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Mushroom Muttar Bhaji

2012-01-27T12:01:00.000-07:00

Mushroom Muttar Bhaji

1-2 8oz pkg mushrooms
1 15oz can green peas
1 medium onion
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp ginger
1-2 cloves garlic
1 fresno chili pepper
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tbs oil or butter
1 tbs chili powder
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp kasoori methi
1/2 tsp salt

Wipe mushrooms with damp cloth and slice thickly. Dice the onion and chili pepper.

Heat the oil or butter in a pan on medium. Saute the onion until it starts to turn golden.

Add the garlic, ginger, chili pepper, and garam masala. Saute for a couple minutes.

Add the tomato sauce, mushrooms and remaining spices. Lower the heat a tiny bit and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the peas and heavy cream. Continue cooking for a couple more minutes.

Festo is so cool: A robot that flies like a bird

2011-11-12T14:02:00.013-07:00

Quinoa Tabouli

2011-03-28T16:03:00.003-07:00

Quinoa Tabouli

1 cup quinoa + 2 cups water
2 bunches of flat leaf parsley chopped
4-10 sprigs mint finely chopped
1 bunch green onions chopped
Optional:
1/2 cucumber peeled and chopped
1/4 cup pepitas
1 15oz can garbonzo beans
Dressing:
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tbs vinegar
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 lg garlic clove minced
1 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika

Add water and quinoa to a saucepan, cover, and bring to a boil.
Turn the heat down to medium and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Fluff the quinoa with a fork and turn it out into a bowl to cool.

Mix the dressing ingredients together.

Assemble quinoa, parsley, mint, green onions, any optional additions, and toss in the dressing. If you don't use the garbonzo beans and cucumber, there will be more dressing than necessary.

Squashatouille

2011-03-26T20:18:00.001-07:00

Squashatouille

5 to 10 summer squash sliced and halved
1 to 2 onion
2 to 4 garlic cloves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tbs tomato paste
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
2 to 3 tbs olive oil
use one or more of the following herbs:
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp parsley
2 tsp basil
optional topping:
1/4 cup dry aged shredded cheese

Heat a pan with olive oil on medium heat. Add the diced onions and saute for a couple of minutes.
Next add the minced garlic, and saute until aromatic.
Add in the tomato paste, and cook for several minutes while stirring.
Pour in the stock, and deglaze the pan bottom.
Add the squash, cover, and cook until soft, stirring every few minutes or so.
Add the herbs, salt, and pepper and stir uncovered for another 2 minutes
to cook off liquid.
Top with cheese.

Women's History Month Profile: Sally Ride

2011-03-23T13:08:00.006-07:00

I have always been interested in astronomy. As a very young child one of my favorite books took you on a journey through the solar system. In art classes, I often found ways to work an alien into the scene. I covered my ceiling with glow-in-the-dark stars, and hung them at various heights to create a 3-d effect. I became an avid science-fiction fan and later founded an astronomy club at my high school. My senior year I wrote a paper on dark matter, using the internet for the first time to understand the current research. While I didn't end up studying Astronomy as planned, I still enjoy attending lectures on dark energy, string theory, and the anthropic principle. I still have a VHS tape from junior high of a PBS series on the universe.

For as long as I remember, I have also been inspired by women of great accomplishment. I am often overwhelmed by the determination, bravery, compassion, selflessness, intellect, and creativity that so many great women possess. It is important to me that all women are free to put these talents to use and better our world. There have always been strong, influential women. However, since the women's rights movement, I am aware of more and more inspiring women doing all sorts of incredible works. I feel privileged to live at a time where women in every country are standing up for their rights and freedoms.

When reflecting on women's history month, many different names flooded my mind, but only one of which I have been lucky enough to meet. As a 5 1/2 year old girl looking up at the stars, I was very impressed by NASA Astronaut Sally Ride who made news that year by becoming the first American woman in space. She visited the Lexington Arts and Science center and signed my drawing of an alien. Sally Ride makes it an important part of her job to encourage young children (especially girls) to consider careers in science and to dream big. With the many scientific problems facing us today and in the near future, we need students to be inspired to tackle those problems. Education and research funding should be increased not cut, and our teachers who are doing their best should be rewarded and honored not attacked. Like our President Barack Obama, Sally Ride believes in women and what they can achieve, she stands on their side when others would hope to hold us back. She continues to be an inspiration to me and others.

Baingan Bhartha

2011-03-19T12:15:00.001-07:00

Baingan Bhartha

2-3 Eggplants (or equivalent in baby thai eggplants)
1 onion
1 tomato
5 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp hot pepper flakes
1/2 tsp very hot chili powder
2 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garam marsala
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Soak diced eggplant in very salty water for 10 minutes. Rinse so that some of the salt comes off.

Heat 1 tbsp of EVOO, add cumin and sizzle, then add chopped onion and minced garlic and brown.

Add diced tomato, pepper flakes, chili powder, turmeric, coriander, ginger, and salt.

Separately, blacken the eggplant in batches with butter and remaining EVOO.

Then cook together until all the ingredients are soft (~10 minutes).

Stir in the garam marsala right before serving.

Thai Green Curry Chicken

2011-03-18T18:30:00.002-07:00

Thai Green Curry Chicken

1.5 lbs chicken thighs
3 tablespoons green curry paste
13 to 18 oz coconut milk
10 oz (2 cans) bamboo shoots
5 to 10 Kaffir lime leaves
3 stalks lemongrass quartered & bruised
2.5 tablespoons fish sauce
1 to 2 red bell pepper sliced
1/2 lg onion sliced
1 to 3 cloves garlic minced
1 oz to 3 oz fresh basil
2 tablespoons oil
1.5 crowns of broccoli (in pieces)

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces.

Heat the oil and curry paste in the pan.

Add the chicken, lime leaves, garlic, and lemongrass. Fry for 2 minutes.

Add about 6 oz of coconut milk, onion, broccoli.
Simmer until chicken is fully cooked.

Add the bell pepper, and bamboo shoots. Add another 5 oz of coconut milk.
Continue simmering until bell pepper and bamboo shoots soften to your preference.

Pick out the lemongrass and lime leaves.
Add the remaining 2 to 6 oz coconut milk, basil, and fish sauce.

Serve over rice or raw baby spinach greens.

Pepperese Salad

2011-03-16T10:01:00.002-07:00

Pepperese Salad

1 bell pepper
1 pkg basil
1 pkg fresh mozzarella pearls
1/4 cup olive oil
kosher salt to taste
cracked fresh black pepper to taste
optional:
1/2 to 1 cucumber
1/2 bunch radishes
1 tbs onion diced
1 to 3 green onions

Chop the bell pepper, basil, and (cucumber, radish, or green onions if using)
into pearl sized pieces.

Mix in a large bowl with the mozzarella, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Toss together and serve.

Bhindi Masala

2011-03-15T10:00:00.004-07:00

Bhindi Masala

1.33 lbs of okra sliced
2 tbs oil
1 lg onion diced
1.5 cups canned diced fire-roasted tomatoes (including juice in the can)
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp amchoor
1 tsp salt
1 tbs ginger paste

Spice Mix:
1 tsp cumin seed
1/2 tsp nigella/kalongi
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp hot powdered dried chili
1/4 tsp hot pepper flake

Heat the oil. Add the onion and spice mix. Cook on medium until the onion is softened, about 10 minutes.

Add the salt, garlic, tomatoes, and okra. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes.

Lower the heat slightly, and cover the pan. Allow the steam to cook
the okra fully through. It should be about 30 minutes.
Stir it frequently to make sure it isn't sticking to the bottom.
If it seems too dry at any point during the 30 minutes, add a little water.

Add the amchoor and ginger paste.

Adapted from Honey What's Cooking recipe for Punjabi Bhindi Masala

Madrashi Curry

2011-03-04T12:08:00.002-07:00

Madrashi Curry
approx. 2 hours total prep & cooking time

1.5 lbs meat
1/3 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon heavy cream
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion chopped finely
2/3 of a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes (including 2/3 of the water in the can)
2 teaspoon ginger paste
4 cloves garlic diced
1 teaspoon salt

Mix together:
2 teaspoon cayenne powder
2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon coriander powder
2 peppercorns (ground in pestle)
1 bay leaf
2.5 inch cinnamon stick
4 cloves (ground in pestle)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (ground in pestle)
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds (ground in pestle)
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds

Sear meat in the oil (8 to 9 minutes on medium heat).
Don't fully cook it through, just enough to cut it more easily. Transfer to cutting board.

While the meat is cooling, brown the onion.

Add the all spices (except the ginger, garlic, and salt) and reduce the heat to low.
Saute for 15 minutes.

