Dear Tess, I write to you from the edge of my sanity—and the edge of our cornfield. My name is Mabel H., and I am the wife of a third-generation corn farmer here in northwest Iowa. My husband, Virgil, is a man of few words but many routines. Every summer, like clockwork, he begins what […]
Category: Curated Absurdity
From Elder JJZ: On a more serious note[1], really interesting connection between Japan and the establishment of the rice industry in Texas. We know many of the people or descendants mentioned in this article . They put up with a lot of bad stuff in the 1900’s but aren’t bitter, made a good life for […]
Today we are enjoying a poem by Elle Cordova. Brands These Daysby Elle CordovaLookOur product is delicious, nutritious, highly ambitiousSuspiciously rich and richly prodigiousMicrowavable, waste reclaimableFree of cruelty, green, sustainableOver the counter, under the tableFarm to town and barn to ladleMust be true; it’s right on the labelWe’re not a commodity; we’re a stapleWe’re plant-based, […]
WLBOTT: Because of certain economic factors, egg prices have risen considerably. Is this also true with egg jokes? Elder G: Ah, you’ve cracked open a serious issue! With the rising cost of eggs, egg jokes have also seen inflation. The yolk index is at an all-time high, and some of the best puns are now […]
We continue our look at Bread Spreads, focusing on Salo (Ukraine’s national dish). Again, thanks to Elder KM for the suggestion. al Jazeera has a nice introduction to his pork product: Museum of Salo Apparently the Salo Museum is a popular destination for bachelorette parties. A Life of Luxury Salo – pig fat – has […]
We continue our look at Bread Spreads, focusing on Ikra (zucchini/bell pepper/eggplant spread). Again, thanks to Elder KM for the suggestion. To help my fellow central Texans relate, Ikra is a cross between Texas Caviar and Salsa. This recipe is inspired by the traditional dish Ikra, or “eggplant caviar,” a Russian and Ukrainian staple. Ikra […]
Elder KM provided the Ukrainian perspective on bread spreads…. Forshmak From the Jewish Food Society: You can read about the fascinating family history of Anna and her mother Rhoda here. She also shares her family recipes on this site. Our recipe for Forshmak comes from the web site Flavors of Diaspora, based partly on the […]
Yesterday’s discussion of mayonnaise has sparked creative discussions in a variety of area. As Elder DZ remarks…. As to the marshmallow fluff, I was not introduced to it until I moved to Ithaca a decade ago. A popular snack in my freshman dorm was the Poptart Club—two poptarts, serving as the bread, with marshmallow fluff, […]
The Internet was ablaze yesterday evening as the WLBOTT Elders engaged in a heated discussion over mayonnaise. The kerfuffle began when Elder JJZ unilaterally declared the Mayonnaise of Choice. Elder JA pointed out that Canadian mayo is made with Canadian eggs and Canadian canola oil. Elder JJZ countered that he invented the mayo-pickle-white bread sandwich […]
The Andromeda Paradox comes from Roger Penrose’s interpretation of special relativity and the concept of simultaneity—what counts as “now” for different observers. A Simple Example Imagine two people standing on Earth, Alice and Bob. Alice is standing still, while Bob is walking briskly toward the Andromeda Galaxy. Why is this weird? Both are standing right […]