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#104637 06/01/03 05:10 PM
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opisthognathous 79p#is 09g4n! 0!s8
adj.
5< Gr opisthen, behind (< IE *opi3: see OB3) + 3GNATHOUS6 having receding jaws, as certain insects

opisthotonus - in terminal stages of tetanus, the back muscles become contracted, reversing normal spinal curvature

thenar
n.
5ModL < Gr < IE base *dhen3, palm of the hand, level place > DEN6
1 the palm of the hand or, sometimes, the sole of the foot
2 the bulge at the base of the thumb
adj.
of a thenar
But I remember seeing it only as referring to the base of the thumb

Opisthenar - back of the hand

opt 79pt8
vi.
5Fr opter < L optare: see OPTION6 to make a choice: often with for
opt out (of) to choose not to be or continue in (some activity, organization, etc.)

I dislike the coomonly see “opt for”. I prefer “choose”.

ordnance - military term, primarily referring to weapons, particularly cannons and artillery

"Orchesis", derived from a Greek word referring to the art of dance,

orchitis ; - inflammation of the testicles

orenda = Traditional Native American song is used to change the life condition of the entire community, and helps to heal maladies of the mind, body, and spirit

orgeat
n.
5Fr < Prov orjat < orge, barley < L hordeum < IE base *Dhrzd, barley > Ger gerste6 a syrup or beverage, orig. made from barley, flavored with almonds and orange flowers

osmagogue - not in dictionary, not found on Internet. Roots suggest it means enhancing ability to smell. Never heard of such an agent.

osphresis
n. sense of smell. osphretic, a.




#104638 06/01/03 09:51 PM
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we could use a good orenda about now...



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#104639 06/01/03 10:13 PM
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orchitis ; - inflammation of the testicles

its easy to see the word orchid relationship to testicle in that word.. and the fruit of the orchid..is vanilla


1. Any of various tropical American vines of the genus Vanilla in the orchid family, especially V. planifolia, cultivated for its long narrow seedpods from which a flavoring agent is obtained. 2. The seedpod of this plant. Also called vanilla bean. 3. A flavoring extract prepared from the cured seedpods of this plant or produced synthetically.

ETYMOLOGY: Obsolete Spanish vainilla, diminutive of vaina, sheath (from the shape of its seedpods), from Latin vagina.

plain vanilla isn't so plain anymore!




#104640 06/01/03 11:31 PM
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orchitis ; - inflammation of the testicles

I'm sure all the male posters are reading that as ouchitis.


#104641 06/01/03 11:55 PM
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Dear of troy: so interesting I can't come up with any
ribaldry. Synthetic vanilla is so good I used to buy it.
If I remember correctly, the name of the substance is diethyl coumarol, obtained from tonka beans. It is also present in sweet clover blossoms. Wilted white clover hay can be dangerous to cows at calving, because of a breakdown
product closely related to medication used to reduce tendency of blood to clot. Correct me if I erred, wofa, please. It's been many years since I read about it.



#104642 06/02/03 12:05 AM
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> Synthetic vanilla is so good I used to buy it.

Yuk! Synthetic vanilla is vile - how anybody can think it is even remotely like the real thing totally escapes me.


#104643 06/02/03 12:49 AM
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Dear sjm: Many flavourings are mixtures of esters, so that
duplicating them synthentically is very difficult. I don't know what was wrong with the synthetic vanilla you so disliked. I have used both synthetic vanilla, and "real" vanilla. I cannot tell them apart. I am skeptical that the production of "real" vanilla could meet the demand.


#104644 06/02/03 01:12 AM
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Here's a URL about synthetic vanilla. Note that there is very little said about the natural variety having any important difference.
http://wwwchem.uwimona.edu.jm:1104/lectures/vanilla.html


#104645 06/02/03 02:46 AM
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sorry Dr.Bill, but synthetic vanilla is vile.. it has a vague vanilla taste, but it has none of the complexity of real vanilla. i prefer to use the beans, since even the extract goes flat faster.

a little vanilla flavor goes a long way... it not expensive to use the real thing. (after you cook the bean in liquid, they can be dried, (on a paper towel) and then packed in sugar.. they scent the sugar, and when added to coffee, add a slight fruity note.


#104646 06/02/03 09:56 AM
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De gustibus non carborundum and all that.

I used to think that there were two kinds of people: those who hated tha flavour of celery and those who couldn't taste it. Then I discovered that there are those who attually® *like the flavour of that disgusting stalk.


#104647 06/02/03 10:01 AM
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> Then I discovered that there are those who attually® *like the flavour of that disgusting stalk.

Damn! One more strike against me in the Fool's book.


#104648 06/02/03 10:08 AM
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Arright! Poll time:

A) I like celery and hate artificial vanilla

2) I hate celery and can't tell the difference between artificial and real vanilla

Þ) Neither of the above


#104649 06/02/03 10:11 AM
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A


#104650 06/02/03 11:25 AM
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Ditto.


#104651 06/02/03 12:22 PM
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A

(and of course, as a corrilary, i like Dr.Brown's Celray soda, (made with real celery) and don't like Dr.Brown's Cream soda (cream being the common name for vanilla flavored soda in US)which is made with artifical vanilla.)


