Justin Shenk

I tried Natto once. Let me just say I had to watch my friend eat it first to believe it was meant to be eaten in that condition (slimy and smelly).
It was interesting…

Natto is a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans, popular especially for breakfast. As a rich source of protein, natto and the soybean paste miso formed a vital source of nutrition in feudal Japan. For some, natto can be an acquired taste due to its powerful smell, strong flavor, and sticky consistency.

via Natt? – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Measure all ingredients precisely. Small variations can make the drink less effective or even harmful. Mix the following:

* 1 quart (950 mL) water

* ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) baking soda

* ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) table salt

* ¼ teaspoon (1.25 g) salt substitute (potassium-based), such as Lite Salt or Morton Salt Substitute

* 2 tablespoons (30 g) sugar

via Rehydration drinks.

-Sweet!

This is one of the best documented cohort-based studies showing that coffee drinking provides protection from dementia in midlife and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in late life.

via George Perry: Faculty of 1000 Biology, 16 Feb 2009 http://www.f1000biology.com/article/id/1147566/evaluation

Two articles about science cafes, written in 2004. These events really are a lot of fun, especially if you were raised on PBS or series like the Cosmos.

A night out in a bar is all the more enjoyable if you can digest some science too. That’s the lesson of a growing movement whose character may be local but whose reach is potentially global — and at a small cost.

via The rise of cafe culture : Article : Nature.

The Denver café, organized by University of Colorado immunologist John Cohen, performs another social function: “I know that people have got together after meetings,” he says. “So when people come in alone, we carefully direct them to potential partners.”

via Pop science pulls in public as cafe culture goes global : Article : Nature

What’s next, science hook-ups?

I’m looking for new venues to host the San Antonio Science Cafe.

Previous cafes were at Ruta Maya, which is now closed , Old Town Helotes Bar and Grill, and Lion & Rose Pub and Restaurant. Radius Cafe seems cool, if we can coordinate around their choir events during the week.

On another note, Liberty Bar has my favorite Ethiopian coffee and I need to find out what brand it is. Mmm…

Mmm.. I can’t wait to try this recipe from NPR. Did all the public radio listeners out there contribute to the pledge drive?

via NPR’s How Low Can You Go $10 Meals – Farfalle With Potatoes | Mamaliga.