The Hidden Study

The Puzzle Box

2010-02-09T19:49:00.003-05:00

My, it has been a while since the last post. So sorry to have kept the Study locked up for a bit but with school, work, and life in general, it has been quite difficult to keep the dust and cobwebs at bay (not that there is anything wrong with cobwebs as they are quite lovely in all their delicate splendor). As we are now in the dead of winter and many of us are snowed in, some people look for activities to do indoors so as to stave off the cabin fever and so not to recreate the Donner Party. One such activity that many people do during these long winter months is puzzles, some of which come in the form of boxes.

I won’t bore you with the history of puzzle boxes, but will tell you I find them fascinating. With a few simple (sometimes complex) twist and turns, the box is solved—sometimes the box will open to reveal a reward and other times, just completing the puzzle is the reward in and of itself. Probably the most famous example of this is Rubik’s Cube. Many tried to solve its twists and turns of matching all the colors up and a few succeeded. The more clever people realized that the colored stickers could be peeled away and re-stuck, effectively “solving” the puzzle.

Then there’s the Matryoshka (or Russian Nesting Doll), each doll containing a smaller version of itself, much like the layers of an onion, each being peeled away to reveal a smaller version of itself. Sometimes the smallest dolls contained a ring or piece of chocolate. It’s been said that the Russian Artisan who created the dolls was inspired by the Japanese Shichi-fuku-jin, the Seven Lucky Gods of fortune, who in turn delivered marvelous gifts to worthy people.

The Egyptian sarcophagi were puzzle boxes in and of themselves and can be seen as another possible inspiration, of the aforementioned Matryoshka, as the outer, most ornately-decorated layer sought to protect an inner coffin, which in turn also protected a coffin, eventually leading to the mummy within. Whether or not the whole curse story surrounding mummies and tombs is true remains to be seen, but there is a large volume of coincidental evidence supporting the theory.

A similar curse can be found in the fictional Lament Configuration, one of the boxes created by Philip Lemarchand in Clive Barker’s Hellraiser series. The boxes themselves acted as devices that once solved, opened doorways to other dimensions. The Lament Configuration opened a door to a dimension of endless torture and pain performed by the Cenobites, led by Pinhead.

As puzzle boxes have evolved and changed over the years, we have boxes whose only objective is to put the thing back together, like a burr puzzle, which in turn gave way to the Bedlam and Soma cubes. Those cubes inspired the Conway puzzle, which in turn possibly birthed Tetris, the famed Russian videogame. The real puzzle is solving the link between the Russian-born Tetris and the Hungarian-born Rubik’s Cube. There doesn’t seem to be an end to this winter, so I leave the solution up to you.

All The World's A Stage

2010-01-16T17:38:00.003-05:00

On January 15, 1879, Gilbert & Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore: a Lass Who Loved a Sailor opened at the Standard Theatre in New York City. It had been a hit in London before coming across the pond and eventually became their first international hit. True to the title, it is indeed about a lass who loved a sailor, but beyond that and the assorted love triangles, the play involves the idea about social classes. With much laughter and song, it was a resounding success. Pinafore ended up running for 175 nights and was eventually revived two dozen times.
The Standard Theatre had opened as The Eagle in 1875 and was located on the west side of Broadway between 32nd and 33rd Streets. It was destroyed by fire in 1883 but rebuilt and reopened as the Manhattan in 1896. However, its existence was to be short lived as this theater was demolished in 1909 to make room for a Gimbels Department Store. The particular Gimbels which was built where the Standard Theater once stood is now the Manhattan Mall, but unfortunately, one is unable to purchase any Pinafore merchandise at any of the Mall’s fine retailers.
Now Gimbels was a fabulous department store and a rival of Macy’s. However, Gimbels was far more popular, most likely to frequent mentions by Lucille Ball on I Love Lucy. Both the Slinky and The Official Myron Cope Terrible Towel made their debuts at Gimbels stores.
So just what does Gilbert & Sullivan have to do with Gimbels? Well, at one point Gimbels ran a popular advertising campaign that was was sung to the tune of the Major General’s song. The opening line? “We are the very model of a modern big department store.”
All the world’s a stage.

