Persian nougat - Gaz

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Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

This recipe is nicked from  http://candy.about.com/od/nougatcandyrecipes/r/persian_nougat.htm but adjusted to metric measures and celsius temperatures, plus a few extra tips here and there.

Ingredients:

• 400 g sugar
• 500 g light corn syrup (or fluid glucose)
• 1/4 ts salt
• 0,6 dl water
• 2 egg whites
• 3-4 ss rose water
• 100 g toasted pistachio kernels (non-salty)

Preparation:

1. Prepare an 8x8 pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray (sprayfett).
2. Place the egg whites in the bowl of a large stand mixer, and whisk until they hold stiff peaks.Use a k-spade whisker, not the normal balloon whisk.
3. While the whites are beating, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 150C.
4. When the sugar syrup has reached 150 degrees, remove it from heat and slowly pour the mixture into the stiff egg whites, with the mixer running constantly. Be very careful to avoid pouring directly onto the whipping spade; you don't want boiling sugar mass spurting onto your skin. Continue to beat the mixture until it holds its shape, ca, 5-10 minutes.The longer you beat the mixture, the tighter and more solid the end product becomes.
5.  Add the rose water and nuts and beat just until combined.
6. Coat a big spoon and a scraper (slikkepott) with spray fat. Spoon the nougat into the prepared pan, and press it smoothly and evenly. Cover with aluminium fiul and let it set for a few hours, keep dry. Take it out of the mold and cut it into squares.Sprinkle a bit of wheat flour on the squars to keep them from sticking.
7. Store nougat in an airtight container in the refrigerator, but allow it to come to room temperature before serving.

Terror Incognita Musica

I like Heavy Metal, and by that, I mean old school HM from back in the 80s and beyond. These days, when people say they're a metal fan, they frequently mean extreme metal. Bands I never remember the names of, but which remind me of Slayer's rabid little siblings. Also these days, there are something like three billion and umpty-hum different sub genres of metal. Some have been with us for ages; thrash, hair, prog, doom, etc. Some are 'fresher'; nu, metalcore, and devil only knows what. (Yes, he DOES get all the grooviest tunes.) I gave up trying to make sense of genres long ago. I simply stick with metal, for which I have a relatively generous definition that goes blurry in the soft end (Europe and Bon Jovi are metal, Journey ain't). If I must, I give examples by band names to point to what I like and what I struggle with. Genres do my head in so they can go sit on Shagrath's spiky warhammer and rotate!

Mostly, I stick with melody, melody and melody. Symphonic/classic basis is also good, as is the more technical stuff. Groove and crowdpleasing tunes is very good, and I love me a huge dose of theatrics. I want the full package! WASP and Twisted Sister, they knew how to rock then joint while looking the part. They knew what fun was. A lot of the modern bands wouldn't know fun if brought nose to Blackie Laweless's crotch circle saw. Yes, costumes and makeup and whatnot won't help if the music sucks, but it will add something extra when things are good.

However, on the far fringe of metal; in the cold, deep forests of the north, there lurk bands who do know the value of makeup and stash. You know the ones I mean, yes? Most of them have no concept of melody, and they wouldn't be caught dead employing actual singers, but they do have vocalists who do interesting things with (or is that to) their larynxes. They're Swedish, they're Norwegian, they're mean, loud and difficult to get into for your average vanilla metal fan (i.e. moi). Or at least they were, back in the 90s. During the last few years, some of these musical extremists have slipped the odd olive branch into their music and I find myself intrigued.

My first proper encounter with one of these bands was four years ago, when I attempted to pass by Amorphis at a festival. Turned out they were both melodic, had an actual singer (who also growled like he meant business), and were not the same band as in the early 90s. Go figure. So I made an exception and bought some CDs. The year after, I went to see Kamelot at a mini-festival in downtown Trondheim. Dimmu Borgir was the main headliner, and I decided to stick around to see what all those musical awards were all about. (Short version: If you ever have the chance to see Dimmu live, don't dither, just do it. In pure musical and theatrical might, I don't think any band today can beat them. Not even Iron Maiden.)

I was impressed by the Dimmu experience, despite slinking off home about halfway through. A band that manages to be mighty, evil and spooky on a sunny, Norwegian summer night, rather than silly and pathetic, have something good going on. Still, I wasn't ready to grab the CDs and start listening, that took a few more years of fermentation at the back of my head.

Fast-forward to November 2011: I've poked around youtube for weeks now, nibbling at Dimmu Borgir and Satyricon mostly, but also others (notably Arch Enemy, because their woman vocalist Angela Gossow is amazing on so many levels). I've read interviews, I've pondered, and nibbled some more. The biggest problem I have is the vocals; I've never liked the growls and grunts of, oh alright let's use the genre names, black and death metal. But....but, at the same time I've dealt with it just fine for years when those techniques have been used as spice. Epica is probably the main example, but Kamelot's 'March of Mephisto' and Volbeat's 'Evelyn' make me more than a little giddy. And the growly parts are a big, big part of the giddy. Clearly, I can't be completely immune, so I went and made some purchases.

Yesterday, the mailman brought me Dimmu Borgir's two latest albums (In Sorte Diaboli, Abrahadabra), and Satyricon's latest and third latest (Age of Nero, Volcano). The next few days will see me researching the two biggest exports Norway has to offer the metal world, to find out what, if anything, I've been missing out on during the aughties. I'm going to write about this journey, for shit and giggles. Wish me luck.

The thin veneer of civilization crumbles

I first read about the mindboggling news out of Topeka, Kansas on feministing.com yesterday. I'm still reeling from it, because despite my ever increasing despair of the politics within the USA, there are still lengths I wouldn't imagine their authorities would go to.

Like changing city ordinances so that domestic battery (as in violence, not an electrical power source) will no longer be illegal. Which means that city court cannot try the ones who commit it. Which means that the county/district court has to. And the latter doesn't want to, because it has to shave 10% off its budget, which means that 'misdemeanors' (the least serious level of crime) have to be dealt with by the city. And guess what? Domestic violence is a misdemeanour one strikes one and two within a five-year period. (The third strike within that period becomes a felony (serious crime). ) The level of violence doesn't seem to matter, only whether or not the victim and abuser live in the same home, i.e. are family. If you beat your neighbour bloody, it's an instant felony. If you beat your partner bloody, it's a misdemeanour the first couple of times.

And now, in Topeka, KS, it might not even be a misdemeanour once the city authorities finish voting.

Why is this happening? Because neither the District Attorney's office, nor the city, want to spend money on prosecuting minor crimes. They do want the criminals to be tried and convicted, but the other's budget should cover it. It is an astounding level of cynicism, even for politicians and bureaucrats. It is a tragic example of how fragile our civilization and ideals can be once the going gets tough and we run out of money. It's heartbreaking and infuriating. They're playing chicken, and the ones who lose are the victims of domestic battery, be they the beaten and bloodied ones or the children who have to hear and see it all.

May these authorities receive the shitstorm they deserve and get thrown out of office yesterday. Shame, shame, shame!

Links:

Feministing's article: http://feministing.com/2011/10/05/topeka-kansas-considers-decriminalizing-domestic-violence-to-avoid-prosecuting-cases/

Editorial from the Topeka Capital-Journal newspaper: http://www.cjonline.com/opinion/2011-09-28/editorial-convoluted-thinking-battery-issue

Comments from a domestic abuse survivor: http://www.kansasfirstnews.com/mostpopular/story/Topeka-domestic-abuse-survivor-trembling-over-DAs/sgAbRRlYaE2M6ljJGYtzFA.cspx