The Fabulous Food Show and Cleveland Wine School – at 11:00 AM?

Ok, so I have a good excuse for this one.

A couple of weeks ago, I took off Friday from work for 2 reasons. 1) My daughter (and her cousin) were having a joint birthday party in the evening, and 2) It was the first day of the Cleveland Fabulous Food Show (that’s the name, not a review).





I managed to get tickets to the Guy Fieri 12:30 show – which were row two center section by the way (had no idea about that until I got there) – so I headed over when they opened at 10:00 to make sure I saw everything.


First off, there were a TON of exhibitors. Everything from gadgets to restaurants, local food stores, Ohio favorites. If you’re looking for a new salsa or Barbeque sauce, this is the place for you. There are lots of samples if you’re willing to wait in line. I’m usually not that patient. I cherry picked the short lines, waited for a couple brands I had heard of before, and made it to the back of the floor by about 10:45… What to do now?

What’s that sign say? Free wine tasting instructional class at 11:00? First come, first served… Guess I just filled up the next 30 minutes!

Aside from the obvious plusses to this one, there class was really well done. Marianne (check out Marianne’s Wine Blog ), the owner of the Cleveland Wine School gave us a quick overview of the school. Including details like “Open wine tastings on Fridays and Saturday – Bring your own food.” It sounded pretty cool. She said people bring different breads and cheeses… then she launched into the teaching portion of the program. The only cheesy part was an “accidentally served red-wine-gone-bad” which was obviously staged to show what not to drink – which was still very informative and showed me that I had, in fact, had bad wines before.

So What else did I learn? Well, here’s the top 15 (No significance to the number – just happens to be the good stuff) in no particular order:

1. Acid cleans the pallet at tastings – that’s why you should have the foods along with wines.
2. Tanins protect wine from oxidation – that’s why the reds can last longer than whites.
3. Good white wines can be served warm (see her for detail on what constitutes “good” be
4. Why swirl the wine? It causes minute amounts of agitation and evaporation that releases aroma
5. Pale colors indicate “younger” wines – “Older” wines will be darker as some of the oxidation has already taken place.
6. When the pros taste, the do that swishing motion (like with mouthwash). This is done to allow the most surface coverage within the mouth and to release the acid. You can determine the body of the wine this way.
7. Speaking of acidity, that seems to be the main determiner or what foods do or should not go with certain foods. Sauvignon Blanc because of it’s high acidity in general, for example, goes weil with any chickens and fishes served with lemon or other citrus.
8. White wines get darker as they age, Reds lose color.
9. If a red wine has lost color, it’s said to be an older wine – more than 3 years old.
10. The small sip offered to you when trying a wine is not to see if you like the wine. It’s to make sure the wine hasn’t gone bad. You already bought the bottle so no sending it back. If you think it’s gone bad, the proper etiquette is to request “Another of the same”
11. Tannins also make the mouth feel fuzzy – her words, not mine.
12. When tasting – the slight opening of the mouth and inhaling is to determine acidity of the wine. The more the mouth waters, the more acid.
13. The highly acidic wines should always be served with food at gatherings.
14. TCA is bacteria in corks that are driving the industry to explore synthetic corks and screw tops
15. Decanting softens the wine. When the air gets in, the oxygen aerates the tannins making it a softer texture.
    

Wow – that’s a mouthful. And I was writing quickly, so if any of this is off, please leave me a comment so that I can correct it. And check out the food show and the Cleveland Wine School. Both are time well spent when you would be working otherwise.

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Scylla and Charybdis: The wha-who?

I did my daily check into Woot.com today to see what they had on the docket. (HD TV adapters for analog TV’s. You know, the “As of February, 2009, your analog tv with just an antenna will cease to work” warnings you’ve been hearing about for a year now. This thing fixes that apparently. I’m on DirecTV, so I’m set anyway). Anyway, they typically have some goofy product description or exchange preceding the tech specs of the product.
In the midst of this one I see this sentence:

“…Between the Scylla of digital conversion and the Charybdis of the Pinnacle 880e PCTV Ultimate Stick, the good ship That Old TV is about to crash on the rocks of redundancy.”

Between the what and the who?

So I turn to my old friend Google Search Bar, who in turn shoves me over to Wikipedia:

Scylla and Charybdis are two sea monsters of Greek mythology who were situated on opposite sides of the Strait of Messina between Sicily and Calabria, in Italy. They were located in close enough proximity to each other that they posed an inescapable threat to passing sailors; avoiding Charybdis meant passing too closely to Scylla and vice versa.

Interesting:

But what other Sea Monsters top the list? Here are the top 5 in my book:

· The Giant Octopus Thingy: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea/Pirates of the Carribean/etc.
· The Loch Ness Monster – Ahhhh Inverness - technically not in the sea, but it's a water dweller
· The Kraken – Clash of the Titans (Part Octopus/Part Crab
· Godzilla – While he spent most of his time on land, He came from the water
· Giant Sea Serpent – On every map before 1500.

Want to find some more mythical creatures? Check this out. Found it looking for a description of the Kraken:

The Mythical Creatures and Beasts Wiki

Lots of stuff I didn’t know there… probably gonna keep it that way.

The Macallan - a tasting event

About 2 week s ago I had the opportunity to attend a Macallan Scotch Whisky tasting. (First off, there’s no ‘e’ in Scotch whisky. ‘Whiskey‘ is an Irish spelling from what I understand.

I was alerted to the event by my buddy Badger, a Philly local, who I went to college with. He sent me this Find a Macallan Event link and I signed up for the same one he was on.

We (Badger, Paul, Phil and I) were all able to gain admittance to the event at the Liberty Museum in downtown Philly. What a Great event! By coincidence, my brother Joseph had just attended the same event (with a different host) in Chicago the weekend prior, and also gave it high marks.

Here’s how the tasty goodness went down. Upon arrival, you are given tokens for beverages (one for most, sneaky bastages get more than one). I was a huge fan of the cheese and cracker table. Aside from it’s obvious responsibility-based implications, it was also quite delectable. Then you go into the presentation room. Nicely appointed, mood well set. And Graham, our “brand ambassador,” was certainly a character.

Negatives: (And I’m nit-picking here – because it was free Macallan. Grain of salt, people!)

I’ve been to other whisky tastings in the past – the most recent being Johnny Walker Scotch Whisky (also sans ‘e’). That one, by the way, led me to purchase a bottle of Johnny Blue through an offshore excursion. (“I like to shop at the Duty Free shop.” You know you were silently singing that in your head… ; ) The previous experiences were much more educational on what to look for in a good Whisky. “Look for the nutty flavor,” “… the fruity aroma,” “… the hint of orange or flowers.” I was expecting this to be very similar. However I didn’t get much of that during the actual tasting.

Positives:

The Macallan – that should be self explanatory. The 18 year, I believe, was featured on Lost in past seasons. They don’t do that for Wild Turkey (no offense). The Scotch was delicious. The flight we were indulged with included the 10 (for the token), then while seated: the 12, 15, 17 and 18.

That alone is enough to promote this event. Also take into account a very detailed description of the distilling process, the barrels used, the people (and their remarkable noses) that determine what make up a batch. These were great anecdotal references to how and why The Macallan is what It is.

By the way, there was a great presentation by Graham, the Cheese table (both previously mentioned), Belgian Chocolate (was presented with the 12 year, but I found the 15 year was more ‘simpatico’ to this particular olfactory offering). Not to mention the Ginormous flat/touch screen that bore the information presented to us. That was just cool.

What was missing:

The one question that I posed to my cohorts was around why there would be two labels with but one year difference. Specifically, the 17 and 18 year. Why so different in taste, or so similar, that they needed separate incarnations.