Tiny Spiny Things

2009-12-30T18:32:00.003-05:00

Hedgehogs are solitary mammals native to Europe, Africa, and Asia. Their name is derived from the Middle English word ‘heyghoge’ as it is known to live among hedgerows and because of its piglike nose. It is a diurnal (awake during parts of the day & night) animal with a limited range and a wide diet. They chiefly feast on insects but enjoy small frogs, toads, snakes, snails, worms, eggs, fruit, mushrooms, roots, and carrion. Their sense of smell is outstanding, and helps them find food and avoid danger. Evolving very little over the past 15million years, they are related to bats, shrews, moles, and porcupines. However, unlike porcupines, their quills are not barbed or very sharp and remain attached to their bodies. When frightened, they curl up into a ball and resemble something similar to a sea urchin. Their faces are similar to that of a raccoon, and depending on their color variation, may or may not have a mask.
Hedgehogs have long been part of the popular culture, appearing in folklore, books, and more recently, videogames. In folklore, the hedgehog has been thought to be very hardworking and serious. The philosopher Archilocus proposed that the creature has a certain wisdom as well, going so far as to state “The fox knows many things but the hedgehog knows one big thing.” Beatrix Potter, author of Peter Rabbit, wrote a story about a washerwoman hedgehog called Mrs. Tiggy-winkle, whose name was later used for a British Animal Hospital that specializes in the care of injured hedgehogs. Probably, the most famous hedgehog of all is the videogame character Sonic, who while blue and anthropomorphized, still retains his mask, omnivorous diet, and ability to roll up into a ball.
As of late, Hedgehogs have become the latest cutting edge pets, replacing the ferret fad and are being bought at a significant mark-up. While they are gentle creatures and do bond to their owners for life, one has to question the ethical morality of owning a wild creature. Is it right to take an animal out of its natural habitat simply for the sake of being fashionable? Moreover, what happens to these animals once the novelty wears off and the real work of animal care begins? Taking care of an animal requires serious work and commitment and should not be entered into lightly. Hopefully, anyone who adopts a hedgehog understands the responsibility involved and treats their new pet well.
One final point: This past summer, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, a hedgehog was the subject of the wining one-liner joke as told by Dan Antopolski. So said Dan, “Hedgehogs, why can’t they share the hedge?” I hope you share your thoughts as well.

A Port in the Storm

2009-12-20T23:55:00.003-05:00

With the colder weather upon us, my glass tends not to be filled with Scotch so much. I desire something from the warmer climates, so I can be content and quietly enjoy the quietest season and look forward to Spring. Tiki drinks are quite nice, but they have an entire culture dedicated to and surrounding them. The mixology alone is mind-boggling and although I do imbibe in the occasional Zombie or Suffering Bastard, I feel I am unable to do them any justice with my prose.
Much like Scotch, my cold weather drinks tend to be straight alcohol. Brandy or Cognac is always nice but they both carry a certain culture as well, not to mention anything good tends to be expensive. Besides, when I drink Cognac I want to read Edgar Allen and that never ends well – tearing up one’s floorboards looking for imagined hearts gets expensive.
So, when winter arrives, and especially during the holidays, I somehow find comfort in a glass of Port Wine. Port Wine comes from Portugal (hence the name) and came about quite by accident in the 1600s when King William III, placed an embargo on shipments of French Wine. So the English, being the resourceful wine drinkers that they were, cut a deal with the Portuguese to supply them with wine. However, the Portuguese were concerned that the long voyage from Portugal to England would spoil the wine, so they added brandy to all the barrels just before they were loaded onto the ships. This wine ended up being sour and dry but the English loved it nonetheless.
As much as the English loved this new wine, the local merchants wanted something a little more elegant so they visited Portugal in search of something better. They located monasteries in the hills of the Douro region, where the monks added brandy during the fermentation process instead of at the end. This caused the wine to soften and stabilize which resulted in an increase of the natural sweetness. Because the wine was now sweeter and softer, it became a dessert drink. This new Port became the preferred choice of European dining. Writer Helen LeBlanc commented “during the Victorian period, Americans, influenced by the elegance of English dining, imitated lengthy formal dinners with ladies in long gowns and gentlemen in black tie. As the ladies retired to drawing rooms to sip sherry, decanters of Port and humidors of cigars were dispensed to the gentlemen.” Port was now part of the American Culture and Society.
The elegance of the drink keeps it part of the culture. Reminiscent of a time of elegance, wealth, and refinement, it goes hand-in-hand with the pipe and cigar culture. Who hasn’t seen the drawing of the gentleman sitting in a wing-back chair in a dimly lit room, complete with glass in one hand, book in the other, and a roaring fire nearby? As elegant as the drink remains, thankfully good bottles remain quite inexpensive and can be had for less than $20.00.
As Port is a sweet wine, so it should be sipped, rather than drunk. The richness of the wine is enhanced by serving nuts, dried fruit, cheese, or dark chocolate. There is some debate on the type of glass one should serve the wine in. The type of glass is really a matter of personal opinion, but stemware is suggested so as not to transfer the heat from one’s hands to the glass and thus to the wine.
I must admit that I have relative little experience with Port, but I do enjoy Sandeman and Cockburn’s. I hear Oddbins is very good and hope to try it in the near future. So please, raise a glass and let’s toast the Winter Season.

