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05 Jun 00:33

Gwyneth Paltrow's pseudoscience

by Jason Kottke
Amber

wtf

It is sad to see Gwyneth Paltrow promoting pseduoscience hucksters like Masaru Emoto in her very popular Goop newsletter. It begins:

I am fascinated by the growing science behind the energy of consciousness and its effects on matter. I have long had Dr. Emoto's coffee table book on how negativity changes the structure of water, how the molecules behave differently depending on the words or music being expressed around it.

And later on in the letter, Dr. Habib Sadeghi continues:

Japanese scientist, Masaru Emoto performed some of the most fascinating experiments on the effect that words have on energy in the 1990's. When frozen, water that's free from all impurities will form beautiful ice crystals that look exactly like snowflakes under a microscope. Water that's polluted, or has additives like fluoride, will freeze without forming crystals. In his experiments, Emoto poured pure water into vials labeled with negative phrases like "I hate you" or "fear." After 24 hours, the water was frozen, and no longer crystallized under the microscope: It yielded gray, misshapen clumps instead of beautiful lace-like crystals. In contrast, Emoto placed labels that said things like "I Love You," or "Peace" on vials of polluted water, and after 24 hours, they produced gleaming, perfectly hexagonal crystals. Emoto's experiments proved that energy generated by positive or negative words can actually change the physical structure of an object.

Riiiight. Paltrow should stick to recipes, fashion, and workouts and leave the science to people who actually understand it lest she wander into Jenny McCarthy territory. There's nothing wrong with asserting that thinking positively will improve your life, but connecting it with quantum physics and the like, without rigorous scientific proof, is dangerous and stupid.

Tags: celebrity   Gwyneth Paltrow   Habib Sadeghi   Masaru Emoto   pseudoscience   science
05 Jun 00:32

"It was like Hazel falling in love with Augustus; slowly and then all at once."

Amber

@Charity. Trust me, I am embarrassed at how much I laughed at this.

“It was like Hazel falling in love with Augustus; slowly and then all at once.”

- My boyfriend talking about his Chipotle poop. (via candidlycara)
04 Jun 12:04

Of Eating Disorders and Food Blogs

by Cakespy
Amber

Love her, love this.

 

ED Blog post illustrations

Today, I'd like to discuss eating disorders. Yup, you heard me. True, this is a topic which is not often discussed on food blogs, it's a subject about which I am extremely passionate.

It's not a secret that I have suffered from various eating disorders in the past. I'm not alone.

According to the National Eating Disorder Association, in the United States, 30 million women and men have suffered from a clinically significant eating disorder at some time in their life. That's reported cases: it's estimated that only 1 in 10 eating disorders is ever reported or treated. 

And this doesn't include eating struggles that don't technically classify as eating disorders. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that in the US, as many as one in every five women struggle with eating or have a clinical eating disorder. 

ED Blog post illustrations

But I am CakeSpy. 

My case is interesting and unlikely in that today, I happen to run, and be best-known for, a blog dedicated to dessert. A history of disordered eating may seem at distinct odds with the fact that I write about, draw, and pretty much live dessert and sweet treats. 

But with a little more explanation, it might not seem all that crazy.

We all deserve dessert.

Whenever I am part of Q+A sessions, at book readings or panels, the most frequently asked question does not involve my work much at all. It is this:

"How do you stay so thin?". Oh, there are variations: they may say "how are you not 300 pounds?" or "you can't eat MUCH of what you bake..." et cetera. 

At moments like this, part of me cringes, thinking of how my website and writing present an all dessert all the time image. With a history of disordered eating, does this mean I've been living a lie? 

Nope. I do enjoy sweets. I adore sweets. I eat something sweet every single day. Sometimes it is something small like a chocolate truffle, sometimes it is something big and fat, like a slice of behemoth crumb cake (one of my all time favorite recipes).

The difference between me and a non disordered person is that after I eat a fat slice of cake, there is a voice that wants to tell me IN ITS OUTDOOR VOICE that I am absolutely not permitted eat for the rest of the day, and maybe tomorrow too, just to be safe. An eating disorder tries to tell me that I don't "deserve" things that other people do.

Following years of personal work and therapy, I have learned to make a concerted effort to supercede these voices with a healthier one that tells me that I am OK, that I deserve to enjoy delicious things.

I strongly believe that the perceived "negative" or "unhealthy" aspect of desserts is far outweighed (pardon the pun) by the benefits they offer to your very soul.

As a result, it has also become part of my goal to ensure readers that they are ok, too. I suffered a lot with eating disorders; I want to do whatever I can to ensure that others do not.

So when I say that you deserve to eat a nice, creamy slice of cake or fat wedge of pie, I mean it--for you and me both. We deserve to enjoy things purely because they are delicious and make us happy. Let me put it like this: you could live without cake. But what kind of joyless life is that?

So when people ask me how I "stay so thin", I am honest. I tell them that I eat a balanced diet, that I do yoga every day and walk almost everywhere (nobody likes these answers, btw, hoping instead that I will tell them I have a medical condition or at least gave up gluten). But I also tell them that I refuse to deny myself sweets. Believe it or not, giving yourself permission to enjoy sweets makes it far less likely that you'll over or under-indulge. Pretty revolutionary, huh?

So when you've made a dessert like cadbury creme eggs benedict or cookie cake pie, it is in no way a good idea to eat the entire thing. But will a small serving kill you? No. In fact, it might just make your day a little sweeter.

ED Blog post illustrations

Why speak up about eating disorders now?

Disordered eating has been on my mind a lot recently, for a few reasons.

One: I have been working on writing what I hope one day could be a memoir of my story--from eating disorder to dessert queen. I'd buy the book, but then I'm biased, am I not?

Two: Recently, I shared on my personal Facebook page that I had done a phone interview about my eating disordered past. This was the update.

The reaction to it stunned me. Not only in terms of "likes" and comments, but also with the behind-the-scenes reactions. I have been contacted by numerous women and men privately, who have shared their own tales, and sympathized with me.

Very importantly: more than one of these private responders was somehow connected to the food industry.

This fact was equal parts heartening ("I'm not the only one!") and horrifying ("we've all been alone together!").

All of the aforementioned things have made me realize that now more than ever, it is important to be open about my story. Why? Eating disorders have a huge shame factor. If I can shed some light on the subject, perhaps it can help erase some of the stigma so that others can begin to emerge from the darkness. 

ED Blog post illustrations

My story, Readers' Digest form.

Some say that people with eating disorders are like loaded guns: they have all of the genes in place to pre-dispose them to disordered eating, but some event needs to "pull the trigger."

For many, including me, this thing is dieting. I started my first diet at age 12, following a comment before my 8th grade dance that I had "thick ankles". Here I am on the day of that dance:

Mardi gras magic

(Thankfully, the offensively thick ankles are out of the shot)

What I heard, of course, was not that my ankles were thick but that my ankles were fat, which quickly grew in my mind to "you are fat".

I can see now that I was a normal girl, not thin and not chubby--just kind of average build. But even an offhand comment during this sensitive time can set off a girl with a predisposition to disordered eating.

