I really enjoyed this paper on microwaving vegetables vs. using other cooking methods. I also looked up the funding sources and it seems this paper is purely academically motivated rather than motivated by some microwave company.

The coolest finding was that some vegetables increased their antioxidative properties after cooking.

From Science Daily’s summary:

• The highest antioxidant loss was observed in cauliflower after boiling and microwaving, peas after boiling, and zucchini after boiling and frying.
• Green beans, beets, and garlic were found to keep their antioxidant levels after most cooking treatments.
• The vegetables that increased their antioxidant levels after all cooking methods were green beans (except green beans after boiling), celery and carrots.
• Artichoke was the only vegetable that kept its high antioxidant level during all the cooking methods.

Next time I go to Red Bamboo in the Village, I’m getting this.

Well, it looks like eating until you’re full makes you die faster. No more all-you-can-eat Sushi for me.

Apparently there are some good ramen places in the East Village. I’ll have to check them out some time.

Ramen Setagaya [East Village]
141 First Avenue (between E. Ninth Street and St. Marks Place), Manhattan
212-529-2740

update: There were so many good food places around here that I had to start a wiki: http://eastvillagefood.pbwiki.com

A little while ago, I went on a seaweed shopping spree at Uwajimaya. Among all of the different types of seaweed I purchased that day, this one really stood out. I have no idea what it says.

A quick review: It’s oilier, saltier, and way tastier than the normal Japanese nori.

(If anyone could translate the bag, that would be awesome.)

I won a little something for being generally helpful around the lab — editing movies, debugging code, editing papers, and writing scripts in crazy languages that I haven’t touched for years.

Thank you Colin Zheng!