Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Tell-A-Tale (Part 27): Energy And Matcha Shortbread

From the law of energy conservation, we know that energy can only be transferred but not destroyed. In general, it starts with a potential energy, follow by kinetic energy and subsequently, transforms into sound, light and heat, among others.

As the night falls, the level of energy is greatly reduced, with light being the most obvious of them all. So, in accordance with the fundamental law of physics, in where and how is it conserved?

It’s amazing how an instrument consisting of six strings of different diameters and a hollowed wood body is able to produce some of the most interesting harmonics the human eardrum can resonate to; in the 70 to 1000 Hz range. In the case of an acoustic guitar, the beating of the soundboard adds to a more diverse range of Hertz.

In the reversible cycle of energies, the sequence of energy transfer must have been as follows:

Potential energy <---> Kinetic energy <---> Sound <---> X

“X” is rather complicated, I must say. To the tune of Eleanor Rigby, one may feel a need to tap one’s feet. That’s kinetic. I imagine a surge of kinetic energy if Nirvana’s Come As You Are and Lithium are played. Ballads usually result in an overflow of emotions that go beyond quantifiable energies. So, how do we measure that?

As complicated as it sounds, these are just complexes of fundamental energies such as heat, kinetic, electromagnet and sound. But of course, there is more to this and it requires good knowledge in biology in order to interpret the different emotions human reacts to, at different levels and types of energy.

Here’s a simpler equation that everyone can relate to:

Kinetic energy <---> Sound + Heat + Chemical energy <---> Potential energy

In other words, eating.

A layer of orange marmalade sandwiched between two pieces of matcha shortbread. Use castor sugar instead of the coarse type (chop nuts instead for a crunchy texture). Eat when it has completely cooled off. Apply more dense flavours like coffee or chocolate instead of matcha in the next attempt. Top it with a layer of icing sugar for extra sweetness.

I imagine a warm, windy night, with pieces of shortbread and amazing audiological spectrums. Energies will not be lost. In fact, they will be very much contained. And will lead to a something called wonderful.

Imagine.

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Note:

The basic shortbread recipe was provided by the fantastic FatBoyBakes. He really makes baking fun and interesting. Thanks, man!

Click here for his shortbread recipe.

22 comments:

Xiu Long Bao said...

I wonder if injury + torn ligament + weak joint = need for more energy

I have been eating non stop for the past few days. Should I order more sashimi tonite? Yes? No? I'm blardy hungry now.

Anonymous said...

"I imagine a warm, windy night, with pieces of shortbread and amazing audiological spectrums. Energies will not be lost. In fact, they will be very much contained. And will lead to a something called wonderful."

Oh I can imagine just that. A night to curl up with a good book, or better yet, a warm piece of shortbread. Yums. :D

Selba said...

the matcha shortbread looks kinda maracons, especially with the filling of orange marmalade :)

Chemical energy? *thinking*

Anonymous said...

*munching on last bit of matcha shortbread* Damn good. You and FBB are a match-a made in heaven.

fatboybakes said...

thamby, he's already found his heavenly made match....
oooh, gorgeous pics of your shortbread. and to think that stupid blog analyser said u got no imagination? what are they talking! your imagination is more fertile than a the banks of the nile, the womb of the old woman who lived in the shoe....

Anonymous said...

I hafta agree with you, tangechi (about his imagination...very fertile like FBB - got 4 kids wor). Didn't the stupid analyser also say his blog's written by a woman??

Yin said...

i love the tupai! and the night scene. and thank you for sharing a piece or two of the matcha shortbread. sedap, just like your pix!