ED Blog post illustrations

From fat ankles to eating disorder in five easy steps

  • I began exercising, ostensibly to slim down those fat ankles, and decided to speed things along by dieting. I received many compliments about my new and improved physique.
  • Surprise: I was hungry all the time. I couldn't keep it up. One day I gave in to my hunger and ate more than I ever thought I could in one sitting. 
  • Frightened by how I felt mentally and physically after what I now know was an eating binge, I went on an even stricter diet to compensate for what I was sure was a stand-alone incident.
  • Surprise, again: that started a cycle that graduated to an unhealthy cycle of starving followed by an inevitable binge. I began to make myself vomit, too, a terrible habit which stayed with me for more than ten years.
  • Gradually, I was able to cease the bingeing and purging, but took it too far, into anorexic territory. My weight plummeted, but I still only saw myself as chubby. 

ED Blog post

And then came CakeSpy

When I started CakeSpy, I fell into the category of "sub clinical" or what many adorably call "almost anorexic". This means that I didn't classify clinically, but I still harbored a lot of the disordered thoughts. 

Even before I started the blog, I baked; there's a joke that "nobody bakes like an anorexic". In my experience, this is true. Anorexics love to see others indulge in what they feel they cannot. But I never lost a love of dessert. Even at my lowest weight, I always reserved a few of the calories I did allot myself for sweets. 

One day, finding myself yearning for a life beyond my refrigerator magnet company job, I had a sit-down with myself that went something like this: "well, in an ideal world what would you want to do?". 

There was no hesitation. In my ideal life, I would do something that involved writing, illustration, and baked goods. 

After further self consultation to figure out the perfect name, CakeSpy was born. Since I didn't know exactly how to get something rolling that would include writing, illustration, and baked goods, I decided to start a blog while I figured it all out.

On the day I started my blog, I weighed about the same as your average 11 year old girl. Little did I know, this blog would actually save my life. 

ED Blog post

Healing, with cake

Someone wiser than me once said "keep your friends close, but your enemies closer". I never thought of my blog in that way, but it really was.

At first in my blogging days, I would get scared frequently. Trays of brownies had the potential to panic me, I felt I had to revolve an entire day's meal plan around indulging in a slice of cake. In the beginning, it was only on a very strong day that I was able to eat and enjoy one of my own baked goods without giving myself a major guilt trip afterward. But I kept on doing it.

The more I worked with food, the less scary it became. It would take time to trust food; in the beginning, I was content to at least fear it less.

Food is both the enemy and the savior with an eating disorder. Often, your dealings with it are furtive, secretive.

For me, it it was cathartic to work with food so openly, intimately, and in such a tactile way: to touch it, smell it, be in its presence. To inhale the aroma of butter creaming with sugar. To see cakes rise in the oven. To roll pie dough. To knead bread. Understanding the process of how things were made gave me an appreciation, and little by little, trust grew. 

Of course, it didn't hurt that I was also receiving a lot of professional therapy, too.

I began to experiment with food beyond simply baking at home. I would challenge myself to take part in experiences baking or eating with other people. Sometimes I would feel panicked, but more often than not I would be rewarded by the experience. I found myself capable of doing things like judging baking contests (even if I took the most minute bites you could possibly imagine) and not only sampling, but allowing myself to enjoy, my own baked goods. I found myself capable of doing it with abandon. If other people could do it, I figured, I could too.  

I have gained weight since I started CakeSpy. Not just because I've eaten more sweets (which I have) but because I've learned that I actually need food, not only to live but so that I can be good to the people I love and do the things I want to do: write, do crazy yoga poses, walk for miles while talking with friends, travel, experience, love, and create. 

Speaking of creating, that is the other way in which CakeSpy has helped me heal. It may sound funny to say this, but one of the ways in which the blog helped heal my eating disorder had nothing to do with the food: it had to do with my sense of purpose and accomplishment. It is something I have built by myself, featuring my art: my writing, my illustrations, my creations. I cannot understate the positive effect it has had on my life to know that my work has had an impact on others.

Yes, an eating disorder has to do with food. But for me, recovery isn't merely about trusting food: it's about trusting yourself, and life. 

 

ED Blog post

Am I cured?

Let me say this: I do believe in full recovery for eating disorders. But for me, recovery remains a moving target. Why so?

Because at one point, when I was bulimic, I would have said "cured" was no longer bingeing and purging. Well, I reached that goal, but then I plummeted to an alarmingly low weight and suffered a slew of related health consequences. So, no, that was not really cured. 

At this point, I have not shown clinical signs of eating disordered behavior in years. I can eat a slice of cake like nobody's business. However, I am hesitant to say without a doubt "I am cured!".

Because I still have weak moments. I can still feel panic when someone shoves a cookie in my face and says "try this!" or berate myself for eating too much. I don't always like eating in front of others. I can observe that in times of crisis (real or perceived), I turn to food obsession as a way to set structure in what seems like a crazy, out of control world. 

So with that in mind, instead of stating absolutes such as "cured" or "diseased", I will designate myself as a "work in progress".

ED Blog post

 

THE MORAL:

CakeSpy has helped me in recovering from disordered eating, as backwards as it may seem. It has helped me pave my own way in the world, to believe in myself and my ablities, and to keep growing in a postive way. If I had to share a big takeaway, it would be this:

Your story does not need to be open and shut, black or white. It doesn't have to follow the same story arc as a movie.

Basically, it boils down to this: you have the power to change your story, and I chose to make mine delicious.

If you or someone you know has an eating disorder, or you suspect that eating may have become a problem in your life, I urge you to seek help. Both professional and from your family and friends. Do not make disordered eating your own private island. 

Comments? Questions? I welcome them. Leave a comment here (moderation is enabled, so if it doesn't pop up right away please forgive me), or email me: jessieoleson@gmail.com

03 Jun 21:15

Meme Watch: ‘Star Trek’ Gets Motion Stabilized, To Hilarious Results

by ludditeandroid
Amber

@Brent: That top gif is basically Capt Picard doing Aoife's happy dance, no? =)


While we were talking about the image-stabilized version of Cloverfield, Reddit was applying the same image stabilization talent to a franchise even riper for parody: Star Trek. A new subreddit, r/StarTrekStabilized, came to our attention on Saturday when this GIF shot to the front page:


This stabilizes the camera, so we only see what the actors are doing while the camera tilts and shakes to simulate the ship being hit by something. The results are hilarious, my personal favorite being Uhura in the back seeming to say, “Jump on the floor? In this miniskirt? Hell no, I’m out of here.”

Some of these image-stabilized Star Trek GIFs were compiled in this video called “Turn Down for Spock”, which is fittingly set to “Turn Down for What” by DJ Snake and Lil Jon. If this isn’t the song of the summer, it should at least be the music video of the summer.

Continue on to see our favorite GIFs produced so far by Star Trek Stabilized. Not since we found out Riker sits like a crazy person has something from Star Trek made us giggle this much.








Giggity.