A Sinking Ship

2009-11-27T17:34:00.005-05:00

Thanksgiving was this past Thursday and it got me thinking of the history involved with that date, but specifically the voyage the English Separatists made on the Mayflower. The Mayflower was not outfitted to carry 132 passengers and crew, as it was a cargo vessel. The trip was long and slightly dangerous, as a storm blew the ship off-course and ended up making landfall in Massachusetts, rather than New York. The passengers arrived in winter, forcing them to spend the season on the boat, where an outbreak of various diseases killed half the ship’s population. The rest, of course, is history, but it got me thinking, what if the ship had sunk? Would America have turned out any differently? For starters, the Mayflower Compact, essentially a social contract which various historians reference as this nation’s very first constitution, would never have been written. The leader of the Separatists, William Bradford has so many descendants, that history as we know it would not exist. Just one example is George Eastman, the inventor of roll film and the founder of the Eastman Kodak company. Without him, roll film may have never been invented, and as post-product, movies. Think of how the world would be without cinema, which in turn gave birth to television, which in way, birthed how the internet is used today. All of this made possible by just one small invention, inspiring later generations to move and think forward. None of it would have been possible had the Mayflower sunk, drowning all those aboard in the cold North Atlantic waters. So as I was mulling over the possible ramifications of if the Mayflower had been doomed, it got me thinking of actual doomed ships. The DNA some of the passengers of ships such as the Titanic, the Lusitania, and the Arandora Star might have been carrying could have changed the world, if it wasn’t for their destruction. If the world truly is affected by just one person or one invention, then the human race better get cracking at the whole world peace thing or we are even more doomed than the aforementioned ships.
[leftover] Food for thought.

Single Malts, the second

2009-11-21T00:30:00.001-05:00

Cragganmore whisky is the scotch of the aristocracy. The distillery is surrounded by meadows, woodland, outcrops of hard rock, and fast water. It sits almost hidden on the banks of the Spey River, in front of the hill from which it gets its name. Close to it, is Ballindalloch Castle, the home of the Macpherson-Grants. Every now and then, when the supply runs low, an employee simply drives down to the distillery, picks up a cask or two, and drives off. For the common man, the whisky is transported out of the facility by rail, a truly classic method of transportation. “For a long time Cragganmore was a mixture of ancient and modern – electric light was installed in 1919 but new buckets were being ordered for the waterwheel as late as 1950, a year before national grid electricity became accessible (Gordon Brown 1993). To this day, the facility is pretty much an entity unto itself, containing its own snowplows, community center, and buildings for employees.