Then came the goody bag: We received some flyers (etc, etc), some tasting glasses – one each, and a little flip book. I didn’t open the book until I was unpacking from the trip. Then I found the answer to my question:

It’s around the casking. The Macallan is casked in both Sherry Oak and Bourbon Oak barrels:

Bouron Oak – Houses the 10, 15, 17, 21 and 30 year Macallans
Sherry Oak – Houses the 12, 18, 25 and a different 30 year Macallan

The Sherry versions are darker in color (due to what is absorbed from their homes). And each bottle tells which type of barrel that particular libation arises from.

So there you go boys, one more mystery of the universe uncovered.

New Music [For me anyway] – Link Wray

I always like finding new musical artists, or seeing a new publication by a known favorite. By the way, if you care: Jason Mraz – Thumbs up… Guns N Roses… No dice.

So when my brother-in-law put together a site proposing the induction of Link Wray to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (that’s right, it’s still in Cleveland!), it got my attention – for a few reasons:

• Eric doesn’t do websites – it’s my sister’s genre. But I took a look and I’m pretty impressed. Very well done, especially for a first effort.
• Eric DOES do Music. I’m constantly impressed by the names he puts in front of me. Old school blues, shows he’s been to, artists I should try out. Los Straightjackets to Buddy Guy. He Knows music.
• Eric’s more or less a quiet guy in general. For him to put a site together means I should take a look.
  

So here’s what I found:

First off – you can check out his Induct Link Wray site. http://inductlinkwray.com/

Great bio information there. Well researched.

I’ll try to give you the Wikipedia Link Wray highlights

Wray was noted for pioneering a new sound for electric guitars, as exemplified in his hit 1958 instrumental "Rumble", by Link Wray and his Ray Men, which pioneered an overdriven, distorted electric guitar sound, and also for having, "invented the power chord, the major modus operandi of modern rock guitarist,"[1] "and in doing so fathering," or making possible, "punk and heavy rock. “

The Music:

Peruse some of the history that Link Wray has been part of. That’s right, Raw-Hide… That alone should be enough to get you to read further. Carry on.

Singles

· Rumble
· Raw-Hide
· Comanche
· Slinky
· Vendetta (as Ray Vernon)
· Trail Of The Lonesome Pine
· Ain't That Lovin' You Babe
· Jack The Ripper
· El Toro
· Big City Stomp
· Rumble Mambo
· The Black Widow
· Week End
· Run Chicken Run
· The Shadow Knows
· Deuces Wild
· Good Rockin' Tonight
· I'm Branded
· Girl From The North Country
· Ace Of Spades
· The Batman Theme (with Bobby Howard)
· Ace Of Spades
· Let The Good Times Roll (with Kathy Lynn)
· Jack The Ripper
· It's All Over Now Baby Blue

Albums:

· Link Wray & The Raymen
· Great Guitar Hits by Link Wray
· Jack The Ripper
· Link Wray Sings And Plays Guitar
· Link Wray
· Mordicai Jones (w/ Bobby Howard)
· Be What You Want To
· Beans and Fatback (rec. 1971)
· The Link Wray Rumble (rec. February 1974)
· Stuck in Gear
· Bull Shot
· Live at the Paradiso
· Apache
· Wild Side of the City Lights
· Indian Child
· Shadowman
· Walking Down a Street Called Love - live
· Barbed Wire

Now that you have the background – go check out the site and sign the petition if you’d like to make an impact on the history of music.

I, for one, will affix my virtual John Hancock to this one.

Well done, Moore.

Mandir, The largest Hindu Temple in … Houston?

I had the pleasure of working with a couple of gents on my last engagement in Houston who kept me laughing even through the rough patches. That’s one of the best ways to deliver success in my opinion. One of the other positives that I got from this particular trip was a little Indian cultural education.
Our technical genius, Sahadev, suggested Pete and I accompany him to a temple he had found. No religious agenda, no ritual requirement type things. He just knew of our interest in learning, world religions and architecture. It was hands down the coolest thing I saw while in Houston.
From their visitor pamphlet:

Mandir [A place of paramount piece]

Welcome to the first traditional Hindu Mandir of its kind in North America. Experience hours of discovery and enjoyment at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir. The Mandir is a masterpiece of intricate design and workmanship, replete with its 5 towering white pinnacles, 12 smooth domes and glittering 136 marble pillars. Over 33,000 pieces of Italian marble and Turkish limestone were hand-carved by skilled craftsmen and assembled by volunteers in just 16 months. Ancient Indian arts, traditions and philosophy have been encompassed in this house of devotion and worship that is a testimony to human commitment. The Mandir opened to all after the Murti-Pratishtha ceremony was performed by his Divine Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj on July 25, 2004.

Wow, that’s a lot to digest. So let’s break it down this way. Top 10 things I learned from Sahadev and company that trip, in no particular order:

1) There is symbolism to the architectural domes and peaks – They represent the mountains as the saints meditate in mountainous regions and temples are supposed to provide such environments on entry.
2) I’m not a huge fan of authentic Indian candies – at least the one I had that night (sorry SK).
3) There were several animal/human forms depicted throughout the temple. The elephant God, who helps in preventing obstacles, is Lord Ganesha who is the son of Lord Shiva and his consort Goddess Parvati. Those figures with musical attachment represent the importance of music associated with the religion. Some of the Gods and Goddesses sported their own musical instruments. Goddess Saraswati plays Veena, a string instrument, and Lord Krishna plays flute…
4) Indian music is much more tonal than rhythmic – in some cases. And Sahadev’s brother is one heck of a vocalist (Sahadev wouldn’t let me hear him sing himself, but from what I hear, he’s not too shabby either.)
5) There was a side chamber where men and women entered separately below the structure. We removed our shoes and walked into a type of shrine. There was a small figure in a fountain representing the young Swami Narayan (known as Neelkanth Varni) who is the founder of the Swami Narayan Sect. We each took a vessel, poured water over the head of the figure – a symbolic prayer/offering for spiritual upliftment and fulfilment of wishes. So far, mine is still being answered – it’s an ongoing hope.
6) You must wear pants! (Pete, I’m looking at you). But they will provide a wrap if needed. Just don’t try to leave with it. (I’m still looking at you Pete).
7) Only take pictures from behind the reflecting pool. Much like any other religious facility, there is a decorum that accompanies any sacred place. Play nice people.
8) Each Swami is the sect leader starting from the first one to the current leader and hence their religious status.
9) Hindu temple tour guides are some of the coolest people ever. I think this guy we had spent maybe an hour with us. No hand out for a tip, no hustle you through, just a volunteer who wanted to educate. That’s a pretty cool community where people gives of themselves just to pass on what they have learned to those who ask to know.
10) Rules surrounding what Sahadev prefers to eat are so both binding and liberating. Many places, he was limited to an appetizer and a dessert. Insanity… or Genius?! I’ll let you decide.
Want to check it out yourself? Here is the Houston Mandir’s Site.

Or if you are in India, Sahadev suggests you check out the largest temple in New Delhi, India.

Thanks for the experience (and help with this post) Sahadev!

