is recommended over paraffin, but I suppose both would work. drip that on the knot. Then using a piece of pretty fabric, tie a knot. (The one I bought as a sample at the shop also had a blob of the wax on the bottom of the firestarter, too.) Light both ends of the wicks and off you go! (I suppose you could use wheat or raffia in place of the fabric for a different look.) </div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofW8oyUPMdah7hv7LKOn57D5_FChcWLcjqUKxtvYmoghG7poPulhHKNgT5rXN0MpZOcM5okwzTlN6XSoF_3E6H01k1g0GTp7_LPRhrjmnsLHC4653qzQOYSHeysuYvsXRhYmA4L5VB3g/s1600/IMG_8594.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofW8oyUPMdah7hv7LKOn57D5_FChcWLcjqUKxtvYmoghG7poPulhHKNgT5rXN0MpZOcM5okwzTlN6XSoF_3E6H01k1g0GTp7_LPRhrjmnsLHC4653qzQOYSHeysuYvsXRhYmA4L5VB3g/s400/IMG_8594.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="300" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">Another easy idea -- buy or make muslin tie bags, fill them with dried lavender buds and use in the dryer.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1ZYh47TP0xpT1yeRYMqrba5ci1p_l9kaLNxxLSEWVgI66Q4nhsSvXCtgto_wHXhcLC_nr8I2APFxywxb8Z4V8b1qBzsRbHtGTswj2dWtqAjoCSxVBbHsCuaEWOrl9yyRFjMKJbL2yF4/s1600/IMG_8599.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1ZYh47TP0xpT1yeRYMqrba5ci1p_l9kaLNxxLSEWVgI66Q4nhsSvXCtgto_wHXhcLC_nr8I2APFxywxb8Z4V8b1qBzsRbHtGTswj2dWtqAjoCSxVBbHsCuaEWOrl9yyRFjMKJbL2yF4/s400/IMG_8599.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="400" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">Peg showed us how to make bath bags -- use epsom salts, lavender, ice cream salts, baking soda and a few drops of lavender and bergemot essential oils. Put into a bag to hand over the shower nozzle or  hang over the faucet/float in the tub.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">(With all items, using a cellophane bag is better than a poly one or baggie because the fragrance will leak.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">Another idea -- a hankie pillow. Instead of tossing Grandma's tatted hankie, fold in half, stitch along two sides, fill with fragrance (they used lavender, lemon verbena, bergemot and mint) and stitch the top. Place between your pillows for a healing sleep!</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">...</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYsOpp5a8_BbLJcA2s-HNIsqoBbhMnbJapYBVhnA-8l-_b3MU2ix5OpaM6UEihVhOTMLeYCHPODKSW5ISQeT2a9tQyQX8wZWGMwkNHpQoEQRMQ_QXPzyVk67d8wt7yscrBC5458aq5DY/s1600/IMG_8560.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYsOpp5a8_BbLJcA2s-HNIsqoBbhMnbJapYBVhnA-8l-_b3MU2ix5OpaM6UEihVhOTMLeYCHPODKSW5ISQeT2a9tQyQX8wZWGMwkNHpQoEQRMQ_QXPzyVk67d8wt7yscrBC5458aq5DY/s400/IMG_8560.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="300" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">They also discussed tinctures -- the importance of essential oils which are pure and so much more! They make their own moth repellent with cedar shavings, dried cedar, rosemary, lavender, cloves and bay along with eucalyptus oil. No chemicals. No moths, either!</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">...</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">I think our tea with Peg and Beulah was over too soon -- so much to learn, to savor, to sniff, to see! We wrapped up our visit exploring the grounds a bit more...</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">For those who live in the mid-Michigan area, Grand Oak Herb Farm is well worth the drive to Bancroft, a small town easily accessible by I-69. To give you an idea how popular this spot is, we had guests at our table from as far as Detroit! Please check out the website <a href="http://www.grandoakherbfarm.com/" style="color: #1c9d7b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a> for additional teas and workshops this summer and return for ones this fall.</div><br /><b><span style="color: magenta;">Again, I thank Jeanie for allowing me to excerpt this from her blog, <a href="http://themarmeladegypsy.blogspot.com/">The Marmelade Gypsy</a>. </span></b>

Aromas and Flavors from Jeanie

My blogger friend Jeanie recently wrote about her visit to Grand Oak Herb Farm in mid-Michigan to enjoy a flavorful tea and learn some new aromatherapy ideas. Her blog post about the farm had lots of thoughts on delightful aromas and flavors that contrast with the reading I've been doing, and especi…

