Tending Toward Disorder

Time to Read: 3 minutes.

The statement “Systems tend toward disorder,” permeates the popular understanding of physics, but this generalization limits us from developing deeper insight into how the universe works.

Rice Pudding (Diabetic Friendly)

Texture – that’s what I love about rice pudding.  Something about the creaminess combined with the soft chew of the rice just… satisfies me!  This recipe nails the characteristic texture, it just trades the sugar for Splenda.  You can also use Stevia in this recipe, but I found that Splenda simply tastes better in this application. This recipe can be boiled down to three elements – cooking the rice, establishing[...]

When Tea is Really a Tisane

Time to Read: 5 minutes.

The differences from one type of tea to the next all derive from where it was grown, and how the leaves were processed. So, how can an herbal tea BE tea, if it doesn’t contain any Camellia Sinensis? Easy - it can’t, and it isn’t.

De-hoaxing the Moon Landings

Time to Read: 6 minutes .

It may not come as a shock to hear that Moon Landing Hoax declarations from guests happen occasionally at the planetarium. I found they base their opinions on three phenomena observed in videos and images captured during the Apollo missions.

Moon Pies

Ahhh Moon Pies… they take me all the way back to my childhood.  During those innocent days, before I knew Diabetes was a thing, I’d gorge myself on these celestial snacks.  In fact, more than once as I perfected this recipe I said aloud, “Screw Diabetes…” and ate one anyway.  Go ahead, you know you want to… This recipe provides an opportunity for practicing a couple of slightly advanced baking[...]

Marshmallow Cream

What do Moon Pies, Fluffer-Nutters, and Ho-Hos all have in common?  Marshmallow cream!  Sure you can buy it at the store… but why do that when you can spend time and effort making it yourself?  Seriously though, this recipe is much better than the store-bought version.  It’s a bit technical, but gives you the opportunity to hone a couple different baking techniques. If you remove the gelatine, and the water[...]

Demystifying the “Red” in Red Velvet Cake

Time to Read: 2.5 minutes.

In the early days, Red Velvet Cake enjoyed a subtle red color not caused by food coloring. The color resulted from a chemical reaction between buttermilk, baking soda, and an unprocessed cocoa powder containing anthocyanins.