December 15, 2011

  • Cookbook Challenge

    Leave it to my dad, throwing down the gauntlet with a surprise gift. Late Tuesday night, in the chilly rain, my UPS man pulled up in front of the house.

    Last week I baked small cranberry nut breads for gifts and stockpiled them by the front door with a checklist. This was my chance to mark of the UPS man. Gary, my regular man of seven years, switched routes and no longer stops by. He always got a six pack of Red Stripe beer. I don't know the new guy well enough to give him a beer.

    I ran down stairs, grabbed a loaf and waited on the cold wet front porch to see if he was delivering to my house. Sure enough, tromping through the dark cold wet yard the new UPS driver struggled to carry a very heavy box. Addressed to me, I could not remember ordering anything this heavy.  He deserved the loaf of cranberry bread.
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    I remembered a conversation with brother in law John about a cooking gift and thought this was it. I never heard of Modernist Cuisine so I had to open it. Judy remembered the NPR story and her jaw hit the floor.  Sure enough, here it is.

    The box on top is volume 6 with addendum sheets.  I sent a text off to John thanking him.  The next day he replied no, not from him.

    Oh, modern internet sales.  This is not the first time I received a package with no information on who sent it.  In fact it is happening much more often each year.  Sure, I get the phone call, or e-mail that a package is on the way.  This time even that was not enough, I wrongly assumed this was from John.  At a time in history when social networking is at an all time high, why are packages delivered without any card, or who to thank information.  This added to my frustration this holiday season as I learn about friends who moved without any change of address.  Social media may be at a high, but social communication of any substance is plummeting off the cliff.

    Judy reminded me, in addition to my rant, "Kids, stay off my grass"!


    I pondered who could send a curmudgeon like me such a gift.  It must be someone with unconditional love to see through all my faults, rants, and vices.  One call to my father cleared it all up.  Thank you dad.

    My challenge to cook at least one recipe from this collection is daunting.  The books cover the biology, chemistry, and physics of cooking.  The authors claims 60% of the recipes can be made in the average home kitchen.  Nathan Myhrvold, Chris Young, and Maxime Bilet—scientists, inven­tors, and accom­plished cooks in their own right must think the average home cook has a magnetic stirrer hot plate.  Perhaps Judy will let me build one, after all she did subscribe to Make Magazine.

    Please help me pick a recipe.  Stop by and review any of the six volumes.  You are welcome to help cook anytime. -Steve