Filed under: GammaSquad, Web Culture Tagged: gifs, IMAGE STABILIZATION, meme watch, MEMES, REDDIT, Star Trek, STAR TREK STABILIZED
03 Jun 20:16

It’s Official: Everyone Is Giving Their Baby A ‘Game Of Thrones’ Name Now

by dguproxx
khaleesi

HBO


The Social Security Administration released its annual report on baby names today. In addition to finding out that there are people who actually named human children Charger, Hatch, Kaptain, Kyndle, Jceion, Nyx, Pistol, Rydder, Subaru, Tuf, and Xzaiden, we also learned this: Everyone is giving their baby a Game of Thrones name now. A breakdown:

  • Arya – 1135
  • Khaleesi – 241
  • Daenerys – 67
  • Theon – 15
  • Brienne – 8
  • Robb – 5
  • Hodor – 0 (dammit)

These figures represent significant increases from last year, when Arya was the fastest-rising girls’ name and 146 people named their baby Khaleesi. That’s fine. Arya is a very pretty name, and if you want to name your daughter after a dragon-possessing warrior queen, don’t let me stop you, especially if it means you’re not going with your second choice, Jxmavenlily. What I want to know is WHO THE F*CK IS NAMING THEIR BABY “THEON’? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? WHYYYYYYY? THEON IS A WHINY WEASEL WHO FINGERED HIS SISTER ON A HORSE AND THEN GOT HIS WIENER CHOPPED OFF. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. THAT’S WHO YOU WANT TO NAME YOUR BABY AFTER? WHAT DID THAT BABY EVER DO TO YOU? IT HAS TO GO TO SCHOOL EVENTUALLY. WITH TEENAGERS. DON’T NAME YOUR BABY THEON. I CAN’T BELIEVE WE EVEN HAVE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. JESUS.

Source: EW/io9


Filed under: TV Tagged: baby names, game of thrones, HBO
03 Jun 20:01

New Study: Cat People Are Smarter Than Dog People

by staceyuproxx
Amber

Well, duh. Any self-satisfied cat lover (like me!) could have told you that.

88689059

Getty Image


A new study has found that cat people are apparently smarter than dog people, according to a survey of 600 college students — which I feel like would kind of negate the results because college students are the dumbest of all people to begin with. Anyway, the study found that while dog people tend to be energetic and outgoing, and more likely to closely follow rules, cat people are more introverted, open-minded and sensitive. From LiveScience:

Part of the reason for the personality differences may be related to the types of environments cat or dog people prefer, said study researcher Denise Guastello, an associate professor of psychology at Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin, who presented the findings here at the annual Association for Psychological Science meeting.

“It makes sense that a dog person is going to be more lively, because they’re going to want to be out there, outside, talking to people, bringing their dog,” Guastello said. “Whereas, if you’re more introverted, and sensitive, maybe you’re more at home reading a book, and your cat doesn’t need to go outside for a walk.”

I tend to be both a cat and dog person, and I’m a mix of both of these traits — so I guess maybe there could be something to it? But personally, I don’t think the results are complete until we see how smart people are who just like watching dumb cat videos on the internet.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go watch the “I’m a Stupid Cat” music video for like the five hundredth time.


Filed under: Upcoming, Web Culture Tagged: CAT PEOPLE, Cats, dog people, Dogs, science
03 Jun 18:50

In Which Amy Poehler Tells An Amazing Story About Jon Hamm

by dguproxx
15th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards With Presenting Sponsor Lacoste - Backstage & Audience

Getty Image


Amy Poehler appeared at BookCon this weekend to discuss her upcoming book Yes, Please. She revealed some chapter titles (Ex: “Don’t Worry, I Don’t Want to F*ck Your Husband”), and confirmed that, yes, the book will cover her divorce in some capacity. But most importantly, she told a really great story about Jon Hamm. You see, Jon Hamm was hosting Saturday Night Live, and Amy Poehler was pregnant. Super pregnant. And disaster struck.

Take it away, Amy.

Jon Hamm was hosting Saturday Night Live, his first time, and I was just getting to know him, and we were doing a sketch, a Mad Men sketch, I was dressed in an old-timey way, in a big dress, and I was huge. And I had, my plan was that I was gonna do the Jon Hamm show and I was due the next day. And it was an example of the beginning of what children do to you, which is they f*ck up all your plans. So I remember saying to my doctor, Dr. G, ‘I’m gonna do the show and I’ll come in Sunday, and maybe we’ll do it Sunday/Monday.’

I did the sketch, I was shooting with Hamm on Friday, and I called my doctor ’cause at the end there you kind of have to call in every day, and the receptionist was crying. I said, ‘What’s wrong?’ and she said, ‘Oh, he passed away last night.’

I was due the next day. So it’s my first kid, I’m in a Mad Men outfit, I turn to everybody and I hysterically start crying, and a really pregnant woman crying is terrifying. So, juicy tears just like squirting out of my eyes. And it was like the punch line to a joke, it’s like, my doctor just died and I’m due tomorrow. And Jon Hamm, who I am just getting to know, comes over and puts his hands on my shoulder and is like, ‘This is a really important show for me. I’m gonna need you to get your sh*t together.’ And I laughed so hard, I probably peed myself – I believe that going through crying to laughing adds like five years to your life.

HAMM!

Please be advised: This is now the second greatest story about Jon Hamm. Nothing will ever top the one about him and Paul Rudd playing Trivial Pursuit as teenagers, with both of them trying to win the heart of a young woman who would go on to play Nina Myers on 24. And I don’t mean “no other Jon Hamm story will top that,” either. I mean nothing.

Source: Vulture


Filed under: TV Tagged: AMY POEHLER, JON HAMM, saturday night live
03 Jun 12:48

How to Make Super Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

by Marissa Sertich Velie
Amber

@Brent. Timely!

[Photographs: above, Robyn Lee; others, Marissa Sertich Velie]

When I was twenty years old, a friend and I took a trip (read: pilgrimage) to Chelsea, Michigan. What's in Chelsea, you ask? The home of Jiffy flour mixes, of course. The factory wasn't conducting tours that day (I never said it was a well planned pilgrimage), but I didn't care. I simply stood in front of the building and beamed, extremely excited to be in close proximity to the home of delicious biscuit mix.

What can I say? I'm obsessed with biscuits, from all varieties of box mixes to the devotedly homemade. Tender drop biscuits, quick and easy cream biscuits, and super-flaky buttermilk biscuits—I like them all. What other baked good transitions so gracefully from savory to sweet? They're the perfect tool for sopping up sausage gravy, creating a classic dessert out of simple strawberries and cream, and transforming a mere breakfast sandwich into something marvelous.

The humble yet mighty biscuit is an American quick bread that uses baking powder, steam, and minimal mixing to create a moist, rich product. Although the biscuit's name comes from the French word meaning "twice cooked" (similar to the Italian biscotti), it's not to be confused with French and British "biscuits" that refer to mere cookies.

There are several different ways to make biscuits, but today we're going to explore the world of the buttermilk biscuits. Similar to the technique used for scones and pie dough, solid, cold fat is "cut" into flour. Basically, this means that bits of cold fat are coated in the flour before the liquid is added and the dough is worked just enough for the ingredients to come together. This cut-in, or rub-in, method creates peelable, buttery layers.

Like with any recipe development, it's important to understand what individual ingredients do to the final product. Let's take a look.

Ingredient Role-Call

Butter/Fat

05282014_biscuits_flakylayers.JPG

Fat has several roles in biscuit making. First of all, fat tenderizes. As fat melts with the heat of the oven, it coats gluten strands and starches in the flour and prevents them from becoming too tough. Fats with lower melting points tenderize more than those with higher melting points. Therefore butter is a more effective tenderizer than, say, shortening. Fat is also the key to creating a biscuit's characteristic peelable layers. Solid layers of fat alternating with dough creates flaky layers when the product is baked.

