89 posts tagged “twiddling”

I'll admit this post is mostly to bump Coleman & Franken down from my top-story slot (finally).  But it is 2009 now, good riddance 2008; may I remember you only for the election.
 

Did my first cheese fondue this morning, with me Schmoop.  They're a bit tricky, are fondues; it looked like it was going to be a complete disaster (including 1 false start involving Epic Cornstarch Fail) -- but then, very suddenly, everything seemed to click into place.  It even got creamier after I transferred it to the fondue pot, so the last bit of cooking was done over Sterno.  Very yummy.  I'd try to recall & reprint the whole recipe & procedure here, but as it turns out, this blog post (where I found the photo) details what I did almost exactly.  I halved the recipe, though, since it was just the 2 of us.
 
Here's one trick that turned out to be critical:  In a separate small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch with just a little of the wine.  Drizzle barely enough liquid in there to make it mixable & pourable, i.e. just past the oobleck stage.  Then and ONLY then, mix it into the rest of the wine, over low heat.  When it starts to "set", you'll notice it right away -- suddenly it won't be milky white clouds, it'll be thick threads of clear goop.  (Apologies for not phrasing this in a more appetizing manner.)  This is when you should start adding the shredded cheese.  Stir stir stir.  I was afraid to overcook and/or burn the cheese, but really it can take more heat than you might expect -- in fact it needs to cook a little so it can get to that nice creamy stage.  But do keep stirring.
 
I'd made a nice loaf of herbed bread in the bread machine the night before, so I cut half of that into large cubes and toasted them on a tray in a 250-degree oven while I took my time prepping the fondue itself.  By the time everything was ready, the bread cubes were perfect for the fondue forks, and very tasty with the cheese.

[16:39] Schmoop: hey, quick question
[16:42] Teho: oh hi
[16:42] Teho: was in server room
[16:42] Schmoop: hiya
[16:42] Teho: yes?
[16:42] Schmoop: well, it was a dumb question anyway, but i was taking a writing break....
[16:43] Schmoop: and blanked out on an appropriate physical gesture to go with someone making a promise.
[16:43] Schmoop: i don't want a pinkie swear, 'cause he can't link pinkies with a ghost.
[16:43] Teho: shaking hands?
[16:43] Schmoop: same problem.
[16:43] Teho: cross my heart?
[16:43] Schmoop: ah!!!
[16:43] Schmoop: yes!
[16:43] Schmoop: thank you!
[16:43] Teho: heh
[16:44] Teho: now if you wanted to swear AT someone dead with a gesture...
[16:44] Schmoop: um, i would probably know a few of those.

RIDICULOUS.

You know what a "B movie" is, right?  Well, this is a D movie.  Go if it's really really late, you want to laugh at a film studio's utter disconnect from both reality and audience, and then only if you won't miss the $10 and two hours it demands.  I guess I'm not worried about Angelina or Morgan Freeman, but I do hope Terence Stamp is doing OK.  Oh, and there's some kid too, who isn't that Indiana Jones kid.

You will never again look at a hankie with a straight face.

Jeez, a lot of peeps in my Vox neighborhood seem to be having The Worst Monday of Their Lives, Bar None, I Mean Seriously, For the Love of Mike Just Please Make It Stop.  Well, mine's not been great, but if I were to be honest, I'd have to call it tolerable.  Sorry, folks; you have my sympathies.

Two succinct reviews coming up.  Watch this space.

...oh, so he's an exhibitionist.  Got it.  And not only that, he's a flabbergastingly audacious exhibitionist, wielding the world's biggest tool:  Mainstream media.  Yeeeeeee HAW!  Get a load of THESE rollin' stones, people!

Lady Godiva, eat yer heart out.

Found this article just now at CBS News online, as is.  As Dave Barry says, I am not making this up.  I'm guessing CBS will correct it soon, so here's a screen grab...

Dub' tee eff?!

OK, fine, here's a tiger with a birthday present.