Cut the meat into desired size pieces.

Add the meat and tomatoes and increase the heat to medium. Saute for 5 to 10 minutes.

Add 2 cups of water (a little bit at a time) and continue simmering on medium heat for 30 minutes.

Add the salt, ginger, garlic, and coconut milk.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes.

Allow it to continue to sit at very low heat until some of the liquid reduces for a thicker sauce.
Stir in the sour cream and heavy cream.

Serve over rice or mashed cauliflower.

Shawarma Meatloaf

2011-03-04T12:05:00.000-07:00

Shawarma Meatloaf

2 lbs ground lamb
1/3 cup celery diced
2/3 cup onion diced
1 egg
1/3 cup sour cream
1.5 teaspoons lime juice
1.5 teaspoons lemon juice
3 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all of the above ingredients together.
Form into loaf shape in a baking pan. Bake for approximately 45 minutes.
Serve sliced with mint sauce.

Mint Sauce

2/3 cup sour cream
1 clove garlic minced
2/3 oz. fresh mint diced
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix together and let it sit in the fridge for an hour or more.

Yay! A Pinker RSA Video: Language as a Window into Human Nature

2011-02-22T00:00:00.008-07:00

Click here for my post about The Stuff of Thought, the book this video was referencing.

Mashed Cauliflower

2011-02-08T14:15:00.001-07:00

Mashed Cauliflower

3 heads of cauliflower cut into quarters [or as required to fit in the pot]
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter
4 garlic cloves pressed or chop
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste

Steam the cauliflower until soft and drain it.
Saute the garlic in the butter.
Blend 1/2 of the cauliflower with the sour cream, heavy cream,
salt, butter and garlic.
Mash the remaining cauliflower so that some texture still remains,
then combine with blended ingredients. Stir in pepper to taste.

Cherry Almond Kugel

2010-12-25T12:15:00.004-07:00

Cherry Almond Kugel

12oz egg noodles
1 cup sugar
4 tbsp melted butter
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
2 tbsp almond paste
4 eggs
1.5 lb cottage cheese
1.5 cup fresh or dried/soaked cherries, chopped
1/2 cup evaporated milk

1. Cook and drain noodles

2. Beat sugar, mascarpone, almond paste/extract, salt, melted butter, vanilla, eggs. Incorporate other ingredients first, and then add eggs one at a time to mix well.

3. Mix with noodles, cottage cheese, and fruit

4. Put in a well-buttered casserole dish

5. Pour evaporated milk on top

6. Bake at 375 until golden brown and serve warm or cold

My Everyday Salad

2010-10-19T13:17:00.014-07:00

My Everyday Salad

The measurements below are approximate.
2.5 oz or 5-6 handfuls baby salad greens
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 lg sliced radish
1 tin of skinless/boneless sardines 3.75 oz
2 tablespoons cheesy Caesar dressing

Mix greens, carrot, cabbage, radish and dressing in large bowl. Divide into bowls and top with sardines. Makes 2 servings.

These are the sardines I usually buy:

This is the dressing I like to use:

Easy Brussels Sprouts

2010-10-14T16:57:00.008-07:00

Easy Brussels Sprouts

2 lbs brussels sprouts
1 shallot
2 cloves garlic
olive oil
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut each brussels sprout in half. Rinse the sprouts. Dice shallot and garlic. Add sprouts, garlic, and shallot to a 9 x 13 baking dish. Drizzle olive oil over the sprouts and stir so they are coated. Add a bit of salt and pepper. Roast for 35 minutes.

The Secret Powers of Time

2010-10-13T23:55:00.006-07:00

I found this RSA Animate video interesting.

Broccoli & Collards Casserole

2010-10-05T12:19:00.003-07:00

Broccoli & Collards Casserole

1 large onion chopped
3 broccoli crowns
1 can of Campbells condensed cream of broccoli soup
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
1 pkg Uncle Ben's ready made rice (I used the whole grain medley with chicken flavor)
2 bunches collard greens chopped finely
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil

Saute the collard greens and onion in the olive oil until soft. Steam the broccoli crowns. Break broccoli into smaller pieces. Combine the collards, onion, broccoli, rice, cheese, and soup in a 3 quart casserole dish. Top with the bread crumbs. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.

Montana Brewers Association Brewfest

2010-09-23T10:56:00.017-07:00

With 21 participating breweries, and 73 different selections, we had a terrific time at the 2010 Montana Brewers Festival. It was an outstanding way to end our time in Montana and end our pretty much un-planned but totally awesome Montana brewery tour.

Needless to say, we were unable to try everything (not even half of the options). Our ratings below are based on a 1-10 scale. Personally, I may have become more forgiving towards the later part of the evening, so, the marks are probably a bit biased.

Brewery	Brew	Type	Rating
Bayern	St. Wilbur	Hefeweizen	7
Bayern	Dump Truck Summer Boch	Smooth Boch	9
Bayern	Bayern Octoberfest	Dark Marzen	8
Bayern	Bayern Pilsner	Pilsner	6
Beaver Creek	Cherry Wheat	Wheat	5
Beaver Creek	Beaver Creek Pale Ale	Pale Ale	5
Blackfoot River	Blackfoot Maibock	Maibock	6
Blacksmith	Imperial Red Ale	Imperial IPA	5
Blacksmith	Cutthroat IPA	IPA	6
Bozeman	Bozone Select	Amber Ale	6
Bozeman	Plum Street Porter	Porter	6
Carter's	Saison de Carter	Belgian-French Saison	6
Flathead Lake	Rising Sun Espresso Porter	Coffee Porter	5
Glacier	Golden Grizzly Ale	Kolsch Golden Ale	7
Glacier	Glacier Select Oktoberfest	Marzen	7
Great Northern	Highlander Premium Beer	Scottish Red Ale	7
Great Northern	Wild Huckleberry Wheat Lager	Filtered Wheat w/Fruit	6
Harvest Moon	Pigs Ass Porter	Porter	6
Harvest Moon	Beltian White	Belgian style vitbier	7
Harvest Moon	Nut Brown	Brown	6
Kettlehouse	Eddy Out	Pale Ale	5
Kettlehouse	Cold Smoke Scotch Ale	Scotch Ale	5
Lewis and Clark	Miner's Gold	Hefeweisen	6
Lewis and Clark	Portage Porter	Porter	8
Lone Peak	Hippy Highway Oatmeal Stout	Oatmeal Stout	7
Lone Peak	Hellroaring ESB	English Style Extra Special Bitter	5
Montana	Whitetail Wheat	American Hefeweisen	7.5
Neptune's	Wheat	American Wheat	6
Quarry	Open Pit Porter	Porter	8
Tamarack	Rye Sally Rye PA	Rye Pale Ale	5
Tamarack	Wakeboard Wheat	Belgium Style Wit	7

We did not sample any of the Bitter Root beers because we had already had them all with a flight at their brewery. Unfortunately, we missed out on trying anything from Angry Hank's, Madison River, and Red Lodge Ales.

The musical headliner was a group called Keegan Smih & The Fam and they were a lot of fun. : )

If you are traveling to Montana and like micro-brews, you should definitely check out: www.montanabrewers.org

Jesse Schell's Visions of the Gamepocalypse

2010-08-30T12:15:00.002-07:00

My Masoor Dal

2010-08-16T12:02:00.001-07:00

My Masoor Dal

1 1/2 cups masoor dal (red lentils)
6 cups water
1 tomato
3 cloves garlic
1 onion
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin ground
3 1/2 teaspoons ras el hanout
1/2 teaspoon coriander ground
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ginger paste
dash of cayenne

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Rinse the red lentils. In a blender puree the onion, tomato, garlic and 1 cup of water. Add the lentils, oil, puree, and 5 cups of water to a pot. Bring to a boil and then add the spices. Simmer on medium heat until the dal is soft and mushy with no dryness or crunch. On my stove this took approximately 2 hours. Soaking the lentils overnight would reduce the cooking time significantly.

Lager Sampling No. 1

2010-07-17T20:13:00.020-07:00

Brewery	Name	Location	Short Description	Rating
Samuel Adams	Black Lager	Boston, MA	ok, decent	91
Gorden Biersch Brewing Company	Märzen	San Jose, CA	too bitter	88
Dundee Brewing Co	Pale Bock Lager	Rochester, NY	malty, sweet	92
Samuel Adams	Imperial Double Bock	Boston, MA	molasses, 9.5%	94
Spoetzl Brewery	Shiner Bohemian Black Lager	Shiner, TX	toasty, almost charred	90
Flying Dog Brewery	Collaborator Doppelbock	Denver, CO	8.3%, full bodied, super yummy	96
Spoetzl Brewery	Shiner Bock	Shiner, TX	clean, toasty	92
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co	30th Anniversary Imperial Helles Bock	Chico, CA	malty, toasty	94

Homebrewing: Rye

2010-06-27T17:49:00.008-07:00

It's proved really difficult for me to find ryes in the store. If you've found a rye you like please let me know. For this batch we used the Brewers Connection recipe for O'Ryely's Rye. I can't wait to see how this turns out and how it ages.