Although many different types of fat make good biscuits, it's important to consider their relative water contents. Fats low in moisture, like shortening, will create more distinct layers, but butter (containing about 15% water) is useful in producing additional steam, which assists in pushing apart the dough layers. Last, but certainly not least, fat contributes flavor, which is why I prefer butter over shortening. (Lard, on the other hand, imparts a distinct "meaty" flavor that could be extremely desirable if you were making the biscuits for, say, a barbecue. For this purpose of this recipe, let's stick with butter.)

Baking Powder

We're all familiar with and have used baking powder, but what exactly is it and how does it work? Baking powders contain three ingredients: baking soda, dried starch, and acid salts such as cream of tartar. When exposed to moisture and heat, the acid in the baking powder reacts with the baking soda to create carbon dioxide. The released gas causes the dough to expand and also tenderizes the final product. (Read more about the difference between baking powder and baking soda and the science behind how they work here.)

Buttermilk

Buttermilk was originally made as the byproduct of cultured butter production; it's the tangy liquid that remained after the cream was churned. These days, buttermilk is created by adding lactic acid bacteria to milk to create that distinctive tangy flavor and creamy texture (similar to yogurt, the bacteria react with the milk proteins, thickening the liquid).

Buttermilk does a couple things in the biscuit-making process. It adds flavor and its acidity assists in leavening. During my investigations, I tested out a biscuit recipe using 100% buttermilk (rather than part buttermilk, part heavy cream). Although the final result was extremely flaky and rose more than the other, fattier version, it lacked tenderness. Buttermilk has very little fat, so I found that replacing a quarter of the weight of buttermilk with heavy cream kept the biscuit flaky while producing a softer crumb.

If you don't have buttermilk, add a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of whole milk to create "sour milk." It won't be as thick as cultured buttermilk, but in a pinch, it will still provide the necessary tenderness and acidity.

Flour

When flour is mixed with water, gluten is formed, giving biscuits the necessary structure to expand and preventing them from collapsing after they've cooled. Yet too much gluten formation results in biscuits that are tough and chewy. To prevent an overly tough texture, avoid over-mixing the dough. Lower protein flours are also helpful when you want to avoid too much gluten formation. For this recipe I've used all-purpose flour because it's easy to find and doesn't contain too much gluten. But if you can find them, try using Southern biscuit flours, like White Lily or Adluh biscuit flour. They're typically soft wheat flours with very little protein.

To Egg or Not To Egg

There are a lot of biscuit recipes out there that don't include eggs. I've found that although eggs aren't critical, they do improve volume and contribute to a richer flavor. Eggs' natural leavening effect teams up with the baking powder to create extra fluffiness. The extra fat from the yolk is helpful because it helps tenderize the biscuit. Especially in flaky biscuits where the butter is minimally blended into the final dough, extra fat ensures that the layers are tender as well as flaky. Biscuits made with eggs will also be more golden in color because the protein contributes to Maillard reactions.

Buttermilk Biscuit, Step By Step

Step 1: Prepare the Butter

Using a knife or bench knife, cut your butter into marble-sized pieces. Store the cut butter in the refrigerator until you're ready to combine it with the other ingredients. Doing this step first ensures that the butter remains solid and cold when you begin the mixing process.

Step 2: Mix Wet Ingredients

In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, cream, and egg. The wet mixture can also be reserved in the fridge, providing double insurance that the final dough stays cold. These precautions help prevent the butter from melting or becoming overly blended, which in turn creates lots of flaky layers.

Step 3: Mix Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Whisk the dry ingredients thoroughly to ensure that the baking powder and salt are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Step 4: Cut In Your Butter

Toss the butter into the flour mixture, making sure that each piece of fat is fully coated. Work quickly (don't let the butter melt!), rubbing the butter between your fingers, maintaining large enough pieces that they are clearly visible. If it's particularly warm, or you've got hot hands, this step can also be done in a food processor. With the food processor, 2-3 quick pulses should do it!

Step 5: Mix the Dough

Add your wet ingredients and gently (yet swiftly!) mix with a fork until they're just combined. It should still look somewhat dry and shaggy. Cover and let the dough rest in the refrigerator for a half-hour.

Step 6: Lamination Time!

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. To create a cohesive dough, press and fold it with your fingers, rather than squeezing or kneading it. This controls gluten formation, which can make your biscuits tough rather than light and fluffy. Through this pressing and folding process, create a flat rectangle. At this point, divide the dough visually into thirds. Fold one of the outer thirds of the dough over the middle third, then the other outer third over the folded dough. (Think of a three-fold brochure.) Repeat this process one more time, rolling the final dough to about a half-inch thickness and use your fingers to feel the thickness of the dough for evenness. Allow the rolled out dough to relax in the refrigerator for about ten minutes.

Step 6: Cutting

Using a round cookie-cutter, cut out your biscuits. Cut them as close together as possible to avoid producing too many scraps. Remember that excess dough will have to be rolled out again and the more the dough is worked the tougher the dough becomes.

Step 6: Baking

Brush the top of each biscuit with egg wash. Egg wash gives the biscuits an attractive sheen, but also seals in moisture after they're baked. Avoid brushing the sides of the biscuits, as this seals the biscuits' layers together. Last but not least, the biscuits are baked at 400°F, until light brown.

Biscuit Making Tips

  • Control gluten formation: Gluten makes things chewy, rather than tender. So in the world of biscuits, we want to avoid it. To control gluten, I barely stir after the liquids are added. Using a fork rather than a spoon can help minimize mixing. The dough will look slightly shaggy and unfinished but don't worry—lamination will create a more cohesive, finished dough. Also, allow time for water absorption by chilling the biscuit dough before rolling it out.
  • Keep your butter and liquids cold: Mixing biscuit dough by hand helps control the size of the butter pieces and reduces the risk of over-mixing. If you're working in a very warm environment or have hot hands, consider using a food processor to cut-in the butter. Again, be careful not to over-mix. It will only take a few quick pulses to incorporate the butter.
  • Avoid twisting your cookie-cutters When cutting out biscuits, press straight down with the cookie cutter, rather than twisting. Twisting and dragging smears the layers of dough and butter, ruining the layers and creating uneven rise in the oven.
  • Only re-roll biscuit scraps once: Cut out biscuits as close together as possible to avoid a lot of scraps. Excess dough will have to be rolled out again and the more the dough is worked the tougher the dough becomes. Consider baking twice-rolled scraps in a loaf with layers of jam or streusel topping for a variation on monkey bread.
Get the Recipe!
03 Jun 00:45

John Oliver Took On Net Neutrality Last Night And We’re All The Better For It

by Kris Maske
Amber

This show has seriously been KILLING.IT.

In what has become a most excellent weekly tradition, John Oliver tackled another massive news item with side-splitting comedy and refreshing straightforwardness in a sprawling segment that pretty much tells you everything you need to know about the subject. ALL under the guise of the best late night entertainment going. Last night the convoluted subject of Net Neutrality got the treatment by way of crapping on boring Canadian kids show, pleading to internet trolls, translating the bullsh*t out of Comcast and Time Warner’s corporate speak, and photoshopping John Oliver into a top hot and Monopoly car.

