AgentRedfield's recent activity
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Comment on A brief history of fish sauce in ~food
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Comment on A brief history of fish sauce in ~food
AgentRedfield Link ParentWow! I’ll definitely have to try that recipe. Serious Eats does a great job experimenting, I really like their cast iron pizza recipe under a gas oven broiler.Wow! I’ll definitely have to try that recipe. Serious Eats does a great job experimenting, I really like their cast iron pizza recipe under a gas oven broiler.
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Comment on A brief history of fish sauce in ~food
AgentRedfield Link ParentGreat point, I’ve seen that used in meatloaf recipes. This bit of history on it is fun:Great point, I’ve seen that used in meatloaf recipes. This bit of history on it is fun:
According to company lore, when the recipe was first mixed, the resulting product was so strong that it was considered inedible and the barrel was abandoned in the basement. Looking to make space in the storage area some 18 months later, the chemists decided to try it and discovered that the long-fermented sauce had mellowed and become palatable. In 1838, the first bottles of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce were released to the general public.
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Comment on Lost on the ice: The 1897 hydrogen balloon attempt to reach the North Pole in ~humanities.history
AgentRedfield LinkHave you read Realm of Ice and Sky? It’s quite a riveting polar exploration overview that touches on this balloon journey, as well as some later zeppelin adventures to the North Pole. There is...Have you read Realm of Ice and Sky? It’s quite a riveting polar exploration overview that touches on this balloon journey, as well as some later zeppelin adventures to the North Pole. There is also an unexpected appearance from Mussolini with some impressive Italian aviators. I had just before read The Pope and Mussolini, and it’s revealing that while in the midst of major domestic political/religious unrest, Mussolini made time to micromanage some zeppelin expedition details. I think it supports that part of his downfall was a level of hubris that he could not delegate any tasks or take any counsel.
Back to the North Pole, I highly recommend the book, there is even a dog on one of the adventures! If you have Spotify, they’ve got the audiobook there, although then you miss out on the photos.
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Comment on A brief history of fish sauce in ~food
AgentRedfield LinkThis was a lot longer read than I expected and all the better for it! Always interesting to see the history of the world revealed through a single simple item. The link to the “Cookery and Dining...This was a lot longer read than I expected and all the better for it! Always interesting to see the history of the world revealed through a single simple item. The link to the “Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome by Apicius” book was also quite fun to look through, although I don’t think I’ll be trying the four calf brain stew anytime soon. There was also a recipe for pumpkin pie that was amusingly vague, just pumpkin, cumin, some oil and then “cook.”
Back to fish sauce, it’s interesting how it has ancient history of use in Europe and Asia. However now, at least in America, while Asian food is quite popular, the high sodium of some ingredients (or just the unfamiliarity, like msg) seems to prevent some ingredients, like fish sauce, from becoming a common cooking item or finding a place in more fusion recipes. If you think otherwise or see it in your non-Asian country though I would be curious to know some recipes!
This also reminds me of This 99% invisible podcast episode, about what makes a food end up in, and eventually escape, the international food aisle.
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Comment on Robot golf vs holes that keep getting harder in ~tech
AgentRedfield Link ParentI highly recommend the regional video, the physics he had to sort through to make the golf club adjusting not cause torque which then shifts it in your hands and ruins the adjustment was really...I highly recommend the regional video, the physics he had to sort through to make the golf club adjusting not cause torque which then shifts it in your hands and ruins the adjustment was really interesting.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - January 2026 - Fire on the Mountain by Terry Bisson in ~books
AgentRedfield Link ParentGood to know, thank you. I usually read historical non-fiction, so this was a good diversion for January and I’ll have to add some more of these books to my reading list.Good to know, thank you. I usually read historical non-fiction, so this was a good diversion for January and I’ll have to add some more of these books to my reading list.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - January 2026 - Fire on the Mountain by Terry Bisson in ~books
AgentRedfield Link ParentWhoa that looks like the perfect film version of this, I’ll check it out! Looks like my library has it. Also, I can’t say I agree with the books characterization of Lincoln, especially as it’s...Whoa that looks like the perfect film version of this, I’ll check it out! Looks like my library has it.
Also, I can’t say I agree with the books characterization of Lincoln, especially as it’s such a short section, but it’s an interesting thought exercise to me.