The whisky itself has a quiet sort of elegance to it. A rich gold in color, it has almost a silky quality as it passes the lips. Once on the tongue, it is both light and delicate, with a certain freshness to it. It’s taste is quite lengthy, with hints of smoke and toffee, A truly complex whisky, it is meant to be savored, and two glasses are definitely enough to get one through an evening.

C is for Cheese

2009-11-04T22:30:00.006-05:00

Cheese is an ancient food that predates history. No one is sure where cheesemaking originated, but it is guessed that it may go as far back as 8000 BCE when goats and sheep were first domesticated. Their milk was quite possibly used in the first cheese, which in all likelihood, was discovered quite by accident. You see, at that time, the stomachs of animals were used for storing food, and quite possibly, milk was accidentally stored in one, causing the milk to turn to curds and whey as a result from the rennet in the stomach.

The earliest archeological evidence of cheesemaking is found in Egyptian murals and tablets from the Bronze Age show inventories of recorded cheese. Cheese even appears in Homer's The Odyssey, where the description of the cyclops Polythemus making and storing goat cheese is found:

We soon reached his cave, but he was out shepherding, so we went inside and took stock of all that we could see. His cheese-racks were loaded with cheeses, and he had more lambs and kids then his pens could hold...
When he had so done he sat down and milked his ewes and goats, all in due course, and then let each of them have their own young. He curdled half the milk and set it aside it wicker strainers.

By the early Common Era, cheese was an everyday food, and "smoking" it had come into play. As the Roman Empire spread, so did cheesemaking, and eventually, every region in Europe had its own method.

Around 1500, Cheddar (so named after the city of its birth) was invented. This cheese (as it remains today, along with its Vermont cousin) was white in color, and runs the gamut in taste from very mild to a sharp, complex flavor. The non-Vermont American version tends to be a younger, processed variety, and dyed, because Americans for one reason or another, preferred the orange color to its natural white.

To make Cheddar Cheese, milk is mixed with cultures and rennet to form curds, which are gently heated, cubed, and drained. While draining, the curds form a mat of sorts and the mat is then cut into loose blocks which are occasionally turned, allowing even more draining. Another method involves stacking the curds, to create a more moist cheese. Finally, the curds are cut, salted, and packed into molds to age, from anywhere from 3 to 30 months.

A wheel of Cheddar typically weighs 60-75lbs, but a wheel weighing over 1,000lbs was given to Queen Victoria as a wedding gift. I believe it is from this gift that we garner the phrase "Big Cheese" as only those who were wealthy enough could afford an entire wheel.

Cheese has also garnered many famous proverbs and phrases, such as Charles de Gaulle stating "how can one govern a country where there are 246 kinds of cheese?" along with the more famous one by John Heywood stating that the "moon is made of green cheese" (although he may have been referring to not the color but the age). My personal favorite is the one about the second mouse of the day gets the first cheese. I guess it's because the first mouse was caught by the cat who ate some cheese and then blew its baited breath down the mouse-hole.

I wait without baited breath for your comments.

Single Malts, the first

2009-10-28T21:22:00.008-04:00

TOMATIN,
single Highland malt

Tomatin comes the the central highlands of Scotland. It is the third highest distillery in terms of elevation. The land is quite exposed and treeless, but in prehistoric times has a thick pine forest. As legend has it, the site on which the distillery stands goes back to the 16th Century, during the time of the Glorious Revolution. This Revolution overthrew King James the Second of England, and in effect, ousted Roman Catholicism as well. Of King James many crimes, he placed a heavy tax on whisky, which prompted several hundred illegal distilleries to form, of which Tomatin was one. Nowadays the distillery is owned by a Japanese conglomerate and supplies bulk whisky to Japan and occasionally is used to make blended malts. However, in the last 20 years, it has gone back to releasing single-malts again, which is what is of interest in this post.

As always, this single-malt is served neat, with no water and certainly no ice added. The whisky has a very smooth texture, with understated floral tones. It is quite elegant and airy. Pale gold in color, it has a small nose but quite a bit of flavor. It has character, but it seems to be most comfortable on cool autumn nights. 3/5 stars.