The Frying Pan

12:42 AM

@rumtscho Just a continuation of last night's conversation:

Downton Abbey is a family drama, centered around the family of an Earl in the early 1900s.

It has an Upstairs/Downstairs thing going on. The servants have as many story lines as the family.

It starts when the family loses its heir on the Titanic.

The Earl only has daughters (they can't inherit the title).

Enter the second cousin twice removed or some such, as he is now the heir. He is an ordinary man, this aristocracy stuff is foreign to him and his mother.

The relationship of the two older women, the heir's mother and the dowager countess (played by Maggie Smith), is a hoot.

The Abbey is real:

google.com/…

In a sense the building is a major star of the show.

highclerecastle.co.uk/index.html

They have a historian on set who ensures realism. How these these people eat, dress, greet each other, is just the way it was.

As far as it being a great show, it has had its ups and downs.

The season that just ended was great.

Stack Exchange

1:35 AM

Jefromi has made a change to the feeds posted into this room

Jefromi

No I didn't! I accidentally clicked on it but I fixed it!

Jolenealaska

One other fun little detail. The lady of the house (the Earl's wife) is American - new money.

She fits right in, but her mother (played beautifully by Shirley MacLaine)

holds the very idea of aristocracy in complete disdain.

She's brash, loud and hysterical in scenes with Maggie Smith.

Hi @Jefromi

Jefromi

hallo

Jolenealaska

What are you messing up now?

Jefromi

Nothing!

Jolenealaska

1:43 AM

It was him! --->

Cerberus

Hi!

@Jolenealaska She's super annoying, but funny.

Jolenealaska

Yes!

Cerberus

It was especially funny when Maggie Smith was forced to ally with her.

(Is that modern English?)

(I think so, with stress on -ly?)

Jolenealaska

forced to ally with her

Cerberus

That was a typo.

But the way I was using the verb ally.

Jolenealaska

1:55 AM

The stress is on the first syllable when used as a verb.

Cerberus

Not traditionally, I think.

Jefromi

And as a noun. You'll hear it with stress on the second rarely though - might be British.

Cerberus

I would pronounce the noun ally, the verb ally.

Jolenealaska

Now that I think of it, slightly more so than when it is a noun. At least in my accent.

Jefromi

Dictionary actually has ally but I've heard it tons and tons pronounced same as the noun.

Cerberus

1:58 AM

I always try to use traditional pronunciation, so that must be why I learned it that way.

How about transfer?

I pronounce the verb transfer.

Hey, that works!

Jolenealaska

Emphasis on the first syllable.

Cerberus

Funny.

Perhaps that's an Americanism then.

Jolenealaska

It may very well be.

Cerberus

We shall have to ask Shirley.

Jefromi

The dictionary I looked in is American though, and says second syllable.

Jolenealaska

2:01 AM

Really? That sounds weird to me.

"I need to transfer funds"

"I requested a transfer"

I would pronounce both the same, with the emphasis on the first syllable.

Cerberus

Then just "traditional".

Faheem Mitha

2:50 AM

@Jolenealaska me too.

Jolenealaska

4:19 AM

I was just reading a random article on Serious Eats. I didn't realize until I clicked a link that I was reading an article by our own Michael at Herbivoracious. I almost waved :)

seriouseats.com/2009/10/the-10-worst-food-trends-really.html

Jolenealaska

9:57 AM

I see you @rummi :)

rumtscho

hi @Jolenealaska

Jolenealaska

How are today? Did you read my little explanation of Downton Abbey?

rumtscho

Yes, I saw it earlier. Thank you.

I'm in somewhat of a spring cleaning mood, and trying to fit this in along work and dissertation (which is still eating ungodly amounts of time for glacial progress)

At least the weather is nice

Jolenealaska

:) I've enjoyed it very much. Now I have season 1 of Game of Thrones.

rumtscho

I probably won't watch it soon. Currently have a Netflix abo, but D.A. is only available on Amazon here.

