Month: May 2015

I scream – Weds 27th May

Milk fat
Functions: Increases richness of flavor. Lubricates and insulates the mouth
Limitations: Relatively high cost and smoothness of texture. Hinders whipping. May limit consumption due to high calories and satiating effect

Non dairy fats
Functions: Provides good structure and texture at lower cost than milk fat, if appropriate solid fat content
Limitations: Contributes little to flavor and may impart of off-flavor. May contribute to greasy texture

Milk solids-not-fat; milk/whey protein concentrates
Functions: Improves body and texture (protein) through emulsification and water holding capacity. Promotes development of overrun
Limitations: High amount may cause cooked or salty flavor. Potential for sandiness (lactose crystallization) at high concentration

Whey solids
Functions: Less expensive than conventional sources of MSNF
Limitations: High amount of lactose causes freezing point depression. Potential for sandiness greater than for conventional sources of MSNF

Sugar
Functions: Lowers freezing point Imparts sweetness to the ice cream. Improves flavor/texture
Limitations: Excess sweetness possible. Lower hardening temperature needed. Ice cream is softer, affecting scooping and the potential for greater recrystallization

Corn syrup solids
Functions: Lower cost than sugar. Improve body and texture. Increase stability of the ice cream
Limitations: Impart off flavor and chewy texture when overused

Stabilizers
Functions: Enhance smooth texture. Provide body. Enhance shelf life
Limitations: Excess chewiness may occur. Increase melt resistance

Egg yolk solids
Functions: Improve whipping ability. Impart custard flavor
Limitations: Foamy melted product. Egg flavor may be undesirable

Emulsifiers
Functions: Promote fat destabilization, leading to dryness, smoothness, and good melting properties
Limitations: Increase potential for churning of fat

Total solids (TS)
Functions: Smoother texture. Firmer body. Higher nutrient content. Lessen excess coldness
Limitations: Heavy, soggy, or sticky body. Reduce coldness

Flavoring
Functions: Increases acceptability
Limitations: Intensities and harshness may be unacceptable

Coloring
Functions: Improves attractiveness. Aids flavor identification
Limitations: Artificial shades. Allergic reactions of some people to yellow no. 5 or no. 6. Some consumers dislike added colors

From: ‘Ice Cream’ by H Douglas Goff and Richard W Hartel, Springer (2013)
(Table 2.1 Functions and limitations of selected ice cream constituents)

Methods of divination – Tues 26th May

Since one of today’s photographs includes a fortune-teller’s visitor’s book, I thought I’d write a short list of methods by which we have sought reassurance about the misty unknown. Short? It turns out there are hundreds, possibly thousands of different kinds.

I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised there are so many, after all, we as a species suffer a lot from insecurity. But also, that the means are so wide ranging tells us a lot about our collective histories and who would have done the telling. The majority use things easily to hand for anyone living in a small agricultural community, some tell of streets or encampments, many use our own bodies. The tools of gambling figure heavily of course; all betting is based on predicting future outcomes. One method in particular I was startled by because of how we now use the word.

It’s also worth noting that, in this sprit of using the everyday, and also embracing technological developments, the field of mystical foretelling continues to expand. For instance: “Shufflemancy: the use of an electronic media player such as an electronic playlist, iPod, or other medium wherein one skips a certain number of songs and the lyrics and/or tune of the song is the answer to the divinatory question” (1). I haven’t included this in the list below because the word makes my toes curl (though I bet there’s a form of fortune telling based on toe curling too) not because its a neologism, I like inventing words too, but because it’s so clumsy. Doubtless there are many other recent innovations.

And if you look outside Europe towards Africa, India, China, the indigenous populations of Australia and the Americas, there are many more, both ancient and modern, not only as variations or alternatives but also completely different kinds. Anyway, here is an edited list of well-established methods, limited to those occurring within European traditions:

