Scrambled eggs this morning!

I am working on a virtual tour of the Mediterranean Sea Countries; 22 of them counting a State within a State and a State that barely get recognition. Anyway, the subject is a surprise and it will be full of interesting food things.

My mind was a little scrambled this morning, which was the perfect time to cook some… scrambled eggs for my wife and me. It is as simple as it can be, although, as anyone cooking would know, nothing is that simple with eggs and in my case, cooking is a way of better life and take thoughts (sometime too much!).

I like to have eggs well mixed… but why things have to become complicated every time I try to explain something? Let's make it simple: The viscosity of the albumen is in relation with age, temperature and mixing rate. While mixing, the viscosity decrease stabilizes after a few minutes and become prone to mix with the yolk fat, while breaking down the membrane. I mix until I have some foam expending around.

OK, I like brown, organic, free range eggs without added vitamin of some sort, the real thing; a chicken roaming in a field and laying an egg a day. Anyway, I salt, pepper, grate some nutmeg and add a little bit of whole milk… and some cheese such as goat. This time, I wanted to add chopped shallot and garlic and decided to sauté them in some red wine, as I remember my old folks doing. I let the wine reduced to almost nothing, added some oil (can be butter) for the egg cooking, raised the temperature to medium high for a short time, turned down to medium low and poured the egg mixture to… end up cooking scrambled eggs.

It was a total feast, as the shallot and garlic cooked and softened in the wine steam were adding and amazing taste, as well as the wine reduction.

Bon appétit! 

Automobile aerodynamics reborn, one more time?

In 1957, Lotus was launching their Elite model, a beautiful light little sports car for which the coefficient of drag (CD) was 0.29, following in-depth wind tunnel testing and aerodynamic concerns and developments. Let’s mention that no CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) program or computer were available then as it is in use today. This recent development tool is the source of major detail clean-up, allowing for usual looking cars to be more aerodynamic (less drag).

A CD of 0.29 was a real feast for any production type vehicle, as cars were more in the high 0.40 range at that time. In fact, it took probably more than 3 decades for any high production car to reach this level of low drag.

I remember study cars in the 70ies. Most manufacturers had their aero development programs, reaching 0.19 of CD or less, and not only Europeans, as Ford was very active in aero researches showcasing with their “Probe” prototypes. The model number 5 was reaching 0.13 of CD, which was among the very lowest of any concept vehicles.

It was common to read a CD number from a car manufacturer as an argument of performance in the 90ies. Although, no national testing norms were established, opening the door to abuses from some manufacturers, publishing unrealistic figures generally from scaled wind tunnel models generating less drag with no internal flow or cooling, etc…

The publication of the CD figure of new models almost completely disappeared at the same time car constructors were switching from aerodynamic efficiency concern to heavy marketing concerns, creating “things”, consumer objects, targeting (or sometime creating) markets to sell to defined and redefined population segments.

Today, we see in the streets cars and SUV designed 4 to 5 years ago looking like army vehicles, designed to take advantage of the war/defense concern among a segment of the population. Aerodynamic attention got blown in the wing, if we can say so, as various marketing schemes of triggering appeals through tricks of “crossing over”, various type vehicles into adult toys, induced people to buy, even, and most of the time, above their financial means.

For some good reasons, EPA has changed their highway consumption rating since 2008 (this is about the official and famous MPG). The tests are now made at 80 mph instead of 60, which suddenly push car manufacturers to reconsider again aerodynamics as a more important subject, although timidly for some of them.

To understand this, let’s keep in mind that the aerodynamic drag generated by a vehicle increase at the mathematical square of the speed. As an example, if a vehicle generates 100 lbs of drag at 60 mph, it will become 178 lbs at 80 mph. 150 lbs of drag at 60 mph will become 266 at 80 mph and a lower starting figure such as 75 lbs at 60 mph will become 133 at 80 mph.