Where I Ate: City: Philadelphia, PA - Episode 1

So I’m back in PHL, waiting for the flight gods to grant me permission to embark on yet another trip home. (Please keep your fingers crossed). I’m getting ready for food week. Turkey, Stuffing, um… well, that’s enough for me for a week probably. I started thinking about my first few weeks working here in Philly. I’m working with someone who is even more into trying new restaurants that I am – imagine my joy! And we’ve put a hurting on the Frommers/Zagat/Family and Friend Recommendations list. PLEASE send me any recommendations you have. That’s where a lot of the best meals come from. Unless you don’t like me, then keep it to yourself ; )

This Post’s Highlight City: Philadelphia, PA

After my post on Houston eating, I learned not to try to memory dump this stuff and have been keeping rather up-to-date records of my culinary crusading. And with the proliferation of fine establishments that promise to fill the next few months, I thought I’d better do this locale on the installment plan. Overall, there have been a bunch of reasonably priced, really delicious foods that have crossed the pallet thus far. Here’s the first batch:

Fast Food

Here’s the standards list: I characterize fast food much like my mother does – I have to unwrap it. Usually wait in a queue, national chains, multiple states have them.

Wawa – Kind of a 7/11 with a custom sandwich shop. Hit the spot after a day of travel. Though I did expect a different condiments set to come recommended on a Philly Cheesesteak…in Philly. Where’s the Whiz?

Subway – As expected from one of the largest national chains. Actually got to sit outside and eat. Nice change of pace.

Au Bon Pain – Breakfast and lunch. Good breakfast sandwiches, tasty but small lunch items. I really need to have a combo (two sandwiches or soup and sandwich) to be satisfied, much like at Pot Belly’s in Houston.

Dunkin Donuts – Many of my breakfast spots have one thing in common – some breaded device covered in Egg, Cheese and a big honkin slice of meat. No real shock here. Standard.

Faunbrook Catering – A woman with a lunch table set up in the building next door to the Exton Office (outside of Philly). Really tasty sandwiches – Pastrami Reuben, Good sized Salads – Try the Pork Stewp (Stew and Soup). Really good on a cold day. Sandwich, Soup and Chips for $7? Seriously? Sweet!

Primo Subs – Go find this place. Good authentic east coast hogies and subs. I have been here a couple of times already. Small, standing-room-only waiting area at the one by me. But it’s worth it. Try the Sicilian, or my favorite thus far: the Suprimo. This is my kinda sandwich. Just be prepared if you order the “Whole” portion: “Do you really want all of that?” Um. Yes. All three times…

Papa John’s – Ahhh, the old college standby. To be fair, I was watching Monday Night Football, so I really just wanted to veg out and nosh on something familiar. Mission accomplished (sans banner and flight suit).

Potbelly’s – Like a shining beakin through the mist… a familiar sign of comfort and quality. I found it accidentally on my way back to the hotel from the R5 Suburban St Station. On 17th I think. Wreck and Italian please. I may start the Potbelly’s tour and just go location to location like a Dave Matthews Band groupie.

Gia Pronto Café – Across the street from the office (yes, I know you’re zoning in on my client… keep trying). There wasn’t a clear line or way to order, and the folks working seemed content to let me stand there and not be waited on… so I probably won’t be back. It’s a shame, because I liked the paninis. Try the Panini Gia Pronto (I always assume the sandwich named for the place should be good. The Panino Prosciutto is also tasty. But then, anything with Prosciutto is tasty.

The Corner Bakery Café – Breakfast for me please. Apparently the difference between the Smoked bacon and Cheddar Panini and the Commuter Croissant (aside from the ingredients) is foil. Both were delicious, though I should have grabbed some condiments. I would recommend asking for all thing you are taking to-go to be wrapped. The Plastic just allows for steam to make things soggy (don’t get me started on burger side dishes). A place I would go back to, but I would try something different.

Mid Range Places:

These were places I needed to order from a menu, but could sit down and have my food brought to me.. But you still get paper napkins and plastic “we don’t care if you steal it” cutlery:

SaladWorks – Yep, that’s right fair readers… I had a salad for lunch. Walked to the restaurant too. I’m darn near healthy this trip ; ) Good sized portions. Had the Honey BBQ Chicken Salad. No caffeine free drinks in the soda machine – weird. They have sandwiches / panini’s too.

Ruby Tuesday’s – Right across from the hotel. I do love me a good all you can eat salad. Wait staff wasn’t great. Very friendly, but no drink refills and they never brought my additional condiments back in 25 minutes. The food was good though – as expected.

Monk’s Café and Tavern – Highly recommended and well worth it. Not only is this a Belgian restaurant with fantastic food, but they sure know how to pair a meal with a beer. “A Delerium for my friend, and I’ll have a Chimay Blue please.” That earned me some ‘he may know what he’s talking about after all’ points me thinks. I had the cheek appetizer and a veal sandwich. Leave room for dessert. You won’t be disappointed.

Upper Crust-ier Type Joints:

These were nicer places. Linen on the table, you feel under-dressed in jeans and/or without a jacket. Probably not places I would try if I couldn’t charge it in after fasting for breakfast and lunch to save up the Per Diems.

La Viola – Small Italian one room place – maybe 20 tables, seemed to be run by a family. Delicious Antipasta Mista (check for the specials). I had the Chicken stuffed with Spinach and Cheese. Wonderful. Don’t forget to pick up your bottle of wine before you come in – this place is BYOB.

Penang in Chinatown – Nice Malaysian Place (I guess anyway, it was my first time at one). I apparently like Mee Siam – whatever it is. And the wings are good. Look for the Pancakes (especially if you get a seat near the kitchen) very cool preparation method by guys who have been doing this for a while.

Byblos – Great little place that apparently turns into a hardcore Mediterranean / Middle Eastern night club in the wee hours. I tried the Babaganoush, Saganaki (Ooo-pah!), Mee-sookah (pretty sure that’s spelled wrong). Interesting Moorish architectural/design motif as well. I’m told the Huka Pipe is something to experience… I’ll just watch from over here.

Alma de Cuba – Cuban place. Tried the Pistacio encrusted Rack of Lamb on the bed of mixed grees, Mofala and Chorizo. Um… YUM! The Fire and Ice Ceviche (Special that night) was also delicious – and I’m not what you would call a seafood guy. If you get a chance to get out here (especially on someone else’s dime) I recommend.
Watch for more from Philly!

Where I Ate: City: Houston, Texas

Warning: This may be the longest thing I’ve written since College – If you want to skip to the good stuff, scroll down and work backwards. Though, I think you’ll be ready for a meal if you start at the top and head down at a normal pace.

As I sit in Philadelphia’s wonderful airport (actually, the airport is quite nice – lots to do and an abundance of power outlets – it’s just the on-time service that sucks), I’ve found another good establishment to nosh on some vittles while I await the inevitable return to the home state. I started thinking about my last engagement. I manage to get to a number of different eating establishments when I travel for work.While I haven’t built up a good list yet (though I’m well on my way this trip already), I’ll start you off, fair reader, with the highlights from my last traveling gig:

This Post’s Highlight City: Houston, Texas

From memory, this is a pretty comprehensive list of the establishments I frequented. I challenge Sahadev and Pete to find holes in the places I ate with them. Some are pretty standard; some are a bit off the beaten path. For the most part, I've gotten better about getting outside of my comfort zone, while still being sensitive to cost… for all our sakes, that’s a good idea.

Random Bar:

First, a shout out to a very cool place I never would have found on my own. My cousin D happens to be a bartender while attending school in Houston at a place called Dean’s Clothiers. I loved the vibe of this place. Live Music, Inventive combination of History and Invention for the Décor (especially love the bathroom wallpaper – no joke) and of course, the staff is friggin cool as sh…ifting gears:

On to the food Jeeves!

Fast Food

Here’s the standards list: I characterize fast food much like my mother does – I have to unwrap it. Usually wait in a queue, national chains, multiple states have them.