HairyBerry said...

xiu long bao, u need, above all things, a good "steel beat" or "tit dah".

no, u should not eat too much tonight. just a plate of salad is enuff cos the poor fella's paying. haha!

kenny, okie okie. will send ya some if my second batch works. it'll not be matcha but coffee or vanilla. :D

selba, yupe, they do look like macaroons but i think macaroons are much more difficult to make. it requires really good skills.

yupe, chemical energy. the same energy that helps to generate electricity in batteries. ;)

lyrical lemongrass, omg! u keeping 'em til today? i thought they only last 3 days? betta have some yoghurt to flush 'em out. and u so creative lar, with the match-a thingy. ;)

fatboybakes, wow! thanks for the compliment, dude! aiyoh, siapa itu heavenly match or? me still looking leh. errmm, not sure if i wanna be that layer of placenta but am glad the analyser was wrong lar. the world would be so boring without imagination hor?

I'm not Thamby Lemongrass, hahaha! i think that analyser tracks by keywords lar. well, i'll be happy if i can write like a woman. then, i can sing "if i were a girl" to counter that shiok sendiri beyonce song.

yin, the tupai mmg cute lah. alvin and the chipmunks look-alike? :) and thanks for the compliment on the roti pendek lah! if next round jadi, i give you some lar, okay? :)

Tummythoz said...

Lurve that jar of shortbread pic. Ok I admit. That kinetic stuff confused me but that picture, oh-la-la. *eyes open wide*

So I get a share of your next batch? *eyes open wider*

Xiu Long Bao said...

Seriously I was not aware that the poor fella is paying for the dinner tonite. But it's too late. I'm ordering otoro. You can have my $31 credit to foot the bill.

Big Boys Oven said...

wow! Physics or Fizik? @#$^%*

Ciki said...

Potential/latent energy - FBB might consider baking a nice cake for nic

Chemical energy - FBB bakes a cake for nic

Kinetic energy - hand to mouth action as nic stuffs his face with cake

Thermal energy - nic as he huffs and puffs, working out at the gym, trying to burn off the calories...

:P:P:P

Anonymous said...

i was wondering where the post is leading to, didn't expect it ended up with the matcha shortbread bake ( i didn't read the title. haha.

Yin said...

yay!! got next round :D i shall wait, impatiently...heheh

qwazymonkey said...

Sounds like everyone got a piece except this monkey. Kesian.

Anonymous said...

With so much running around and preparing for the coming CNY, I probably need some shorbread to replenished my lost energy...
Any delivery up north to Penang? It would be lovely...haha

choi yen said...

Hehe, my Fizik knowledge totally give back to my cikgu already ~.~''

minchow said...

Ahhh an invigorating nocturne indeed... a silent guitar riff, a sugar rush, a thankful tummy!

Rebecca Saw said...

energy = food. or was it food = energy. wahtever la. Tats all tat i can manage to link ! hahaha...

HairyBerry said...

tummythoz, thank kew thank kew! ;) sure, sure. ya lor, i think it's about time we meet d...when when???

xiu long bao, waraku got otoro meh? ;P that poor fella paid for dinner and had a bad sorethroat too...so kesian lar he... ;P

bigboysoven, yalar, in school we learn fizik. now, we use physics. equations are universal, i guess. ;)

cumi & ciki, hahahaha! lurve all the energies expect thermal cus nic gotta work his a** off at the gym. but i think it's time to get those visceral fats out of the system! hahaha!

ladyironchef, i think the whole theme was more about the night and things that go well with it. good music and food complements a relaxing night, definitely.

yin, of course, of course! ;) will be doing it asap and FB you! :)

qwazymonkey, hey, thanks for dropping by! no lar, not all got it cus i only baked a few this time. hehe...next time, i'll bake more!

mimi, ya lor, me also almost give back to the teacher d....actually, more like the tuition teacher lar..heheh...

550ml jar of faith, a silent guitar riff...woah, that's so cool, almost like a description of clouds that take abstract forms. it's all about imagination, isn't it? ;)

thenomadgourmand, yupe yupe. energy = food. that is all that matters, right? hehehe... *hungry hungry*

Ciki said...

wah.. impressed! have u started ? :P:P

HairyBerry said...

cumi & ciki, errr, after cny. sure one! :)