Thursday, March 22, 2012

Scattered morning thoughts...

Glucosamine pills, which are apparently largely composed of smooshed-up shrimp shells, will make your morning Spicy Hot V-8 taste like Spicy Hot Clamato Juice, no matter how fast you swallow them.

Hey, I just heard the TV talking head in the next room say that the French guy who shot up the Jewish school and just got sent to collect his 72 raisins was named Mohammed Something-or-Other, and not, as initial media reports surmised, Guillaume Smith. This is my shocked face. Call off the search for the middle-aged white guy in the white van. I would remind the Muslims in France that in all of Europe, only the Germans have a quicker Zero-to-Jackboots time than the Frogs. You don't want to get those people feeling all riled up and pogrommy.

The local news this morning was saying something about how people had been really generous with sending the folks in the tornado zones stuff, but there were certain items they still really needed. In my dazed, half asleep state, I had a picture of some guy in Carhartts pleading into the camera, saying "My DSL's out and my power line's been down two weeks. Folks, I really appreciate the thought behind these DVDs, but can you just send some magazines?"

13 comments:

Robert said...

I hear there's internet out California way...


WV: plecton mplysid

Almost sounds like the species of krill used for your glucosamine pills...well, if they were from the halls of R'lyeh, anyway.

staghounds said...

What, no ERH kits for the tornadoed?

cj said...

Shrimp shells? Shoot...give me a few minutes, I need to go dig some out of the trash from last night's dinner...I'm gonna save me some money!

And personally, I was wondering why they took so long going in after Mohammed Something-or-Other. What did they think he might be doing in there? Baking up some cookies? I'd have been concerned that, in that much time, he might be mixing up a batch of, oh...I dunno...the surprises his type seems so fond of walking into crowds with and setting off?

Keith said...

"In all of Europe, only the Germans have a quicker Zero-to-Jackboots time than the Frogs."

Heh. What is jackboot time measured in anyway?

Anonymous said...

Does the glucosamine work for bursitis or is it just a knee-joint thing?

LabRat said...

Glucosamine is basically just the raw ingredients for the lubricating and cushioning fluid in your joints. It does seem to help with bursitis, though it may depend on why the bursitis is there in the first place. Likewise chondroitin is... the raw ingredients for the cartilage surfaces in the joints. It also seems to help.

Both are one reason why cooks of generations long past would think throwing a pig or calf's foot into the stock pot was a dandy idea. Or making seafood stock with shrimp and lobster shells.

Cincinnatus said...

"Heh. What is jackboot time measured in anyway?"

Heel-seconds.

BGMiller said...

@Labrat

Cooks of generations long past?

I've got a half pound of shrimp shells in the freezer waiting to be used in bisque. Saute' them with some red onion, flame with a little brandy, grind the unholy piss out of them with a blender, and strain through cheesecloth.

Making bisque without shells is kind of pointless.

BGM

Firehand said...

Ok, I'd never heard of using the shells that way; learn something all the time

BGMiller said...

Firehand,

When I was the sous at a local country club the chef taught intermediate food prep for the local ACF apprenticeship program. One of his favorite lessons was to have me come through after the class was done with the days assignment and use the "trash" they left. It's amazing what you can do with shells, peels, and trim.

Big part of my fondness for soups is their efficiency.

BGM

LabRat said...

Tongue was in my cheek for that one, but for most cooks these days stock comes in a box, a cube, a paste, or not at all.

In Them Olden Days the cooks weren't just using it 'cause it makes the soup tastier, but because the home wisdom was bones in the soup soothed the aches in your own.

BGMiller said...

I've got nothing against stock in a box or base. I use both in quantity.

But nothing will ever beat taking the time to roast bones, tomato trimmings, onion skins, carrot peels, and make a proper stock. Clear as glass and thick as jello when cooled.

Dang. Now I'm hungry.

BGM

Lewis said...

I am amazed at how many contexts I can use this quote in.

"The older I get, the smarter they were."