McChevron – A McDonald’s/Chevron Station/Convenience store – All your gassy needs in one place. While I have only seen McD’s combined with a Walmart before, I still classify this as Chain food – Quality as expected.

Sonic: This was my first time there. I’ve been watching the commercials from Cleveland for about 3 years now, and I finally get my chance! … Eh [insert shoulder shrug with palms up] Food was ok, but service was so-so. Slow, no condiments offered or brought to the car (and no way to order them). Pricey for a quick burger. The get a ‘Push’ – They get one more shot just in case it was a bad day.

Panda Express: My weekly dose of Sweet and Sour chicken – As Expected – ask for extra sauce. My first attempt at General Tso’s – he’s a top five commissioned officer choice.

Pizza Hut – Not much that varies here, advertised as a sit down place, but no lunch buffet, Still: tasty, quick, hit the spot.

Domino’s - Ditto, but they need to figure out how to process a credit card online. If I don’t want to talk to someone, I sure don’t want to talk to them 3 times to give them my money. Still… it’s pizza, always a crowd pleaser.

Burger King – The crown lives on – and they’re open REALLY late. Thanks for that. As Expected.

Cici’s Pizza: Have to keep this in the lower eschelon due to quality. I preferred the old school Pizza Hut buffet, when it was a novelty, busy, and the pizzas turned quickly. This stuff got cold. Salad and pasta were cool, but there were only 2 varieties of pizza I went back to. If you are going to go here – go when it’s busy. It’s good then. Otherwise it’s ‘next morning, coffee table’ pizza.

Panera: Another standard for good, quick lunch. I rarely get anything other than the Frontega chicken, an Asiago bagel with Veggie Cream Cheese, and a huge honkin water… why mess with success?

Mid Range Places:

These were places I needed to order from a menu, but could sit down and have my food brought to me.. But you still get paper napkins and plastic “we don’t care if you steal it” cutlery:

Hilton Garden Inn – In this grouping only because of my criteria. Good expansive breakfast, Room service is OK. About average for a hotel.

Random Chinese place…first day on our own lunch: didn’t catch the name of this place, but it was our first day on site. Wait staff wasn’t terribly friendly, no free refills on 12 oz soda’s (start of a nasty trend) and the portions weren’t really sizable. For the price – which was also small – I should have ordered two portions. Not bad, not great – plenty of room to improve next time… and so it did.

The Mexican place that didn’t speak English – 45 and Sam Houston Parkway – Terrific Authentic Mexican food. Make sure you can translate (which I was able to due to 4 years in High School and years of being ridiculed by my central/south American architecture compatriots). Highly recommend the enchiladas.

Pappa’s on Westheimer – True Texas Barbeque. Pappa’s are all run by the same family, from what I am told, each family member has a different branch. Good stuff, BIG portions, a little more vinegary that my tastes would first choose, but BBQ is like an Operating System and College Football – no manner of convincing will make you change your mind as to what you like. Overall, thumbs up. Try the Carrot Cake – no joke.

Pot Belly’s : By far the best “I wish I’d known there was one of these here from day one” stumbleupon’s of the trip. I have had these in Chicago and DC. Get the Wreck… and the Italian… maybe a couple others. My ONLY criticism is that the sandwiches are relatively small for what I like in a deli-type sandwich.

Pappadeux (At the airport) – Relative of Pappa’s. Almost moved up to the next category, but being an airport… paper and plastic. Great burgers, tasty Calamari, and a pleasant dark wood atmosphere in the midst of a hoppin airport.

Fox SkyBox (At the airport): Similar setup to Pappadeaux (Same physical orientation in fact) but mush more sports-bar. Good apps, tasty beverages. The nachos could be a bit crisper, but still got me through my queso fix.

Taco Cabana: Here’s the good thing I have to say about TC: Salsa bar. However if you have a Moe’s in the area, it’s no contest. Go to Homer’s best friend’s place. Thumbs down.

Random Small Italian Place near Sam Houston Parkway – Can’t remember the name of this place. Another “Stumble Upon.” Pete and I went here. Typical Italian Deli type place, but with tables. Very little English spoken, but craving-soothing food. Big negative – No free refills on 12 oz cokes that were mostly ice. Didn’t go back.

Outback Steakhouse: Bloomin Onion, Battered ‘Shrooms, 12 oz Ribeye w/ au jus… ‘Nuff Said.

Cheddar’s: Another nice place. I think these are a chain, but I haven’t seen them anywhere else. Went there a ½ dozen times – that should mean something. Great portion size if you like sides. Burgers are good, service is quick and friendly. Overall, probably the place I would have made a regular spot if I got to choose everyday. Job well done.

Red Robin: Yes, they offered it… I partook: Bottomless Fries. My record was 4 orders, then it was time to get back to work (or as I put it “afternoon naptime”). Loved the inventive burgers. The Hawaiian, the Barbeque, etc – all just a little different spice mix to make you do the Scooby Doo head turn (insert “ errr? Shaggy?” sound effect here)


Upper Crust-ier Type Joints:

These were nicer places. Linen on the table, you feel under-dressed in jeans and/or without a jacket. Probably not places I would try if I couldn’t charge it in after fasting for breakfast and lunch to save up the Per Diems.

Benihana’s – Good food, not enough variety for a meat-a-tarian. In fact, my vegetarian friend didn’t even find enough to get a meal out of. It get’s a push.

Forno’s – Terrific little Italian place up on Westheimer. Crispy Calamari, Oven fired authentic Italian Pizza’s (Try the Campagnia). And friendly service. Went back whenever I could.

Santo’s – Mexican place in a strip area that had a nice bar area for the sports lover, and seating for the more normal diner. Great Stuffed peppers (Chile Rellenos – sorry for the spelling there). The avocado/cream/dipping sauce that comes with the chips is fantastic.

Rio Grande – Attached/Affiliated with the Hilton on Westheimer. Had THE BEST wings in probably 2 year. A Chocolate/Chipotle sauce on them that I wanted to use as a facial moisturizer… and kinda did unintentionally. DELICIOUS. Talked about these wings for about a solid week. Rest of the menu was decent. Tried a couple, wasn’t disappointed.

J. Alexander’s: Land, Drive to meet client, Sit down at a great restaurant… and try to look respectful of the expenses they will be paying. “I’ll just have a bacon cheeseburger please.” I fully plan to make up for this at a later date. This place has a fantastic reputation as a steakhouse – I just couldn’t make best use during a first impression. Burger was still damn memorable… yum!

Fogo De Chao: This one I built up to. Had a buddy tell me “You HAVE to go here.” He knows my carnivorous habits. So I got the Biz Dev guys to fund my client dinner – it was our end of project roll off dinner, and it was magnificent:

Picture this – Huge Salad bar (one full wing, yes wing, was CHEESE!), great bread, full bar… and everyone who had ever eaten there tells me to touch NONE of it! Because you have to save room for the meat. For those of you (like me) who don’t know what a Churrascaria is – here’s your learnin':

Men with spits of meat, right off the grill, walk around the restaurant. Want some, flip your table provided paddle to green… can’t fit any more in your gills? Flip to red… then chow down. 15 different meat selections ( I managed 12 – couldn’t find the other 3). Chicken, Pork, Beef… Happy, Happy, Happy. The Marinated Port and the Bacon Wrapped Filet were my favorites.

Rarely do I leave a city on a truly happy food note – Houston, Well Done.

Next Cities: – San Francisco, then Philadelphia.

A month of - Food!

My sister recently started her 87th blog. I'm pretty sure she's one part vampire, one part redbull. Her most recent creations is "A month of..." It's a blog about one topic with guest bloggers each day.