Abacomancy: by dust
Acultomancy / acutomancy: using needles
Aeromancy: by atmospheric conditions
Agalmatomancy: by statues
Ailuromancy: by watching cats’ movements
Alectryomancy/alectoromancy: by watching a rooster gather corn kernels
Aleuromancy: by flour
Amathomancy: by sand
Ambulomancy: by walking
Anthropomancy: using human entrails
Apantomancy: by chance encounters with animals (alt: using objects at hand)
Arachnomancy: by spiders
Armomancy: by one’s own shoulders
Aruspicina: the study of entrails
Augury: by bird flight formations
Auspicy/auspication by birds (also theriomancy, avimancy, orniscopy)
Batraquomancy/batrachomancy: by frogs
Canomancy: by dogs
Catoptromancy: by examining mirrors placed underwater
Cephaleonomancy/cephalonomancy: by boiling a donkey’s head
Cartomancy: using cards
Choriomancy: by pig’s bladders
Chresmomancy: by the ravings of lunatics
Chronomancy: by apt occasion / by means of time
Clamancy: by random shouts and cries heard in crowds, at night, etc.
Coscinomancy: using a sieve and a pair of shears
Cromnyomancy: using onions
Drimimancy/drymimancy: by bodily fluids
Enthusiasm: speeches by those supposed to be possessed by a divine spirit
Entomomancy/entomancy: by insects
Favomancy: using beans
Gastromancy: by the rumblings of the stomach and guts
Geloscopy: by laughter
Gyromancy: by dizziness
Hagiomancy: by saints
Hepatoscopy/hepatomancy: by liver
Hieromancy/hieroscopy: by studying sacrifices’ entrails
Hippomancy: by horse behavior
Hyomancy: by wild hogs
Ichnomancy: by footprints
Ichthyomancy: by fish behavior (alt: by inspecting fish entrails)
Macromancy: by large objects
Margaritomancy: by bouncing pearls
Mazomancy: by nursing
Micromancy: by small objects
Moromancy: by foolishness
Myomancy: by rodent behavior
Myrmomancy: by ant behavior
Natimancy: by buttocks (also rumpology)
Nephomancy: by clouds
Ololygmancy: by the howling of dogs
Omoplatoscopy: by observing cracks in burning scapulae
Omphalomancy: from the knots in the umbilical cord
Oneiromancy: by dreams
Oromancy: by mountains
Pessomancy: using pebbles (also thrioboly)
Pilimancy: by observing the patterns produced by a collection of human hair.
Podomancy/pedomancy: by the soles of one’s feet
Ptarmoscopy/ptarmoscopie: the interpretation of sneezes
Retromancy: by looking over one’s shoulder
Rhapsodomancy: by poetry
Scarpomancy: by old shoes
Scatomancy / scatoscopy / spatilomancy: by examining excrement
Sciomancy: by shadows
Skatharomancy: by beetle tracks
Somatomancy: by the human form
Spasmatomancy: by convulsions
Stolisomancy: by observing how one dresses
Symbolomancy: by things found on the road
Thumomancy: by means of one’s own soul
Transataumancy: by things accidentally seen or heard
Tyromancy/tiromancy: by cheese
Urticariaomancy: by itches
Xenomancy: using strangers
Xylomancy: by examining wood found in one’s path
Zoomancy: by observing animals

Notes:
(1) Wikipedia

References:
http://phrontistery.info/divine.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methods_of_divination

Empty promises – Tues 19th May

I’m afraid I enjoyed so much the disgraceful spectacle of the bird feeding frenzy a few days ago (see post for Thursday 14th May) that I thought I’d try it again. So, armed with some more stale bread I found a suitable spot, once again put the camera on the ground, lining it up in a direction where I thought I might get some good shots, and tossed a handful or crumbs a few feet in front of the lens.

Within seconds the birds were all there again (except the crow, sadly) only this time I was surprised to see there was considerably more inter-species cooperation going on than last time. After their appalling behaviour the other day, additionally resulting in none of them getting anything much to eat (go on, scroll down to the other story, it’s a good one) was I imagining there was a slight sense of embarrassment in the air? Who knows? –But for whatever reason, the levels of politeness were definitely higher.

Then some woman walks by and empties an entire box of Rice Krispies on the ground about twenty feet away. This resulted in my carefully constructed and baited shot being rendered null, as the whole lot of them flew off to this far more attractive looking banquet. I was not happy about this, and yet, I had to appreciate this was another new experience, something I couldn’t have dreamed of (though I should know better by now, dreams are always outstripped by the sheer absurdity of reality) leaving me wondering what else people will put out for the birds…

Furthermore, within a few seconds of my initial indignation, I realised I really wanted to know what the seagulls would make of a very dry mound of the aforementioned breakfast cereal. The fact is, Rice Krispies do look good – after all, they are created to be tempting to small people with the approximate mental age of a seagull. However as anyone knows who has ever been an intoxicated student returning from the pub to find that’s all there is in the house, and no milk (or chocolate to make those weird cakes with), you might just as well not bother. The seagulls were now finding this out for themselves.

As I left this new scene of avian disappointment, the pigeons had already returned to my comparatively meagre offering while the seagulls continued to stare at the golden mound, occasionally trying to pick up a few more fragile and insubstantial morsels with beaks far better designed to grasp fish with.

Rapture – Sat 16th May

You’ve come a long way, baby.
Come to where the flavor is.
Wherever particular people congregate.
Enjoy a cooler kind of mild.
So much more to enjoy.
You’re never alone with a Strand.

(Cigarette advertising slogans for, respectively: Virginia Slims, Marlboro, Pall Mall, Kool, Peter Stuyvesant, Strand)