Jolenealaska

10:03 AM

We're starting the weirdness of "break-up" her. Pre-spring.

I have always hated this time of year here.

rumtscho

Oh, sorry to hear that. I love spring.

Jolenealaska

Alaska just sucks in March and April.

Oh I love spring too! That's May.

March and April is "break-up", that is different animal from spring.

rumtscho

There have been flowers out for the last week, only crocusses and snowdrops and hellebores, but at least they hold the promise of a sunny season

I couldn't live in a place where spring comes as late as May. I'm suffering here because May here is late spring, while in Bulgaria it's already early summer.

Yesterday, I went kayaking, the usual 15 km on a tranquil stretch of the Neckar. It started out gorgeously sunny, I loved. it.

Jolenealaska

We still have solid ice.

rumtscho

And in the middle of it, there came a real storm. Gusts of wind strong enough to break branches off trees and fling them into the water

Luckily, it was a perfect 90 degrees to the river direction.

Jolenealaska

10:08 AM

That sounds like a story from here!

rumtscho

So we went to the river bank to the side where the wind was coming from, and sat there, protected by the raised bank.

Jolenealaska

How long does 15 km take?

rumtscho

Sat there in the boat, Manfred holding on to some dry reads so we won't get swept away. There is almost no current in that river.

@Jolenealaska 2 hours. We do a loop, half of it upstream, half downstream

But the river is really slow, so we don't have to fight much upstream. Of course, we don't get much help downstream either.

Jolenealaska

Do you always go with Manfred?

rumtscho

@Jolenealaska Practically always, yes. The club doesn't organise much in the winter officially.

So only a few enthusiasts do something in the winter, and Manfred is almost always there.

Jolenealaska

10:11 AM

How long have you been kayaking?

rumtscho

And we also do private training, like yesterday.

@Jolenealaska I put my foot in the kayak for the first time in July, joined the club in September.

It became a very strong hobby for me, and I like that, because my body certainly can use the training.

It also has something of a symbolical meaning for me. Learning to go with the flow, so to speak.

Jolenealaska

Neat. You were a bit phobic at first, right? Like this it is really an accomplishment?

rumtscho

@Jolenealaska Yes, I went whitewater first, and the first time I fell in, after thrashing around for almost a minute with only getting my head out once in the meantime, I thought I'll drown there and then. Afterwards, I was basically in a dissociative state on the river.

Jolenealaska

You have cause to be proud :)

rumtscho

Somehow managed to survive the remaining days of the kayak course, with the teacher finally managing to help me on the fourth day.

It took a lot. At one time, he had to grasp the nose of my boat and tell me for each stroke "Now left. Now right".

Jolenealaska

10:16 AM

You are making me think of Basic Training :)

rumtscho

But doing calm water at home was easy, and with time, I also got a much better sense of balance.

I'm still quite apprehensive on whitewater II, and will promptly fall in if it gets up to III+. But slowly learning to be better.

Also, I finally learned to do the eskimo roll properly, at least in the swimming pool. I haven't tried it outside, where it's harder.

It doesn't work 100% of the time, but maybe 80%. And I have enough air for a second try.

Jolenealaska

I've never kayaked, but I've done quite a bit of whitewater rafting. It's quite a rush!

rumtscho

yes, whitewater is a thrill.

Rafting probably requires much more teamwork, right?

but it's also more stable, I guess. Have you ever capsized?

Jolenealaska

Yes, but a good leader can lead a bunch of novices.

Yes, both intentionally and because we lost control (once).

I grew up with a pool in the backyard. I was swimming long before I can remember.

rumtscho

It's practically impossible to learn kayaking without capsizing. Unless you only go to places without a current.

Kayak Essentials - High Brace

►

See for example this, starting at 0:25. Can you imagine learning it and never falling in?

You don't need to watch it all, 0:25 to 0:40 gives a good overview. I probably should have searched for a still image.