I’m now reading Raven Rock, about Cold War bunkers and other US military panicking and it’s interesting from declassified memos how similar presidents from JFK, to Carter, to Reagan were in nuclear planning, even though they all projected their actions externally very differently. JFK was quite surprised to find the US greatly out gunned the US (see the “bomber gap”), but it was top secret info because the US obtained that info from the classified U2 spy plane. Kind of a tangent, but the through line is how additional info or selective info greatly changes the context and historical “story” of a person.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - January 2026 - Fire on the Mountain by Terry Bisson in ~books
AgentRedfield Link ParentI just read “Born in the GDR” about people who were born in East Germany after the Berlin Wall and border in general were closed. It was very interesting reading how people in the GDR felt about...I just read “Born in the GDR” about people who were born in East Germany after the Berlin Wall and border in general were closed. It was very interesting reading how people in the GDR felt about reunification and that their country and culture was just disappeared from history.
Reading the alternate history of Fire on Mountain just after that made me sympathetic to East Germans as the way Terry Bission wrote about the in world alternate history of Lincoln and the John Brown raid failing (i.e. actual history, but told in a different light). That recasting of our history for the book within this book was very effective and reconsidering the narratives that makeup history and how much small moments impact the future.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - January 2026 - Fire on the Mountain by Terry Bisson in ~books
AgentRedfield Link ParentI really enjoyed the letter format since it felt accurate and reminded me of some genealogy research I’ve done. When the one younger white character’s letters suddenly stopped it was also shocking...I really enjoyed the letter format since it felt accurate and reminded me of some genealogy research I’ve done. When the one younger white character’s letters suddenly stopped it was also shocking it that he was just gone, which subverted my expectations of some dramatic death scene.
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Comment on In most countries, imports from China account for less than 10% of GDP, even where China is the top partner in ~finance
AgentRedfield LinkFor those curious this includes raw goods. I’m surprised it’s relatively low, but the US is more of a service economy lately. Definition from the article:For those curious this includes raw goods. I’m surprised it’s relatively low, but the US is more of a service economy lately. Definition from the article:
Merchandise imports are imports of physical goods, as recorded in international trade statistics. They cover goods brought into a country for consumption, further processing, or re-export.
Imports are reported on a CIF basis (Cost, Insurance, and Freight), which means they include the cost of the goods, plus transportation and insurance costs required to deliver them to the importing country’s border.
This category includes all goods entering a country, from raw materials and agricultural products to manufactured goods, machinery, and consumer products. It excludes services (like tourism or transport), financial flows, and goods that are only in transit. -
Comment on What have you been eating, drinking, and cooking? in ~food
AgentRedfield LinkI’ve been baking a lot since it’s the winter. Lots of sourdough bread of course, but I also tried making this Delicate squash galette which was really yummy and worked great as a vegetarian dinner...I’ve been baking a lot since it’s the winter. Lots of sourdough bread of course, but I also tried making this Delicate squash galette which was really yummy and worked great as a vegetarian dinner entree.
I’ve found that ads, AI writing and bad Google search makes it’s really tough to find good recipes online these days. I really like King Arthur since their baked goods reliably work (even if you use cheap flour).
Any vegetarian dinner entrees or recipe blogs you all would recommended for more general meals?
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Comment on What have you been eating, drinking, and cooking? in ~food
AgentRedfield Link ParentQuestion for you, have you found good winter kale in the US? My friend in Germany likes making grünkohl, but my understanding is his kale is harvested after the winter frost so it is less bitter....Question for you, have you found good winter kale in the US? My friend in Germany likes making grünkohl, but my understanding is his kale is harvested after the winter frost so it is less bitter. I’m not sure that any US kale is harvested that way.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
AgentRedfield LinkI just finished Keeper over the holiday (yay $1 gamepass trial), and it’s classic Double Fine studios attention to detail. The game runs great and every moment is like a painting. A bit like...I just finished Keeper over the holiday (yay $1 gamepass trial), and it’s classic Double Fine studios attention to detail. The game runs great and every moment is like a painting. A bit like Brutal Legend with the wild environments, but a completely different aesthetic.
The start is a a bit of a slow walking simulator, but it starts throwing in some surprising variety and doesn’t overstay its welcome. It’s definitely an easy game, but the incredible art and moody soundtrack kept me engaged. I highly recommend it.
Haha excellent point, the US definitely loves salty food, and I would guess that most pantries have soy sauce. The fish smell association is probably a difficult hurdle, as shown by the durability of the “don’t microwave fish in the office” joke, although I in recent years there’s been some justified pushback on the humor of that.
At least in Portland Oregon, many restaurants have a health food focus, and so fusion dishes often highlight fresh ingredients, as opposed to delicious street foods and sauces. The food carts can fill that gap though.