Let’s also remember that less drag a vehicle has, less contribution to the fuel consumption it will have. The CD (drag coefficient or coefficient of drag) is great to know and I am looking forward to see the CD being published again, providing it will be regulated by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) or norms established by SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers).

Nevertheless, we have to be aware that the CD is a dimensionless number that need to be scaled. The next important factor to keep in mind and ultimately to keep track of, is the frontal area or the surface of the vehicle seen at the front as a flat panel penetrating the air. The frontal area is measured from the ground (not from the bottom of the chassis), up to the roof and including every details that can be seen if one is looking at the front of a vehicle from let say 20 yards distance.

The Coefficient of Drag Area as it is called is the CD multiplied by the Frontal Area and represents the factor defining the quantity of drag that is expressed in Force at a defined speed and air density. This is the real number called the aerodynamic drag, making a vehicle consuming more gas faster it goes, or bigger the vehicle is, such as an SUV compare to a car, or less aerodynamically efficient, such as a truck generating major turbulences at the back.

One of the very best SUV today is reaching a CD of 0.35, in comparison to the best CD for a car at the present time, which would be 0.25 for the Mercedes E-Class 2009, the Toyota Prius 2010 and let’s note older productions such as the Audi A2 (unfortunately, only European market) from 2002, as well as the little coupe Honda Insight from 1999.

Nevertheless, let’s not forget that we have to multiply the CD by the frontal area (A) of these vehicles to find a realistic drag factor. An SUV can be from a quarter to twice the size of a car. A CD of 0.35, best for an SUV, is low average for a car, meaning that an SUV is, hands down, a “drag queen”, burning more fuel for no other reason than marketing push.

Let’s look at an example with published numbers. The 2008 Mercedes E-Class had a CD of 0.27 and a frontal area (A) of 2.11 square meters. The effective drag factor (CD x A) was 0.57

The new 2009 Mercedes E-Class has a lower CD of 0.25, which is very good, although, for some reason, the frontal area is now 2.32 square meters, which makes the CD x A climbing to 0.58.

I know, it is not a lot of increase but why creating such a good aerodynamic improvement if it is to erase this advantage by re-designing a bigger car that has a higher effective drag factor?

Mercedes admit to be able to reduce easily the CD to 0.20 and today, with more sophisticated wind tunnels and CFD programs, one could be reaching levels that the study vehicles of the 70ies were attaining, but this time for real. Citroen launched their DS19 in 1955. It was a futuristic odd looking car at that time, although the aerodynamic efficiency was way up (CD of 0.31) and the car became a commercial success above prediction. Many other examples are available to prove that a well designed car is commercially viable. It does not take to mold some population taste or trend into what a vehicle need to look like to sell. Efficiency, through the ages and various industries, has always paid dividends.

The new Ford Taurus has a CD of 0.32, which is not that great these days, nevertheless represent an improvement on the previous model produced until 07. Its CD was 0.34.

No frontal area numbers have been found for either models but it is obvious that, as the new production is based on the defunct 500 car, even with lowered roof line, the surface area is bigger, as the 500 was designed for “high chairs”, kind of looking like a mixture of car and some of the appeal of SUV with which drivers and passengers can still look down to other drivers from a few inches above. The effective drag factor must be higher on the new car as well, which, in this case, is not creating the most efficient product.

Beside the use of big engines, high frontal area vehicles and poor coefficient of drag has distinguished this Country from the rest of the world and created the most gas guzzling nation. We burn more fuel per day than the rest of the world put together (read again, it is true!), meaning more than the other 6.4 billions people from which some are driving vehicles.

Many subjects can contribute to reducing oil consumption, as we will review them in time. Nevertheless, aerodynamics is of great importance and need to be treated again seriously, as vehicles need to become highly efficient to regain their status of automobile and shed off what commercial hypes have made of them: objects that happen to be vehicles and for which we pay dearly the consequences in many ways.

Please, treat Belgian endives better than that!