Chestnut Soup

2010-06-20T12:18:00.010-07:00

Chestnut Soup

3 tbs butter
1 chopped celery rib
2 chopped carrots and/or parsnips
2 chopped shallots or 1 onion
5-6 cups of low sodium chicken broth (or half broth / half water)
15 oz jar peeled and cooked whole chestnuts
1/4 cup dry Sherry, Sercial Madeira, or dry white wine
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 bouquet garni in cheesecloth: sprig of parsley, 1 bay leaf, (optional) sprig of thyme, (optional) whole cloves

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Sweat vegetables for 15 minutes to soften.

Add broth and bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Add chestnuts and wine. Simmer, covered, 3 minutes.

Cool soup slightly. Puree soup in small batches in a blender, transferring to a heavy saucepan. Stir in cream, pepper, and salt to taste.

Reheat soup. Serve with crunchy garnish such as frizzled leeks or thin slices of raw green beans, celery, etc.

Porter Sampling No. 7

2010-05-26T19:49:00.013-07:00

Brewery	Name	Location	Short Description	Rating
Samuel Adams	Holiday Porter	Boston, MA	ok, decent	89
Lagunitas Brewing Co	Cappucinno Stout	Petaluma, CA	ok, but not exciting	90
Moylan's Brewing Co	Dragoons Dry Irish Stout	Novato, CA	thin, dry, a bit hoppy	88
Brew Dog	Rip Tide twisted merciless stout	England	hoppy	88
Green Flash Brewing Co	Double Stout	San Diego, CA	unmemorable	88
Anderson Valley Brewing Co	Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout	Boonville, CA	decent	89
Bell's Brewery	Kalamazoo Stout	Comstock, MI	bitter	87
Boulder Beer Company	Obovoid Oak-Aged Oatmeal Stout	Boulder, CO	I didn't like the aged in oak flavor	87
Jedrzejow Brewery	Strzelec Porter	Jedrzejow, Poland	thick, molasses like	94
Samuel Adams	Cream Stout	Boston, MA	toasty	93
Deschutes Brewery	Obsidian Stout	Bend, OR	nice body, toasty	92
Odell Brewing Co	Cutthroat Porter	Fort Collins, CO	malty, dry, clean	94
Prescott Brewing Co	Achocolypse Porter	Prescott, AZ	rich, very chocolatey	92

Finished Here Comes Everybody

2010-05-18T09:56:00.004-07:00

The first part of the book is mostly anecdotes that are individually pretty interesting. But, I was left wondering about their relevance and whether or not anything could be extrapolated from them. In the last few chapters Shirky really puts it all together and makes several large scale conclusions about the role of the internet and social networking in our society and our future.

Finished Patternmaster

2010-05-08T13:36:00.007-07:00

I have mixed feelings on this conclusion to Butler's Patternist series. I found it to be a fun read, but, it was also kind of difficult for me to care one way or another about Teray's fate. As a whole, the series is worthwhile. But, I don't think Patternmaster could stand up well on it's own. At least the characters weren't annoying like those in Mind of My Mind were.

Finished Clay's Ark

2010-05-05T13:34:00.007-07:00

This is another book in Butler's four part Patternist series. I found this one much more to my liking than Mind of My Mind. It's got a lot of action and the characters are interesting. It's gritty but still accessible. I would have liked the story to be even longer and cover more of what happened after the clayark disease spread.

2nd Annual PBS Craft Brewing Festival

2010-05-01T20:17:00.005-07:00

Unfortunately, Oran was sick for the 2nd PBS craft brew fest. So, we didn't get to stay very long or try everything. This time they had more food options and the venue was pretty nice. I was somewhat disappointed because most of the local AZ breweries brought only their usual stuff. I had already tried almost of all of the beers. I was hoping to see their seasonals and special small batch brews. Oh well. A shout out to Prescott Brewing Company for bringing a seasonal their Achocolypse Porter - it was thick, rich and delicious. Now I am wanting to visit Prescott again.

Finished Why We Get Sick: The New Science of Darwinian Medecine

2010-04-30T13:50:00.006-07:00

This book is really interesting. Topics covered include infection, aging, allergies, and cancer. I found it an easy and enjoyable read compared to a lot of non-fiction out there. The only flaw is that it is a bit out-dated having been written in 1994. I'd love a follow up sequel.

Ale Sampling No. 1

2010-04-26T19:31:00.020-07:00

Brewery	Name	Location	Short Description	Rating
Fischer Biere d' Alsace	Fischer Tradition Amber	Schiltigheim, France	fruity	94
Anderson Valley Brewing Co	Boont Amber Ale	Boonville, CA	good	92
Samuel Adams	Cranberry Lambic	Boston, MA	doesn't taste like a lambic	89
Four Peaks	Kiltlifter	Tempe, AZ	like spice cake	94
St Peters	Organic English Ale	Bungay, England	light, refreshing (seriously)	94
Spoetzl Brewery	Shiner Bock	Shiner, TX	dry, good taste	90
Oak Creek Brewing Co	Nut Brown Ale	Sedona, AZ	malty, creamy, sweet, nutty	95
Big Sky Brewing Co	Moose Drool Brown Ale	Missoula, Montana	toasty, nutty	94
Full Sail Brewing Co	Keelhauler Scottish Ale	Hood River, OR	hoppy	89
Batemans Brewery	Combined Harvest	Wainfleet, England	toasty, delicious	96
Dundee Brewing Co	Honey Brown	Rochester, NY	sweet	92

Wheat Sampling No. 2

2010-04-26T19:26:00.019-07:00

Brewery	Name	Location	Short Description	Rating
Moab Brewery	Rocket Bike Wit Ale	Moab, UT	orange, coriander	92
Papago Brewing Co	Orange Blossom Mandarin Wheat Ale	Scottsdale, AZ	like an orange creamsicle	89
Pyramid Breweries	Haywire Hefeweizen	Seattle, WA	nice orange flavor	94
Avery Brewing Co	White Rascal Belgian-Style Wheat Ale	Boulder, CO	hoppy, bitter	86
Ballast Point Brewing Co	Wahoo Wheat	San Diego, CA	interesting	92
Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company	Sunset Wheat	Chippewa Falls, WI	I like the lemon a lot	94
Paulaner Brewery	Hefe-Weizen	Munich, Germany	too much banana	88
Left Hand Brewing Co.	Haystack Wheat	Longmont, CO	too much banana	89
Gordon Biersch Brewing Company	Hefeweizen	San Jose, CA	banana, bitter, but ok	89
Widmer Brothers Brewing Co	Hefeweizen	Portland, OR	bitter, mild yeast flavor	89
New Belgium Brewing Company	Sunshine Wheat	Fort Collins, CO	too much banana	88
Franziskaner	Weissbier	Munich, Germany	ok, not my favorite	89
New Belgium Brewing Company	Mothership Wit	Fort Collins, CO	too much banana	88

Finished Iorich

2010-04-24T17:52:00.006-07:00

The latest installment in Steven Brust's Vlad series was one of my favorites of all of them. I really liked the character of Perisil. I hope he returns again. I was also happy to have Kragar play a part in this one. Unfortunately, I'll probably have to wait a year or more for another Vlad story.

Finished The Crying of Lot 49

2010-04-21T22:39:00.028-07:00

This book is very strange in that I liked it as a whole even though I didn't like any of the characters in any way, or the action, or the descriptions. It was annoying that I still wanted to keep reading despite everything being so un-likeable. The best way I can explain it is that there is a sort of messiness to the mystery that is appealing. It's like a dream in that it doesn't make sense and there are no answers.

more on commercials: a freaky one angers me, and a cool one inspires me

2010-04-21T22:39:00.027-07:00

I don't like it when commercials are scary or disturbing. It doesn't make me want to buy anything. Instead I get an aversion to the product that I may have been ambivalent towards prior to the ad. This is like anti-marketing, and it upsets me. Why would you pay money to make me scared, when your product isn't supposed to be scary?

I get that it's trendy to break rules and all, but, this MFS commercial goes too far for me: http://annex.mfs.com/subs/video/commercial_internal/popup2.html Who decided it was acceptable to mess with people's eyes and make them look like aliens? Am I the only one who thinks this is very creepy?

