Category Archives: posts by j

problem solving

m doesn’t like the word hack so let’s use the word “engineer” instead. either way, i solved a problem today with brilliant and cheap engineering. my co-worker notified me that our machine was ready to be photographed; that is, after i had arrived at work without white roll or a tripod. i told him i could probably figure out a solution and i did:

  • white easel paper (with light adhesive—even better!) served as the backdrop. all i really need is a contrasty background so i can use photoshop to delete it
  • an empty monitor box and another box for added height served as the supports for the paper
  • the object’s original box served as a lazy susan so i could get photos of all sides (of this 30 lb object)
  • lights at 6500K that we had in the office
  • aeron chair coupled with an ikea tool set box and a piece of foam functioned as my tripod—complete with adjustable height and sloping seat to adjust camera angle. since the mesh chair seat was so bouncy, i increased the self-timer from 2 to 10 seconds to let the camera settle after pressing the shutter button. the foam helped absorb the motion as well, esp. with the 5″ exposures i was taking

and that is how you engineer your way to a successful solution. it’s even more brilliant than using a bench vise to open fresh, shelled walnuts (which was my y combinator answer for hacking engineering a system to my advantage).

  

latte foam

didn’t overthink it, just turned the dial and frothed 6 oz of 2% in the medium pitcher to perfection. there was a ring of ice in the pitcher. it was milk for the second cup so it was colder. can i repeat?!?

  

fundamental LA

oh, fundamental LA… m dreams about your carrot risotto. what happened?!? except for the black garlic panisse, each dish was either one note or unbalanced. as in bitter veg and rotten lemon unbalanced. third time’s a charm.

roasting experiment continues

we finally made it through the ethiopian biftu gudina and at m’s request, i’m continuing with this particular ethiopian at P2 and P5. i start by roasting a decaf to warm the machine up. my rwandan is overroasted—again. my ethiopian P2 (not pictured) is also too dark because it tastes too dark. my etiopian P5 is seemingly less dark than the P2 but we haven’t tasted it yet. L to R: columbian urrao, Brazil decaf, rwandan decaf, ethiopian P5.

  

easter egg hunt

kcl, mkl, and pml were here and we decorated easter eggs and hosted an easter egg hunt (48 eggs) complete with egg-free candies and baskets. mkl came up with some pretty good hiding places and she made awesome hippie tie-dyed eggs. 

  

some of the more creative spots:

  • wherever the gnome is
  • in the jade plant
  • in the downspout
  • in the orange and lemon trees
  • in the thick of the ice plants and kangaroo paws and garlic
  • resting on the horizontal fence surfaces and in the carport area up higher
  • by the sprinkler heads/front steps
  • by the ev charger
  • in the divots in the garden
  • hidden by the potatoes

gluten-free buckwheat pancakes

Cookie and Kate’s Gluten Free Buckwheat Pancakes

INGREDIENTS
Pancakes
1 cup buckwheat flour (or ½ buckwheat and ½ flour of choice)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups buttermilk, shaken*
1 large egg
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Butter, for the skillet
Roasted Strawberries
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced into bite-sized quarters or halves
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey

INSTRUCTIONS
Roast the strawberries: preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, gently toss berries with the sugar and maple syrup/honey. Arrange the strawberries in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring halfway, or long enough for the berry juices to thicken but not burn (watch the edges in particular).
Make the pancakes: in a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flour(s), sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a liquid measuring cup, measure out the buttermilk. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
All at once, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. The batter should have some small to medium lumps.
Preheat your skillet over medium-low heat and brush with 1½ teaspoons of butter. Give the batter a light swirl with a spoon in case the buckwheat is starting to separate from the liquid. Using a ¼-cup measure, scoop the batter onto the warm skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until small bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes (you’ll know it’s ready to flip when about 1 inch of the perimeter is matte instead of glossy), and flip. Cook on the opposite sides for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
Transfer the cooked pancakes to a baking sheet and place in a preheated 200 degree Fahrenheit oven to keep warm. Repeat the process with the remaining batter, adding more butter when needed. Serve immediately.
NOTES
Recipe adapted from Pancakes by Adrianna Adarme of A Cozy Kitchen.
*MAKE YOUR OWN BUTTERMILK WITH DAIRY-FREE OPTION: combine 1¼ cups low fat milk (any variety of low fat milk should do—almond, soy, rice, low fat coconut) with 1 tablespoon + ¾ teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
IF YOU LOVE THESE PANCAKES: you’ll also enjoy my buckwheat crepes recipe and my other pancake recipes!
A NOTE ON FLUFFINESS: I tried forcing some extra height into these pancakes by using half whole wheat pastry flour and even folded in whipped egg whites, but neither made a significant difference. Then I took another bite and wondered why I was trying to make these marvelous pancakes something they’re not. They’re perfect just the way they are.

flowerboy coffee

a coffeeshop/boutique/flower shop/cafe/??? new to our ‘hood. we finally tried it out today and i was underwhelmed. i wanted to love it. i stepped outside of my intovert zone to be extra friendly with the staff. i received what i perceived to be standoffishness and disinterest. m didn’t like the coffee. i thought it was ok until it cooled. which explains the following photo — the most interesting thing about this visit was the blister-like bubble left over by the frothy milk:

  
and i discovered life&thyme and surfistas and a whole bunch of other small-batch publications (but too disinterested to thoroughly examine at this time).