@Jolenealaska see, this is a great thing to happen to you as a kid (having the opportunity and the teachers to learn to swim).

I only learned swimming when I was 14, but was very insecure back then, and almost never had the opportunity to practice.

Jolenealaska

10:26 AM

I watched enough to get it. Very different from rafting. Only professional leaders (the captain of the boat, so to speak) would have training like that.

Nova river runners were my friends in Chickaloon.

novalaska.com

rumtscho

One great thing about kayaking is that it offers something for everybody. Very versatile.

Jolenealaska

These guys were animals.

rumtscho

You can go chilling on a lake, similar to a romantic walk in the park. You can go training on a slow river, similar to going jogging. Or you can do a long trip on a slow river, enjoying the scenery, for example doing the complete Danube. Or go onto the sea, which is an entirely different beast. And then you have whitewater, which is pure adventure, and comes in grades suited to everybody's skills.

Jolenealaska

I was just on the cusp then of being too "disabled" to take full advantage (I rode for free), but I had some whitewater adventure with them.

rumtscho

Sounds really great

Jolenealaska

10:33 AM

Yes, I knew someone once who kayaked to work along a peaceful stretch of the Matanuska river. Totally different animal from Six Mile Creek

rumtscho

You know, I would never have considered visiting Alaska before I knew you. After your beautiful tales of it, I seriously want to see it someday.

Uff, class IV - V. Classes go up to VI, but people start dying at V.

There are people who will kayak VI, of course. I don't think I'll ever advance to it. It's certainly not my ambition.

Jolenealaska

Yeah, that's hardcore!

I have a friend from Chickaloon who used to guide Denali (that's Mt McKinley to most of the world, but we don't call it that). When I last saw her, she had summited six times.

rumtscho

@Jolenealaska is it a hiking tour or a climbing tour?

And I know that even hiking at that height is stupidly hard

Jolenealaska

No, she was hired privately. Just people (obviously with mountaineering experience, novices are not allowed by the park service to even try) who want to go with someone who has done it before.

"All climbers attempting Mount McKinley (20,320 feet) or Mount Foraker (17,400 feet) must register with Denali National Park and Preserve at least 60 days in advance of the climb, as well as pay the Mountaineering Special Use Fee."

rumtscho

OK, so " mountaineering" means climbing, right? With ropes and harnesses.

Jolenealaska

10:47 AM

Yes

Denali is a big deal, it's expert stuff, and many bodies are up there.

rumtscho

OK. I don't even follow climbing, and don't know which are the hardest peaks (they are not always the tallest). But I have respect before it.

Jolenealaska

Denali is definitely top 5.

As far as difficulty.

So summiting six times is just nuts!

This same woman is a guide on 6 Mile Creek.

rumtscho

@Jolenealaska yes, combining both sports is common. The guy who was my kayaking teacher in the summer said he goes ice climbing in winter.

Jolenealaska

Pathological addiction to adrenalin, I think.

rumtscho

He's not doing crazy heights, but a vertical wall in the Julian alps is plenty hard by itself.

The village is at 400 meters, the peaks in the vicinity reach 2500.

Jolenealaska

10:55 AM

My dad met this friend and was really taken with her.

rumtscho

We went for a dinner to a hut at 2000, on a saddle just below the highest peak of the region. They got us up with a van. The road was just crazy, the people who drove on it even more.

Jolenealaska

In 10 minutes my rice will be done. I have prepped an incredible stir-fry. I went a little nuts on the produce section a few days ago. I'm on a mission to clean out my fridge.

rumtscho

Congratulations.

I'll probably go out and grab a sandwich on the way to work.

Jolenealaska

Haha! I think roads like that can be scarier than the biggest whitewater.

rumtscho

But you are reminding me that it is indeed time to eat and work. See you later!

Jolenealaska

10:59 AM

This stir-fry might be photo worthy :)

CYA! Always a pleasure.