Bottom line: Watch this immediately to become smarter and better at cocktail parties all while laughing (the too long real name for Last Week Tonight).


Filed under: Technology, TV, Web Culture Tagged: COMCAST, JOHN OLIVER, LAST WEEK TONIGHT, NET NEUTRALITY, NETFLIX, time warner
02 Jun 15:25

hParks and Emojis (x) We ♥ this!

Amber

These are perfect and kind of hilarious!



















hParks and Emojis (x)

We ♥ this!

31 May 16:22

Maya Angelou: 1957

by Dave
        Maya Angelou, Lyrical Witness of the Jim Crow South, Dies at 86
New York, 1957. "Maya Angelou, full length portrait, dressed for her part in the Caribbean Calypso Festival." New York World-Telegram and the Sun Newspaper Photograph Collection, Library of Congress. View full size.
30 May 21:01

Landing her first 540

by Jason Kottke
Amber

pretty bad ass 9-year-old!

Nine-year old Sabre Norris started skating three years ago because she couldn't have a bike. Here she lands her first 540 after 74 straight failed attempts.

My favorite trick is a 540. I watched Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins do it on the internet, and I just had to do it. That was my 75th attempt of the day. Every time I tried one and didn't land it I put a rock on the table. It ended up being my 75th rock. I was frothing. I did some 720s too. Not proper. I called it 540 to revert to splat. I didn't cry though. My goal is to do 100 of them before this Saturday. I'm up to 75. I still can't ride a bike, but I can do a 540.

See also a nine-year-old's first big ski jump. (via @torrez)

Tags: Sabre Norris   skateboarding   sports   video
30 May 10:46

As if this isn't hard enough

Amber

This story is so upsetting

As if this isn't hard enough:

neil-gaiman:

zoekeating:

On May 13 an MRI found 20 tumors in my husbands brain. On May 15 he could barely breathe and was in a lot of pain. A CT scan that day revealed he had a softball-sized tumor in his lung, tumors in his other lung, his liver and possibly his bones. On our way home from the imaging center our primary…

Dear god.

30 May 02:00

deystreetbooks: We’re thrilled to finally reveal the cover and...

Amber

aaaaaaaaaaand preordered!



deystreetbooks:

We’re thrilled to finally reveal the cover and title of Amy Poehler’s forthcoming book - Yes Please is on sale 10/28/14.

Pre-order your copy now: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBookstore | Indiebound | Books-a-Million

Watch the cover reveal on Today!

WE ARE SO EXCITED FOR THIS!!

28 May 15:13

Here’s Possibly The Most Depraved Thing You Will Ever Read In Your Entire Life

by Dustin Rowles
Amber

bc how could I not share something like this?


You know how some people will take a whiff of something rank, and say, “Come here, you HAVE to smell this. It smells awful” and you’re like, WTF? Why would I want to smell that? You’ve already told me that it smells disgusting. Is it necessary that I also experience it?

What I’m about to share with you is the written equivalent of that.

See, it started this yesterday morning when we found out from Nic Pizzolatto that the second season of True Detective was going to have three leads, take place in California, and “capture a certain psychosphere ambience of” those lesser-known cities. So, what does a guy that likes to make guesses about these sorts of things do? I began to explore some possibilities. Pizzolatto drew from certain inspirations in Louisiana when he created the first season, so I wondered if I could figure out what kinds of inspirations he might draw from in season two.

I didn’t have a lot to go on, obviously, but when Pizzolato said it would explore “psychosphere ambience,” I got a 1970s vibe. So, I looked serial killers (because of season one) in California (but not Los Angeles) and in the 1970s. That’s when I discovered that Santa Cruz, California experienced a rash of murders in the 1970s that were all traced back to three serial killers: Herbert Mullin, John Linley Frazier, and Edmund Kemper, and these Santa Cruz killings are relatively unexplored in pop culture.

So, I looked up Edmund Kemper, and that’s when I read about the most horrifying murder I’ve ever read about in my entire life, one so heinous that it’s no wonder there’s never been a mainstream Hollywood movie made about Kemper (there is a low-budget horror film about him called The Co-Ed Killer).

Here’s the key paragraph from Wikipedia, and I must warn you that this image may be impossible to repress. Therapy sessions may be necessary:

On Good Friday April 20, 1973, while waiting for his mother to come home from a party Kemper fell asleep and was awakened by her coming home. While his mother was sitting in bed reading a paperback book she noticed Kemper enter her room and said, “I suppose you’re going to want to sit up all night and talk now.” Kemper replied, “No, good night,” before beating her to death with a claw hammer. He then decapitated her and used her severed head for oral sex before using it as a dart board. He also cut out her vocal cords and put them in the garbage disposal. The garbage disposal could not break down the tough vocal cord tissue and ejected the tissue back into the sink. “That seemed appropriate as much as she’d bitched and screamed and yelled at me over so many years” he later said after his arrest. He then invited his mother’s best friend, 59-year-old Sally Hallett, over to the house. Upon her arrival to the house, he strangled her to death. Kemper then left the scene of his final crimes.

Are you f**cking kidding me? Jesus Christ. I mean, it’s one thing to cut off someone’s head and use it to fellate yourself, but to CUT OFF YOUR MOTHER’S HEAD AND BLOW YOURSELF WITH IT? What kind of f**ked-up monster could do that?

Anyway, Kemper’s story is a fascinating (and morbid) one. He had an IQ of 145, and when he was 15, he killed his grandparents basically because he wanted to know what it felt like to kill someone. He was caught, and institutionalized, but he was released after only a few years against the advice of some of his doctors. He would then go on to kill and dismember six female hitchhikers before killing his mother and her best friend.

How was he caught? He called the police and turned himself in (although, police didn’t initially take his confession seriously). He’s currently serving life in the California Medical Facility, and hopefully serving as a cautionary tale about the dangers of releasing insane murderers back into the general population before they are fully reformed.

Anyway, I now know what I DON’T want Nic Pizzolatto to draw inspiration from.


Filed under: TV Tagged: EDMUND KEMPER, SERIAL KILLERS, TRUE DETECTIVE
28 May 12:24

Hersh's Chef Josh Hershkovitz's Guide to Eating Well in Baltimore

by Maggie Hoffman
Amber

to-do list!

Chef Josh Hershkovitz shares his favorite places to eat in Baltimore, Maryland. [Click for Google map]

Chef Josh Hershkovitz makes awesome pizza (among other things, including breads, cheeses, fresh pasta, and sausages) in Baltimore at Hersh's, which he owns with his sister, Stephanie. They grew up in the suburbs of Baltimore and Hershkovitz now lives in Baltimore's Lake Walker neighborhood.

"I know it's a cliché," he says, "but I love that Baltimore is a bit of South in the North and North in the South. I'll sum it up by saying we get lots of snow here, yet when you say hello to somebody on the street, they acknowledge you and say hello back, instead of just looking straight ahead or down at their shoes."

Josh Hershkovitz chef baltimore

I asked Hershkovitz to give us the scoop on the current Baltimore eating scene. "While we sometimes follow other cities," he notes, "We certainly pick up on trends here and get after them with vigor. Right now, there is a move toward smaller, less formal (usually without liquor licenses) joints that are just killing it with their food. Baltimore used to be of the mind that serious and casual could not coexist in a restaurant, but that is changing."