I've always liked the Absolut magazine ads. This new commercial of theirs continues the tradition of promoting art and creativity.

Check out this kinetic sculpture by Arthur Ganson

2010-04-06T22:18:00.005-07:00

Finished Burning Chrome

2010-04-06T17:51:00.006-07:00

Gibson's writing is no less impressive in short form. I enjoyed all of the stories in this collection. Here is a line I especially liked from Johnny Mnemonic: "The sound it made was like a world ending, like the wires that hold heaven snapping and coiling across the sky." Here is another from Fragments of a Hologram Rose: "The explosion had been visible two miles away, a white sheet of heat lightening that had turned the pale branches of a bare tree against the night sky into a photographic negative of themselves: carbon branches against magnesium sky."

Finished Mind of My Mind

2010-03-17T15:30:00.003-07:00

This book is another one in Butler's Patternist series. I didn't like it nearly as much as Wild Seed. I found the characters all to be very frustrating. Doro and Emma didn't seem the same. I was curious what Butler knew about string theory when she was writing describing the pattern. I hated the ending. Now, I will take a break before I decide to read any more of this series.

Finished Wild Seed

2010-03-17T15:09:00.012-07:00

I found it pretty impressive that an antagonist, such as the character of Doro, could be so interesting and compelling. This book was admittedly over-the-top and indulgent, but, I still enjoyed it.

Tables in the Cafe at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

2010-03-03T12:41:00.003-07:00

What's in your Salad Bowl?

What's in your Stir Fry?

Model of La Minerve

2010-03-03T11:26:00.010-07:00

on display in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington DC

drawing of La Minerve:
http://www.luckypalm.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/balloon_minerve.jpg

more about La Minerve:
http://longstreet.typepad.com/thesciencebookstore/2009/05/escape-pods-for-women-balloonists-1820-the-fabulous-minerve-balloon.html

Finished What's Next: Dispatches on the Future of Science

2010-03-03T10:46:00.008-07:00

These essays collected by Max Brockman primarily deal with neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and biology. My favorites were "The Aliens Among Us" by Nathan Wolfe and "What Makes Big Ideas Sticky" by Matthew D. Lieberman. Wolfe describes how little we know about viruses and how important and valuable they can be. Lieberman suggests connections between genes and philosophical ideas.

Finished Bloodchild

2010-02-25T12:46:00.006-07:00

This book is comprised of Butler's collected short stories. I really liked Speech Sounds. The Evening and the Morning and the Night was interesting as well. Most of these stories are quite dark and dire. There is much less compromise, symbiosis, and hope here than in Xenogenesis/Lilith's Brood or Fledgling.

Finished Tea Time for the Traditionally Built

2010-02-21T12:50:00.006-07:00

This is the 10th book in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. I like these books because they are easy and generally entertaining. However, this one was frustrating because I found it had too much of Grace Makutsi's drama and too little of Mma Ramotswe. I liked having Puso get more attention. I wish one of these would be longer with a bit more meat to it.

Valentine's Day Brownies

2010-02-14T21:24:00.004-07:00

Valentine's Day Brownies

1 cup butter
5 eggs
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup all purpose white flour
2 Tablespoons and 2 Teaspoons of brown rice flour
2 Tablespoons and 2 Teaspoons of almond flour
2 Tablespoons and 2 Teaspoons of potato starch
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2-1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 pan. Melt the butter. Beat the eggs, mix in the vanilla and sugar. Next stir in the melted butter, cocoa powder, and salt. Slowly add in the flours and starch. Continue stirring until batter is thoroughly mixed. Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips. Pour into pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Homebrewing: Hayfever Hefeweizen

2010-02-14T12:57:00.013-07:00

We made an American style wheat. We added a jar of local honey purchased at the farmer's market from Kenny the Fishhugger. We also added lemon peel at the end of the brew, and lemon extract into the secondary and at racking. A few pictures from the brewing are in the slide show below.

Finished The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature

2010-02-11T21:17:00.011-07:00

Steven Pinker is entertaining and easy to read. The section on Radical Pragmatics seemed a bit sloppy, and I wasn't too happy with the Linguistic Determinism part either. However, most of the rest was compelling and powerful. I really like the way Pinker isn't afraid to take a multi-disciplinary approach to examining human nature. And he isn't afraid to say things that might offend others. I hope he will continue to use bits of anthropology in the future.

Homebrewing: Chocolate Orange Porter

2010-01-31T11:54:00.006-07:00

We used the Brewers Connection recipe for The Butlers Porter. We added about a cup of cocoa powder to the wort. We also added homemade orange extract into the carboy.

Here is a photo of the grains steeping:

Here is a photo of the chocolately wort at the end of the boil:

Wheat Sampling No. 1

2010-01-26T15:02:00.007-07:00

Lately, I've branched out from my Porters/Stouts and have been exploring Hefeweizens/Wheats. Here is the first set:

Brewery	Name	Location	Short Description	Rating
Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company	Honey Weiss	Chippewa Falls, WI	sweet, enjoyable	92
Sea Dog Brewing Co	Wild Blueberry Wheat Ale	Bangor, ME	blueberry is a bit overpowering	90
Moab Brewery	Elephant Hill Hefeweizen	Moab, UT	nice citrus taste and smell	92
Flying Dog	In Heat Wheat	Frederick, MD	ok, not my favorite	88
Samuel Adams	Cherry Wheat	Boston, MA	yummy	92
Eddie McStiff's	Blueberry Wheat	Moab, UT	decent	89
Eddie McStiff's	Raspberry Wheat	Moab, UT	light	90
Breckenridge	Agave Wheat	Denver, CO	average	89
Samuel Adams	Coastal Wheat	Boston, MA	I love the lemon and coriander	94
Brewery Ommegang	Witte	Cooperstown, NY	great citrus/coriander flavor	94

Homebrewing: English Brown Ale

2010-01-16T12:36:00.009-07:00

While brewing our brown ale we "shocked" our first packet of yeast. The wort was cooled down too much and the yeast couldn't adjust quickly enough. Luckily, we were able to re-pitch with a new packet, and the second batch worked fine. Pictures from the brewing are in the slide show below.

Porter Sampling No. 6

2010-01-14T15:01:00.079-07:00

Brewery	Name	Location	Short Description	Rating
St. Peter's Brewery Co	Cream Stout	Bungay, England	smooth and yummy	94
St. Peter's Brewery Co	Old-Style Porter	Bungay, England	interesting	92
Goose Island Beer Co	Bourbon County Brand Stout	Chicago, IL	strongly bourbon tasting	88
Left Hand Brewing Co	Black Jack Porter	Longmont, CO	average	89
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery	World Wide Porter	Milton, DE	bitter, hoppy	88
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery	Chicory Stout	Milton, DE	not complex enough	89
Great Divide Brewing Co	Saint Bridget's Porter	Denver, CO	very nice	94
Zywiec Breweries	Porter	Zywiec, Poland	thick, rich, delicious	96
Papago Brewing Co	Elsie's Irish Coffee Milk Stout	Scottsdale, AZ	just like irish cream liqueur	89
Samuel Adams	Imperial Stout	Boston, MA	enjoyable	94

Finished Fledgling

2009-12-22T11:11:00.003-07:00

Fledgling sucked me in and I cared about the characters right away. The plot moved along very quickly, and I even felt it was a bit rushed. (I know that's weird for me to complain about, as I normally always want fast moving plots.) It ended abruptly and I felt like there should have been more. I find it interesting all of the twists and variations that people come up with on the vampire myth. Listen to Margot Adler's npr story for one take on the popularity of vampires.

Oran's White Asparagus and Mushroom Soup

2009-12-16T21:19:00.005-07:00

Oran's White Asparagus and Mushroom Soup

1 med onion
1 bunch white asparagus
8 oz crimini or baby bella mushrooms
3 cloves of garlic
3.5 oz oyster mushrooms
6 c broth
2 sprigs fresh thyme
~1/2 tsp salt
~1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 c cream
~2 tbsp butter
[option 1]* 1 med potato
[option 2]* 1/4 c light roux
* Two options to thicken soup.

In a large pot, simmer the broth.
[If using option 1] Dice potato, saute in butter [2 min] and add to soup.
Rough chop onions, saute in butter for [2 min] and add to soup.
Peel white asparagus. Chop the bottom half, saute in butter [2 min] and add to soup.
Finely chop mushrooms and reserve half. With half, saute in butter [2 min] and add to soup.
Add salt, pepper, and fresh thyme.
Simmer soup for 20 minutes then turn off heat.
Finely dice garlic and add half to the soup, letting the soup sit for five more minutes.
Lightly saute in butter the remaining mushrooms, finely chopped asparagus tips, and garlic. Do not let these get too soft as these provide texture to the soup. Set aside.
If needed, put the soup pot in an inch or two of water to cool before blending.
In batches, blend soup in a blender until smooth. Return puréed soup to the pot and lightly simmer.
[If using option 2] Whisk roux into soup to thicken.
Stir in cream.
Shortly before serving, add the remaining asparagus and mushrooms and stir to equilibrate temperature.