Jolenealaska

11:25 AM

@ElendilTheTall Where are you??

Stacey

does my break look OK? imgur.com/D069eXH,hmFQTwI,NDaWm3g,FucOV6G

It overflowed the tin and I had difficulty getting it out, hence the broken off edges in #3.

Jolenealaska

I think so! What variety is it?

Stacey

It's just a very simple plain white

Jolenealaska

It looks good, how does it taste?

Stacey

It tastes pretty good. I think it could use a bit more salt

Jolenealaska

11:30 AM

It looks like it might have benefited from another two minutes in the oven, but might just be the photo.

Stacey

I was a bit worried it was underdone

it was in for 50 min so I was geetting a bit edgy about overdoing it

Jolenealaska

You know about the relationship between salt and yeast, right?

Stacey

not really. I know about yeast and gluten

Jolenealaska

Salt inhibits yeast, so it's OK to up it, but do it with a very light touch.

Stacey

oh, I didn't know that

Jolenealaska

11:33 AM

It's a balancing act.

Stacey

This was my first time doing the first prove in the fridge overnight

so it got lots of proving time ans was pretty yeasty this morning

Jolenealaska

Can you sense a bit of richness from that?

Stacey

yes, the texture this morning was amazing

Jolenealaska

In the taste?

Cool.

Stacey

I think so. I'm not hugely great at judging these things

would it be better if I used a larger tin if it's overflowing?

Jolenealaska

11:36 AM

Of you want to learn a lot about bread in a short time, I recommend a 14 day free trial of ATK.

11

A: Should ciabatta sandwich rolls be dry and dense?

Ciabatta should be crusty, with a chewy crumb and big air pockets. Neither "dry" nor "dense" would be adjectives one would associate with good ciabatta. This is what good ciabatta should look like: Source: Michael Ruhlman (highly respected recipe and author) Sometimes the loaves may be flatte...

Sure, it's worth a shot.

I love basic bread making because the ingredients are not terribly expensive, so you can experiment without too much risk. The triumphs are great fun.

You can also free-form and not use a pan at all.

Stacey

This particular dough was at 70% hydration I think

so it was quite sloppy

I don't know how easily I would shape it without a pan

Jolenealaska

Is the recipe online?

Stacey

3

Q: Why does my bread have a dip in the center?

I made some white bread this evening and was quite happy with it except for the dip in the center: I suspect maybe I left it to prove too long? it seems like the air holes are too big and it has now lost it's structure. Recipe was for 1kg flour I halved it: 500 g flour 12.5 g oil 20 g sug...

bread

It's based off that one

except I doubled it and excluded the sugar

Jolenealaska

No sugar?

Stacey

yep

Jolenealaska

11:44 AM

I'm surprised it was successful without sugar.

the accepted answer to your question holds a great bit of info.

The poke-test is one of the most important secrets of breakmaking.

I need to wrap up my stir-fry for before my rice gets cold. I'll be back in 10 minutes if you're still here.

Stacey

I thought that the yeast feeds off the gluten in the flour

I'll be around

Jolenealaska

CYA in a bit

Jolenealaska

12:15 PM

The picture sucks, bit this is yummy!

I was too hungry to mess with the picture.

I'm actually eating out of the wok, so I've got time to work with the picture.

So, about how many loaves have you made? Have you tried different recipes?

Stacey

Looks yummy!

I've made quite a few now, probably 20 or so

over the course of 9 months

I've tried brown and enriched and more desserty breads

but I tend to enjoy making white the most

Jolenealaska

Cool!

Stacey

how about you?

Jolenealaska

I'm just learning myself. A year and a half ago I had never baked anything beyond Suzy Homemaker stuff.

I had two bread recipes down, quick breads and a few cakes.

I was as likely to grab a mix than challenge myself.

But, this site has really put a fire under my ass to learn.

