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The Babyklappe and why they don’t put eggs in cake mixes

UWS NYC

Have you ever wondered why most cake mixes require you to add eggs? I mean, they put everything else in a box, why not the egg part?

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Been working some pretty insane hours.

During the brief lulls – like when I print up 100 pages of pleadings, or wait while a huge file downloads – do all sortsa motley stuff.

  • Skim about a third of the Economist’s Style Guide. It’s a must read for the hardcore nerd.
  • Spend more time one Facebook than I would like to admit as a 38 year-old professional.
  • Catch up on some cooking shows, namely America’s Test Kitchen where I think about buying a replacement Crock Pot but it’s too soon. Too soon.
  • Watch random videos, like the one below where a German girl speaks pretty good Chinese. Probably only amusing if you understand Chinese/German.

Speakinga reading, the Economist, Chinese, and Germans, evidently there’s this thing called a Babyklappe where people can slip their unwanted babies into a box for pickup. The same thing exists in China and elsewhere.

It’s that parent thing I wrote about last time.

Dunno if I should be horrified something like that exists – that someone would just discard a human being; or comforted – that someone will try to take care of them.

Anyway, back to the egg thingy. This guy named Ernest Dichter postulated that women didn’t like the idea of “just adding water” to make food so to do more involve them, he suggested that they add eggs, a symbol of fertility.

Spend a lotta time wondering about cruelty, kindess, everything in between. And why we’re here at all.

Well, as much time as I have until the printer stops or the download downloads.

Then, snap outta my thoughts and get back to my slice of the world.

Which is evidently reading print so small it’s a wonder I can still read at all.


Location: in the gym yesterday; Brooklyn today
Mood: less sick
Music: This is the fear This is the dread These are the contents of my head
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5 replies on “The Babyklappe and why they don’t put eggs in cake mixes”

The Economist – I like it too! I was the top student in Economics class back in the day. Thanks for sharing the website — I have only read it in print (which is not available in English where I am) so I will read it online now. I'm into Science Daily which is quite nerdy. My French is good enough to read Le Monde now too.

That video is really great! I understood one word: "katzen", which is of course a very important one. Ich liebe meine katzen. I love hearing Chinese – it sounds so pretty. I really want to learn Mandarin, I just haven't went ahead and gotten deeply into it (moving to France slowed down that process).

The Babyklappe is disturbing. I agree with you 100%.

Eggs keeps the dough together and enables it to stretch! Although, when making Chinese dumplings, it's only flour and water. 🙂 Every other bread/dumpling I've made has required eggs (American and French breads/cakes, Indian/Malaysian roti pratas, Pierogis..). I'm really into symbols of fertility, like pots, the Yakshis/Yakshas and the Shiva lingam in Indian culture ..

Good luck with all of your "boulot" Logan (French slang for "work") !

You know, I used to speak really poor French ages ago. I always said that if I had the time, I'd learn it again. But I never found the time and now I just want to focus on Chinese and German (both of which are still poor).

I'm so impressed that you can read a newspaper; I can't in either language but I'm hoping to some day.

Cute vid, right? It's even funnier/cuter if you could understand Chinese and/or German.

I've learned from your blog that you're quite the cook. I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact you're also an artist and creative…

I didn't know you spoke French. 🙂 Yes, unfortunately with languages you have to pick and choose. There are so many languages I love but I have to choose one over the other – it's hard – but often go for the one that's the most practical.

Well, at this point, if I can't read a newspaper en français it would be strange. I used to read in Spanish all the time and have been studying French for almost a decade so I can get through the "journal" pretty well, watch French TV, etc. I should be doing this more often…

I bet the vid would be 10 times cuter if I understood things other than katze and xiexie – I will fwd it to my German and Chinese-speaking friends.

I am enthusiastic about food. I only cook because I like to eat. If I could afford it, I would eat out all day everyday because I love restaurants (and they do a better job than me). I don't think it has much to do with being an artist as it does with being a gloutonne. From your blog I have noticed you are quite the chef yourself!

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