Alchemy

[mamagotcha]

Alchemy
Originally uploaded by mamagotcha.

I love the little surprises you get while cooking, how things become
more than the sum of their parts sometimes. A recipe says "stir gently
until smooth," which doesn't even begin to hint at the spectacular and
sudden transformation of a bowl of sodden, messy sludge into a glossy,
luminous mass of truffle filling. I was despairing of this recipe
working, because of course I had to fiddle with it. To my astonishment,
this glorious substance just bubbled up from the depths of the chaos...
I can see how people could be tempted to call this magic.

Of course, I've also visited Hell via seizing a whole bowl of expensive
couverture (years ago... I've learned how to temper since then, you
betcha). It goes both ways, doesn't it? But tonight, so far, the Kitchen
Deities have chosen to smile upon me, and I am so grateful.

Comments

[jedusor.livejournal.com]

I cannot read the word "alchemy" without remembering that deep voice booming it out when I clicked on that game in The Time Warp of Dr. Brain.

[projectyl.livejournal.com]

!

*goes into glassy-eyed Flashback Mode*

"Oog oog oog! Ayyy!"

"This is what a BAD spaceship looks like. Let's try it again."

"I only have one CD in my car, and if I have to listen to 'Super Sounds of the 90's' one more time I'll scream!"

"With answers like that, you ought to take your brain in for a lube and filter. I have a coupon!"

<3

[jedusor.livejournal.com]

Now I really really wanna play it again, and it doesn't look like it's available anywhere online. You don't still have it, do you, Mom?

[mamagotcha.livejournal.com]

I... I have no clue what you are talking about.

This sounds like a job for Cord and Clay, perhaps? Was it one of the Monkey-Island era games? Or back in Zoombini times?

[jedusor.livejournal.com]

Caveman Rock! Monkey-See-Monkey-Do! Beaver Dam! GrrrRIDlock! I spent hours on Brainwaves when I was little, diligently working out step by step why Jane had the Household Chore of dishwashing and the Favorite Color of green, or whatever. You really don't remember Dr. Brain? :(

[mamagotcha.livejournal.com]

Nope. Clay says it was an iMac game that Jeff probably has... he remembers it all fondly, too. Maybe you played it at Jeff's?

[jedusor.livejournal.com]

The iMac was at the Loyola house, not at Jeffrey's. And I'm pretty sure this was before he moved out. I was young enough that my letters were still all big and blocky (I know because I always took up trees' worth of paper, working out those Brainwaves logic puzzles).

[jedusor.livejournal.com]

And yes, it would have been Zoombini-era, and thank you very much, now I'm craving the Zoombini puzzles too. (Do you still have that one?)

[mamagotcha.livejournal.com]

Clay says Jeff might have it. I think he inherited all those games, because he has the computer that used them.

I DO remember Zoombinis! I loved those little guys!

[projectyl.livejournal.com]

I may still have it! I'll have to see if it survived the Great Move a few years ago.

Finding a computer that will still PLAY it, on the other hand...

[justme8800.livejournal.com]

*raises hand*

I had the game in my meager CD collection I left at the KC house. It was working on my PC there, but I think Clay got rid of that computer. The disk should still be in whatever cardboard box my desk contents got crammed into.

I just checked, and I'm afraid I don't have the disk backed up on my hard drive, or I could send it to you. Neither that or The Incredible Machine, which is also in that pile of CDs somewhere in KC. The Pirate Bay has a CCD image for torrent (warning, do not visit that site without a competent ad blocker), but even if you got the game, you wouldn't be able to run it on your Macbook as it is. Intel Macs can't use "classic mode" to make old programs run. If you get windows on your Mac via Parallels or Boot Camp, you'll probably be able to run it that way.

~Cordell

[mamagotcha.livejournal.com]

Oooh, sounds like a treasure hunt.

And I can run Classic on my old laptop...

Thanks, Cord! (By the way, I had to send your package to Labo... I don't see the address of your current host family anywhere. But aside from slightly stale cookies, it should be okay. There's also your BC/BS health card, and a wrapped gift for your host family.)

[jedusor.livejournal.com]

My boyfriend is awesome and gave it to me, and I could play it on his laptop while he was here, but now he is gone and my Mac won't play it. Explain this Parallels/Boot Camp thing to me, please?

[stegenrae.livejournal.com]

i'm grateful, too. or at least i will be once i taste the luscious concoction.

(oh, and the comparably breezy--though tough for this non-chocolatier--peanut butter balls are ready to go. your standards are much too high. i merely strain to reach "edible" at times!)

[mamagotcha.livejournal.com]

Shhhh! It's not for the exchange... these are Amaretto truffles, with a boost from almond butter and toasted nuts on the outside. It's part of the pile of edible gifts I'm passing out this year.

I've got to get back to the simple drop cookies... all the things I've made this year so far have been a little fiddly. Two kinds of sandwich-style cookies, a double batch of biscotti (each batch having to be baked twice), three kinds of candy, and one cookie that was refrigerated then rolled in sugar before baking, and was really crumbly and finicky.

I don't think I'm going to coat them tonight, though. I think I need some sleep...

See you soon!