These veggies are grown in the dark, like white asparagus. In Belgium and Northern France, they are common vegetables to find on one’s plate, generally steamed, thoroughly cooked until looking translucent or about 20 minutes in the sauna pot. As they contain a high quantity of water, it is necessary to drain them well or let them drip head down in a colander before serving.

Endives are also used in creamy soups or braised. We seem to know their use in appetizers and salad, which has many different versions, including being served with fruits, sherbets and white cheese types.

Nevertheless, you will not be able to appreciate this delicacy if the endives are treated the way I see them being handled in about any stores in the US.  

Endives can become bitter if sprayed and most grocery stores are spraying about everything and anything that looks like a veggie, including plastic packed celery and carrots… or herbs… or roots!

Anyway for now, as this is another subject to write about separately, let’s remember that endives do not like to be sprayed, at all, not even a little bit. If you want to eat them uncooked, wipe them with a dry towel, paper or cloth, if necessary

The second element that makes these “white Gold” vegetables bitter is by exposing them to light.

When doing so, the leaf tip turn light green from light yellow and the leafs are gradually separating from the body. In Belgium, they are packed with dark purple wrapping paper and stay in the shipping boxes to keep them covered.

Here, whatever grocers will do with them, I guess it will take a long time to change bad habits. I end up calling the store to know the day they arrive and ask to keep my order separately. That way, they are kept in the best conditions, dry with tight leafs and very light yellow tips.

If you wish to cook them, cut the short stem off (could be 1/8^th of an inch), making sure you don’t release a leaf or another, just enough to remove the hard end. Using a pairing knife or a peeler, sculpt out a cone shape with the tip of your tool on about 1/2-inch deep from the bottom end.

I have one of the most scrumptious lip-licking recipes for you, making it a meal that you will remember for the rest of your life… but you will have to ask me if you want it... and provide me an email address!

Meanwhile, tell your grocer to treat Belgian endives better than that!

The American Lords

What about making $174,000 a year plus excellent benefits, among them one of the best health plan available in this Country? Any taker?

It represents 4.6% of the declared incomes, based on an extrapolation of 5% of more than $167,000, 1.5% more than $250,000 and 1% above $350,000. Although, these numbers are based on 2006 statistics, today it might be closer to 4.4%.

Not bad and the percentage is getting smaller when we consider that the published income level is for household, not single income. I have not found any data available for individual return versus family and one will have to make a guess to refine the final count.

Let’s consider 60% of the $174,000 yearly income is made by individuals, 75% for the $250,000 level and 90% for the $350,000 level.

The final count is 3% of the American population that could be earning more than $174,000 yearly as individual income, which is what senators, congresswomen and congressmen are earning.

Would it make sense for people representing people and their laws to be closer to their average level, even upper average, not upper 3%?

The last statistics based on 2008 is showing 40 millions Americans living under poverty level and the count is growing fast.

Furthermore, when representatives are questioning the viability of State health plan, which is their legitimate right, shouldn’t they withdraw from their comfy Federal plan and buy into one or another private insurance company to be in tune with their arguments?

Well, I guess the answer would be no to both questions… probably by absenteeism! After all, they are the American Lords, or so it seems!

Is this the richest third World Country?

I was shocked to hear in the late 80ies that 20% of Americans were illiterate. Such an industrialized and rich Country couldn’t possibly have that many uninstructed people? The question mark stayed in my mind and from time to time, I realize it was making some sense, yet couldn’t acknowledge the truth.  

Recently, so many facts led me start writing on the dichotomy of the American society, the richest Country in the World and so many people suffering from the lack of decent income; World leading researchers and illiterates; ground braking sciences and some of the most fundamentalist thinking.

Now, armed with internet search engines, I got the confirmation of what I have heard years ago.
About 20% of Americans are functionally illiterate and read below a 5th grade level. 
Nearly 50% of adults cannot read a book written for 8th grade kids and do it so poorly they cannot find an information within a short publication.
According to some alarming studies, the USA is ranked 49th of the world in literacy.

