2010-01-15 - Coffee using a French Press

This one is easy. I always saw the French Press as a really classy and simple method of making coffee. I like things with a very minimalist design- and I am a strong believer of the 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' policy. The French Press has been around for over a hundred years with very few modifications.

All you need is boiling water and coffee. The coffee grounds need to be a little more coarse than the really fine stuff you use in most brewing machines. Really fine ground coffee will get through the mesh filter and you'll be drinking some grit.

A typical French press is a half liter or so- and needs 5 or 6 tablespoons of coffee grounds. Throw the coffee in, and add hot water. Ideal temperature for the water is right below boiling. Stir just to make sure the coffee isn't still all at the bottom. Wait a few minutes before pressing the piston down. The coffee needs time to brew before you try to separate the grounds from the water. Press down slowly- you should only need to do it once.

Brewing machines that use paper filters can sometimes take some of the flavor out of the brew by trapping some of the oils in the filter. French press doesn't do that. Coffee made in a French press should also be consumed shortly after brewing. Because it is never separated from the coffee grounds it will just continue to brew and become bitter if it sits too long.

The French press is fast, easy, portable and cheap. Buying ground coffee is about 7% of the cost of buying coffee by the cup.

2010-01-14 - How to make a chicken parm sub

I generally don't like to buy foods at restaurants that I can make at home. The chicken parm sub has been immune to that rule for long enough. I decided to try my best to compete with a pizza shop and make my own.

Ingredients:

eggs

milk

chicken

cheese (i used mozzarella- i guess it's not a chicken parm?)

bread crumbs

marinara sauce

bread

cooking oil

Step 1

Beat the eggs in a bowl with a little bit of milk

Step 2

Dip the prepped chicken in the egg/milk mixture

Step 3

Throw the egg covered chicken in the bread crumbs. I actually added some spices and pepper to the bread crumbs to kick it up a notch.

Step 4

Heat up a pan with some oil in it. Throw the breaded chicken in. Brown one side and then flip them. If both sides are browned they should retain a lot of the moisture. No it's not the healthiest way of cooking the chicken but it's really good. Cook until white all the way through (<10>

Step 5

Toast bread- it makes it more authentic. Toast the outside of the bread, not the inside.

Step 6

Assemble. Put the chicken on the bread. Add sauce. Add cheese. I find that pressing it down after assembly helps melt the cheese better.

I think that's about all there is to it. I thought it was pretty good. Need more bread crumbs- also I don't own a deep fryer. Toasting the bread makes a huge difference. My roommates said it was okay and it didn't make anyone sick- and it was all really cheap. I say this is a success.

2010-01-13 - How wool works

Anyone who goes hiking will tell you that wool is an absolute necessity. Wool is a ridiculous material. It wicks the sweat off your skin, it keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It can even keep you warm when it's wet unlike most synthetic materials we can make. So how does wool work?

Wool has been used literally for thousands of years. It primarily comes from sheep but other animals from that family produce wool as well. Wool is sort of like hair or fur- only it has a different texture and grows differently. Wool is naturally crimped instead of straight so it creates a lot of additional air pockets between fibers- therefore more insulation. It grows in clusters, or 'staples', which give it strong elastic properties. If you really want to know how the structure of wool accomplishes that- check out this description. Basically the way fibers grow make them really good at naturally shedding water- simultaneously the core of each fiber can allow water to enter it to be sucked up, or wicked away from your skin. From there the fibers disperse the moisture and it evaporates. That same core when empty also creates an air pocket that acts as an insulator.

A really popular type of wool is Merino wool. The wool fibers are a lot finer than other wools so you can make clothing out of it that is still really soft while keeping all of the benefits of wool. It's softer and lighter but just as warm and handles moisture just as well. I just picked up an awesome scarf-type-thing and so far it works really well. It can be used as a scarf as well as a light weight head cover to keep the sun off of your head and neck. Wool is ideal for hiking in all seasons and especially good for long hikes. Wool naturally has anti-bacterial properties so they resist odor-causing bacteria in sweat. The wool fibers are covered in lanolin- an oil from the sheep's skin. Lanolin acts as a water repellent as well as the anti-bacterial agent in wool.

