Chocolate Games
October 5 1998		Eanie-Meanie Chili Beanie your magic number is 'C'
The task of the day: Confectionery		Spent the weekend relaxing at home and reading and cooking. I made a large pot of chili, which required the purchase of a pot. Shawn has somewhat less kitchen supplies than the combination of Shawn and Marla had. I also made a batch of Polenta-Chipolte Bread. The chili turned out pretty good. The bread still needs some work on it. I've also been packing up two boxes of stuff to send back to California. Today I'm getting the oil in my car changed and finishing off some more minor errands in preparation to leaving on the long drive. I'll be nice to get back home. I've had a great time here, but am ready to get back to my more "normal" life. * * * This week is confectionery, but a more realistic name would be "chocolates." Today we made centers for chocolate truffles and did the first coating of chocolate. Tomorrow we'll do the final dipped and smooth coat to finish them off. Truffles made this way keep for two weeks without sticking them into the fridge. It's tons of handwork, but they already look pretty neat. Ours are going to be finished using chocolate curls, which are made by spreading a thin layer of chocolate onto marble, allowing it to partially set, and then curling off bits using a knife. Tricky, but you get the hang of it after a while. * * * I've been reading The Forever War, which people often cite as an antidote to reading Starship Troopers. I think I may disagree with this point. It think that both Haldemann and Heinlein are probably on the same side of the Just War Theory. I will agree that The Forever War is much better written, and also more balanced. But this may come as much from the author being a Vietnam vet, rather than a WWII vet. We are creatures of our habits.
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