She was kind enough to feature me Sunday with Matt: A month of Food: Day 2. (We'll talk later about why I wasn't day 1 sis ; )

Check out my recipe for Baked Pork Loin Pesto Rolls. It's fantastic! Not terribly healthy, but seriously tasty.

Thanks Angela!

I'm awake... I'm awake! (Stupid Alarm Clock)

Wow, looks like I overslept... for a few months. Sorry about that faithful readers. Change of job, lots of traveling, family growing up quickly - all have lined my coffers with valuable material for this publication.

You know how you get into a groove, have a routine. Do certain things which at one time had a purpose, but then just became part of the day? Yeah, same here. So I thought I'd change it up a bit. Those of you who know me rarely have seen me in recent years without a Diet Pepsi in my hand - typically being emptied into my skull. Diet Pepsi has also been running a "Pepsi Stuff" promotion with Amazon.

Good news: I get "stuff" for my loyalty to a product and diligent entering of online codes.

Bad news: I get to see a fairly accurate tracking of just how much of this stuff I'm ingesting.

How much? Seriously? Yikes!

So I had a self induced Diet Pepsi ban - took two weeks off from all caffeine. No ill effects, no real change in sleep habits... so what's the big deal. For those of you with stock who had to endure the 21% drop in value: My bad. Take the long view. You'll be fine.

Enter Monday Night Football... and a sick daughter. Somebody needed a wake-me-up this AM. So I decided to figure out what the deal was. How does Caffeine actually pop these droopy lids open at 6:30?

Check this out.

Excerpts:

"... Caffeine is believed to work by blocking adenosine receptors in the brain and other organs. This reduces the ability of adenosine to bind to the receptors, which would slow down cellular activity. The stimulated nerve cells release the hormone epinephrine (adrenaline), which increases heart rate, blood pressure, and blood flow to muscles, decreases blood flow to the skin and organs, and causes the liver to release glucose. Caffeine also increases levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine.

Caffeine is quickly and completely removed from the brain. Its effects are short-lived and it tends not to negatively affect concentration or higher brain functions. However, continued exposure to caffeine leads to developing a tolerance to it. Tolerance causes the body to become sensitized to to adenosine, so withdrawal causes blood pressure to drop, which can result in a headache and other symptoms. Too much caffeine can result in caffeine intoxication, which is characterized by nervousness, excitement, increased urination, insomnia, flushed face, cold hands/feet, intestinal complaints, and sometimes hallucinations. ..."

Well, now you know.

Welcome back readers.

Baking Powder vs Baking Soda - what's the diff?

I've long been confused by Baking Power vs Baking Soda. Yes, I know they are not interchangable, but they look alike, they are named similarly, what's the real difference between them?

Wiki?

Baking powder is a dry chemical used in cooking, mainly baking. Traditional baking powder was composed of a mixture of tartaric acid and bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), a quantity of flour usually being added to reduce the strength [1]. When dissolved in water the acid and bicarbonate react and emit carbon dioxide gas which expands, producing bubbles to leaven the mixture.

Hmmm. Ok Mr. Big words, how about the Soda?

Sodium bicarbonate or sodium hydrogen carbonate is the chemical compound with the formula NaHCO3. Sodium bicarbonate is a white solid that is crystalline but often appears as a fine powder. It has a slight alkaline taste resembling that of washing soda (sodium carbonate). It is a component of the mineral natron and is found dissolved in many mineral springs. The natural mineral form is known as nahcolite. It is also produced artificially.
Since it has long been known and is widely used, the salt has many related names such as baking soda, bread soda, cooking soda, bicarbonate of soda. Colloquially, its name is shortened to sodium bicarb. The word saleratus, from Latin sal æratus meaning "aerated salt", was widely used in the 19th century for both sodium bicarbonate and potassium bicarbonate. The term has now fallen out of common usage.

You lost me at Sodium...

In plain english please?

Baking Soda: Sodium bicarbonate is primarily used in cooking (baking) where it reacts with other components to release carbon dioxide, that helps dough "rise."

Baking Powder: Baking powder is most often found in quick breads like pancakes, waffles, and muffins. Generally, one teaspoon (5ml) of baking powder is used to raise a mixture of one cup (200-250ml) of flour, one cup of liquid, and one egg.

So what's the difference? - Acid!!!

Substituting in recipes

Baking powder is generally just baking soda mixed with an acid, and a number of kitchen acids may be mixed with baking soda to simulate commercial blends of baking powder. The most common suggestion is to use two parts cream of tartar with one part baking soda. Vinegar (dilute ethanoic acid), especially white vinegar, is also a common acidifier in baking. Where a recipe already uses buttermilk or yogurt, baking soda can be used without cream of tartar (or with less). Alternatively, lemon juice can be substituted for some of the liquid in the recipe, to provide the required acidity to activate the baking soda.

Ahhh. Now I get it. Baking Soda + Acid = Baking Powder.

Mystery Solved

Dilbert and the Turing Test

I was going through back issues of Dilbert recently and came across one where the pointy-haired manager does something idiotic (no shocker there). Dilbert makes the comment that he has just failed the Turing Test (Matt scratches his head with quizical look):

Goodbye Dilbert, Hello Wikipedia:

Turing test

The Turing test is a proposal for a test of a machine's capability to demonstrate intelligence.

Described by Alan Turing in the 1950 paper "Computing Machinery and Intelligence," it proceeds as follows: a human judge engages in a natural language conversation with one human and one machine, each of which try to appear human; if the judge cannot reliably tell which is which, then the machine is said to pass the test. In order to keep the test setting simple and universal (to explicitly test the linguistic capability of the machine instead of its ability to render words into audio), the conversation is limited to a text-only channel (Turing originally suggested teletype machine; more advanced screen-based have been assumed later).

"Ah..." says Matt - "Now I get it. "

That crazy Dilbert ; )

Social Media: Dog Blog - They Call Me Cosmo

Some folks I met recently introduced me to their pup "Gingerbread Kase of Greygoose (aka Cosmo)" via the world wide web. Not in the traditional way, you know, like with photos, but by pulling up Cosmo's blog. That's right. First person - or first dog I should say - accounts of Cosmo's life straight from the pup's paws.

http://theycallmecosmo.blogspot.com is a quite comprehensive log of what's happening in the great white north.

I started looking into the secret life of online-animalia and was astounded by the number of sites and participants.

http://dogblog.dogster.com/

and here's a full list of cat blogs:

http://cats.about.com/od/blogs/Blogs_by_Cat_Lovers.htm

That's a dedicated group of animal lovers. Any other species that get a lot of airtime out there?

Technology: My New Headphones and How Speakers Work

I drink a lot of diet soda. The brand I frequent the most has a promotion going on where you can gather points and get stuff from a major retailer - yeah, those guys.

Anyway,through caps, 12 packs, cases, 2 liters, and throwing a few parties I was able to amass the required number of points to get new headphones. I chose the V-Moda Bling Black Extra Bass in ear headphones. The only reason I mention the brand name (as I have avoided mentioning brand names thus far in this post so far) is that I have been so impressed with the quality of the the sound I get from these headphones.

I got to thinking about how speakers work. I, like much of my generation, watched Back to the Future and the super speaker that blew Marty across the room. I was wondering how a speaker can generate physical force... It's all about the pressure of a sound wave.

From HowStuffWorks.com:

"Sound Basics

To understand how speakers work, you first need to understand how sound works.

Inside your ear is a very thin piece of skin called the eardrum. When your eardrum vibrates, your brain interprets the vibrations as sound -- that's how you hear. Rapid changes in air pressure are the most common thing to vibrate your eardrum.