Stacey

I admit I use a cake mix when I'm feeling lazy

Jolenealaska

12:29 PM

I was very proud this day:

Stacey

ooh that is well done

Jolenealaska

I was kind of bragging on my bad-ass self.

Stacey

I've tried some flaky pastry type recipes but nothing that serious

My most recent baking attempt was this:

imgur.com/a/KfBxp

brother's bday cake

Jolenealaska

THAT had to have taken some time!

Stacey

It took about two weeks to figure out how to temper the chocolate

Jolenealaska

12:35 PM

Do you have a pic of the molds?

Stacey

And even then I didn't get it 100% right

Jolenealaska

Close enough! I bet your brother was impressed!

What kind of cake?

Stacey

amazon.co.uk/Carlton-Paper-Sticks-CHESS-CHOCOLATE/dp/B00BAC84QY

Oh sorry, the amazon link is huge

It was chocolate

I thought I'd go easy on the cake itself

Jolenealaska

Oh yeah, the chess board is definitely the focal point.

About the croissants, I learned a trick from Paul Hollywood:

3

Q: Would this cheat puff pastry really work?

I watched this video titled: "Cheats Quick Puff Pastry Recipe by Paul Hollywood". The one claims that it will result in the same dough and as flaky as the original puff pastry. The trick is, he used frozen grated butter instead of cubes of butter and used it twice in the rolling process. I would ...

puff-pastry

Are you in the UK?

Stacey

nope, but I know who Paul Hollywood is

Jolenealaska

12:44 PM

I just noticed that your Amazon link was UK.

Stacey

oh, there isn't a local amazon here in South Africa, so I use that one mostly

Jolenealaska

Wow South Africa!

You are about as far from me as it possible to be!

Stacey

you're definitely further north than me ;p

Jolenealaska

10,500 miles as the crow flies.

give or take

Stacey

There's a huge fire on the mountain here right now

Jolenealaska

12:57 PM

wow...is that now?

Stacey

Cape town's temperature forecast is currently 42 C (107.5 F)

yes

Jolenealaska

Holy Cow on both counts. Are there homes in that fire?

Stacey

It's crazy. 75% of the roads out of my hometown have been closed and it's gridlock

:( as far as I know 5 homes have been lost

Jolenealaska

I'm watching a live feed now.

Wow...I feel for you and the people who have lost their homes and those that fear it. There was a wildfire that threatened my home (and my town) a few years ago. That is one helluva thing

Any deaths?

Stacey

Not that I know of, fortunately

Jolenealaska

1:03 PM

Please let it stay that way!

OMG

Stacey

newsday.co.zw/2015/03/03/…

Jolenealaska

1:19 PM

That's just shocking, I don't know how to appropriately word, "I don't pray, but if I did..." May everyone get out of this, and let the destruction stop now.

'puter is acting up. It has a bug I need to get rid of. For now, I need to reboot. Back in a bit.

Jolenealaska

4:32 PM

@Jefromi WooHoo! I'm using the candle as I type this. This is fun!

Something totally new.

This is going to make for an interesting answer in a few hours.

The aroma in my kitchen is unlike anything I have ever before smelled.

Jolenealaska

4:53 PM

Ironic, story of my life kind of thing:

I was carried out of my apartment on a stretcher by the fire department just a few days ago.

Tonight, for the life of me, I couldn't find a way to make fire.

rumtscho

why do you want to make fire?

Jolenealaska

8

Q: What does a Thai Scented Candle impart?

Amazon Link There is a traditional cookie that is pretty much just a thick sugar cookie that is baked and then put in a covered bowl with the candle overnight. I ran into it because I was looking at candy recipes, and some of the Thai candies called for sugar smoked like this. Other than smo...

cookies smoking thai-cuisine

To light my candle!

I ended up driving to the gas station at 4am to buy a lighter.

I even tried using my toaster. Back in the dark ages when I used to smoke cigarettes, I occasionally did that.