#104652 06/02/03 01:24 PM
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#104653 06/02/03 01:27 PM
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If I were making ice cream, I'd use real vanilla. But for baked things, most people can't tell the difference. Most baked goods you buy must have synthetic vanilla, because I am quite sure there just isn't enough hatural vanilla.
There are coffee tasters, I have read, who can tell if the cup has a minute crack that can hold an off flavor. I'm glad that I can enjoy coffee that's not perfect.


#104654 06/02/03 02:13 PM
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#104655 06/02/03 03:40 PM
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Some people have all their taste i;n their mouth.


#104656 06/03/03 04:57 PM
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þ: Celery reminds me of my dad and therefore I like it, but only by association, and I've never knowingly tasted real vanilla.


#104657 06/03/03 05:12 PM
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My father used to buy celery in a grocery store owned by a Greek. I don't know where the celery was raised, but the stalks were almost two feet long, which included the root.
That celery had been lovingly tended, the soil and mulch having been heaped up to support and blanch the stalks. You just can't buy celery like that these days. If the stalk is green, the celery is going to be bitter. And today there is no root included, which used to be the best part, except t;hat they nailed the roots together, and my father told me to cut away the nail holes, because the harvesters held t;he nails in their mouths before using them. The rest of you self-proclained gourmets have never had any good celery.


#104658 06/03/03 08:26 PM
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my Mom used to let me smell the vanilla when she was baking cookies(I suppose she still would!), and I like my celery with peanut butter, or chopped up and put in tuna for sandwiches...



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#104659 06/03/03 08:59 PM
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Dear etaoin: I can't find any documentation, but I suspect very strongly that cooking drives out any of the additional flavoring agents in natural vanilla, so that the extra money is wasted.
And in Chinese food, I think celery is a very welcome addition.
I still doubt very much that any of you soi-disant gourmets have ever seen blanched celery (no chlorophyll in the stalks because of the hilling up to shield stalks from sunlight). I did see some celery roots (not on the stalks)
in a supermarket in VA maybe eight years ago, but no blanched celery.It's apparently the chlorophyll that gives celery the bitter taste.


#104660 06/03/03 09:00 PM
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Þ

I dislike celery and artificial vanilla. I can taste whether something has been made with real vanilla or the fake-o.


#104661 06/04/03 03:55 AM
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I like celery, especially in salads, or by itself with salt to dip it in.

Don't know if I've ever had real vanilla. Depends what's in the ice-creams.

Bingley


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#104662 06/04/03 05:52 AM
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It's apparently the chlorophyll that gives celery the bitter taste.

Maybe that's why it stops tasting so vile when it gets overcooked.


#104663 06/04/03 02:17 PM
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Wow, I didn't know celery produced such strong reactions in people who don't like it! It's one of those vegetables I take for granted as part of soups, stews, and so on - never gave it a second thought! It's also a crucial part of the flavour of caponata, which is a lovely Italian sweet-sour concoction of eggplant, celery, capers, tomatoes, and olives. Mmm.

As for my Dad, I have childhood memories of him sitting down with a whole head of celery and eating it all, raw, after peeling the most annoying stringy things off each piece. Perhaps there was olive oil involved. (There certainly was with artichokes. Mmm.)


#104664 06/04/03 03:53 PM
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and a favorite fancy first course i used to serve, was poached celery roese. you take a head, tie four (or more) stings around the head. slice between the strings. lift the slices carefully(so the stay intact) poach gently, serve on holandaise sause, garnished with pimento.. (remove the string after plating!) you have lovely pale green roses.... what was nice was you could cook them up before hand, gently resteam, and make the holidaise sause at the last minute..and to be honest, straw would taste good served with holandaise sause!

i would often have one or two fancy dishes at the start of thanksgiving/christmas dinners.. the rest of menu was tradistional.. but every one would remember the first course!

whoops, i am really turning this into a food thread aren't i? when i introduced vanilla, and its etymology, i thought it would end up being a sexy thread..


#104665 06/04/03 04:13 PM
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Dear of troy: Why was Eve the first carpenter? Because she made Adam's banana stand.
You mentioned pimientos, most commonly seen filling cavity in green olives which have had pit removed.(Seems contradictory that removing a pit leaves a pit to be filled.) Anyhow, I remember Fred Allen saying Portland had given him a solid gold pimiento paddle - essential to sophisticated hosts to restore any pimiento herniated from its olive to its proper position.


#104666 06/04/03 08:56 PM
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pimento are just roast peppers (spear "bell" (sweet)pepper, roast over open flame (gas burner on stove will do) till black, place in a enclosed space (brown paper bag) to lightly steam, peal off skin.) that have been very lightly pickled-- your classic pickled peppers..

they are common enough in NY- $0.25 extra at blimpies to have some on your sandwich.. never understood why they got packed into pitted olives,tho..


#104667 06/04/03 11:49 PM
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I made two vanilla cakes: one with artificial; one with real vanilla extract. No one could taste the differernce.

But, then again, I make terrible cakes.


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