Maybe something you didn't know yet?

It’s been a minute. I’m back now and I will try to keep this going.

Recently I was asking a question on Reddit after posting a dessert recipe for Diwali about cardamom. I said green. They mentioned that they also had black pods from experimenting with China’s cuisine. I figured it’d be an interesting topic to write about since both are surprisingly similar.

There are two types of cardamom sold on the market:

Green cardamom - Elettaria cardamomum

Black cardamom -  Amomum subulatum

Origins:

Although they are different species, both are part of the ginger family. Green cardamom originates in Southern India, in addition to Sri Lanka and the spice islands of Indonesia. However, black cardamom hails from present Bhutan and the surrounding lands.

Flavor profiles:

Green cardamom has a complex, aromatic, flavor that is warm and minty. Widely used in desserts in the western world. In India and the countries surrounding Malaysia, they are used to flavor curries, rice pilafs, and more famously - Biryani. The essential oils are contained in the green pods; the typical method of releasing flavor is by smashing the pods and either powdering the seeds or leaving them whole to slowly infuse.

Black cardamom has an aromatic camphor profile and some methods of harvest result in smoky notes. It’s used for savory cooking in the regions surrounding the Himalayas, west from Pakistan all the way through China. Famous dishes, such as Pho and Biryani, use the spice. The former uses the non-smoky variety. The method of preparation is exactly the same as above.  

Being consumed alongside bread at the breakfast table across the world, jam has been satiating appetites for hundreds of years. The French, especially Pasteur, introduced the viscous consumable to the world. Pasteurization led the way to large-scale production of jams, among other preserves. Way back in the jam timeline include not only the import of sugar from the Arabs in the middle east but also the introduction of jam post-crusade. 

The process of fruit to jam is quite simple: --

Pick ripe fruit, boil till soft in saturated sugar water(or honey), and let cool in a separate container. 

Now the science: --

Pectin is a carbohydrate sugar in plant cell walls for structural support. In fruits, this means to hold shape. 

The difference between an immature fruit and a ripe fruit is the molecule. The green banana has protopectin and the yellow banana has pectin. Overripe fruits are softer and the pectin is highly soluble in water. 

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the species of yeast that is cultivated by humans to produce nutritious beer and savory bread. It is the individual among several thousand other yeast that, according to Pollan, co-evolved alongside our own species.

Yeast are single-celled, commonly found on soil and plant matter, and possess the ability to convert simple sugars into alcohols. Note that there are friendly and salty species of yeast; those that live on animals can be dangerous to warm-blooded organisms. Fermentation, the process that revolutionized our species and turned flat bread into a mouthful of spongy sweetless(focaccia).

Attempted to make bread? I did. New hobby. 

The yeast in the dough is able to do this by consuming the glucose and expelling alcohol and carbon dioxide. Trapped by the elasticity of the dough, the bi-products silently await the great baking where the walls crystallize and the temperatures soar over 1000 degrees.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-06/china-s-blow-to-recycling-boosts-u-s-s-185-billion-plastic-bet

Recycling: the process of converting waste materials into products for human use. Although recycling is necessary for a sustainable environment and society, only 1/4 of waste in the US is actually put through the process. This process(the majority) is outsourced to countries - mainly China, Mexico, Thailand, and other European nations - which converts the plastics into materials to put back into circulation. Consequently, China, the largest importer of US waste, has now placed stringent regulations on new waste. 

Ban on import waste didn’t begin now; back in 2013, a Quartz Media article states that China has banned clear, plastic, fruit containers (the boxes that are used for selling berries) and plastic film bags (grocery bags). Another interesting, and regrettable, fact: the plastic grocery bags are difficult to recycle due to their weight, or lack of, and form. 

Last but not least the Bloomberg article, which focuses on this recycling waste dilemma positively by explaining that China will need new polyethylene to maintain function, boosting US economy with billions of dollars over the next several years. Sure, that’s great and all, but what is the US going to do about current waste in the country. As a leading superpower there hasn’t been much information about how to solve this recycling issue. According to Forbes, the country is in 18th place on the recycling charts

Major takeaways

* 3/4 of US waste ends up in landfills

*US recycling infrastructure sucks and, or, needs to be cheaper

*US needs to come up with greener methods

*All states should give incentive for plastic, aluminum, and glass bottles for recycling (Side story: I had a can of soda in Germany and threw it in a waste bin on the curb, while waiting to walk across the street, and a bum immediately retrieves the can for recycling. I say to my friend “That was really quick” and he responds “We get 1/4 of a euro for recycling cans.” Consumers will effectively sort waste if the US implements such a strategy.)

*Stores should discontinue plastic bags (Another side story: Many countries, not including the US, charge for plastic bags - averaging 10cents per bag. This happens all over Europe, and even in India(if you didn’t expect it). Consumers should make a habit of bringing a reusable(yes, like Whole Foods or a tote) bag for shopping. Honestly, it doesn’t make sense for stores to give away free plastic bags.)

More ideology than science here! Assuming we shouldn’t aid “endangered species”, a term Pyron believes shouldn’t exist, and only care for our own survival is dangerous thinking. Science is about exploration, discovery, and function of all, living and non-living, life on Earth. 

The Anthropocene -current geological period named after humans - coined at the turn of the new millennium, and spread across the web last year when it became official. Consequently, unlike past geologic periods with gradual change stretched over millions of years, 70+ years destroyed what took evolution magnitudes. 

Moreover, we’ve only discovered nearly 15% of species living on this planet; there may be unique, undiscovered, creatures with extraordinary functions hating on this article right now. Pyron’s thinking of the future involves having precise control over the occurring changes for our benefit; this is not something we know, or can know, in the immediate future. 

Traveling isn't completely what travel blogs, magazines, articles, and photos depict to their audience. Like I'm doing on my Instagram. It's much more; you see what you haven't seen before, meet and talk to people you'd never go out of your way to do back home, walk over a dozen miles in a day, and eat cuisine you'd wouldn't get the chance to have.

It doesn't have to be expensive. Hostels are cheap, some have free breakfast and sometimes dinner, and supermarkets cater to everyone. 50% of the money I've spent so far has gone to transportation while the rest has been hostels and, food.

Companions are fun, sure, but you always need some time for your own thoughts. If you want to travel, just look for a cheap ticket and go for it, even if you're the only one. Prepping for travel isn't gonna put a hole in your wallet either-improvise: use ziplock instead of packing cubes, get a cheap cloth towel that dries fast, wear sneakers that have been broken in months ago, and don't bring more than you need to.

Europe isn't culture-shock. English is pretty easy to find in countries that use euro. Yes, euro is singular no matter the amount. I learned that from an Irish girl in Krakow. Eastern European countries, maybe it'll be harder but people still speak English.

Loneliness affects everyone. That's when you'll need to brace up and make friends. Not everyone will talk to you tho, and that's fine because 99.9% will. It's not the end of the world if you can't access the internet. Really traveling makes you go out of your comfort zone and see the world without our first world problem mentality.

I'm still on the move for another week before I get back to life. :( I'd love to do it again next year! Some pictures below~