Squid worm
Here is proof that monsters do exist and they live in Indonesia. The test for whether something is a monster depends on whether it fits within the dictionary meaning of the word. The Free Online Dictionary (you can’t argue with something that’s both online and free) gives its first definition of ‘monster’ as:
1. a. An imaginary or legendary creature, such as a centaur or harpy, that combines parts from various animal or human forms.b. A creature having a strange or frightening appearance.
To satisfy definition 1a, it must be imaginary or legendary and it must combine parts of various animals. Well, it’s not imaginary because it is very real, but sailors have been banging on about sea monsters since Noah’s flood so it’s definitely the legendary sea monster. The second part of definition 1a is satisfied because the scientists themselves describe it as ’some kind of mixture between a squid and a worm’. You can see for yourself from the picture that it fits part 1b of the definition. So ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a true monster.
Luckily it’s only 9cm long. Even so, I wouldn’t feel too comfortable if I encountered a bunch of them during my next deep sea dive.
The scientists are calling it an annelid (which sounds monstrous to me) and they gave it the scientific name “Teuthidodrilus samae” which sounds positively dinosaurian. You can read the original announcement here. Notice the picture on the Woods Hole Institute site is already three years old. They don’t rush these announcements, do they?
Telur Asin – Salted Egg, Beware of Fakes
Salted duck egg is used as a condiment in Javanese cuisine. Instead of sprinkling raw salt to add taste, you might nibble on some duck egg. The natural blue colour of the shell adds to the appeal. The clip shows footage taken at a salted egg cooperative in East Java, basically a village which specialises in producing this product. The ducks are so cute, I love the way they run. For production on such a big scale, its amazing they still dip the eggs by hand. The village is in Sidoarjo, so it can’t be far from the mud volcano. I guess it would be worth a stop if you were going to visit the mud volcano, although I wouldn’t recommend such a trip.
One thing that might tempt me to make the trip is their plan to make flavoured eggs. As they say in the clip:
The producers plan to make some flavor into the egg like, durian, chocolate, strawberry and salmon.
I’m thinking that strawberry or chocolate eggs might be something to give children to encourage them to eat eggs, or as a treat. I can’t imagine durian flavoured eggs being too popular, even with those who love durian. Salmon flavoured boiled egg sounds disgusting. But maybe bacon flavoured egg? I can imagine that on my breakfast plate. Chilie flavour, garlic… any other ideas?
As with any premium product, there are forgeries. As the following clip shows, cheaper chicken eggs can be painted blue. This can be detected by the colour being mottled or too dark or too light. Also, the paint can have a chalky texture and can sometimes be scraped off easily. Another fraud is to inject the salt into the egg. This saves the cost of processing the salted egg. You can detect this fraud by checking the egg shell for the tiny hole (which might also be an entry point for germs), otherwise you can tell by the colour of the yolk, and as a last resort, by the taste:
I’m not sure where that reporter was walking to. Anyhow, the main tip is you should check your eggs, and send them back if they’re not the real thing.
One of the nicest uses for salted egg is this dish:
crab with salted egg yolk sauce
So rich, so delicious, so artery-hardening.