If we were limiting our observations to these facts, my title would not stand, although why successive American governments would not have found a solution to this literacy plague? Nevertheless, moving to other pride hurting facts, the hypothesis starts making sense.

The US civil infrastructure is in a past due state of repair with countless unsafe bridges. Actually, there are about 72,500 deficient bridges in the Country in need of assessment for repair, essentially meaning that they need to be repaired but the lack of civil engineer inspectors have prevented to get to an evaluation. These deficient bridges represent 12% of the structures in the US and it would take in the vicinity of $10 billions a year during 20 years to repair and update them, not to build new ones.

Roads are in bad shape and anyone can make a long list of highways, freeways, boulevards and streets that desperately need repair and in many cases would stand complete reconstruction.

It seems that we have been happy to know that China was finally generating more CO2 than us. Nevertheless, we tend to forget mentioning that we have about 4.5 times less people here and our CO2 pollution per capita could still be close to 4.5 times more than in China.

Our life expectancy is now ranked 42nd in the world, as we were11th two decades ago and although political debates continue, Country leaders don’t seem to grasp the emergency to quickly evolve, overlooking the fast evolution of the World around us.

We all know that 47 millions Americans are uninsured, which is not the only alarming statistic to read, as 12.6 millions working adults were discriminately denied coverage. Health insurance premium did increased 95% since 2000, as the average income improved only by 17.5% during the same period.

Only 63% of employers are offering a health insurance plan to their employees, down from 69% in 2000. These statistics are not political statement, only pure reality of a Nation loosing its grasp on reality. It is as if we forgot that the People as named in the Constitution are real people with life, soul, concerns and basic needs that a Nation is supposed to help and protect, besides the elusive territorial invasion.

So much has been said on being the best of this and the best of that, preceding the omnipresent “of the World” qualification, when in most cases the World really means the US World, not the 6.7 Billions people on this planet.

France is unveiling its new superfast train, a step above the TGV that did transformed life, not only in France but in Europe since the 70ies by connecting cities with trains cruising at speeds between 185 to 200 mph, allowing people to live far away from big cities and still work in it.

It took a commitment from the French government, starting in the 60ies, to study, plan and build not only the trains themselves but a new concept of railroad that would be safe with no road crossing and structurally stable to sustain such speeds.

The new train called AGV will have a top speed of 270 mph and cruising at 224 mph, although using 30% less energy compare to the TGV. Various Countries around the world are placing order of these hyper speed trains as they understand the need for fast and easy long distance commutes.

Here, we might have one line, still to be built, between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Although this 13 year old project seem to have stalled.

I know, this Country was built on another plan, if plan was, with sprawling cities, using more land per capita and roads representing the connecting dots for everyone, on their own pace, time and directions. Nevertheless, we pay dearly the price of being - by far - the biggest energy consumer, and here we can say of the World.

Nevertheless, even with the type of town and city layout we have, solutions are possible, but we need our population to wake up to our needs, not our habits, our leaders to believe in our great researchers and take action before it would become an emergency to deal with.

Our 4.5% population of the planet is burning 23% of the World energy and our responsibility on the global environmental disaster, as we are slowly waking up to it, is by far the biggest, yet we do not lead the World to safe what there is left for our future generations to live with.

A handful of years ago, we understood that we could produce ethanol to propel our road vehicles with less pollution impact, as well as reducing some of our imported oil. And we went on a mission to convert the production of corn into alcohol, forgetting that the corn was already produced for something else, inducing food cost increase.

We glanced at the Brazilians who are producing 75% of their carburant needs from sugar cane ethanol, overlooking the fact that their government did promoted ethanol in the mid 70ies, not yesterday, and had to close their eyes on massive deforestation to achieve their goal.

Many other subjects are showing our trend of slipping away from the reality of the World, which seem to be evolving faster with more long term planning and investments into new ideas and new concepts of living on an increasingly highly populated planet. 

American politicians are more concerned about their opponents than by their Country and, for some, promote division among their own citizens. I have heard people saying “united we stand”. It must have been a long time ago!