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2738. arkymalarky - 3/10/2005 1:06:01 AM My dehumidifier fills up daily in spring and summer because the air is so humid, and we water plants with it. It looks clear and it seems it wouldn't take much to develop some sort of system that dehumidifies on a larger scale and makes the water drinkable. They use a lot of energy, though. 2739. arkymalarky - 3/10/2005 1:06:55 AM We get a bit of the copper effect, Alistair. I assumed it was from the water rather than the pipes, but I don't know how much of our plumbing is metal and how much is plastic. 2740. alistairconnor - 3/10/2005 1:48:04 PM If you've got soft well water in your pipes, Arky, then it's dissolving copper out of your pipes.
Water, in its pure state, is naturally acidic, because of dissolved carbon dioxide, which becomes carbonic acid (HCO3-).
Generally, town-supply water (and a lot of ground water) is full of calcium carbonate in solution -- that's the "hard" stuff -- which neutralises the acidity. In fact, I've been told that they often add calcium carbonate to town supply water which is deemed too soft : both to neutralise the acidity, and because it tends to reduce leakage in the distribution system, by bunging up the leaks.
Either that, or it's a conspiracy of washing-powder manufacturers. 2741. PelleNilsson - 3/10/2005 2:56:56 PM You know that you have "hard" water if you coffee machine clogs up rather often. 2742. thoughtful - 3/10/2005 4:03:03 PM When I travel, I can tell whether the water is hard or soft by how the soap and shampoo feel in the shower. When the water's soft it seems to take forever to rinse out. When the water's hard it's difficult to get a good lather. 2743. Magoseph - 3/12/2005 4:15:21 PM Saturday Night Lite
Let me tell you a story to illustrate that we are living in a pusillanimous age. I was in New Orleans last Saturday night, dining with a wonderful group of people at a culinary landmark called Antoine's. Our host had arranged for a remorseless avalanche of delicious food, served in prodigious 19th-century style. There were about six appetizers, including oysters, foie gras and various lobster confabulations. There were main courses aplenty - fish, then crab, then steak.
Then dessert floated onto the table: a meringue pie roughly the size of a football helmet. And with it came coffee, but not just any coffee. It was called "devil's brew." A copper bowl was put in the middle of the table with some roiling mixture of brandy-ish spirits inside. Coffee was poured in and the concoction set aflame.
The waiter thrust a ladleinto the inferno and lifted up long, dripping streams of blue fire, hoisting the burning liquid into hypnotizing, showy cascades. He poured out a circle of flame onto the tablecloth in front of us. It was a lavish pyre of molten, inebriating java and then, when he swung around to where I was sitting, I turned and asked the climactic question:
More…
“I blame the people at the top for setting the tone”
“I blame parents”
“I blame the titans of corporatism”
“I blame the arbiters of virtue.”
“But at least we have New Orleans.”
Brooks says all these things—is he correct to blame these entities?
2744. wonkers2 - 3/12/2005 4:32:24 PM That was one of Brooks's better columns. At least he is willing to poke fun of himself. I remember a family dinner at Antoine's when I was a teen. I didn't really appreciate it then. Two years ago at a high school reunion I tried to relive my earlier dinner at Antoine's but couldn't get in. So we settled for Galatoire's which was quite good. I guess it's the second oldest New Orleans restaurant. I'll link below a related book review column also from today's NYT. 2745. wonkers2 - 3/12/2005 4:37:37 PM Professor Sees Mania in U.S. for Posessions and Status (I especially like the last paragraph) Here. 2746. Magoseph - 3/12/2005 6:27:48 PM Other countries are prey to the same forces, Dr. Whybrow says, but the problem is worse here because we are a nation of immigrants, genetically self-selected to favor individualism and novelty. Americans are competitive, restless and driven to succeed.
I definitely count myself as one of these immigrants "genetically self-selected to favor individualism and novelty", praise the Lord, Jen's Lord, I mean. 2747. wonkers2 - 3/13/2005 4:51:27 AM Aren't we all. Pelle may not agree, but it's well known that all the Swedes worth their salt came to America long ago! 2748. PelleNilsson - 3/17/2005 10:21:39 PM Tonight I made filet de chevaux (sic) flambé stuffed with anchovy butter. With that a finely chopped salad of small premium tomatoes, parsley and garlic served with a tart sauce vinaigrette. No special occasion, I just felt a need to engage in a bit of hands-on creativity. 2749. robertjayb - 3/17/2005 10:56:26 PM Barbarian! 2750. PelleNilsson - 3/17/2005 11:34:39 PM Yes. But medium-to-rare horse is a fine eat. 2751. alistairconnor - 3/18/2005 10:09:44 AM I've got a couple of ponies going cheap.
Got to catch them first of course. 2752. Macnas - 3/18/2005 10:16:28 AM Whatever about the horse, which is alright as meat goes, anchovy butter is vile. 2753. PelleNilsson - 3/18/2005 12:48:54 PM Swedes in general don't eat horse but there are quite a few Chileans living around here which is why it is now and then available in the local supermarket. A little bit of mashed anchovy enhances the taste of almost everything. 2754. Magoseph - 3/18/2005 12:55:40 PM I remember eating “le steak tartare” at home—we had this pile of horsemeat on each one’s plate and we mixed it with shallots, one egg, mustard, some sort of seasoning my mother mixed herself and we used to think it was a real treat. I wonder now if faced with such a plate whether I could eat it.—probably not, I guess, since I was unable to eat “Tripes à la Mode de Caen” when my sister-in-law, a terrific cook, served that dish. 2755. The Summer Woman - 3/18/2005 5:14:14 PM I love anchovies. I especially love anchovy butter on small triangles of bread with a slice of egg or an olive.
Has anyone here ever actually eaten tripe? The texture looks as if it would give one the willies. Something about the "cellular" nature of it. 2756. PelleNilsson - 3/18/2005 7:42:51 PM I have eaten tripe on the insistence of a French colleague. I didn't find it revolting. One the other hand it is not a dish I would order given a choice, unless perhaps the choice were blood sausage.
Welcome, Summer Woman to IALS, the Internet Anchovy Lovers Association which includes you, me, Snowowl, somebody I don't remember and yet another one or perhaps two who will be offended thatI don't remember. Snowowl and I are the most prominent members because we share the half-secret vice of sometimes eating filets of anchovy straight out of the tin. 2757. wonkers2 - 3/18/2005 7:50:25 PM Count w2 in as well. I like them on soda crackers.
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