Cheese Souffle

2009-12-16T16:45:00.005-07:00

Cheese Souffle

2 eggs
2/3 cup cream
3/4 cup cheddar cheese grated
3/4 cup romano cheese grated

Beat eggs with cream.
Mix in cheeses.
Pour into 3 cup baking dish.
Cook at 450 degrees for 25 minutes.

Finished The Reader

2009-12-16T16:17:00.009-07:00

The first half of the book keeps you reading out of curiosity because you want to know Hanna's secret. Something is strange about her and her past. The relationship between her and Michael (the narrator) is difficult to believe. Both of them are somewhat unlikeable. Their fights are annoying and don't make sense. After you find out about her involvement in the Nazi concentration camps half way through, there is little reason to finish the story. I wonder if some poetic elements were lost in translation, or if the original was as bleak and stark as this version. I know this was very popular book, but, I don't understand why.

Finished In Defense of Food

2009-12-10T11:01:00.005-07:00

This follow up to The Omnivore's Dilemma is lacking in all of the statistics and details that made its successor so powerful. It is a much shorter and easier read though. The tone is positive, with much less of the doomsday quality. I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in eating healthy and living sustainably.

Kale Salad

2009-12-05T18:14:00.008-07:00

Kale Salad

2 bunches of Lacinato/Tuscan kale
2-3 tablespoons red bell pepper chopped
1 shallot or small onion chopped
2/3 cup shredded Parmesan or Parmesan/Romano mix
3 medium sized garlic cloves toasted and chopped
1/2 cup crushed bread crumbs

Dressing:
6 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Optional Addition:
1/2 cup pine nuts

In a small bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Fully submerge the kale in water and rinse several times.
Cut out the tough middle stalk.
Slice the leaves into very small strips.
Mix the kale strips with the rest of the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
Toss with the dressing until it is all thoroughly covered.

This salad will keep in the fridge for several days.

Fun Variation: Use one bunch of kale and one bunch of rainbow chard.

Adapted from various recipes online.

Finished the Lilith's Brood/Xenogenesis Trilogy

2009-12-05T12:24:00.016-07:00

This was my first encounter with Octavia Butler. She impressed me right away, and I was kept captivated throughout the whole trilogy. These books were written in the late 80's and very little of it seemed dated. Butler's themes are still very relevant today. I am now hooked, and can't wait to read more. For anyone who enjoys science fiction, I'd highly recommend these books.

Mayan Sweet Potatoes

2009-11-26T15:20:00.003-07:00

Mayan Sweet Potatoes

2 sweet potatoes
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoons coconut oil
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Sift the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cayenne.
Warm the coconut milk and coconut oil.
Combine the warm milk with half of the sugar/spice mix.
Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Then cut them into half inch slices.
In a 8"x8" glass pan toss the potatoes and milk.
Stir in the pecans.

Bake for 40 minutes at 400 degrees.
Stir at the 20 minute mark.
Stir again at the 35 min mark and sprinkle the top with the remaining sugar/spice mix.

Finished The Year of the Flood

2009-11-04T16:20:00.005-07:00

This book should get an award for being a long awaited sequel that did not disappoint. At first I found it a little difficult to understand because the narrators change from chapter to chapter as well as the time line. I also didn't really care for the hymns in between each chapter. However, after you get settled in, this ends up giving the reader a much fuller picture of the reality that was hinted at in Oryx and Crake. It is gripping, emotional, and in-your-face. Are all Atwood books like this? I would not recommend reading this unless you have already read Oryx and Crake.

Chicken Chili

2009-11-03T17:29:00.010-07:00

Chicken Chili

1 jar Trader Joe's salsa verde
1 4 oz can green chili chopped
1 pkg (approx. 5 to 6) boneless, skinless organic chicken thighs
1 14 oz can white beans drained
1 fresh jalapeno chopped
1 medium white onion chopped
1 fresh anaheim chili chopped

Fill a large stock pot with water and chicken thighs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a strong simmer for 1/2 hour. Remove chicken and let it cool for 5 minutes while you rinse the pot. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces. Add it back into the pot along with all the other ingredients except for the beans. Cook on medium heat until the onions and peppers are soft. Add the beans and continue heating for another 5 or 10 minutes. Serve over rice.

(I altered a recipe by Fluttering in Fremont, CA)

Finished The Next Fifty Years: Science in the First Half of the Twenty First Century

2009-10-27T15:18:00.007-07:00

I find speculating on the future to be at times fun, terrifying, worrisome, hopeful, inspiring, and sometimes even funny. This edge.org book contains only 25 essays. I wished it was like some of the other ones with more entries. Most of the topics covered are physics, technology, biology, and psychology. There wasn't any discussion of government, politics, ecology, social trends, or economics. I'd like to see Brockman do another book on the future, incorporating a wider range of subjects.

Finished What Have You Changed Your Mind About? Today's Leading Minds Rethink Everything

2009-09-17T14:03:00.006-07:00

This is another interesting edge.org compilation of essays by scientists across several disciplines. I think it's cool to see so many people demonstrating their open-mindedness and willingness to change their mind. It makes me wish I wasn't always so stubborn.

Finished What's Your Dangerous Idea? Today's Leading Thinkers on the Unthinkable

2009-09-11T10:49:00.009-07:00

This edge.org compilation is much longer than previous books, and includes over 80 different essays. While I enjoyed the breadth of topics covered here, a would have liked if some of them were longer and more detailed. It's pretty interesting to see how varied people's ideas are about what is and isn't dangerous. I respect these contributors for being willing to publicly voice their dangerous ideas, knowing that they might stir up controversy and un-wanted attention. One of my personal favorites from this book was Daniel Dennett's "There Aren't Enough Minds to House the Population Explosion of Memes".

Finished The Extended Phenotype

2009-09-03T13:04:00.008-07:00

I found The Extended Phenotype to be a very enjoyable and thought provoking read. Some of the arguments presented in it are difficult, especially if you are not well versed in evolutionary biology. It is definitely the most technical book Dawkins has written for the general public. The Selfish Gene is required reading prior to tackling this one, as it is pretty much a sequel. The small print also makes it slow going.

This book inspired me to think about the evolution of consciousness. More on that later..

Finished Shaman Winter

2009-08-22T19:41:00.007-07:00

This is more of a shaman themed novel than a mystery. I liked it a little bit better than Zia Summer. It has all the same nice desert imagery, plus some new and interesting characters. Sonny and Raven are both still annoying, but, Sonny's mentor don Eliseo is a believable and inspiring character. I also liked the genealogy and historical episodes. It doesn't seem like this series is improving much though, and I don't know if I'll bother reading the other two books.

Finished Zia Summer

2009-08-17T19:19:00.008-07:00

Zia Summer is a fast paced murder mystery. I enjoyed Anaya's descriptions of Albuquerque. He makes me want to spend more time in New Mexico. However, I was somewhat disappointed overall with this book. The main character Sonny Baca can be annoying at times, especially when he is both bragging and guilty about his womanizing. Also, a lot of the secondary characters felt hollow. Despite the problems, I'll probably read the other three books in the series anyway.

Finished What We Believe but Cannot Prove: Today's Leading Thinkers on Science in the Age of Certainty

2009-08-10T14:50:00.012-07:00

This is the second John Brockman edited, Edge.org collection that I've read. It was much easier to get through than The Third Culture, because most of the essays are very short. The range of topics was also much broader, including psychology and sociology as well as physics and math. Two of the entries that most interested me were those by Alex Pentland and Robert R Provine. Alex Pentland believes, "A very large part of our behavior is determined by mainly unconscious social signaling, which sets the context, risk, and reward structure within which traditional cognitive processes proceed." [pg 156] Similarly, Robert Provine believes that "we overestimate the conscious control of behavior" and "we vastly overestimate the amount of time that we are aware of our actions, whatever their cause." [pg 145] Their essays were interesting enough that I might attempt to overcome my fear of psychology research and go out and read their recent books: Provine's Laughter: A Scientific Investigation and Pentland's Honest Signals: How They Shape Our World.

