Everyone, even a total stranger to beer making, knows that yeast (and other microbes, like bacteria) thrive on sugar. People which are more familiar with beermaking know that starch in barley needs to be broken down to sugars in order for the yeast to ferment it to alcohol. True home brewers even know that some […]
Sea salt harvest
First, some background about sea salt harvest. Salt (sodium chloride) is an integral part of our diet, despite its bad reputation in relation to cardiovascular disease – which is, by the way, been questioned. Anyway, salt – in the right amount – is essential for human body and it is THE spice for preparation of […]
Basic beer brewing
Beer is a favorite refreshment for a lot of people since the ancient times. Basic beer brewing at home and micro breweries are in fashion and everybody is talking about their favorite artisan beer. Beside being a great refreshment and a wonderful drink to discuss important ideas while enjoying it, it is a great way […]
Caffeine solubility, content in coffee beans and extraction
When writing my posts on chocolate coated coffee beans and cold brew coffee, I had some hard time finding information on caffeine solubility on the internet. By coffee and tea being a really important part of our society, I thought the information about its basic – and most important – component should be easily available on […]
Cold brew coffee
Introduction to cold brew coffee Summer is coming. And with it my favourite thing: ice coffee. Granted, the name is universal, but the substance served under this name can span a whole spectrum of appearances. From double espresso poured over ice cubes or long coffee over ice cream with heaps of whipped cream to espresso […]
Romulan ale (beer) recipe
When choosing between Star Wars and Star Trek, there is no doubt in my mind. I am a Trekkie through and through. The series left a lasting impression on me and in it has shaped in many ways my world view. However, everything is not perfect. I deeply disapprove of the replicators – however practical […]
Wild garlic pesto
Ever heard of Wild garlic pesto? Real Italian pesto or more precisely pesto Genovese is, as the name suggests, coming from the Italian city of Genoa. It is traditionally made from basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese (parmigiano) and pecorino (cheese made from sheep’s milk), all blended or crushed with olive oil and finally salted […]
Harry Potter’s pumpkin juice
It is hard to say no to a child. It is even harder to do so if the child in question is inside you. Every child (and adult) likes Harry Potter and is dreaming of living in a world of wizards and muggles. Therefore it is no wonder that beside asking to wave a wand […]
Lembas 2.0
Although my first attempt at Lembas was – in my opinion – a complete success, it had one major flaw: I made too little of it and there were constant complaints from the testers, that we should test more. So I decided to make another, improved version in greater quantities. Some other minor complaints in […]
Lichen bread
How did I come on the idea of lichen bread? During my research into bark bread I have found a reference which is now sadly buried in the depths of internet. I remember it was a Youtube video describing a side story to the bark bread. In the nineteenth century (or thereabout) an important botanyst […]