Text 1890, 72 rader
Skriven 2006-06-01 20:28:00 av JOAN MACDIARMID (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av MICHAEL LOO
Ärende: garlic fries 739
========================
 Hi, Michael,

 ML> It's fascinating, but I've played on experimental instruments,
 ML> and none improves on the peculiar and stylized construction
 ML> of the Strad and Guarneri models. Is that because

 ML> - the ancients lucked into the absolutely ideal configuration;
 ML> - the best makers aren't tempted to experiment, but if they did,
 ML> their products would be better still; or
 ML> - our ears are conditioned by these sounds (which you will
 ML> admit are very pleasing) and thus we define them to be perfect.

 Part of it is that if they did luck into the perfect
 configuration, they never shared the specific knowledge.
 Skilled trades like instrument building had trade secrets,
 some of which were not shared with even the apprentices,
 lest they become competitors. A lecture I attended years
 ago mentioned chemical analysis of the woods in a very
 limited sampling of the finest historical instruments.
 It suggested the woods used for construction had been
 "pickled" before being carved, with various acids, bases
 and salts, to alter the cellular structure of the woods,
 thus altering their resonance responses. The traces of
 chemicals could be analyzed, but the particular methods
 of treating the woods had not been deducted yet. Those
 methods died with the masters.

 The Luthiers' conference is a good method of passing
 on new and better ideas, and embodies a different
 attitude of not sitting on a good idea, but passing
 it on to other artisans who might improve things further.
 In general, the concept of publishing science results
 rather than hiding them as select "lore" is what allowed
 many scientific fields to grow and prosper.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05

      Title: SCOTCH WOODCOCK
 Categories: Fish, Breakfast, Appetizer
      Yield: 4 servings


        8    anchovy fillets
        1 T  butter
     pepper
        4 sl toast
        4    egg yolks
        1 c  thin cream
        1 T  chopped parsley
        1 pn cayenne pepper

  Pound anchovy fillet into butter; add pepper to taste.

  Spread toast thinly with anchovy butter; keep warm in oven.

  Beat egg yolks, cream, parsley together with cayenne to taste. Stir
  over boiling water in a double boiler until thick. Pour over the
  toast slices; serve immediately.

  As with so many Scottish dishes Scotch Woodcock is a fanciful title
  for something quite different from what the name suggests. This tasty
  savoury is an anchovy and egg yolk concoction poured over toast.
  Serve with Beetroot Salad.

  http://www.backhaul.net/scotcook/scothigh.htm

MMMMM

 Joan MacDiarmid
___ Blue Wave/386 v2.30 [NR]
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5
 * Origin: Try Our Web Based QWK: DOCSPLACE.ORG (1:123/140)