Text 35489, 159 rader
Skriven 2016-01-25 15:57:34 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av RUTH HAFFLY
Ärende: the fruit 854                                  [1]
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>  ML> It was almost as if the Educational Testing Service
>  ML> had been infiltrated by Chinese - at any rate, the
>  ML> aptitude and achievement tests were constructed in
>  ML> a way that rewarded the kind of thinking that Asians
>  ML> tend to do. Why that is I don't know. Everyone in
> It would be interesting to go back now, given the education standards
> then and now, to do some analysis. We could, but I won't, go into all
> kinds of conjecture, pros and cons, about it.

Doesn't matter much. Seems, though, that the kind of
obsessive pattern-seeking that the Asian intelligentsia
are good at contributes pretty well to the storehouse 
of knowledge or whatever.

>  ML> At college I was off and on the honor roll (which
>  ML> carried no real privilege) and graduated with less
>  ML> than a tenth of a point past the honor roll level.
>  ML> And my thesis, done hastily and mostly without
>  ML> thinking, got graded magna minus, i.e., just barely
>  ML> enough effort to earn a magna.
>  ML> Most of this was deliberate.
> Would you do the same, if given a chance to redo?

Academically I figure I'd be about the same. Maybe
expend just a little more effort so I could get a
magna with highest honors, I think the top class
available in my major and that would have gotten
me phi beta kappa. But I might have made better 
choices in off-school time, women, and so on. Or 
not, as the case may be.

>  ML> My suggestion being that the people running the store
>  ML> saw the opportunity and took advantage of it.
> Get rid of a lemon of a product by promoting it big time on christmas
> eve for those who hadn't done any shopping yet? It's a possibility. (G)

That's pretty much the scenario that I'm suggesting.

> Most fruits are naturally sweet, which is why they're so appealing. Most
> of us would rather have a sweet papaya than a sour lemon--it's a no
> brainer; we're programmed early on to like sweets.

Not really - most things we classify as fruits are 
naturally sweet, but there are gazillions of fruits 
that aren't, just we don't call them fruits. I presume 
that  the plants that produce these have some alternate
benefit built in to their systems so they can procreate
effectively. Avocadoes, anyone?

>  ML> I've become sensitive to stevia such that I find it
>  ML> as unconvincing and unpalatable as the other nonsugar
>  ML> sweeteners. I got a Frost earlier this week, an Asian
> I still use it as it's a natural sweetener, not a lab concoction of
> sugar alcohols and chemicals.

The lab concoctions taste nasty too, and with them
as well as with stevia I say, why bother.

>  ML> >  ML> other hand the Schweppes dry ginger ale was delightful and I
>  ML> >  ML> believe drier than Canada Dry or the Schweppes stateside.
>  ML> > Sounds good--nice ginger bite to it?
>  ML> Not so good as Vernor's or Blenheim's by a long shot.
>  ML> Pretty middle of the road in that aspect, but the
>  ML> dryness and acidity made for a nice balanced drink.
> interesting, but probably something I'll never get to try.

Another ginger ale discovery - Evervess. This could
be the worst ever, sort of like lemon squash with
the lemon replaced with artificial ginger flavoring.
I have no idea how the Malays (who ought to know
ginger) could fall for this. See tinyurl.com/evervess1
for a particularly nasty and accurate review of it.

>  ML> At this hotel in the boonies, there's no durian prohibition,
>  ML> but the no smoking rule comes with the equivalent of a $30
>  ML> penalty - which might be worth paying for a desperate
>  ML> American addict, but for a normal resident of this area,
>  ML> it might be a major hit.
> Are people still heavy smokers in that area?

It's diminishing, especially among the educated population.
Durian addiction, there's no abating of that.

Poached Salmon-Avocado Salad
cat: salad, main
servings: 4

For the vinaigrette
1/4 c water, plus more as needed
3/4 c white vinegar
1/4 c minced onion
1/4 c diced cucumber
10 to 12 cloves garlic, crushed
1 ts kosher salt, or to taste
1 ts freshly ground black pepper
4 ts sugar
2 Tb minced fresh parsley
2 ts minced fresh basil
1 ts dried oregano
1 ts celery seeds
1 ts dill weed
2 ts minced lemon zest
1/3 c minced red and/or green bell pepper
1 Tb Dijon-style mustard
1 c olive oil
2 c vegetable oil
For the poached salmon
4 salmon steaks (6-8 oz ea)
1/2 c white wine - sub other liquid
- such as slightly sweetened vinegar water
1 stalk celery
2 sprigs fresh dill
2 sm carrots
1 Tb peppercorns
1 ts salt, or to taste
For the salad
2 c torn romaine lettuce
2 c torn iceberg lettuce
2 c torn spinach leaves
2 avocados, preferably Hass, halved,
- pitted, peeled and sliced or diced
Parsley to taste
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Hard-cooked eggs (optional)

For the vinaigrette - In a processor or blender,
combine everything except the oils and process
until thoroughly combined, about 2 min. While
the processor is running, slowly add the olive
and vegetable oils in a steady stream until
thoroughly combined. If the vinaigrette is too
thick, add additional water, 1 Tb at a time,
until desired consistency is reached. (You
should have about 6 c.)

For the salmon - Place the fish in a large, wide
saucepan or stockpot and add the wine and
enough water to just barely cover. Add the
celery, dill, carrots, peppercorns and salt.
Bring the liquid to a gentle boil. Reduce the
heat to medium-low and simmer until cooked
through, about 15 min. Remove from the heat and
cool for about 15 min. Drain all but about 1/4 c
of the poaching liquid, cover, and refrigerate
for 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

For the salad - Divide the lettuces and spinach
evenly among 4 individual plates. Arrange half
of the avocado slices over the lettuce and top
each plate with a chilled salmon steak and
additional avocado slices. Shake or whisk the
dressing to recombine and drizzle 1/2 c over
the salad. Garnish with parsley, lemon slices,
and hard-cooked eggs, if using. Serve immediately.
Refrigerate the remaining vinaigrette for another use.

Marcy Goldman, Washington Post, March 15, 2000
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