sundries

[rm]

I did not wake up with any bizarreness in the middle of the night last night. I also had rice with terriyaki sauce for dinner, which Patty had to make because I have not yet mastered rice, because anything else seemed too challenging. On the other hand, now I am cured.

Yay, thing that was fucked up with new lease is now unfucked up. Although management company person on speaker phone, with music playing, filing your nails (yes, I could hear the emery board), you completely suck.

There was also an incident this morning involving city inspectors and a caulking gun.

Stanley Fish on plagiarism. It is, of course, Stanley Fish, which is to say, argue amongst yourselves.

The Ebell Club, a woman's social club in Los Angeles was founded at the end of the 19th century to provide a substitute for university education to women who were usually denied such opportunities because of school policies and family financial priorities. Keeping the club going in a time of broader opportunities, however, is a challenge.

Diagnosing appendicitis.

Fed up flight attendant makes one hell of an exit. Who wants to bet his story gets optioned for a movie deal?

Oyster battle: they can help clean polluted waters, but gov't agencies worry that means tainted seafood will reach consumers.

In the weirdest, least comprehensible event in the saga of the downtown Islamic cultural center is the proposal by an anti-gay media personality of opening a gay bar catering to Muslims next to it.

Meanwhile, the MTA has approved this really offensive ad with images of the planes flying into the WTC that opposes said Islamic cultural center.

Everything I hear about Torchwood S4 is making me so excited. Yesterday's big news, at least in my book, is that it will be taking place 2 years after the events of CoE. We're not sure if that means Ianto and Steven's deaths, or when Jack takes off from earth six months later. But it's a really compelling amount of time to me either way, in terms of where Jack's head is going to be, and is really a random piece of info I've felt those of us who want to be writing speculative S4 fic really, really need. I am all over this detail. ALL OVER IT.

Last night on Buffy: It's the apocalypse sex episode! Hey, own your tropes. Also, jeez, how is Spike the only grownup around? And really, King ARthur? The sword in the stone, really? What's most ridiculous is the degree to which it works, at least in the moment of watching.

Tonight, White Collar and Covert Affairs.

Comments

[deza.livejournal.com]

Mastering rice:

White rice - 1 part rice, 2 parts water, salt to taste. Put in a tall pot. Once it boils, reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and DO NOT TOUCH for at least 10 minutes (15 if you have more than 1 cup rice).

Brown rice - Same as white, except cover and DO NOT TOUCH for at least 50 minutes.

Risotto - Start with rice in a large, flat pan or skillet. Toast rice lightly with oil, then begin ladelling in HOT broth/stock. Only add in one ladel at a time, stirring constantly until most of the liquid is absorbed before add the next ladel. Time intensive, but the starch gives that great creamy mouthfeel. :)

I don't even try sushi rice any more, after watching my SIL make it for her professional cooking class.

Final step - PRACTICE! You very well may have to throw some out, but in the end it's worth it to know you can do it well. And even after you burn some rice while toasting it, the pan will scrub clean. Trust me on that one. ;)

[browneyedgirl65.livejournal.com]

I learned the 1:2 ratio as well (though I use dry cup and wet cup measurements, respectively). Never had trouble with boiling over (tall pot or not), I just stir a bit till it boils. Then down as low as you possibly can go on your burners (prolly won't work as well on an electric as on a gas), cover and leave strictly alone for 20 minutes. Perfect rice every time. I leave it a little longer for brown rice, 35 minutes or so.

Risotto slays me -- hours and hours and hours of stirring :-P

For me the trick with sushi rice was the right kind of rice vinegar and sugar proportions, but I no longer remember, it's been years now.

[trinker.livejournal.com]

I make fauxsotto with Japanese rice cooked with a little extra water, and cream sauce.

[trinker.livejournal.com]

*Most* long grain rice goes well with 1:2.

Japonica rice works better with 1:~1.5. This is in part because the Japanese prize "new crop" rice, which is less dehydrated. Cooking new crop Japonica 1:2 will result in *very* mushy rice.