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Claudia Roden Portrait

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DqMnSz_HD7vOrsQdsCb8AwXyFLCuj6OfbsSEBn-7cziWU5rmC9c0S05YnLg4Ri6NSep2sGkrsyKfiwZk_K4YmryyQBBZ0_p2moEREvBeOuzixZlG_F-TzU1MliL3qLRpA7UNmxUbiqrW/s1600/Claudia_roden_MIL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DqMnSz_HD7vOrsQdsCb8AwXyFLCuj6OfbsSEBn-7cziWU5rmC9c0S05YnLg4Ri6NSep2sGkrsyKfiwZk_K4YmryyQBBZ0_p2moEREvBeOuzixZlG_F-TzU1MliL3qLRpA7UNmxUbiqrW/s200/Claudia_roden_MIL.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roden as seen in <i>More Intelligent Life</i></td></tr></tbody></table>The magazine <i>More Intelligent Life</i> today offers an overview of the work of Claudia Roden: "<a href="http://moreintelligentlife.com/content/lifestyle/anonymous/claudia-roden">Claudia Roden's Succinct Taste</a>."<br /><br />I'm fond of Roden's cookbooks, both as works of cooking literature and as sources to cook from. My favorite is <i>A Book of Jewish Food: An Odyssey from Samarkand and Vilna to the Present Day</i>. I agree with the article's author, Josie Delap, that "Roden channels a thousand years of Middle Eastern and Jewish cooks, from the medieval palaces of Baghdad to the shtetls of eastern Europe."

Claudia Roden Portrait

Roden as seen in More Intelligent LifeThe magazine More Intelligent Life today offers an overview of the work of Claudia Roden: "Claudia Roden's Succinct Taste."I'm fond of Roden's cookbooks, both as works of cooking literature and as sources to cook from. My favorite is A Book of Jewish Food: An Od…

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How we smell and taste

A recent article in the <i>Guardian</i> -- "<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/apr/23/what-makes-eating-so-satisfying">What makes eating so satisfying?</a>" -- summarized some of the research on how the brain and sensory organs work together to create flavor and enjoyment in eating and drinking. This fit very well with my recent project to learn more about human responses to aromas and smells as I have been writing <a href="http://maetravels.blogspot.com/search/label/aromas%20and%20odors">here</a>.<br /><br />The author had several things to say about the complex pleasure of smelling and tasting wine.When you sniff a wine, the article points out, you perceive the most volatile aromas first, followed by those that are stirred up when you swirl the contents of your glass.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4pYeoLuEBUghuuv3l8qdJVe63K2mSJt32h9L4DAFBAcAEUhlTZFizUp1aY9vMVSCVWEexa5oQ_n1xU2nKbODIK7NkOckkRJcHeNueqh2WnVxSlcrqQI1aiW7nWd_Wn9LyuaQpIXFfFY2/s1600/Wine-tasting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4pYeoLuEBUghuuv3l8qdJVe63K2mSJt32h9L4DAFBAcAEUhlTZFizUp1aY9vMVSCVWEexa5oQ_n1xU2nKbODIK7NkOckkRJcHeNueqh2WnVxSlcrqQI1aiW7nWd_Wn9LyuaQpIXFfFY2/s320/Wine-tasting.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; text-align: start;">From the article: With wine, it is easy to confuse the two separate <br />entities of taste and smell. Photograph: David Levene</span> </td></tr></tbody></table>The complexity of the taste receptors on the tongue isn't quite what one learned in the past: the old "map" of taste buds has been superseded by recent research, says the <i>Guardian</i>. "The current consensus is that tastebuds all over the mouth carry receptors for all the basic tastes, it's just that there are higher concentrations of those four tastes in their designated areas."<br /><br />The following example illustrates the article's point that perceptions of flavors in fact reside in the brain and on memories and learned reactions, citing Professor Barry Smith of London University's Centre for the Study of the Senses:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">It is easy to confuse the two separate entities of taste and smell, and the latter holds great sway over how something will taste when it reaches your mouth. For example, westerners associate the aroma vanilla with sweetness (which is a taste – we can't actually smell sweet) so strongly that if vanilla is added to food, we'll think </span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11565908" style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="">it tastes sweeter than it really is</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">. But connections such as this are, adds Smith, "learned by the brain, not by you". If you are given a drink that has traces of sugar and vanilla that you wouldn't detect if they were on their own, the two together will taste sweet to you. Unless you're from Asia, where vanilla tends to be associated with salty food.</span> </blockquote>The role of the brain in creating flavor is the subject of an entire book that I read in the course of my project: <i>Neurogastronomy: How the Brain Creates Flavor and Why It Matters</i> by Gordon Shepherd. The connection made me find this example especially interesting.<br /><br />Enjoyment of food also depends on visual cues, especially color, and on the sounds one hears while eating, says the <i>Guardian</i>:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">In 2008, the Oxford professor Charles Spence won the </span><a href="http://www.improbable.com/ig/winners/" style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="">Ig Nobel prize</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> for proving the importance of noise when eating crunchy snacks. The study showed that people think Pringles "taste" stale when they're less crunchy, even though the taste and smell remain normal. He then put headphones on his munching participants, amplifying the sounds of their own crunching. The louder the crunch, the fresher and crisper the Pringles were reported to be. This is why, says Smith, "they make bags of crisps so noisy, to get the brain to think: fresh fresh fresh."</span> </blockquote>Quite a fascinating article!