An object produces sound when it vibrates in air (sound can also travel through liquids and solids, but air is the transmission medium when we listen to speakers). When something vibrates, it moves the air particles around it. Those air particles in turn move the air particles around them, carrying the pulse of the vibration through the air as a traveling disturbance.

To see how this works, let's look at a simple vibrating object -- a bell. When you ring a bell, the metal vibrates -- flexes in and out -- rapidly. When it flexes out on one side, it pushes out on the surrounding air particles on that side. These air particles then collide with the particles in front of them, which collide with the particles in front of them and so on. When the bell flexes away, it pulls in on these surrounding air particles, creating a drop in pressure that pulls in on more surrounding air particles, which creates another drop in pressure that pulls in particles that are even farther out and so on. This decreasing of pressure is called rarefaction."

So to my untrained mind, I would guess that the act of creating these pressure waves can generate enough force to physically move air... and (while simplified and overdone for the move) the speaker blasting Marty across the room may actually be possible. Hold you hand in front of an old speaker with the cover off on a good bass line sometime and feel the slight breeze each beat creates to see what I'm talking about.

Enjoy that conference - and Share! Top 10 list.

We have a fantastic mentoring/career counseling system at my current company (as many big time players do) and I am fortunate enough to have a couple of driven individuals who I am responsible for helping shape their destiny.

One of them is headed to the FITC Toronto 2008 Flash conference in Toronto shortly. I've been attending sonferences from the "Industry" side for a while - but it really changes when you get to the agency side in terms of what you should be involved with.

I put together my unsolicited advice on tips for attending a conference based on what I've learned over the last 10 years or so. They are outlined below:

1. Be the guy with the laptop... type up notes as you go. If you hand-write them, it'll take you too long getting unburied to send them out. And it'll be lower priority over project work.
2. If you can, send regular notes to appropriate people during/after each session you attend. Make them short. That'll increase the probability of someone reading them and being able to use them. If you have people on Twitter/etc. Do that as well. Just don't let it distract you from absorbing the content at hand.
3. Ask questions - you're going to have the cream of the crop at your disposal and these people love to spread the knowledge. So give them an opportunity to get to know your interest and deal out the info.
4. Business cards are key - when you meet someone (potential client, smart individual, speaker - whoever) keep a pen with you and jot notes on the back of it. And make it a goal to run out of yours... If you have any left you a) didn't talk to enough people and/or b)didn't enter enough fishbowl contests for iPods.
5. Go to the networking events. Don't be the guy wearing the lampshade at the end of the night, but be cordially aggressive in meeting people. Don't wait to be introduced.Introduce yourself. Engage for several minutes before handing out the biz card... standard stuff. I have actual strategies for this if you're interested.
6. Assume this is the only time you'll see these people ever... Likely not the case, but the more interest you show and contacts you make, the better the chance that you will continue that contact.
7. Ask for downloads - presentations, links, etc. Get collateral to reinforce the message so you can pass it on.
8. Plan your sessions ahead of time. Make a concerted effort to not only hit the things you want to learn about but when items may be of use but not immediately useful... keep them on your radar. On toss-up decisions, refer to number 6.
9. Visit as many booths as you can. Even if it's something you don't care about, there's always carry over to new learning. Capabilities, tools, whatever. If nothing else, you'll be able to tell someone "that won't work because I know what they do" when it's brought up. nowledge is key. I'm notoriously bad at this - and working on it.
10. Sleep - You're gonna need it to let your mind rest between days. The sponge gets saturated and needs it need it's cataloguing time.

So hopefully that gives some insight into things I've learned on attending these conferences. I've been to technical, marketing, operational, search, etc conferences - and these tips have helped me traverse them all and bring back value to those I work with.

Yep, it's me again. Done hibernating.

I've had a fantastic (in my humble opinion) number of visits through my horribly lax last month and change. I apologize for falling off the map. But in my defense, it's for good reason.

I've been busy learning...

And organizing. I came into this gig without a plan - just a topic. And I stand by my topic. I like it and I've gotten some fantastic ideas and comments on that topic of continual learning. So now we refocus.

Each post will fall into one of these categories:

• Food
• Entertainment
• Technology/Business
• Everyday Life
• Wildcard
• Bonus!! - For any weekend posts that come up

This will allow me to focus my efforts and make sure those faithful subscribers - both of you (thanks mom and dad) know what's coming.

That said - here we go again.

Minority Report meets CNN

Anybody been watching the CNN reports on the primaries? John King has this phenomenal interactive screen. It's all touch screen where he's doing some very iPhone type movements... then I start thinking, where have I seen this on such a large scale? Minority Report! That futuristic crime fighting tale with Tom Cruise. Same motions in most of the scenes. Very cool (and a bit creepy) to see them in action.

So the other thing I was reminded of while reminiscing was the Jestons. Let's look at the technology they had. Ok. We still don't have flying cars for everyone (but we do have them... LINK). But Treadmills, Video Phones, Robots, Automation, etc etc... there really isn't much that's missing.

http://www.uwstout.edu/lts/webid/avconf/jetsons.htm

Another fun thing to check out is how much Star Wars technology is in existence today...

Looks like we have the power of tomorrow...today!

Sciatica Says "Sit down."

So I've had back issues for about a dozen years. I played intramural football in college. It was full contact with the pads and a bunch of top notch players who could have played varsity at other schools. That describes them, not me. I'm the guy who got to play against/with the talented bunch.

Then I spent a year in Italy with my inherent inability to "under-pack" I consistently carried 40 to 50 lb packs across Italy and continent of Europe as the opportunity arose. These things contributes to a couple of herniated discs, and the occasional pinched sciatica nerve.

It's been a couple years since the last flare up, however, my 2 year old and my 10 month old was playing "climb Mount Daddy" and, while in his wobble-and-fall-forward stage, aimed with his forehead and landed on those pinched vertebrae sending the nerve into twitchiness.

What's a Sciatica you may ask? (I assume you did... ; )

The term sciatica describes the symptoms of leg pain and possibly tingling, numbness or weakness that travels from the low back through the buttock and down the large sciatic nerve in the back of the leg. The vast majority of people who experience sciatica get better with time (usually a few weeks or months) and find pain relief with non-surgical treatment. For others, however, sciatica can be severe and debilitating.

The clinical diagnosis of sciatica is referred to as a "radiculopathy", which means simply that a disc has protruded from its normal position in the vertebral column and is putting pressure on the radicular nerve (nerve root) in the lower back, which forms part of the sciatic nerve.
An important thing to understand is that sciatica is a symptom of a problem—of something compressing or irritating the nerve roots that comprise the sciatic nerve—rather than a medical diagnosis or medical disorder in an of itself. This is an important distinction because it is the underlying diagnosis (vs. the symptoms of sciatica) that often needs to be treated in order to relieve sciatic nerve pain. Common causes of sciatica are a lumbar herniated disc, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease or spondylolisthesis.

Lots of words to tell me I need to stretch a lot before I try to swing a club at that conference on Monday... Ouch!

Super Delegates - No Capes please.

So I'm becoming increasingly interested in the Democratic convention. Living in Ohio, (and traveling to Texas tomorrow) this is gonna be interesting. Then they start talking about these Super Delegates on TV. Whu-huh?