Anejo Sampling Part 1

2009-08-08T19:42:00.002-07:00

Name	Aroma	Taste	Finish	Rating
Cazadores	fruity, sweet	smokey, fruity	oily	94
Patron	salty, peaty	herbal, veggie, fruity	peppery, spicy, sweet	88
El Mayor	sweet	spicy, peppery	tangy, a bit rough	85
Don Julio	fruity	rich, caramel	smooth, buttery	96
Tres Mujeres	sweet	herbal, veggie	light, fresh	94
Sol de Mexico	spicy	peppery	smooth, light	92
El Amo Special Edition Premium	fruity	wine-like	a bit sharp	94

Images from Tequila.net, a great resource for Anejo reviews.

Finished Dragonharper

2009-07-31T12:00:00.007-07:00

After reading Dragon's Fire, I wasn't expecting that much from this book. It is another Todd and Anne McCaffrey collaboration. This one is a lot darker, full of death and doom. So, I can't really justify calling it cutesy. Unfortunately, I didn't like the characters much at all. Kindan, Koriana, and Vaxoram were all annoying to me. I think I may have grown to like Nonala and Kelsa had they been given more time.

Finished Dragon's Fire

2009-07-23T15:32:00.006-07:00

This book was a collaboration between mother and son, and predictably did not live up to Anne's earlier solo works. I still love the world of pern, and enjoy reading stories set there. I was disappointed that the characters and plot both seemed so cutesy and childish. In the end, I was unhappy with Pellar's decision to stay at the mine. It didn't seem the right place for him.

Oran's Spicy Indian Cabbage

2009-07-20T13:12:00.003-07:00

1 head cabbage chopped
1 large onion chopped
1 can peas
3 tablespoons oil
3-8 garlic cloves chopped (depending on how big they are)
1 tablespoon cumin seed
2 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon hot madras curry powder
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Put the oil and cumin in large pot and heat on high. Add in the onion and cabbage and stir for 5 minutes. Cover for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic. Add a little water if the cabbage or onions are sticking to the bottom. Add the salt and the remaining spices. Stir in the peas and serve.

Maiyui is 80

2009-07-17T16:18:00.001-07:00

On my third span of WoW playing, for the first time, I've finally reached the current level cap. (I hit 60 during BC and 70 during WOTLK.) I can start raiding now! Yay! : )

Here's Maiyui with one of her pets behind

Chili Con Carne

2009-07-15T15:46:00.001-07:00

1/2 onion diced
1/2 bell pepper diced
1/2 jalapeno diced
1 lb ground beef
1/2 can roasted tomatoes
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seed slightly crushed
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
3 dashes cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons salt

Mix the beef, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and tomato in a small saucepan over high heat. Add 1/4 cup water and cover for 10 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, and spices. Turn the heat down to low, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Top with a dollop of sour cream.

Finished The Third Culture

2009-07-01T16:10:00.026-07:00

I had very mixed feelings about this book. The concept of short essays by scientists is great, and I definitely plan to read more of the Edge.org/Brockman collections. This one is quite outdated having been written in 1995, as a lot of the issues on the forefront of science have changed significantly since then. It was nevertheless interesting and thought-provoking.

In some cases, I wished there was more meat to the arguments and less pretty floweriness. Not having read their research papers, and with little background especially in the physics sections, I had a lot of difficulty judging what was reasonable and what wasn't. Depending on my mood at the time cynical/argumentative, or relaxed/happy I found myself much more or less receptive to the ideas presented. I often found myself switching between thinking, "He might really be on to something here." and "This is complete and total BS."

This got me thinking about a general but important problem, how are the laypeople supposed to recognize the true masters among the quacks? The language used to describe the theories is often very philosophical and obscure, and it changes dramatically between people. Almost everyone seems to invent their own strange terms. Unfortunately, it seems this makes it easy for charlatans or sub-par theorists to slip into the mix. If we flock around these esteemed professors as if they were preachers, following them based only on what appeals to our personal aesthetic, we are probably missing out on something big. They can't all be right, right?

The conversational tone of the essays made them easy to read. I was quite surprised though, by the amount of emotion and personality that came through. At times, the defensiveness and/or overconfidence was a bit much for me. I am encouraged though to try to branch out and read more popular science books, even if it is frustrating in parts.

Here are the scientists included in this first book:

George C. Williams
Stephen Jay Gould
Richard Dawkins
Brian Goodwin
Steve Jones
Niles Eldredge
Lynn Margulis
Marvin Minsky
Roger Schank
Daniel C Dennett
Nicholas Humphrey
Francisco Varela
Steven Pinker
Roger Penrose
Martin Rees
Alan Guth
Lee Smolin
Paul Davies
Murray Gell-Mann
Stuart Kauffman
Christopher G. Langton
J. Doyne Farmer
W. Daniel Hillis

Draft Magazine Craft Brewing Festival 2009

2009-06-20T20:27:00.008-07:00

My first ever brewfest was totally awesome. The only disappointment was that I didn't get to try as many different beers as I would have liked. Apparently 4 hours isn't enough sampling time for someone who is a very slow drinker and lightweight like me. They practically had to kick us out and I wished I had kept better track of the time.

Everything tasted pretty good, although once inebriated I think it's harder to be a good judge. I took a few sporadic notes, not really rating anything thoroughly.

Stone - Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout - very syrupy, better than their smoked porter or imperial
Dupont - Farmhouse Ale - interesting
Sun Up - Hefeweizen - grapefruity
Sun Up - Red Ale - citrus tones
Dogfish - Sah'tea - curious
Dogfish - Palo Santo Marron - nice and dark
San Tan - Strawberry Wit - not at all subtle strawberry flavor
Papago - Coconut Joe - coffee overpowered any coconut in there

One of the highlights was a quick chat with the brewer for Sun Up Brewing/Sonora Brewhouse one of my favorite local eats. We were able to complement him on the recent excellent small batch Triple Blonde, and his consistently good Midnight Porter.

Thanks so much to Draft Magazine for creating the best PBS benefit I've heard of, and thanks to PBS for providing well researched science and political coverage like Nova, the News Hour, and Frontline.

Finished The Difference Engine

2009-06-15T13:50:00.011-07:00

This is the first book I've read in the "alternative history" or "steampunk" genre. I enjoyed it of course, because it's Gibson, and I love his style of mystery where nothing gets answered. Not having read anything by Sterling before, I can't say how much of the style was his. The description of the Central Statistics Bureau had a scifi quality to it, despite being in London in 1885. I discovered how little I know about late 19th century English history. I ended up looking up a lot of articles on wikipedia about people mentioned in the book. I loved the description of London falling into anarchy, it just builds and builds into an almost dream.

Nut Crusted Pork Piccatta

2009-06-02T18:03:00.004-07:00

4 pork chops
1 cup chopped nuts (should have a large percentage of either pecans or almonds, plus whatever else is available thrown in: brazil, macadamia, walnuts, pine nuts)
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
enough olive oil to fill the frying pan about 1/4 inch deep

heat oil very high
add salt and pepper to nut mixture in one bowl
put flour in a separate bowl
beat eggs in a third bowl
dip pork chops so they are covered first in flour, then eggs, then nuts
fry in pan using a splatter screen

Piccatta topping ingredients:
juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon parsley chopped
3 heaping teaspoons capers
1 teaspoon caper juice
dash garlic salt
dash pepper

mix topping ingredients together and heat
spoon on top of the pork chops

Porter Sampling No. 5

2009-06-01T20:10:00.007-07:00

Brewery	Name	Location	Short Description	Rating
Prescott Brewing Co	Raven Maniac Stout	Prescott, AZ	Yummy	94
Prescott Brewing Co	Petrified Porter	Prescott, AZ	Flavorful, Rich	94
Lost Coast Brewery	Eight-Ball Stout	Eureka, CA	Hoppy, Flavorful	89
Left Coast Brewery	Black Magic Stout	Eureka, CA	Hoppy, Decent	86
Samuel Smith	Oatmeal Stout	England	Rich, Tasty	94
Avery Brewing Co.	The Czar Imperial Stout	Boulder, CO	Strong Alcohol 11.73%, Hoppy, Heavy	89
Rogue Ales	Imperial Stout	Newport, OR	Strong Alcohol 11%, Hoppy, Too Bitter	85
Brouwerij Sterkens	Hoogstraten Poorter	Meer, Belgium	Wine-Like, more dark ale than porter, Smooth	90
Port Brewing Co.	Old Viscosity Ale	San Marcos, CA	Thick, Molasses flavor, strange tasting Hops	90
Stone Brewing Company	Stone Imperial Russian Stout	Escondido, CA	10.8%, Thick, Rich	91

Finished The Selfish Gene

2009-05-30T00:11:00.014-07:00

I enjoyed reading Dawkins' classic, The Selfish Gene. I especially liked the descriptions of various symbiotic relationships. I found the speculation about how symbiosis might have contributed to early life evolving into complex forms to be interesting and I wish that part was expanded more.