Where are the best places to eat in Baltimore now? Here's what the Hersh's chef had to say...

20140522nickscrabsbalt.jpg

[Photo: Nick's Fish House]

Where do you go for a crab feast?

Nick's Fish House in South Baltimore is my go to spot for crabs. Nick's has a patio right on the water and there is no reason to sit anywhere else. We always start with the crab pretzel (just a soft pretzel with crab imperial and cheese baked on, but it always hits the spot).

Where do you go for pit beef? Who does it right?

I know I'm going to make enemies here—Baltimore folks feel strongly about their pit beef. I stuff my face at Chaps (Charcoal Restaurant), on Pulaski Highway. I usually am not one to be wowed by quantity of meat, but at Chaps, they pile it on and it is tasty. The beef is smoky and just barely cooked. Even the lowly turkey is done right here, coming out both smoky and moist at the same time.

20140522dipasquales.jpg

DiPasquale's [Photo: Frank Strovel III on Flickr.]

Where's your favorite deli?

With the great number of Hebrew brethren in the Baltimore area, you'd think there would be some temple to Eastern European/Jewish deli food that I grew up savoring. Unfortunately, nobody has really thrown down the schmaltz gauntlet in these parts. The best deli is run by my paisanos at DiPasquale's in Highlandtown. Their Old World Italian sub is outta sight. The muffaletta spread and homemade rolls really punctuate the skillfully sliced cured Italian meats. The spicy Italian tuna sandwich is also quite nice. This is also the place to go for authentic Italian grocery, meats, and cheeses.

Where's the best spot for breakfast or brunch in Baltimore?

Without a doubt, my favorite place to eat breakfast is the Baltimore Farmer's Market under I-83. We always go as early as we can, when the day is full of potential. There are just so many fantastic things to eat. Blacksauce makes delicious biscuits and the fillings, often smoked, do them justice. The spicy honey fried chicken as well as the smoked apples and aged cheddar biscuits are among my favorites.

Next we grab a chorizo burrito from Carambas Mexican Food. It is spicy, salty, meaty and just everything you want to eat for breakfast.

We almost always finish with the oyster mushroom fritters at The Mushroom Stand. They are topped with feta cheese, hot sauce and basil. The batter is just heavy enough to get crispy but not mask the delicious mushroom taste. There is so much good about this market and eating breakfast there just makes for such a great Sunday.

burger at hamilton tavern baltimore

Burger at Hamilton Tavern [Photo: Kara Glinnen]

Where's the best burger in Baltimore?

Baltimore has actually had a burger revolution in the past few years. It took a long time to crawl out of the 1980s, when burgers were like bangs and shoulder pads: the biggest was considered the best. Baltimore's burgers then entered their political phase, wherein burger places didn't actually make quality burgers, but offered you so many different toppings and condiments that you felt secure because the patties were surrounded by so many good friends. Now we are in Baltimore's Burger Golden Days! There is great beef being produced right here in Maryland, and the best burgers take full advantage of this.

I am going to have to call a tie on this one. Johnny's and Hamilton Tavern both use Roseda Farm dry aged, grass fed Angus beef in their burgers. The star here is Roseda Farm. This meat arrives smelling like butter. Both Johnny's and Hamilton Tavern get out of the way and let the meat do the talking. Effing delicious!!

Where's your favorite pizza, other than Hersh's?

When I need a pizza fix and don't want to think about work, we head over to Pizza Johns in Essex. They have been open since 1966 and they are always packed. They turn out a large, floppy New York-inspired pie. Their cheese pie is sweet and salty and cheesy and everything the word pizza brings to mind when you are craving it. While it's a mom and pop place that makes its dough in house (so many don't, believe me), it runs so efficiently and is always so clean that it feels as though its a larger corporate affair. I love the white paper hats the runners wear. Also, and this is HUGE, they have crinkle cut fries. You could go just for those perfectly fried, mouth geometry marvels and be perfectly happy.

20140502happyspoonpabu.jpg

The Happy Spoon at PABU [Photo: PABU Izakaya]

What's your favorite date-night spot?

My wife and I love going out to PABU in the 4 Seasons Hotel. The restaurant looks great and the food impresses every time. Everything tastes super fresh and there are so many different types of things to eat. We definitely eat and drink ourselves silly. I know everybody says this, but its true, the Happy Spoon [made with oyster, uni, ikura, tobiko, ponzu crème fraîche] is superb, what a way to start a meal. The fish is also more skillfully sliced than at your neighborhood sushi spot. Chef Jonah Kim really walks the line between bringing Baltimore authentic Japanese food it is not used to and creative sushi items that bring folks back to their reference points.

Where's the best Mexican food in Baltimore?

Tortilleria Sinaloa in Fells Point is such a unique and delicious joint. They (as the name suggests) make their own tortilla (which you can buy fresh and warm by the kilo) and ridiculous tortilla chips. You can also buy taco fillings, tacos and tamales there which you can take to go or scarf down at the few seats they have. I am partial to the beef tongue and any egg dishes they do for breakfast. Yeah, I said it, Mexican breakfast. Outta sight, my man!

Where do you go for Chinese food?

You have to step outside the city for great Chinese food. Baltimore has yet to have a wave of authentic Asian joints wash over it. Grace Garden out by Fort Meade is unlike any Chinese food you've had before, if you've just been eating in Baltimore. The husband and wife team serve mostly Cantonese and Sichuan dishes. The Fish Noodles are ethereal. The chef pipes a ground fish mixture into hot broth, thus the noodles are actually made of fish. Paired with Chinese sausage, mushrooms and cilantro, this dish is ridiculously delicious. The crispy eggplant is also fantastic.

Charleston Restaurant in Baltimore

Charleston. [Photo: Erik Kvalsvik]

What's your favorite old-school Baltimore restaurant and why?

Does old school mean restaurants that have been around for more than 30 years? Well, my favorite hasn't been around quite that long, but I'll take Charleston any day of the week (though my wallet might disagree). Cindy Wolf has been turning out the best food in town long before Harbor East was Harbor East, 17 years to be precise. If it's spring, eat the soft shell crabs. If it's any time of the year, eat the foie gras.

Their excitement for food is evident in the attention to detail. Chef Wolf knows quality ingredients and how to squeeze the height of deliciousness out of them. This is Baltimore dining at its best, for nearly two decades now. (Full Disclosure: Charleston was the first kitchen I cooked in, thus they have an extra special place in my heart.)

What new restaurants are you most excited about?

I am very excited to go check out Puerto 511. While I have not eaten there, the menu looks ridiculous, I hear fantastic tales. Based on what it hears, my mouth is excited to eat at Bottega. These are both smaller, BYO restaurants serving great meals despite the city's best efforts to prevent organic growth. There are also several new ramen places opening up and Baltimore is certainly hurting for good noodles.

Also, an I swear this is all, I am very excited for the redesigned Belvedere Square. I hope it is like Chelsea Market.

Where do you go for a beer?

I am a beer snob, as the me-curated list at Hersh's will attest, so when I want to grab a pint of something new, I head over to Alewife. They have 40 beers on tap and, with a list that large, they are always changing. The vibe is also much more my style than other big beer bars in town. It is also very close to the various stadiums in town and well worth a visit before or after a game as a respite from the life-negating, overpriced beers at the stadium. I also like Brewer's Art a lot, as they've been making and serving their own delicious beers since before anybody knew what a brewpub was.