So it's stretchy, strong, warm, wicks sweat away which keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter and even helps you not smell bad. It really is an amazing material. I always 'knew' how great wool was- but I wish I had discovered it and started using it earlier.

2010-01-12 - Hot water in my shower

I was taking a shower and I noticed the water was too hot. I turned it down. Something I do every day- but how the hell does it work? I knew there was some sort of valve back there mixing hot and cold water and maintaining pressure. I use it every day and I don't know exactly how it works- I think I'm going to investigate a lot of stuff like this.

Gotta start somewhere- I won't go as far as the water treatment plant but lets start when the water comes into the building. This is easy for residential applications but when you start getting into buildings that are more than 5 stories tall it gets a bit more involved.

So the water comes in and for the cold water it's pretty straightforward. That gets pushed through the whole house just from water pressure from the source. The cold water also flows into the water heater where it is heated (electric, gas, oil). The tank is really just an extension of the line so the water pressure going into it is what you get out of it. The cold water enters the tank at the bottom and mixes in. The hot water rises to the top of the tank and is drawn from the top. When you run out of hot water that means the water level is too low for the pipe to draw anything out of it.

So now you've got your hot and cold water flowing to the shower with equal pressure. Mixing the two manually is pretty easy. Two knobs- one for each line- open each valve until you get the mix you want. So how do the single handle mixers in showers work? What kind of valve is in there?

So on a faucet for a sink this is a pretty typical arrangement. Front and back for on and off- and then the hot and cold water lines flow in on the sides. Push to the left- open the right. Push to the right- open the left. Push straight back and you open both the hot and cold equally to get a neutral mix. In the ones I could find it's a pretty neat spring plate/ball valve assembly to open and close the valves. For the shower it's a little different anatomy.

I couldn't find any diagrams anywhere to confirm my thoughts so here's the best I can do- if anyone knows for sure let me know.

When you start to turn the the valve it opens up the cold line first. I imagine there is some sort of drive screw so as you turn it out away from the wall it probably reveals the inlet for the cold water first. As you turn it further it gradually opens up the inlet for the hot water and mixes it. It makes sense- but it doesn't mean it's true. If anyone knows for sure how it works, let me know.

2010-01-11 - MM - Tchaikovsky

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - 1840-1893

Symphony No. 1 in G minor, Op. 13, "Winter Daydreams" - Composed in 1866

I. Allegro tranquillo (Dreams of a Winter Journey)

II. Adagio cantabile, ma non tanto (Land of Desolation, Land of Mists)

III. Scherzo: Allegro scherzando, giocoso

IV. Finale: Andante lugubre - Allegro maestoso

I kicked things off in a huge way. Everyone knows Tchaikovsky- The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, 1812 Overture and so on. Like a lot of other artists you can find some pretty great stuff beyond his most popular work. I was fortunate enough to grab this recording out of the media section at the library. While studying I would grab a few CD's from various genres and burn them to my computer. Sometimes obscure artists or albums are obscure for a reason- they aren't very good. This how ever was a pretty good discovery.

Winter Daydreams was the first of six symphonies, composed in 1866. I noticed certain themes or components that were really identifiable as Tchaikovsky- something I didn't expect I'd be able to do. I don't know the first thing about music when it comes to technical aspects- and I'm far from a classical music connoisseur. I don't even know where to begin explaining it- but certain parts you could just tell. It was like the music was of the same genetics as other works by him- certain traits more prominent than others. You can hear parts of the symphony that are reminiscent of the 1812 Overture- only maybe not as mature or fully developed. This makes sense chronologically because the 1812 Overture wasn't composed until 1880- by which point he sort of figured out his style.

