February 2012
11 posts
Feb 29th
1 note
MSG is tonight! (And tonight is February 28)
And we want all your burning candy-related questions to answer live on stage. Leave a note here and come to Public Assembly, 70 North 6th Street, Williamsburg, at 7pm for your sugar high. It’s free! 
Feb 28th
1 note
3 tags
Eating Rotten Shark
You might recall the story of Hákarl, Iceland’s rotten shark treat, from January’s MSG. Here’s a firsthand account, from fellow Brainery teacher (and cheese expert!) Andrew Torrens. You can read a bit more about the dish here.   Myself and 3 friends ate the shark this past Friday and while it was certainly not enjoyable no one vomited. In actuality I was slightly disappointed...
Feb 23rd
4 notes
The Origin of Sprinkles (jimmies, hundreds and...
I’ve looked in to the history of candy sprinkles before, after I found the earliest American birthday cake recipe from 1870 (which you can see here.)  But it turns out the history of the sprinkle goes back about a thousand years earlier, to early Middle-Eastern cooking.  In reference to a late 10th-century Baghdad cookbook, Tim Richardson, author of Sweets: A History of Candy, writes: “Small...
Feb 17th
4 notes
4 tags
February's MSG: The Candy Lectures
Here’s all you really need to know about the next MSG lecture on Tuesday, February 28: we’re talking about candy, you get to eat some, and it’s free.  All you have to do is show up at Public Assembly at 7pm and hang out while we fill your brains with delicious candy facts and your mouths with candy (and booze). We’ll love you even more if you RSVP on Facebook so we have...
Feb 17th
5 notes
Jalapeno-Apple-tomic Fireballs
I generally spend my time taking wholesome natural foods and synthesizing the hell out of them. Let’s pretend it’s opposite day and whip Atomic Fireballs into something Michael Pollan might respect. [Brooklyn Brainery]
Feb 12th
Let's Make: Spicy Cinnamon Bodega Candy
Now that we’ve analyzed Atomic Fireballs within an inch of their lives, let’s make some spicy cinnamon candy. [Brooklyn Brainery]
Feb 7th
3 tags
Why Atomic Fireballs are So Spicy →
It’s not just cinnamon. Follow the link for lots of dorky science involving TRPA1 receptors [Brooklyn Brainery]
Feb 6th
3 notes
Feb 2nd
3 notes
MSG on Facebook →
Because you totally have to have a FB page. 
Feb 2nd
Where to buy exotic game meats
Did tonight’s lecture light a fire under you for beaver, bear or lion? Your neighborhood Associated is prrrrrobably sold out, so Sarah’s put together a list to hook you right up. [Four Pounds Flour]
Feb 1st
January 2012
6 posts
Rabbit starvation! And a surprise ending.
Rabbits are adorable, and if you eat them you will die. Also, avoid the Arctic.[Brooklyn Brainery]
Jan 31st
The Scoop on Chopsticks in Thai Food
Thai food, spoons, chopsticks. There’s a thing there, I promise. [Brooklyn Brainery]
Jan 30th
Notes on Chewing Gum
What do a former eleven-time present of Mexico, cheap tires, New York City and chewing gum have in common? Everything. Check the comments for chats about xylitol (xylitalk?). [Brooklyn Brainery]
Jan 27th
Drink Like a Colonial American Day
By the 1830’s, American men were drinking about half a pint of liquor a day. Sarah bravely stands up for history by stepping back into that very drunk period with Drink Like A Colonial American Day. Be sure to check out the recap, too! [Four Pounds Flour]
Jan 24th
Welcome to the wild world of Japanese TV shows about microorganisms and fermentation. [Brooklyn Brainery]
Jan 23rd
1 tag
Next meeting: STRANGE MEAT!
We’re kicking off a new bar room lecture series all about food, and you’re all invited to our very first one on Tuesday, January 31st. Each month, Sarah Lohman of Four Pounds Flour and Jonathan Soma of the Brooklyn Brainery will take on a curious food topic and break down the history, science, and stories behind it. This month’s topic is STRANGE MEAT! Sarah will recount her...
Jan 23rd
4 notes