I couldn't make it work.

@rumtscho The main reason you haven't received my package yet is that I want to include a couple of thing scented with this candle. There was a snafu with the delivery, it took a while for me to get it.

It's very interesting. I can't wait to taste one of these cookies.

It might be a bit of a weird placebo thing, but I feel a little high from this smoke.

I spent a few seconds sniffing the smoke from the extinguished candle, so I could experience the aroma and try to explain it. Then I relit it to smoke the cookies.

rumtscho

5:13 PM

@Jolenealaska no problem. I must admit that since I went shopping for your package, I've had much more sweets at home than I'm used to, so I was a bit overgorged on sweets in the last weeks.

Jolenealaska

I didn't mean to get "high" from it, but I think I kind of did :)

rumtscho

I already found your candle idea exciting, but hearing now that I get the chance to try the result is really great! If I weren't at work, I'd jump and laugh from excitement.

Jolenealaska

Me too! This is exciting :) In a few hours I get to try one of these. What fun!

rumtscho

@Jolenealaska Yes, brains are funny things. Ready to react to something which isn't there. Your package sounds so exotic, I wish I could have thought up something as interesting as home made candle scented cookies

I just went and bought small samples of the more unusual or high-end candy types I could find

By the way, it has been in the post for several weeks now, I hope it arrives hale.

Jolenealaska

Wow, I'm looking forward to it. Yours will be in the post tomorrow or the next day. I don't expect it to take more than 3 or 4 days because the Anchorage airport is a major hub for freight between Europe and the US.

It used to be, in a sense, the busiest airport in the world.

It's still way high on the list.

(a bit of weird trivia for you :)

The airport is the Ted Stevens International Airport.

It's been named that for longer than I have been here.

rumtscho

5:24 PM

I wouldn't rely too much on that. Most time in logistics is spent in the last mile, not between hubs.

Jolenealaska

We will soon see!

Airports should be like stamps, you shouldn't name an airport after a living person.

rumtscho

I am actually somewhat worried about my package by now, but it didn't have a tracking number, so there is nothing I can do.

I don't know who Ted Stevens is

Jolenealaska

I'm a slow typist, bear with me...

Ted Stevens was a US senator for Alaska for, like, ever.

He was the king of pork.

He got so much money for this state that it is ridiculous.

His nickname in Alaska was uncle Te.d

I just looked it up.

He became senator in 1968. He remained senator until his death in 2010.

Ironically, he died in a plane crash.

rumtscho

And was there some juicy scandal about him? Or do you simply find it distasteful to call the airport after a living guy with money, without a "Told you so!" turn of events?

Jolenealaska

Oops, wrong, he was defeated in 2008 because of a scandal and conviction of a felony. He ran for reelection and barely lost.

"In 2008, Stevens was embroiled in a federal corruption trial as he ran for re-election to the Senate. He was found guilty, and eight days later was narrowly defeated at the polls.[5] Stevens is the most senior U.S. Senator to have ever lost a reelection bid. However, prior to sentencing, the indictment was dismissed—effectively vacating the conviction—when a Justice Department probe found evidence of gross prosecutorial misconduct."

It was really amazing to watch this unfold.

But outside the state, even though he was a senator forever, most people in the US wouldn't know his name.

Alaska is so weird :)

rumtscho

5:38 PM

Call me cynical, but I don't think somebody becomes a mogul without having some dirty game. There can be people pretty high in a ranking who keep a clean business, but the highest ones are the ones who have outcompeted everybody else. This takes both being personally somewhat ruthless, and having an advantage against everybody else.

Jolenealaska

I really love the quirkiness.

Oh I agree.

rumtscho

But now it's 18:40, and I'm going home. See you later.

Jolenealaska

Of all the US presidents I can remember, there is only one I would trust as far as I could throw.

He is considered one of the worst presidents in history.

Jimmy Carter.

To be continued...

CYA soon!