Here's a first, I'm snagging the whole wiki definition:

"Superdelegate" is an informal term for some of the delegates to the Democratic National Convention, the quadrennial convention of the United States Democratic Party.
Unlike most convention delegates, the superdelegates are not selected based on the party primaries and caucuses in each U.S. state. Instead, the superdelegates are seated automatically, based solely on their status as current or former elected officeholders and party officials. They are free to support any candidate for the nomination.
The Democratic Party rules do not use the term "superdelegate". The formal designation (in Rule 9.A) is "unpledged party leader and elected official delegates".[1] In addition to these unpledged "PLEO" delegates, the state parties choose other unpledged delegates (Rule 9.B) and pledged PLEO delegates (Rule 9.C).[1] This article discusses only the unpledged PLEO delegates.
The Republican Party also seats some party officials as delegates without regard to primary or caucus results, but the term "superdelegate" is most commonly applied only in the Democratic Party.
At the 2008 Democratic National Convention the superdelegates will make up approximately one-fifth of the total number of delegates. The unforeseen and unprecedented closeness of the race between the leading contenders Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama following Super Tuesday has focused attention on the potential role of the superdelegates in selecting the Democratic nominee, inasmuch as in the aggregate they could come to be kingmakers to a degree not seen in previous election cycles.[2] Such an outcome would result in the first brokered convention since 1952.

So I know I said in my first post that I'd boot any comments that came from perpetuating someone's agenda... so don't do that. But I'd like some opinions.

Does it seem weird that a "delegate" system that was installed to vote for a nation that didn't have a quick way to vote instantaneously across the country... would then be modified to further limit the actual validity of the general popular vote?

Lemme know please!!!

Cool Cars - Kitt and Concept

I caught the new Knight Rider show this week. It has some serious potential. I was a fan of the original back in the day. They do a good job of being true to the old school concepts and timelines, and there's even a cameo by the Hoff.

I went looking for details on the car and went to http://www.knightrider.com/ Logical, right? Nope:

Knight Rider Consulting, Inc. is a small Software Engineering and consulting company located in Central Wisconsin.We specialize in helping businesses become more efficient, by developing more effective and consistent work flows, allowing them to reduce expenses and increase revenue.

I think "aw, funny, they're doing the Oceanic Airlines one off site thing to promote the show..." Wrong again, it appears to be an actual company. They even have products named KITT and KARR. Funny stuff.

Here's the details for what I watched: http://www.nbc.com/Knight_Rider/ They even have the specs for the car. I gotta get me one of them.

The other car I saw that looked pretty cool is the new Lexus LF-A concept car. It's not bulletproof and can't change from a black Cobra to a blue Mustang, but it is seriously advanced (hence the term "concept car"). My favorite feature? The side view mirrors are actually cameras that point backward and project inside the car. No more pesky turning your head sidesays. What a relief.

Pretty soon you'll have cars that can parallel park themselves... Oh, right, they already do.

So this Squid and this Chameleon walk into a saloon...

Actually, I guess the Squid would swim in. Maybe it was a pool bar... oh forget it.



The question we should be asking is what do they have in common, why are they lumped together in this social setting? Some of you already know - They can both change colors. While Chameleons are far more hyped for their ability - I guess they're considered more cuddly - Squid (and octopuses by the way) have the same ability.



Very interesting. Didn't know there would be a reason to, but it's mainly the same two reasons as their air dwelling compatriates. To either draw attention to themselves, or dismiss it. So big deal, right? Lots of animals do things to change their appearance. Yes, I say to the imaginary voice in my head. But how?



Ahhh. We are now at the crux of my learning for the day!



Chromatophores: As Ellen J Prager tells us:

A number of cephalopods--the group of animals that includes octopuses, squid and cuttlefish--are skilled in the art of color change, which can be used for camouflage or to startle and warn potential predators in their undersea realm. Many of these creatures have special pigment cells called chromatophores in their skin. By controlling the size of the cells they can vary their color and even create changing patterns. Chromatophores are connected to the nervous system, and their size is determined by muscular contractions. The cephalopods also have extremely well developed eyes, which are believed to detect both the color and intensity of light. Using their excellent eyesight and chromatophores, cephalopods camouflage themselves by creating color patterns that closely match the underlying seafloor. In squid, color changes also occur when the animal is disturbed or feels threatened.

Pretty talented, huh? But wait! There's more!

In addition to color control, many of the squid can produce light and control its intensity. ... Bioluminescence may also offer a means of communication in the dim midwater or twilight region of the sea. Squid and other marine creatures create light by mixing two substances into a third that gives off light, similar to the mechanism by which a common firefly lights up or the way the popular plastic green glow-sticks work.

I'll never look at my fried Calamari quite the same way again.

Sweet and Spicy: Peanut Butter Fudge and Chile Peppers

A couple of culinary firsts for me this weekend.

First, I learned how to make Peanut Butter Fudge. Remarkably easy - took about 8 minutes. Here's the recipe if you'd like a tasty treat (Thanks Food Network )

1 cup butter, plus more for greasing pan
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound powdered sugar

Microwave butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes on high. Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes. Add vanilla and powdered sugar to peanut butter mixture and stir to combine with a wooden spoon. Pour into a buttered 8 by 8-inch pan lined with waxed paper. Place a second piece of waxed paper on the surface of the fudge and refrigerate until cool. Cut into 1-inch pieces and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Very tasty and super simple.

So once I had my fill of sugar, I moved on to some spicy goodness. Iron Chef America was going through a challenge where the "secret ingredient" was chile peppers. They had a ridiculous number of varieties they were working with. How many could there be? Apparently enough for someone to work up an entire chile pepper database. Rather extensive. Pictures, descriptions and the like. Good stuff. But the descriptions are fairly general where the heat factor was described. So I went to an old favorite for reference:

The Scoville Index:


The Scoville Index is a: "scale developed by Wilbur Scoville in 1912, to measure the heat level in chillies. It was first a subjective taste test, but since, it has been refined by the use of HPLC, the unit is named in honour of its inventor.

The test officially measures the pungency level of a given pepper. There are other methods, but the Scoville Scale remains the most widely used and respected. The greater the number of Scoville units, the hotter the pepper. Of course, being a natural product, the heat can vary from pepper to pepper, so this scale is just a guide. "

Here's a Wiki reference for what these numbers look like:


Scoville rating: Type of pepper

15,000,000–16,000,000: Pure capsaicin
9,100,000: Nordihydrocapsaicin
2,000,000–5,300,000: Standard U.S. Grade pepper spray
855,000–1,041,427: Naga Jolokia
350,000–577,000: Red Savina Habanero
100,000–350,000: Habanero chili, Scotch Bonnet
100,000–200,000: Rocoto, Jamaican Hot Pepper, African Birdseye
50,000–100,000: Thai Pepper, Malagueta Pepper, Chiltepin Pepper, Pequin Pepper
30,000–50,000: Cayenne Pepper, Ají pepper, Tabasco pepper
10,000–23,000: Serrano Pepper
5,000–10,000: Wax Pepper
4,500–5,000: New Mexican varieties of Anaheim pepper
2,500–8,000: Jalapeño Pepper
1,500–2,500: Rocotillo Pepper, Sriracha
1,000–1,500: Poblano Pepper
500–2,500: Anaheim pepper
100–500: Pimento, Pepperoncini
0: No heat, Bell pepper

So the next time somebody tells you it's spicy, ask what the Scoville rating is. If they're really on top of your game they can either give you a rating or a pepper that is comparable.

Trivia Day 1 - Potpourri Topics

I've been collecting a number of these "hmmm, that's interesting" one liners: For a light Friday, I think this is a good opportunity to start to spread them out:

Food:

It takes approximately 2 million flowers worth of nectar to produce a pound of honey.

Music:

Axl Rose's real name is William Bailey (per the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame). I'd change it too if I was going into show bizness - already too many of them out there.

