Couch 166: The Un-hex-hexed Couch

My mother always insisted on peeling peaches because she didn't like the feel in her mouth. Looks like haptodysphoria was the most benign of her issues.

I am going to have to try the brining as they said the bean itself doesn't seem to absorb the salt. Salt is so interesting in its mechanisms. I was taught to never salt raw beef, especially ground beef, because it would draw the juices out of the meat and you'd end up with a dry burger or steak. And corning beef does lend a dry-ish quality. And koshering chicken is supposed to draw out the juices considered impure and give a better taste. I never heard of it drying out the chicken. Although I don't brine turkey because I don't like the flavor it gives, people swear it makes the bird juicier. The wonders of salt chemistry.

Salt makes me a raging maniac. Like the Star Trek salt sucker episode.

I think brining chicken does really make it moister if you are going to grill or smoke it.
I usually dry brine the turkey at thanksgiving. I am not a fan of turkey but it does help it for me some. I don't notice a change in taste - which for me is too bad because I dislike the taste of turkey.

Is a dry brine like a rub, rather than in water?

For me, it makes the turkey taste more like deli turkey and less like real turkey. But I only eat the white meat; it's possible it mellows the gaminess of the dark meat.

This is a normal human response. The fault lies in our society, which expects you to behave in an inhuman manner.

Cardinal Richelieu had the same problem.

I joined a facebook support group...and proceeded to word vomit on someone's post.

They'd shared a link about how hard Mother's Day is for adult estranged children. It struck something (maybe all the Mother's Day adverts going around elsewhere on my social media) and I literally blabbed about how I've only very recently realized (and I'll hit 30 soon) I experienced violence by my mother all the way till almost 25.

Her Parkinsons is worsening and she's still refusing meds. A part of me thinks it's karmic that she has hand tremors.

My stupid fuzzball of a cat takes great delight in tipping the mop bucket over sitting in the water and walking all over everything in my house. His tail is giant sponge and he drags it over the walls and across the windows. If he wasnt so adorable id be furious.

I can't deal with the texture of peach fuzz on the skin either. Also have to cut off skin generally. I prefer nectarines for that reason. I have lots of textural issues with eating--it's a big reason why I'm a vegetarian, since I've never liked the texture of meat (and why I don't like, say, Boca burgers that pretend to be meat). Also can't deal with bananas. Or pudding.

My D is very sensory seeking for the most part (aside from loud noises), and it's been fascinating reading about sensory processing disorder in relation to her, because many of the avoiding aspects seem to apply to me. Like food and some clothing textures, bright light, certain smells, certain sounds (like the clanging of dishes being put away makes me want to crawl out of my skin). It's like, "Oh, this explains so much..."

Maybe he thinks he's helping?

I don't like turkey breast at all. If I have to eat turkey, I eat the dark meat - but I try not to have to eat turkey at all. I do smoke two or three for friends and I cook one for thanksgiving and have friends over. I usually just eat sides.

Yes-you rub salt on the turkey. I use a couple of tablespoons of kosher salt and rub that all over the turkey and let it sit uncovered in the refridgerator for 24-36 hours.

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/...-brined-turkey
https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/11/...nksgiving.html

Ah a woman after my own heart.

(I love Star Trek too.)

Oh, this explains so much! My mother was super sensitive to noise too. I hate the clangy dishes too. And she did not like "mushy" yogurt - she would only eat the stuff that was gelled from here to tuesday.

What if they don't though?

There's only so much that we as everyday people can do: vote, make phone calls, protest, use our voices, etc. Beyond that, what's going to happen is going to happen. You can either live the best life you possibly can, or... what's the alternative? Drop everything, curl up in a bunker somewhere, and give in to the fear? That fate seems worse than death, in some ways.

Which reminds me, my academic profile has been getting hits from the Islamic Republic of Iran.

My previous most-unexpected source of hits was Kazakhstan.

I have a textural thing about food too. Bananas and applesauce are big ones for me. And orange juice with pulp in it.

I have a textural thing about mushrooms and celery!

I can't handle bits of fruit in yoghurt, or chunks of onion in pasta sauce. Hah!

Only in those contexts. I enjoy fruit and onion in general.

Mushrooms are out for me, and as for chunks of onion in things...if I'm cooking, it's kind of unavoidable. Not good at 'finely' chopping anything without extra sacrifices, so it's just safer if I don't.

I eat anything and everything.

But I'm sensitive to bright lights and loud noises. I mainly use a lamp in my room instead of overhead lighting.

My mother would leave the woody stems on like shiitake mushrooms, that the tv cooks say to take off? Oh no, they are too expensive to waste! I didnt like mushrooms as a kid, but i like them now, but not when they are super chewy like that!! and wood ears in hot and sour soup? Usually youre on a date, so you HAFTA act mature!!

Eta - can you tell my knee is almost back to normal?

Wooo dancing time!



What do you think of Asparagus?

Uh...have you seen una dance?

Lotta twerking involved.

Mom liked to make the big giant asparagus. I prefer the skinny. Again, she would leave on the woody stem. Honestly she musta had teeth like a goat.

Thats just my knee locking up