So I got ready to listen to it almost like I was at a concert hall. Closed my door, dimmed the lights, turned off my phone and turned up my speakers. The symphony was powerful. The music is enough to bring out a wide range of emotion. I felt my brain trying to come up with words that could accurately describe the music. Another thing I noticed was the range of volume for the recording. Certain parts are very quiet while others are overwhelmingly loud. This is no accident- it's there for emphasis! That's right- a certain level of intensity- an element that has for the most part been lost in modern music.

After listening to just the music- and not having it used as a background for something- it makes you think about movies. Most movies would be absolutely nothing without the music. I still think that it's amazing that humans using relatively simple instruments can generate such an effect- and that a composer can create them is an entirely different amazing feat.

One thing I caught myself doing was trying to figure out which movement I like the most. They are pretty distinct- but that's not the point. That would be like listening to a song and saying you like the middle section of the song the most. You can- and yes it might sound different from the rest- but it's intended to be listened to as a whole item. But really the second movement is the best I think.

I like to imagine ol' Pete- what he would say if he knew that people all over the world were still listening to his work. Same for all the classic composers- and what is the modern equivalent? What artists will have that kind of influence and longevity? It's difficult to imagine anything modern will be able to do that.

In conclusion- it's an excellent symphony and I'm glad I took the time to really listen to it. I've got the recording if anyone is interested in listening to it.

Update 2 - musicmonday textbooktuesday

I've got some new ideas kids.

So I recently came to the conclusion that I never listen to music. I always hear music- several times a day. While I clean my room, while I prepare food, while I shower, while I walk, while I drive, while I study, while I read, while I chat, while I chill, while I work, while I party, while some people dance. I hear it- but I'm not really paying attention. When is the last time you listened to music just to listen to it- the way it was intended? Not just in the background- or getting in the way of conversation at a bar.

Introducing: Music Mondays.

I don't think I'll do it every Monday, or limit it to Mondays- but it's the only day that made alliteration work. When ever I have one of these listening sessions I'm going to listen to the music- the way it was intended to be listened to. Some musicians make albums with the entire album in mind- it's not always just a bunch of potential singles surrounded by filler tracks. A lot of modern music is designed with the chart topping single in mind and nothing else- but other classic albums should be appreciated and respected.

During these sessions there's no phones, no internets, no conversation or anything else that could serve as a distraction. Start to finish with my complete attention. Listening to music for the sake of listening to music.

___________________

Over the years I've acquired several textbooks from various sources in the hopes of someday getting around to reading them or at least using them for reference. When ever I move in and out of apartments I lug them with me- reminding myself of the fact that I never accomplished that goal. Books are meant to be read- not collect dust.

Introducing: Textbook Tuesdays

Yeah- alliteration again. So my goal is to grab one of my random textbooks on subjects that I have no knowledge of and to learn something. Read for an hour and summarize what I learned. 5-10 facts or ideas that I can take away from it. Then I won't feel so bad about carrying those things around all this time.

___________________

Tentative schedule:

2010-01-11 - MM - Tchaikovsky

2010-01-12 - TT - Abnormal Psychology

2010-01-13 - How temperature control on your faucet works

2010-01-14 - How to polish shoes

2010-01-15 - How to say 'get fucked' in 5 different languages (volunteers?)

2010-01-16 - How to make lasagna

2010-01-17 - How to tell time using the sun

Stay tuned.

2010-01-10 - How to treat hypothermia

Hypothermia isn't that big of a risk in Boston- most of the time- but it's still a good piece of knowledge to have while living in a part of the world where the weather tries to kill you on an annual basis.

Etymology: hypo, meaning below or under- thermo, meaning hot or heat. Hypothermia is a condition of a lowered core temperature. It's typically associated with the winter months but it's a real threat any time you're exposed to low temperature for an extended period of time. Camping and hiking or being exposed to the elements is enough- the risk increases with wet conditions and windy conditions.

