sbeitzel's New Writeups

Quinine (thing)

2003-02-21T17:34:06Z

From a page by Joe Lenthall at Magdalen College, Oxford:

Peruvian Jesuits introduced quinine into Europe around 1640. However the destruction of (cinchona) trees to obtain quinine made them rare and so a way of making it synthetically was sought. This was found in 1944 by Robert Woodward and William Doering by synthesising quinine from coal tar.

Cinchona is of the family Rubiaceae which, as well as being unpronounceable to an American, is the same family as coffee and gardenia. It is an evergreen shrub, native to South America. Interestingly, once the anti-malarial properties of quinine were widely known, the demand for powdered cinchona bark became so great that most of the plants in South America were harvested. Only a few seeds were exported (illegally) to Java, where until the 1940s almost 95% of the world supply of quinine originated. Eventually, seeds from Java were sent back to Peru to start plantations there.

The…

Soyrizo (thing)

2002-05-10T15:31:57Z

Trademarked name of a vegan chorizo, made by El Burrito Mexican Food Products, Inc. This is a staple for me and many of my vegan and vegetarian friends, as it adds a piquant flavor to many of our favorite breakfast dishes.

It comes in a 12 ounce package and can usually be found in the tofu/soy section of the grocery store. Some people like the flavor as it is, but I like it with a bit more vinegar.

From the package label, the INGREDIENTS: Water, Textured Soy Protein (Caramel Color), Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, White Distilled Vinegar (Distilled From Corn), Seasoning Blend (Spices, Salt, Dextrose, Paprika, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder), Soy Protein Concentrate, Salt, Xanthan Gum, Oleoresin Paprika (Soy Oil).

Fideos (thing)

2002-05-09T17:26:56Z

n., Mex.
A Mexican dish of fried angel hair pasta, onions, and tomatoes. This recipe will make a meal big enough for five really hungry people.

Ingredients

2 packages of fideos -- available in the Mexican foods section of large supermarkets, get the ones where the pasta is still in coils and not all broken up into shards already

2 24oz. cans of whole peeled tomatoes (this is way easier than scalding and peeling them yourself, and since this is breakfast you're probably not fully awake anyway)

5-6 tbsp. oil (approximately -- you'll need enough to coat the pasta and the onions while you fry them)

2 medium sized onions

3 cups dried beans

9 cups water

salt to taste, about 4 tsp.

3 tbsp. white vinegar (approximately)

2 packages of Soyrizo^TM (or about 2 pounds of chorizo if you're not going for the

…

vegan pizza (thing)

2002-01-15T17:42:54Z

There are many combinations of vegetables which one might use to construct a tasty vegan pizza. What follows are two recipes I've used and found to be wonderful.

Pesto & Veggies

Ingredients

pesto
- 1 bunch of basil
- 1 bunch of mint
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 1/4 cup almond
- salt to taste (about a teaspoon)
- olive oil sufficient for consistency (about 5 tablespoons)
crust (use any yeast bread recipe; this one makes enough for 2 crusts)
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2.5 cups flour
- 0.5 cup corn meal
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
marinated artichoke hearts
1 medium eggplant
2 medium-sized tomato

Method

Start by mixing up the bread dough. Dissolve the yeast, sugar, and salt in the…

IFO (idea)

2002-01-11T18:24:08Z

Acronym for "Identified Flying Object".

This is distinct from UFO, or "Unidentified Flying Object", in that one has identified the object. And, as Robert Anton Wilson has pointed out, people see plenty of both kinds of thing every day.

For instance: I was riding my motorcycle along a deserted interstate in Wyoming, when something came fluttering down from above me and to my left. I didn't know what the heck it was, and at 90 miles per hour I wasn't going to do much about it. And, yes, it turned out to be a suicidal bird dive-bombing my helmet. With a meaty "thwack", that day's UFO turned into a (dead) IFO.

Masoor Dal (thing)

2002-01-09T01:27:14Z

Indian red lentil soup

I love this soup, not only for its flavor, but because it is so easy to make. I have made it many times while on motorcycle camping trips. The ingredients don't take up much room, and a big bowl of hot and spicy soup is just the thing after 400 miles in the saddle.

Ingredients
1 cup red lentils
5 cups water
1 tsp. salt (adjust to taste)
1/4 tsp. each: turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder
1 tbsp. finely grated (or chopped) ginger
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1 tsp. hot green chile, minced (adjust to taste)
pinch of hing (asafoetida)
juice of 1/2 lime

Method:
Wash the lentils and drain; set aside. Boil the water and add the lentils. After the water starts to boil again, cook the dal uncovered for five minutes. Then turn the heat down to moderate, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes. Next, add the salt, the powdered spices, ginger root, and minced chile. Cook…