Where do you go late-night, after work?

Anybody who has worked in a kitchen know just how famished you are at the end of a crazy night. Baltimore definitely has a small selection of places where you'll find booze and decent food in the middle of the night. I'm exhausted, starving and need beers and shots...Korean BBQ, of course. For some reason, every Korean spot in town is open until the wee hours. You get grilled meat, spicy pickled veggies, and a great seafood pancake if you are lucky. Jong Kak, Nam Kang, and Honey Pig (when you feel like heading out to the burbs) definitely get me what I need late at night. Give me bulgogi, dolsot bibimbap and that seafood pancake any day.

27 May 21:33

Stop Everything And Watch This Fantastic Video Of A Cat Playing Jenga

by staceyuproxx
Amber

This cat is better at Jenga than I am

It’s the first day back at work after a holiday weekend and most people are probably in sluggish states of overindulgence and hangover — so what better time to watch a CAT PLAYING JENGA. Between this and Tara the herocat, this month has not just been a stellar month for the internet, but for catkind in general.

This is what my cat is doing right now. Do you think she could actively participate in a game of Jenga? F*ck no!

lucy

Uproxx


Pathetic. Step it up, kitties. With your peers out there saving lives and playing Jenga, you’re going to need to do more than disgustingly shed all over furniture to earn your keep.


Filed under: Upcoming, Web Culture Tagged: Cats, JENGA
27 May 13:31

smartgirlsattheparty: yungsunshine: #YesAllWomen ICYMI: This...





















smartgirlsattheparty:

yungsunshine:

#YesAllWomen

ICYMI: This hashtag is in response to the common statement that “Not All Men ________ (fill-in-the-blank) when conversations about misogyny happen.

27 May 12:01

SPOTTED ON SHELVES – 5/26/2014

by The Impulsive Buy
Amber

No, seriously. Princess Goldfish Crackers are EVERYTHING THAT IS WRONG WITH AMERICA.

Here are some interesting new and limited edition products found on store shelves by us and your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of the products, share your thoughts about them in the comments.

Goldfish Princess

Princess Goldfish crackers! Never mind marrying a royal. All it takes to be a Princess Goldfish is red food coloring! (Spotted by Richard at Target.)

Yoplait with Hershey's Milk Chocolate

This give me a great idea. Let’s get rid of the healthy creamy yogurt and replace it with creamy peanut butter. (Spotted by Ryan at Walmart.)

SunnyD Chillers

Wait a minute. Those jugs of SunnyD Chillers are a dollar each. They are as cheap as bottled water. There is something wrong with that. (Spotted by Dubba at Walmart.)

Post Limited Edition Pebbles Summer Berry Flavor

Bam Bam and Pebbles, children of the Stone Age, celebrating the the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. (Spotted by Kyle at Stop & Shop.)

Thank you to all the photo contributors! If you’re out shopping and see an interesting new or limited edition product on the shelf, snap a picture of it, and send us an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found it and “Spotted” in the subject line. Or reply to us (@theimpulsivebuy) on Twitter with the photo and the hashtag #spotted. If you do so, you might see your picture in our next Spotted on Shelves post.

Copyright The Impulsive Buy 2004-2014

27 May 11:27

To You Internet Misogynists

Amber

"The fact that straight white men have taken these words to rally around calcifying the bigotry that’s slipping from their fingers is truly disgusting, and now it’s more clear that it has fucking consequences."

To You Internet Misogynists:

Perfect.

yoisthisracist:

First of all, fuck you. It’s always been like, you know, an irritating thing that you’d attempted to co-opt the language of feminism and other civil rights struggles to cloak your sexist ideas in bullshit like “Men’s Rights” and calling this sexist garbage “activism.” And for a long time, I think…

24 May 22:52

A ‘Wet Hot American Summer’ TV Series Might Be Coming To Netflix

by dguproxx
Amber

OH.MY.GOD.

burger

OKAY NOBODY FREAK OUT BUT ACCORDING TO VARIETY NETFLIX IS IN TALKS TO PRODUCE A WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER PREQUEL SERIES THAT WILL STAR AND BE PRODUCED BY THE ORIGINAL TEAM BEHIND THE 2001 CULT CLASSIC.

AND IT GETS BETTER.

Executive produced by the movie’s creators, David Wain and Michael Showalter, the serialized “Hot” would seek to reunite many of the original cast members who would play high-school-age characters despite the fact many of the actors are currently in their 40s.

While it might seem a tall order to reunite the original cast, the plan is to make it happen by having each of the actors shoot their scenes in just a few days because not every character will appear in every episode.

As a reminder, that cast and crew of 40 year olds, many of whom would be portraying teenagers, includes these people, whose names may ring a bell here in 2014:

  • Paul Rudd
  • Bradley Cooper
  • Amy Poeher
  • Elizabeth Banks
  • Ken Marino
  • Molly Shannon
  • Christopher Meloni
  • Janeane Garofalo
  • David Hyde Pierce
  • Michael Ian Black
  • Joe Lo Truglio
  • Michael Showalter
  • David Wain

Yes, please.


Filed under: TV Tagged: NETFLIX, WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER
24 May 22:48

Watch Seth Rogen And Snoop Dogg Get Stoned And Recap ‘Game Of Thrones’

by Josh Kurp
Amber

ummmmmmmmm please make this a weekly occurrence.

seth snoop of thrones

YOUTUBE


The second “Seth Rogen & Snoop Recap Game of Thrones” was uploaded to the Internet, AMC should have called Chris Hardwick and told him his services were no longer needed. Talking Dead ain’t got nothing on a stoned Snoop Dogg/Lion (Does Not Concern Himself with the Opinions of the Sheep)’s Littlefinger impression and thoughts on the d*ck-less black dudes in the Unsullied.

Also, this should be on the bottom scroll of every channel, 24/7:

theon rogen

Two seasons of plot, sufficiently recapped in a single sentence.


Filed under: TV Tagged: game of thrones, SETH ROGEN, snoop dogg
24 May 22:23

A woman’s place is in the revolution.

Amber

so cute!



A woman’s place is in the revolution.

24 May 22:07

10-year-old boy deliver the most emotional and heart-punching eulogy of all time

Amber

*sniff*

If you’re having a good morning, you might want to skip this video. If you’re in the mood for a solid cry, go ahead and watch.

I’m in awe of this kid. Awe.

Watch the video here.

23 May 23:48

Pitcher Drinks: Sparkling Grapefruit Sangria With Lillet Rosé

by Elana Lepkowski
Amber

Yum!

2014513-lilletgrapefruitsangria-cocktailmain.jpg

Photographs: Elana Lepkowski

When the temperature starts to inch up, there is little chance you'll find me inside, working at my bar mixing drinks one by one. When it gets hotter than an oven, I muster my strength and pull together a pitcher of something that will serve a crowd (or serve me over and over again) without having to get up from in front of the fan. And if I'm hosting a group, I'm looking for something that I can mix together the night before anyone arrives, when it's dark and the kitchen has cooled down a little, and nobody is strict about requiring pants.