I'm not sure exactly why, but, while reading the book, I was reminded of a print we had up in our family room when I was a kid. It's Dwarf Caiman and False Coral Snake (from The Insects of Suriname, 1719) by the botanical artist, Maria Sibylla Merian.

Yummy New Potatoes

2009-05-28T14:44:00.010-07:00

18-24 small new red potatoes quartered
6 cloves garlic chopped
1 small onion chopped
2-3 tablespoons rosemary chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Coat bottom of casserole dish with half of the oil
Add remaining ingredients
Drizzle with the rest of the oil
Mix

Bake 30-40 min at 450 until edges are crispy/slightly browned

Pea Soup

2009-05-28T14:30:00.004-07:00

16 ounce dried split pea package (cleaned and washed)
8 cups/64 oz chicken broth
1 bunch very small carrots chopped
3 tablespoons butter
1 onion chopped
1.5 tablespoons garlic minced
1 teaspoon hot madras curry powder
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 jalapeno
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
dash of cayenne pepper

melt butter
sweat onion, garlic, salt, pepper
add peas, broth, carrots
bring to a boil
add jalapeno, cayenne, and curry powders
reduce heat to a simmer
cook 1 hour
let cool
add 2 handfuls of ice to help speed along cooling
blend until smooth

(This is my alteration of Alton Brown's recipe that was recommended by Aaron)

Finished After Dark

2009-04-28T15:52:00.007-07:00

The narrative style of After Dark is a very weird, it reads more like a play than a novel and it kind of bothered me. As usual for Murakami the characters are little off and sort of social outcasts. However, these characters were also a lot more lovable and easier to start caring about.

I like the fact that this book didn't have the foreshadowing that seemed to heavy in both Kafka on the Shore and The Wind Up Bird Chronicle. But, it was also a lot shorter, and I would have liked it to go on for longer.

I would have liked to learn more about Kaoru and her past. I loved the scene between her and the pimp. I would like to know what continued to happen later between them. Overall, it was quite enjoyable and I'm now fully hooked on Murakami and plan to read all the rest of his books.

Here is a great review of After Dark:
http://quarterlyconversation.com/after-dark-by-haruki-murakami-review

Finished The Omnivore's Dilemma

2009-04-23T18:56:00.013-07:00

I am unabashedly a complete novel junky. I regularly devour science fiction, fantasy, mystery/thriller, modern and classic fiction. I'd be lost forever in another world if I didn't occasionally try to sprinkle in some non-fiction to bring me back to reality. While I choose topics that are of great interest to me, I usually still struggle to finish. For example, I plowed through War and Peace in less than a week, but, it was many months before I was done with Collapse (despite being much more intrigued by anthropology than Napoleonic history). I had quite a bit of trouble getting through Pollan's The Botany of Desire. So, I was worried about The Omnivore's Dilemma. It turned out to be THE notable exception. Pollan's writing has improved significantly. He sucked me full force and kept me reading. The book was jam packed with non stop facts but, it was still easy to read quickly.

The breadth of what Pollan covered in The Omnivore's Dilemma really amazed and impressed me. I didn't expect a natural history to delve into such detailed analysis. I learned more than I ever would have imagined about modern agriculture in the U.S. and the food industry. I think everyone should read this book. I even felt the urge to write to the president and plead him to read it (I haven't yet).

A bit of warning though, at times I was overcome by hopelessness and anger that nothing can be changed. I'd compare this strange combination of awe and anger with how I felt watching An Inconvenient Truth, Fahrenheit 911, and Sicko. Yes, it is somewhat sensationalistic, but, it is also good investigative reporting and well researched.

If you want to eat healthy, and also be aware of the sociopolitical and environmental impacts of what you eat, I recommend you read this book. Pollan fully imparts the importance of sustainability to our future. If you don't already have a backyard garden, you will want your own, or, at the very least, you'll be looking into CSAs and farmer's markets.

Oran's Butternut Squash Yumminess

2009-04-20T16:20:00.002-07:00

1 very large butternut squash cubed (or 2 small)
1 medium onion chopped
2 cups chardonnay
1/3 cup cream
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
1 teaspoon white pepper
4 cloves garlic diced
4-6 sage leaves chopped
3 tablespoons butter

Add squash, onion and butter to pot and cook over medium heat for a few minutes. Add the wine, chicken bouillon, pepper, sage, and garlic. Simmer until the squash is very soft. Stir in cream and serve.

Porter Sampling No. 4

2009-04-09T13:08:00.011-07:00

Brewery	Name	Location	Short Description	Rating
Moab Brewery	Black Raven Oatmeal Stout	Moab, UT	Nice Microbrew	92
Sonoran Brewing Co	Oatmeal Stout	Phoenix, AZ	Yummy	92
North Coast Brewing Co.	Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout	Fort Bragg, CA	Hoppy, Rich	86
Breckenridge Brewery	Dark Oatmeal Stout	Denver, CO	Decent	86
Aldaris	Aldaris Porteris	Rīga, Latvia	Very Nice	94
Coopers Brewery	Best Extra Stout	Australia	Toasted/Roasted but Not Burned, Malty, Yummy	94
Coopers Brewery	Dark Ale	Australia	Mild, Decent, Not a Porter Though	89
Brouwerij Huyghe	Delirium Nocturnum	Melle/Ghent, Belgium	Bitter, Strange, Not a Porter (Belgian Strong Dark Ale)	85
Rogue Ales	Mocha Porter	Newport, OR	Thick, Rich	94
New Belgium Brewing	1554 Enlightened Black Ale	Fort Collins, CO	Delicious	94

On Notice: Walgreens

2009-04-03T16:53:00.014-07:00

About a year ago, without warning Walgreens switched my birth control prescription from Barr's Apri to Watson's Reclipsen. The active chemicals (desogestrel and ethinyl estradiol) are supposedly the same and supposedly in the same amounts (0.15 mg and 0.03 mg).

So, despite freaking out I decided to try them anyway. I experienced a number of unpleasant differences. I won't go into all the details, but, it wasn't nice, and definitely was not the norm for me. I thought, maybe my body just needs some time to adjust, it is the same after all, right? So, I stuck with the new pills for 2 more refills a total of almost 3 months. I did not get any better, and my body did not adjust.

The pills were obviously different in some way. I wish I had a way to test them myself and find out what the difference is. Maybe it was one of the inactive chemicals, that actually has an effect? Maybe it was something about the manufacturing machines or process? Maybe Watson does not do as much quality assurance testing? I suppose it's even possible that just my mind knowing it's a different product could have caused a placebo like effect that made my body respond differently.

Luckily CVS carries Barr's Apri. I was able to easily switch my prescription from Walgreens to CVS and all went back to normal. Thank you CVS! Thank you Barr! And Walgreens, you are officially on notice. To think one drug is replaceable for another will end up costing you customers when they spot the difference.

I'm not the only one who has had medication switched by the pharmacy. Sometimes the consequences are much worse than my discomfort. I recently read this article in Prevention magazine that goes into much more detail about the problems these switches have caused:

http://www.prevention.com/cda/article/the-great-drug-switcheroo/411bb2d006610210VgnVCM10000013281eac____/health/healthy.lifestyle/smart.medical.decisions

Finished Milk: The Surprising Story of Milk Through the Ages

2009-04-01T17:36:00.007-07:00

Anne Mendelson explores the history of milk starting with the prehistoric origins of goat and sheep domestication and ending with modern large scale dairies. I found her writing entertaining and wished the history section was longer. I was glad that she didn't just gloss over the science, but really delved into the particulars. The book also contains a number of recipes for milk products and dishes from around the world.

Geometry and Art

2009-03-25T16:20:00.003-07:00

I'm a big fan of art that explores unusual topologies:

Peggy Wyman

Rebecca McEntee

Peggy Wiedemann

Charles O Perry

Carlo H. Séquin

I also like models of polyhedron and the like:

George W. Hart

Bathsheba Grossman

And hyperbolic planes:

Daina Taimina

I'm amazed by these tessellations expressed through origami:

Eric Gjerde

And the intersection between programming and origami:

Robert J Lang

See Also:

Mathematicians Get Crafty with Geometry
A Cabinet of Mathematical Curiosities
The Extreme Sport of Origami
Virtual Math Museum

Dallol Crater Awesomeness

2009-03-18T15:02:00.007-07:00

The Dallol Crater is located along Ethiopia's northern border. I first learned about it via Scientific American's article "Birth of an Ocean: The Evolution of Ethiopia's Afar Depression". Eitan Haddok's spectacular photos of the hydrothermal vents, salt mushrooms, and eggshells (aeration mouths) immediately caught my eye and made me want to learn more.