How we smell and taste

A recent article in the Guardian -- "What makes eating so satisfying?" -- summarized some of the research on how the brain and sensory organs work together to create flavor and enjoyment in eating and drinking. This fit very well with my recent project to learn more about human responses to aromas a…

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A Food Artist

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjRg6BiyOthhyY4c26x5PIFICHytGbyNAUv-6EBO3bu2LPBqPzZMH5299PU1tj6N-tP3UcJX5pIieGQx3_ksZpiB92v4wMly_Y-xs-hjMtxEZiHkjVoglD_lZnrPcbwlwVDCQLKwZ5hJK/s1600/rivera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjRg6BiyOthhyY4c26x5PIFICHytGbyNAUv-6EBO3bu2LPBqPzZMH5299PU1tj6N-tP3UcJX5pIieGQx3_ksZpiB92v4wMly_Y-xs-hjMtxEZiHkjVoglD_lZnrPcbwlwVDCQLKwZ5hJK/s320/rivera.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPQ1pvMLY5e9ofjtzkhg_BPZDiKki2F4DxR9uZSinpjFBRPnertHeD2xRs-590Sd42xfKBQ9AM7z0Wklo3-5geWDp3iHGsiiZp3nRgZJr6hJViXoaJJjm09mj7cKctdAhJnIMtI-g1rlA/s1600/rivera2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPQ1pvMLY5e9ofjtzkhg_BPZDiKki2F4DxR9uZSinpjFBRPnertHeD2xRs-590Sd42xfKBQ9AM7z0Wklo3-5geWDp3iHGsiiZp3nRgZJr6hJViXoaJJjm09mj7cKctdAhJnIMtI-g1rlA/s320/rivera2.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><br />In today's <a href="http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/28/front-burner-19/?ref=dining">Diner's Journal</a> in the <i>New York Times</i>: a reference to the work of Pedro Diego Alvarado-Rivera, a nephew of the famous Diego Rivera. Alvarado-Rivera was born in 1956, and studied in France and his native Mexico.<br /><br /> "Alvarado-Rivera has devoted most of his pictorial work to the representation of fruits, flowers, and vegetables blooming and ripening," says his brief biography on the <a href="http://ruizhealyart.com/index.php/artists/item/pedro-diego-alvarado-rivera.html?category_id=2">webpage of a gallery</a> where his works are on display (and where I found these images). While still-life works aren't always exactly food works, I think these images are appetizing.

A Food Artist

In today's Diner's Journal in the New York Times: a reference to the work of Pedro Diego Alvarado-Rivera, a nephew of the famous Diego Rivera. Alvarado-Rivera was born in 1956, and studied in France and his native Mexico. "Alvarado-Rivera has devoted most of his pictorial work to the representation …

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Easy as boiling eggs?

I've always thought it was easy to hard-boil eggs and I've been dubious about long complicated explanations. I always put them in cold water, bring them to a boil, and leave them for 12 minutes.<br /><br />Yesterday I had a shock when I started peeling the eggs I had boiled according to this method earlier in the day -- they were still soft, though done enough to eat. I forgot that I'm up here on a mountain at 8000 feet where water boils at a much lower temperature -- in the 190s not at around 212 like at home. Seems as though I should let them spend longer with the water at a rolling boil, and also leave them longer after turning off the burner. I'll give it a try.<br /><br />I wonder what else is different, and I wonder why I never noticed this during prior trips. I guess I didn't happen to boil any eggs.<br /><br />UPDATE: on my second try, I left the eggs for 5 mins on a slow boil and then 20 mins on simmer and they were perfect for making egg salad. No greenish rim around the yolk, either.

Easy as boiling eggs?

I've always thought it was easy to hard-boil eggs and I've been dubious about long complicated explanations. I always put them in cold water, bring them to a boil, and leave them for 12 minutes.Yesterday I had a shock when I started peeling the eggs I had boiled according to this method earlier in t…

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