So it goes, the afterlife is a total party. When the sun goes down those that are not of this world come out of their little houses and every night is a ball - decadadence galore.

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Day 1 of hiking up the mountain and came across this amazing thing. I found a 4 leaf clover too.

Crip dog. Redneck dog. Bacon wrapped dog with jalapeños, and coleslaw on top. Generally do. It like coleslaw however the bacon crisp and fat balanced out well. Fresh jalapeños definitely pulled the dog together. After gallery opening and a couple glasses of wine and champagne. The dog was delicious.

Carmona microphylla. Fukien Tea Tree. Found in the Fujian region of southern China where my father knew until he was 3 years old and then the revolution brought him to Taipei, Taiwan.

Apparently, first time bonsai tree owners are not suppose to choose this family, genus, and species. I did not get the memo. Hopefully with much care and love I will live along side this beautiful plant for a long time.

I am an USB cord. Unplugged. Okay, tonight I just figured out how much of one. I am so far down the rabbit hole in a world more like Jan Svankmajer’s stop motion animation Alice or Haruki Murakami’s Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. I meet creatures of this world in such different ways. I guess that is why Never Never Land in this century old knitting factory is such an appropriate habitat. Weaving tales. Meandering trails. Far away, up, up, and away; singing with the whales. 

A few things have been ruminating in this cogwheel of a well-oiled machine of mine. Hence, I do not think it will stop anytime soon. The only way is to somehow stop the constant reliable automated lubricating of my over active neuronal firings or find an explanation to what is going on that creates dissonant cords of communication between myself and other creatures that I share this world with. To be less cryptic I am simply wondering what makes any creatures “tick”. For one, why does my roommates’ cat Sue like to claw at me head and rub his face in my hair entangling it and then play bite my scalp with such pleasure. I know Sue loves USB cords as if were catnip but I am pretty sure my head by no means resembles a USB cord.

Then there is the communications of creatures that apparently speak the same language. In this case, the words are English. People of the same generation. Same country. Same city. Even seasons of cohabitation. Yet the criss cross of relating is similar to Sue likening my head to a USB cord. It is the unspoken words that leaves vastness in the minds, compelling it to fill it with some version or other of a story. Why must puzzles fit? There is no meaning to life. There is no afterlife. So in the same vein I do not believe in meaning or sense. Yet why do I still seek it?

It is the curse of being human - insistent on seeking to discover, then waiting for understanding, leading to ultimately creating a story that has meaning to explain all things. Now what story can I brew up to explain my head being a USB cord?

FKL

DURUM WHEAT IS CONSIDERED SUPERIOR IN QUALITY FOR PASTA MAKING DUE TO THE HIGHER CONCENTRATION OF GAMMA GLIADIN 45 IN ASSOCIATION WITH LMW-2 GLUTENIN IN THE DURUM WHEAT A.K.A. TRICTICUM TURGIDUM, AN IMPORTANT FOOD CROP IN THE MEDITERANEAN. Unleavened dough of durum wheat (Tricticum turgidum) is considered superior in quality for pasta making. Quality of this wheat comes form the medium to high protein content and protein components that give the pasta its’ viscoelastic properties desired by the foodies. 

Gliadin and glutenin are the major seed storage protein fractions of durum endosperm. This is where you will find your viscoelastic properties of pasta. In other words its’ elasticity, ability to hold its’ shape and texture is important when gliadin and glutenin interact to form gluten.

Gliadin are monomeric protein molucules subdivided into alpha, beta, gamma, and omega. Glutenin contain different polypetides conected by intermolecular disulphide bond. The subunits are split into low molecular weight (LMW) and high molecular weight (HMW).

The superiority comes from durum wheat possessing higher concentrations gamma gliadin component 45 which exhibit stronger gluten compared to cultivars possessing gamma gliadin component 43. These 2 gliadins are encoded by alleles of a single gene on chromosome 1B. Gamma gliadin 45 versus 43 are associated with different groups of protiens. Gamma gliadin 45 with omega gliadin 35 and LMW-2 glutenin. While gamma gliadin 43 is associated with omega components 33, 35, 38 and LMW-1. *http://ressources.ciheam.org/om/pdf/a22/95605367.pdf

DURUM WHEAT IS STRONG AND GOOD FOR MAKING PASTA. WHY EGGS? WHY SALT? Eggs are not essential since the formation of gluten from durum is good and strong in and of itself. However eggs gives richens the pasta.

KNEADING IS ESSENTIAL. This is where the gliadin and glutenin proteins combine to form gluten strands giving it its’ texture. The continued process warms and stretches theses strands creating a springy and elastic dough. Also, kneading creates tiny pockets of carbon dioxide gas preventing a heavy dense end-product that a may dog enjoy gnawing on. 

PASTA = STARCH & GLUTEN. In raw pasta, starch is foundin granules and gluten is a viscous substance hence the Latin term gluten = glue. When water is added to flour and kneaded throughly the gluten network hold granules of starch. 

Now when cooking the pasta the starch absorbs water rapidly while the gluten proteins coagulate and forming a compact lattice. There is a fine balance and the goal is to reach a point where while the starch granules expands and attempts to break the gluten grid, this lattice is strong enough to envelope the starch granules enough to prevent complete dispersion of the starch.

If devoid of all starch that has a weak lattice you are left with white pot of water and just plain hard pasta. The well balanced pasta is firm, to the bite, yet still somewhat chewy. DO

RESIST THE URGE TO RINSE/WASH YOUR PASTA. The disulfide bonds intermolecular in gliadin and bothe intra- and inter-molecular in glutenin form strands of disulfide bond between the two making gluten. This network of strands capture the starch. When boiling in water make sure you stir after 3-4 minutes because as the starch surfaces it will stick the the pasta to each other. 

The urge is to drain & wash the pasta in cold water after it has been cooked. Resist this urge as the starches that does cause the stickiness of the pasta is what is going to bind the flavors of whatever foods you decide to add to your pasta.

4AM SPONTANEOUS COMPULSIONS FROM THE CHRONIC INSOMNIAC

(Amusement for the roommates who will wake up and find wire fashions clothes hanger like structure across the kitchen). 

You can use the pasta the very next day. Just a reminder fresh pasta only need 2 -3 minutes of cooking in boiling water to be el dente. Do not run your pasta under cold water after it is done cooking. 

It is worth putting a little time an effort into hand making your pasta. You are exercising and strengthing but also bringing your olfactory and gustatory senses to a height in ways store bought pasta could never do.