I've also found another site, Volcano Discovery, with hundreds of captivating photos from the area: http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volcano-tours/ertaale/photos/?&L=1

Finished The Darkangel Trilogy

2009-03-13T13:17:00.022-07:00

I definitely enjoyed this trilogy. At first I thought the unfamiliar terminology was a bit difficult, but, it soon turned out to be accessible enough. I thought the relationship between Aeriel and Irrylath was well done and not too over-the-top. I wish that there had been a little more back-story for Talb and Erin, and a little more development of their relationships with Aeriel. I would have preferred a different ending, but, I'm not sure what.

Geology and Art

2009-03-10T16:20:00.003-07:00

Ever since I first visited southern Utah, 5 years ago, I've been in awe of the geology in the area. I love the hoodoos, arches, badlands, honeycomb weathering, petrified dunes, and other strange looking formations.
	That's why I was immediately drawn to the artwork of Steve Hilton, former geologist turned artist, who creates ceramic works that mirror geological forms.

I first saw this piece at the Mesa Contemporary Arts Center.

These are a few of my other favorites:

Another intriguing artist whose work is highly geologically themed is Alison Carey. She constructs diorama type models, and then photographs them. Her series Organic Remains of a Former World, depicts reconstructions of past ocean environments and life forms from each of the 7 Paleozoic periods. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next! Here are two of my favorites:

foobar

2009-03-05T14:19:00.010-07:00

Nashville, TN

No More "No Rules"

2009-02-25T16:11:00.022-07:00

Dear Outback,

I like my burgers with three things on top: mushrooms, grilled onions, and Swiss cheese. That's it. No lettuce, tomato, fresh onion, ketchup, mayo, or mustard. Definitely no bacon or onion straws!

A few years after my husband turned ex-vegetarian he acquired a taste for prime rib. I don't like steak or seafood. This meant that on our quest to find the best prime rib in town, I was eating a lot of burgers and chicken at all the steak house chains. His favorite turned out to be Black Angus.

I tried about twenty times to get them to make the mushroom, grilled onion, and Swiss burger for me. (They have a steak add-on/topper of grilled onions and mushrooms. So, theoretically they could get it right.) Well, every time they either left on multiple toppings I didn't want, forgot one of my three things, or both. They were just incapable of making my simple burger.

Luckily, I found I liked their chicken alfredo penne. So, I ordered that every single time. Then, they changed the chicken to shrimp. So, now, I have to ask for chicken instead of shrimp (good thing they haven't got that wrong yet).

One time I went to Outback with a group of friends. Most of the menu was steak and seafood that didn't interest me at all. Finally, on the back page, I found a small section with the "No Rules" burger. It was a design your own burger.

I ordered my burger and got what I wanted!! It was a miracle. And, it was delicious! Fantastically good, and it wasn't wrong. It wasn't wrong to break their rules and change their designed burger recipes. I could get my burger without trouble and without a lot of explaining.

Needless to say, I convinced my husband to go to Outback much more often. In fact, we were going several times a month. I was in heaven ordering my "No Rules" burger how I wanted it every time. I wasn't interested in the few chicken options. Especially not when the burger was so good.

Well, last month, I went to Outback expecting to get another yummy burger. They had changed their menu and removed the reason I came. The "No Rules" was no longer. I had to ask the waiter to remove everything from the new "The Outbacker Burger" and add what I wanted.

But, even worse, I thought (maybe mistakenly) that the whole vibe/feel of Outback was about being laid back and easy going. By forcing me to break their new rules and go through a lot of trouble to get my burger how I wanted it, I was not feeling laid back at all.

I don't know if I'll go back to Outback again. I'm hoping you will come to your senses and see the error of your ways. I hope everyone complains and you are forced to add the "No Rules" back on the menu. But, for the time being, I'll now be arguing for The Cheesecake Factory where I can somewhat easily order my burger.

A former devotee

Subway in the Sky! a Conoco ad from February 28, 1953

2009-02-20T02:08:00.003-07:00

All this exciting talk lately about high speed rail lines has reminded me that I never posted this ad. It's framed and up on the wall in my study. I found it in one of the antique shops in Prescott.

The middle copy reads "Commuters in Los Angeles soon may rush to work by this monorail overhead transit system, unhampered by street level traffic. Super-streamlined 100-passenger cars can travel safely at speeds up to 100 miles an hour. The 44-mile run through metropolitan Los Angeles will cut the present commuting time in half." (Click to read the full text of the ad.)

Lee Bontecou is Awesome

2009-02-20T01:48:00.001-07:00

I first saw Lee Bontecou's artwork featured in the March 2004 issue of Vogue magazine. I loved the intricacy of this piece. Click to see it in more detail.(Back view of the same piece)In December of 2006, I saw her work in person at the Phoenix Art Museum.Some more of her amazing pieces:She also does some great black and white drawings. I especially like this one:

Amazing Stories Cover (May 1932)

2009-02-18T10:28:00.001-07:00

For some reason I'm really digging the idea of a civilization of intelligent birds as depicted here. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find the artist's name yet. (I'm still looking.)

Finished Oryx and Crake

2009-02-07T20:12:00.010-07:00

I really loved this book. And not just because I've been into post-apocalyptic novels lately. I dislike reality tv shows, and yet strangely it didn't bother me that this had the same flavor. In some ways, it also had a similar feel to Southland Tales. Mostly, I'm at a loss to describe why this book is so good. Just read it.

Seven Things

2009-01-16T11:33:00.108-07:00

My awesome friend Brad Sucks tagged me for the Seven Things meme. I totally freaked out when I saw my name next to William Gibson. He's one of my favorite authors. I even got custom license plates out of his characters. It's taken me a while, but, I finally did it and tried to make it colorful.

1 I collect stamps. I have a huge binder all organized by topic (not country and date like most people do). Here is a small sampling:

2 If I had a large enough house, I'd dedicate an entire room for making my own ball pit.
(me and my sis circa 1987)

(me circa 1999)

3 I'm very opinionated and stubborn about my beliefs. Many acquaintances and friends don't know this though. That's because I try to avoid arguments and confrontation whenever possible. I don't like to try to recruit people to my point of view. When I try to persuade people I get all huffy and puffy and completely fumble the logic and rationale.

4 Despite thinking it was brillant, I never finished reading Douglas Hofstadter's Godel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid. I tried for almost a whole year reading nothing else, but only got half-way through. I was too slow processing the math and finally gave up. Books I've read more than once are Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series, Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials Trilogy, and Toni Morrison's Beloved.

5 I spent my freshman year of high school living in Copenhagen, Denmark. I met many interesting and fun people there. My apartment was on Nyhavn pictured below (photo by nishioka).

6 My first word as a baby was light. I generally dig pretty glowing things like christmas lights, candles, fireworks, color logs, glow sticks, etc. It's also sort of funny in an ironic way because my attitude is often a lot darker than it should be. (photo by seeks2dream)

7 I've read a decent amount of books about shamans and the shamanic experience. I'm not sure why this is such a compelling subject for me. It's pretty much the reason I went into anthropology. I love the fact that the study of shamanism can bridge so many different disciplines.

*For instance, you can look into the neurological/biological components and processes involved in the shamanic mind state.
*From an ethnobotany perspective, you can learn about the natural medicine and healing of almost any current or past culture.
*If you are a physicist or astronomer, you can ponder if it would be theoretically possible for a human to access or even trigger a link with an alternate reality. Shamans were often the ancient scholars of the stars and the calendar-keepers. They were the old masters of time and space before modern science.
*For people who are interested in psychology/sociology, you can study how individuals with "deviant" behaviors are sometimes accepted within the cultures framework by being given a special extra-ordinary status such as shaman.
*Musicians or music therapists will not be surprised to learn about the connection between drumming or chanting and the altered mind state.
*Those studying art may be intrigued by the influence of "visions" on an artist's creative expression.
*There's more, I might add stuff about computer science, drama, literature and history later.

If you are interested in learning more about the connection between snakes and shamans let me know.
(photo by Nesster)

(photo by THE GREENSCAPE GROUP)

Finished Eldest

2009-01-09T11:30:00.009-07:00

After having fun relaxing with Eragon, this sequel was a huge disappointment. Many plot points were very predictable. The story dragged on way too long. The tension between Eragon and Arya was annoying. The Roran chapters were completely unbearable for me and I would have skipped them altogether had I known there wouldn't be an important plot development in them. Pretty much the only thing I liked in the entire book was the description of Ellesméra, that's not good considering how long the book is. Now I'm not sure if I'll read Brisingr or not.