The slightly floral, bitter flavor of grapefruit is put to good use in this cocktail, which gets a boost from Lillet Rosé. The fortified French aperitif wine is slightly sweet and tastes strongly of, you guessed it, grapefruit. (There's a little quinine in the mix to balance things out.) If you're really into that refreshing zest that grapefruit provides, this drink has your name all over it. Added bonus: by using Lillet Rosé in the base instead of, say, brandy, you're mixing a lower-alcohol drink that'll you keep refreshed during a heatwave...and not as likely to do something dumb, like fall asleep in the sun.

2014513-lilletgrapefruitsangria-ingredientshot.jpg

To add some depth to the base, you'll add in fresh muddled mint, one of grapefruit's best friends. It's handy to mix the base the night before, but if you don't have time, just make sure it rests in the refrigerator at least a few hours, so that the mint and grapefruit oils can permeate the sangria base. Don't let it sit more than two days, though, or the taste will become muted and not all that pleasant to drink.

When you're ready to serve, top off the pitcher with chilled dry Cava to up the refreshment factor. You'll be grateful for your pre-planning: just pour out the pitcher and you and your guests can laze about under the sun. Pants optional.

Get the Recipe!
23 May 21:41

Hachette job: Amazon Unprime

by Jason Kottke
Amber

Grrrrrr, not cool, Amazon.

Internet mega-retailer Amazon is trying, mob-style, to pressure Hachette for better terms on ebooks by disappearing the publisher's book from amazon.com.

The retailer began refusing orders late Thursday for coming Hachette books, including J.K. Rowling's new novel. The paperback edition of Brad Stone's "The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon" -- a book Amazon disliked so much it denounced it -- is suddenly listed as "unavailable."

In some cases, even the pages promoting the books have disappeared. Anne Rivers Siddons's new novel, "The Girls of August," coming in July, no longer has a page for the physical book or even the Kindle edition. Only the audio edition is still being sold (for more than $60). Otherwise it is as if it did not exist.

No question about it: this sucks on Amazon's part and demonstrates the degree to which the company's top priority isn't customer service. Better customer service in this case would be to offer these books for sale. I noticed another less nefarious instance of this the other day: because Amazon is offering a streaming version of The Lego Movie (which presumably has a high profit margin), they are not currently taking pre-orders of the The Lego Movie Blu-ray (out on June 17), even though Barnes and Noble has it for pre-order and Amazon has no problem offering for pre-order a Blu-ray of The Nutty Professor that isn't out until September. I guess it makes sense to drive sales to the high-margin streaming offering but not letting people pre-order what is likely to be a very popular Blu-ray is baffling.

Anyway, if this trend continues, I'd look for Amazon to start more aggressively promoting the Kindle editions of books, to the point of manipulating available inventory as with Hachette. That is, if they're not doing it already.

Tags: Amazon   books   business   Hachette
21 May 12:27

Tara The Hero Cat Threw Out The First Pitch At A Baseball Game, Because There’s Nothing She Can’t Do

by ryanuproxx
Amber

This might be the most ridiculous thing that has ever happened.


Tara the Hero Cat, who deservingly became a legitimate sensation (you know it’s the real deal when your mom shares it on Facebook without the requisite three-month delay) last week after saving a young boy from a vicious dog attack, threw out the first pitch at the Bakersfield Blaze minor league baseball game yesterday, as promised.

The “throw” took a bit of clever maneuvering on the part of organizers, of course. Tara repeatedly swatted at the ball, which was on a string, with her front-left leg (a true southPAW). When that failed, her owner, Roger Triantafilo, gave her a human hand and bounced one across the plate.

And because this is 2014, Tara responded on Twitter with the grace and humility we’ve come to expect from the feline. Actually, that’s not true. She totally threw Roger under the bus:

Tara The Hero Cat

Twitter


(Banner image via @MILB; H/T Gawker)


Filed under: Sports, Web Culture Tagged: Animals, Cats, tara the hero cat, viral video
21 May 12:06

Maker Dad

by Jason Kottke

Mark Frauenfelder of Boing Boing and Make Magazine recently published Maker Dad, a book full of father-daughter DIY projects. I haven't dug too far into my copy yet, but the projects seem appropriate for kids and parents of all genders.

As the editor in chief of MAKE magazine, Mark Frauenfelder has spent years combing through DIY books, but he's never been able to find one with geeky projects he can share with his two daughters. Maker Dad is the first DIY book to use cutting-edge (and affordable) technology in appealing projects for fathers and daughters to do together. These crafts and gadgets are both rewarding to make and delightful to play with. What's more, Maker Dad teaches girls lifelong skills-like computer programming, musicality, and how to use basic hand tools-as well as how to be creative problem solvers.

Projects run the gamut from "Easy and Quick" to "Challenging" and include silkscreening tshirts, a lunch box guitar, custom rubber stamps, and programming in Scratch.

Tags: books   Maker Dad   Mark Frauenfelder
21 May 00:52

Neil Patrick Harris’s Autobiography Will Be A Choose Your Own Adventure

by Ashley Burns
Amber

Comes out just in time for my birthday!

NPH and David Burke

Getty Image


Today in “We can’t pre-order this book fast enough” news, Neil Patrick Harris has an autobiography set to be released on October 14, and for once it’s not just a collection of a celebrity’s sage advice and vague recollections of that time he got drunk with Skeet Ulrich. Instead, NPH is taking the autobiography game to a brand new level, as he is allowing us to become the “stars” in his own life story, which will be told as a “Choose Your Own Autobiography.” Will you decide to purchase and read this book when it’s available? Or will you instead investigate the noise in the dark cave? Spoiler: You’re going to die in that cave.

But don’t take my Waldo- and Shel Silverstein-loving word for it. Instead, let the description of this ridiculously clever idea cause you to open up Amazon, see the price and then save it for when there’s a used copy available.

SICK of deeply personal accounts written in the first person? Seeking an exciting, interactive read that puts the “u” back in “aUtobiography”? Then look no further than Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography! In this revolutionary, Joycean experiment in light celebrity narrative, actor/personality/carbon-based life-form Neil Patrick Harris lets you, the reader, live his life. You will be born in New Mexico. You will get your big break at an acting camp. You will get into a bizarre confrontation outside a nightclub with actor Scott Caan. Even better, at each critical juncture of your life you will choose how to proceed. You will decide whether to try out for Doogie Howser, M.D. You will decide whether to spend years struggling with your sexuality. You will decide what kind of caviar you want to eat on board Elton John’s yacht.

CHOOSE correctly and you’ll find fame, fortune, and true love. Choose incorrectly and you’ll find misery, heartbreak, and a guest stint on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. All this, plus magic tricks, cocktail recipes, embarrassing pictures from your time as a child actor, and even a closing song. Yes, if you buy one book this year, congratulations on being above the American average, but make that book Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography! On sale October 14, 2014.

Wait, wait, wait – you can’t tease us with a confrontation with Scott Caan like that and just expect us to wait until October to find out what that was all about. What the hell happened with Scott Caan? I bet NPH made fun of his hair. Or maybe American Outlaws. He better not have said anything about Ready to Rumble, though, because that movie is an American classic, damn it.

NPH Auto

NPH



Filed under: Media Tagged: AUTOBIOGRAPHIES, Books, CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE, NEIL PATRICK HARRIS, SCOTT CAAN
20 May 18:20

When Biden sends the teen who asked him to Prom a corsage

Amber

Pretty much!