Identifying hypothermia is easy if you know what to look for. It's also important to know when to look for it. Hypothermia has a lot of shared symptoms so be aware of the situation and your surroundings. Hypothermia sets in in different stages- as your core temperature lowers gradually your symptoms will progress. The really obvious ones are things like shivering, discoloration of skin (flow of blood to your extremities is limited as the body tries to maintain core temperature), lack of motor skills with your hands, *goosebumps, and fatigue. Once things start getting serious you get a whole new list of symptoms. Your breathing becomes quick and shallow, you may feel sick or at least definitely uncomfortable, you experience confusion and eventually slurred speech. When things get really bad you stop shivering and you have virtually no blood left in your extremities. Tissue starts dying and you have virtually no motor control anymore. One really neat symptom is called terminal burrowing- some primitive-brain survival technique.

Treating hypothermia is the hard part. Your primary objective is raising the core body temperature. If you suspect that hypothermia is a real possibility I wouldn't recommend using this guide or any other guide- go to a real doctor. That being said- this is how you treat it.

There are a few ways to get heat back into the body. If it's only a mild case of hypothermia you can rely on the body's natural heat generation to get back to normal. Remove any wet or exceptionally cold clothes. They should be dressed in warm, dry and well insulated clothes to increase the amount of heat being retained. It's also helpful if you can move them to a warm environment to make maintaining body temperature easier.

For a serious case you can add heat sources like hot water bottles or hot air in direct contact with the body. Heat should be applied to areas with a lot of blood flow- places like the neck, armpits and groin. A good place for their hands is actually in a warm person's armpits- just do it you baby. A hot shower is not advisable because chances are the person suffering from hypothermia won't be able to feel how hot the water is- increasing the chance of burning the already damaged tissue.

For something that is totally beyond home remedies you need to actually introduce warm fluids to the body intravenously- do not try at home.

The best thing you can do is just not get hypothermia. Don't worry about the other kids making fun of you for wearing a big coat with a hat and mittens- your mom is always right. Someone from Sweden once told me that there is no such thing as bad weather- just bad clothes. I don't agree 100% but I get what he was saying.

*Goosebumps - "...form, raising body hair on end in an attempt to create an insulating layer of air around the body (which is of limited use in humans due to lack of sufficient hair, but useful in other species)."- wiki - cool huh?

Sources: wiki, about

2010-01-09 - How to sharpen a knife

Learning proper knife care can extend the life of a blade by years. A good knife is worth the money so long as you treat it right. A dull knife is obviously less effective- and actually a lot more dangerous to use because you begin to use the knife with bad form. The more dull a knife is- the more force you need to use and that increases the risk of hurting yourself.

One of the oldest and most effective tools for sharpening a blade is the whetstone. It takes a lot of practice to get the technique down- but is well worth learning. The knife is one of the oldest and most useful tools. You can find uses for them everywhere; work, camping, gardening and the kitchen. I always have one handy- it helps when you need to MacGyver things. But what good is a knife if it's not sharp?

A whetstone will only run you a few bucks but it can save you a lot of money in the long run if you don't need to have someone else sharpen your blades. I used this helpful guide to get some of the basics of sharpening blades. I'm not going to regurgitate their instructions verbatim- but I'll address a lot of the key points I took from it.

Some things to consider are what you want from the sharpening. There are different ways to do it with different outcomes. You can get a really sharp edge that won't last very long- or sharpen with the longevity of the blade in mind. If it's a really good knife you're probably looking more for longevity- but it will take a bit more skill and patience to achieve that.

A whetstone typically comes with two sides- one side is for coarse work and the other side for fine sharpening. Start with the coarse side to get out any large defects and impurities. Hold the blade at a 22.5 degree angle (half of a 45 if that makes it easier to visualize) against the whetstone. Push the blade across the whetstone in a forward motion- simultaneously engage the entire blade from tip to the hilt in a rocking motion while maintaining the forward movement.

