ScienceandtheCity's Profile

I don't think consuming dairy is necessary for good health, and there are plenty of substitutes, which is great for our friends that don't want to or can't consume dairy.

However, you can have my cheese when you pry it from my cold, dead hands. I suppose that's a hedonistic argument, but I do go out of my way to buy my dairy from small, local producers because I care about the local economy and the environment. I also think that consumption of dairy can be healthy in moderation. Just because it's a behavior that only humans (or, rather, only some humans) have does not make it unnatural.

People can hold different points of view and avoid calling each other crazy or "gross." I'm sure almost everyone who reads this blog cares about food and where theirs comes from, which is why we are discussing it.

I don't like the waste, but the Keurig saves me at work. We have tons of coffee drinkers, but all of them are apparently trained ninjas that will be happy to brew a pot of coffee, but leave no trace behind to indicate who could be responsible for cleaning the thing, or buying more coffee and creamer. Ever.

After multiple occasions in which moldy coffee grounds were discovered in the machine, after everyone in the office stubbornly refusing to clean up after someone else (again!), and many, many (expensive and also wasteful) cups of take out coffee while the machine sat, dirty and unused, in the office, we got a Keurig and never looked back.

What can I say? People are animals.

I like the new design - it's cleaner, and some of the content is really enjoyable. I do wish there was some more in-depth content about food, though. It seems a little fluffy. I don't really care to ogle wealthy foreign and/or rich people's lifestyles.

(And Gwyneth, on the cover, instead of food... really!? Gag me! What where they THINKING?)

I think it's a good idea to take a step back and reexamine what you eat sometimes, and what you eat does have a big effect on how you feel. That said, I think the whole "cleanse" idea is somewhat useless. Your body takes care of toxins itself, and although it's probably a good idea not to overload it (like with an alcohol binge or a daily bacon double cheesburger) I don't think a "cleanse" really does any good overall. First off, it's temporary at best - if these toxins are that bad for you, shouldn't you eat like you do in a cleanse all the time? Second, it assumes that some foods are inherently less toxic than others. While this is probably true, I don't think nutrition science has progressed sufficiently to be able to say which ones. Is protein from soybeans somehow better than protein from organic chicken? Does milk fat or coconut oil create more work for your liver enzymes? Who knows? Without a scientific basis for any of this, it's too easy to convince yourself you're doing something healthy because that's what everyone tells you.

I love my garlic press. I have a small kitchen, so I try to minimize unitaskers. However, I use this one all the time, so it merits space in my drawer.

I have a Kuhn Rikon one that I highly recommend - the little basket flips out and is super easy to clean. I love how smashed garlic adds even garlic flavor to every bite of a dish, and smashing the garlic definitely makes it more garlic-y. Sometimes I will chop it myself if I want a milder flavor or bigger chunks.

I also find the smell of garlic on my hands annoying, and since I use garlic almost every day, I would smell like garlic for the foreseeable future without my garlic press. It's worth it just for that.

I use a mini LeCreuset dutch oven, like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Creuset-Stoneware-Petite-Casserole-Kiwi/dp/B00092ZWUW/ref=pd_sim_k_1

Actually, I think I got the idea from a commenter on the Kitchn blog. It's super cute, nearly indestructible, and comes in fun colors.

I have seen these popping up on restaurant menus lately. The first time I tried them was at our local farmers' market (in NYC), where a stand selling them had some out to sample. Very tasty! I think they would be an excellent bar snack. I haven't seen them at the grocery store, though.

I think this would probably only happen with super fresh frogs' legs (like, killed that day), so I don't think you'd have to worry about it happening most of the time.

I've had frogs' legs and they are pretty tasty, but I don't think I could ever cook them myself after working in a lab where I had to dissect Xenopus' (a type of frog) legs on a regular basis :(

I have had drinks cooled with dry ice, and it is nice that they stay cold for so long, and they look cool.

However, after a while the carbon dioxide bubbling through the drink dissolves quite a bit of CO2 in the liquid, so it tastes a little like flat soda. I guess you might not taste it in something as sour as lemonade, but for less flavorful drinks it's a consideration.

Also, I guy I used to work with chilled his Coke with some dry ice and accidentally inhaled a little piece while drinking it. It sublimated in his lung, pushing out all the air and suffocating him. He had to go to the hospital but fully recovered quickly. So... don't do that. Be careful!

What an interesting topic! It makes me feel better that I am not alone in randomly disliking things. I guess even food loving people have personal tastes.

I don't like okra or tapioca pudding (texture issues), and I really dislike anise flavor. I can handle cooked fennel, but anything more intense than that and I can't take it.

I also wish I could learn to like combinations of sweet and savory that people seem to enjoy so much - like sweet pickles, hawaiian pizza, etc. They taste gross to me! Although I do like cheese and fruit... (manchego and guava paste... mmmm) I guess that's different somehow?