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I have joined the alleged 30% of Americans who own an electric kettle. It really is nicer than microwaving a mug. Especially since I discovered that my green tea days have led me astray: you really are supposed to boil anything other than non-black true tea. Since my 'teas' are currently rooibos and various berry things... boil. It does seem to improve the flavor. (Also have barley tea but I cold brew that -- or warm brew now, now that I can make a bunch of warm water in the kettle. Not hot, I'm using a 1 quart soup container from a restaurant as my brew jug.)
I recently read a twist on stovetop popcorn. Heat oil, with a few test kernels; when they pop, add the rest of the popcorn. Then (this is the new part) take it off heat for 30 seconds. Then back, and (this also new) leave the lid ajar to avoid steaming the popcorn too much. The 30 seconds bit is alleged to heat up the kernels more evenly; it does seem like a lot more of them pop all at once, this way.
Saturday Jane and I went to the Regional Parks Botanic Garden, in the Berkeley hills. We agreed that it was a decent mild hiking+greenery experience but a pretty lame botanic garden, with unhelpful and ancient plant labels, and supposed but not very obvious ecozones.
I also verified that I don't have T-Mobile signal up there, cementing my refusal to take Uber/Lyft in, since I wouldn't be able to call for a ride out again.
Apparently the new right-wing persecution fantasy is about 15 minute cities, so I tweeted an explainer of what the concept means. https://twitter.com/mindstalk/status/1627753815612223490
I recently read a twist on stovetop popcorn. Heat oil, with a few test kernels; when they pop, add the rest of the popcorn. Then (this is the new part) take it off heat for 30 seconds. Then back, and (this also new) leave the lid ajar to avoid steaming the popcorn too much. The 30 seconds bit is alleged to heat up the kernels more evenly; it does seem like a lot more of them pop all at once, this way.
Saturday Jane and I went to the Regional Parks Botanic Garden, in the Berkeley hills. We agreed that it was a decent mild hiking+greenery experience but a pretty lame botanic garden, with unhelpful and ancient plant labels, and supposed but not very obvious ecozones.
I also verified that I don't have T-Mobile signal up there, cementing my refusal to take Uber/Lyft in, since I wouldn't be able to call for a ride out again.
Apparently the new right-wing persecution fantasy is about 15 minute cities, so I tweeted an explainer of what the concept means. https://twitter.com/mindstalk/status/1627753815612223490