Engineered Chicken Skin

FOOD

Engineered Chicken Skin! Louisiana Fish Fry is terrific stuff.  If you'll remember, my sou vide project led me to discover an old electric fry pan, unused and forgotten after 20 years.  So when I saw those seafood seasonings I tried some on fish. Fried 'em in that skillet.  Absolute amazing taste.  Splatter free; almost no clean-up; controlled oil temperature.   Yesterday, the family requested BBQ chicken for dinner, so while they frolicked in the sun I thawed some Purdue skinless thighs.  The outdoor grill is broken, so I was going to oven bake; brush on the Sweet Baby Rays; then broil to a fine turn.  But wait! We loved the fish because the crust is exquisite; and because of the even heat every piece is the same.  That's when the magic happened. What if I did the skinless thighs the same way?  So I did. And I was right!  This chicken is good.  The crispy finish emulates fried chicken skin crunch, which is maybe the most delicious thing in the universe after bacon.  It was so good that, before I brushed them with sauce, as per plan, I tested one piece in the oven.  The sauce goo'ed up, and the result was nowhere near as good.  I offered it as a dipping sauce, but nobody bothered.  It was oohs-and ahs from the get-go. Afterwards, they hoisted me on shoulders, and paraded me around the yard before tossing me in a blanket.  That's how I'll  remember it.  Best invention ever.  You're welcome.

ICE COLD

GREEN NAZIS                                     Cool! Antarctica From Space.. Cool picture, wot?  But oh-no—and this is why we can't enjoy nice things anymore before some public gadfly tells us why we really shouldn't be happy. Here Al Gore compares satellite pictures of Antarctica taken in 1875 and 2015 to demonstrate how the Earth's atmosphere has been eaten away by aerosol sprays, cow farts and auto exhaustion, causing this extreme meltiness. Oprah is astounded. So are we—at why nobody throws these harpies  down a volcano.

WORLD CUP TO USA!

WORLD CHAMPS    The yesterday's Women's World Cup championship game against Japan was all over in 15 miutes.  USA came out to one of the most incredible starts I’ve ever witnessed in any sporting event, and it won them the game. Or Carli Lloyd won them the game. We knew she was that old cliche, a big game player. But we didn’t know she was that good. Take away her goals, and it was a pretty even game - and the second-half in particular was a more balanced affair. But then USA didn’t need to be particularly good in the second period - because they had Lloyd. (The Guardian) Lloyd scored three times, the first hat-trick in a women's final.  Ever. But it was Lloyd's third shot that blew my mind.  How do you score from midfield in a cup final?  Japan's goalie was cheating too far out,  and without thinking Lloyd just drilled it over her head. All this after just 15 minutes, and the game was over, allowing us to spend the remaining 75 minutes watching  number 13's (Alex Morgan, wearing the skin uniform))  amazing athleticism.  USA USA USA!