On the coarse side you'll be able to feel the stone catch the major impurities. Once you work them out you should be able to move the blade smoothly across the coarse side without it snagging on anything. Once all the big impurities are out- run it 10 times on each side of the blade- and then switch to the fine grit side. I like to use a damp paper towel to wipe the blade clean before switching to the fine side. While sharpening you generate both metal and stone debris that if carried over to the fine side can make a more jagged finish. Think of the fine grit side as more of a polishing surface- only for the finishing touches.

Repeat as necessary. The more coarse side will remove material faster so you can hone the blade- but be careful not to take too much material away while trying to get the right shape. Blades will wear down eventually and the more material you remove the faster that will happen. The fine side is more for finishing touches- not for major changes in shape.

Things to remember:

• 22.5 degree angle
• Grip the handle with one hand- apply downward and directional pressure to the blade with the other.
• It's called a whetstone, not a wetstone. Water can actually ruin the stone.
• It doesn't matter if you go forward or backward on the stone- so long as you are consistent with every pass. Never use a back and forth motion- pick a direction and stick to it.
• Get all the big impurities out using the coarse side- smooth it out with the fine side.
• After you finish sharpening the blade wipe it clean with a wet paper towel and dry it.
• Test the sharpness of the blade by running it down a piece of paper- if you did it right there will be a noticeable difference from when you started.

If anyone has anything they need sharpened let me know- I can use the practice.

2010-01-08 - Proper tie care/travel tips

I must be growing up or something. Due to Patrick's generosity my tie collection has grown significantly. Now I have almost enough ties to warrant a tie rack- but I don't think I'm ready for it. I could simply sling them over a hanger but that's not gonna work for a couple reasons. I don't wear ties often so they would be sitting there like that for months at a time- potential for creasing. There are way too many and they would likely fall off every time I went near them.

Solution: rolling. Rolling the tie for storage is a good way to save space and protect the tie. Simply grab the skinny end of the tie and loosely wrap it around your hand. Be sure to leave enough space so they can stay in a circular roll- and store them somewhere where they won't get crushed.

Rolling your tie is also a good way to prevent wrinkling while traveling. You can roll your tie and put it in a sock to keep it rolled up- or for extra protection put it inside of a shoe. If it's a silk tie you might want the extra protection of a rigid shoe.

In the event that your tie does become wrinkled during travel- a quick fix is leaving it draped over something in the bathroom and letting steam from the shower straighten it out.

Information

2010-01-07 - Cleaning mold with vinegar

This one is out of necessity. About a month ago I noticed a few black spots on the bathroom ceiling. I knew it was mold- but I was lazy. A couple of days ago I had to admit it had gotten pretty bad- imagine something that looks like an inverse Starry Night.

Originally I was just going to go to town on it with bleach and detergent and what ever chemicals the internet told me I should use. Then I went out for a few drinks with some people and got a better suggestion. I was discussing my exciting plans for the rest of the evening with them when someone recommended I use white vinegar and water. It's more of a 'green' approach to cleaning I guess and apparently works pretty well.

I mixed it 2 parts vinegar to 3 parts water. Sprayed the affected areas pretty thoroughly and started scrubbing. The mold came off with a little bit of work. I was impressed with how well it worked but didn't try anything else- so I can't really compare it to anything. I sprayed the area again and let it dry in hopes of preventing any regrowth. We'll see how it turns out- I'll have to make an update in a few days. Also- as expected it smelled like vinegar for a bit- still does.

So I got my vinegar and it seems to work pretty well - but why would you use it over any other cleaner or detergent or bleach? Well- most importantly it's effective. In addition to that it's cheap, and safe. Vinegar is a lot less harmful than bleach or other harsh chemicals- it's better for you and also the environment. It can be used on just about anything you need to clean. A quick search will give you tons of cleaning applications for vinegar.

I'm glad that I finally cleaned the ceiling but I really should have done it earlier. Mold is pretty gross- and it can cause all sorts of health problems if it gets bad enough. I suggest this quick, cheap and easy method of removing mold.