Frank Sinatra had a record label (Reprise Records)who - even though he swore it would not be a home to "rock and roll" signed a variety of such performers including Barenaked Ladies and Eric Clapton.

Movies:

John Wayne holds the record for the most leading roles by one actor (142). However, most films/movies is still up for discussion.

Sports:

The player who holds the record for breaking up the most perfect games with homeruns is Ricky Henderson (This is a great "trick" question, since every baseball game is a perfect game when it starts. His homers were all in the leadoff position where this question is concerned).

General Knowledge:

"A pint is a pound the world around" Refers to the weight of water by volume.


Cram that in your Cranium.

Congrats Arizona and the Dept of Commerce & Labor

Well, it's February 14th again. That "Hallmark Holiday." The "American Greetings Anniversary." While it's not as manufactured (in my opinion) as it's September Counterpart, Valentines Day is not what I would call an authentic holiday. My standards include things like:

• Do I get a day off work
• Is there a big meal involved
• Does it tend to bring a large group of people together
• Is there historical/religious/political significance to the day

If I get to 3 or more yeses out of that list. I count it. Today... not so much.

My wife and I don't celebrate the day in what would be called the "typical fashion." Now that we have small children, that is likely to change in the very near future. However we will continue to live in our dream world of mini-pseudo-antidisestablishmentarianism. (I've always wanted to use that in an actual conversation). We do so by celebrating non-traditional events or holidays on this 14th day of February.

Here's a good site where you can find historical events on any given holiday. Today my two favorites (per today's title) are as follows.

1903 US Dept of Commerce & Labor established
1912 Arizona becomes 48th state

So Happy times to all you non-conformity fans out there.

Six Degrees of Brubaker, the Movie Trivia Maker

I was flipping through channels this weekend and came across the movie Brubaker starring Robert Redford (among others). It's a veritable 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon jackpot. Whenever I get a really good story that has that aire of believability, I try to find out if it's a real story.

Per Yahoo answers: Yepper!

"Based on the real-life efforts of former prison administrator Thomas O. Murton to reform Tucker and Cummins Prison Farms in Arkansas in 1967-68. Murton served as a technical advisor for the film." - Thanks Mamaontherun!

My next question: Was this the origin on the slow crowd clap to end a movie? Can anyone find an earlier example?

I added this piece of knowledge to my general movie trivia knowledge. Speaking of which: I've started getting involved more in Facebook as I get up to speed on the new social media phenomenon. Apparently, I'm a freakin movie trivia genius. (Hold your applause ; ). Seriously though, this Neverending Movie Trivia application is seriously addictive. And so far only about 5 million people are better at it than me. I've already left about 3.9 million people in the dust in the matter of about 2 days... Much better than my last marathon showing.

Handicapping Horse Races

Most mornings my drive to work takes me past Northfield Park in Cleveland. They flash things up on their signage like "Santa Anita Handicapping Competition."

Now, I understand the concept. Handicapping is the process of "assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning." Ok, so what goes into that process?

Here's where it gets interesting - just about everything (thanks Wiki):

"Horse racing
An impost is the weight that must be carried by a horse in a race. Horses carry lead weights during the course of a race as a form of handicap. Such a race is also sometimes termed a "handicap." These weights supplement a jockey's weight to give a horse his assigned impost. The jockeys use saddle pads with pockets called lead pads to hold the lead weights.
These riding weights are assigned by the racing secretary based on factors such as performances, distance so as to equalize the chances of the competitors.
The weight for age scale was introduced by Admiral Rous, a steward of the Jockey Club. In 1855 he was appointed public handicapper. In that role he introduced the weight for age scale.

Predicting the outcome of races: Thoroughbred handicapping is the art of predicting horses who have the greatest chance of winning a race, and profiting from these predictions at the horse races. The Daily Racing Form (DRF), a newspaper-style publication, is an important tool of the handicapper or horseplayer. The DRF details statistical information about each horse entered in a race, including detailed past performance results, lifetime records, amount of money earned, odds for the particular horse in each past race, and a myriad of other information available for casual or serious study.
The handicapping process can be simple or complex but usually includes the following elements prior to the race:
1) Study of the Daily Racing Form
2) Observing the horses’ body language and behaviour in the paddock and/or post parade, in particular, its ears and tail. Ears should work together and look forward or backward. The tail should be "quiet." A swishing tail indicates something is bothering the horse.
3) Watching the tote board for the changing odds of each horse and thus for clues about how the betting public views a horse’s chances of winning the upcoming race
“Trip Handicapping” takes place during the race and involves watching the horses (usually with binoculars) and noting relevant information about how a horse runs during that race.
Handicapping theory is possibly one of the most enigmatic theories in all of sports.[citation needed] Horseplayers consider the following elements when handicapping a horse race:
Speed Those horses who run the fastest, win the most races. The DRF lists times at certain call points of each race, and the lengths back from the lead at each call point. Speed handicappers compare race times to help ascertain which horses will most likely win the race. The DRF now contains a numerical summation of the speed that each horse ran in every race, called a Beyer speed figure. This number is generated through a method developed by Andrew Beyer, and described in his 1975 book Picking Winners. The Beyer speed figures takes into account the individual class of a race as well as how the racetrack was playing on a particular day to create an aggregate number for each horse. The basic error behind this approach is that the sample size each day which is used to create the track variant for the speed figure is very small, and hence subject to massive errors in standard deviation. For example, there may be only one turf (grass) race on a given day, and the Beyer system has to extract a variant for that race from a sample of one.

Pace Pace is probably the single most important factor in determining the outcome of a race. Pace handicappers classify each horse’s running style (i.e. front runner, stalker, presser, closer) and then find contenders based on the predicted pace of today’s race. The difficulty is that the jockey has control over where a horse is placed in a race and how fast that race goes in the early stages. This takes the prediction of pace for a given race out of the realm of mathematics and into the realm of mere speculation.

Pace Handicapping In horseracing, until 1995, for pace handicapping purposes, the time generally allotted by pace handicappers for a horse to run a length (approximately 11 feet) during the course of a race was long thought to be a fifth of a second. This long held misconception was turned on its head by the works of Gonzalo Sandoval via his research into the internal fractions of thousands of Thoroughbred horse races. The resultant formulas and algorithms are what comprise his subsequent empirical pace handicapping work called REXPOINTE Pace Handicapping. This method of pace handicapping is used by many fans of the Sport of Kings.

Form Those horses who looked “sharp” in their past race or past few races, win the most races. A sharp horse could have finished strongly, stayed among the leaders, finished “in the money” (1st, 2nd or 3rd) or recovered from a bad racing trip. Likewise, a horse showed dull form if it gave up, looked sluggish or chased the pack. Horses with sharp form have the lowest odds and hence return the least money per bet. Also, often horses will race off a "layoff." A layoff is a rest varying in length from usually two months to a year or more. In this case, workouts, horse appearance, and trainer patterns are the best guides to whether the horse is ready to run after a rest.

Class Horse races occur at different levels of competition. Generally, high caliber horses are entered in races with other high caliber horses and slower horses are entered in races with other slower horses. But a horse can move up or down in class, depending on where the trainer decided to enter the horse based on the results of its last race. Note that the strength of the same class of race, such as a Maiden Special Weight race, will vary greatly from track to track, as well as from race to race at the same track, making this too an inexact determinant of class.

Post Position The horse nearer the inside of a race track will have a shorter distance to run than a horse on the outside track, although it is also more vulnerable to being cut off by horses that start off faster and head to the inside rail.

Other Factors Other factors affecting the outcome of a race are track condition, weather, weight that the horses have to carry, daily bias of the racing surface, and many more factors that the handicapper cannot know."