I Think Today Is Friday -- Issue 268
Pictures around the world, a sea turtle and Puppy Mountain. The history of Formula One, the evolution of peanut butter, an Olympic deal on Peacock, and the significance of New York stoops.
Pictures of the Week, around the planet…
Don Pettit, NASA’s oldest active astronaut, returned to Earth on April 20, the day he turned 70 years old. Mr. Pettit noted that hard-core photographers always want to have a camera in hand. “I could look out the window and enjoy the view,” he said. “But when I’m looking out the window, just enjoying the view, it’s like, ‘Oh, wow, a meteor.” Don brought a photographer’s eye to orbit, capturing the artistry of the cosmos and our planet.
That looks like…
West Coast subscriber Dawn P. sent a picture of a Port Orford, Oregon formation resembling a “giant sea turtle”. The internet related that to “Puppy Mountain” in China.
News from The Far Side…
By Gary Larson
Sports Desk: Formula One, 75 years of speed…
In 1950, seven races in Europe determined the Formula One World Championship. Since then, Grand Prix races have occurred on five continents: Europe, Asia, North America, South America, and Oceania. Africa has also hosted races in the past. I was lucky enough to attend the British GP at Silverstone, which was won by Sir Jackie Stewart in 1971.
BBC Sport and Getty Images look at this sport’s evolution.
The Information Bucket likes it smooth or crunchy…
Contrary to what you may have been told, George Washington Carver did not “invent” peanut butter, despite his extensive efforts to champion the potential of peanuts, documenting more than 300 uses. We should thank the Inca and Aztec civilizations for devising techniques to roast and grind peanuts into a high-protein, nutritious paste.
Canadian chemist Marcus Gilmore Edson was the first to create what he called “peanut candy” by milling roasted peanuts and adding a sweetener.
High-protein, shelf-stable peanut butter became an integral part of rations for soldiers starting with World War I, and the ubiquitous ingredient became a lunchbox staple for schoolchildren. Today, you can find an array of nut butters at the grocery store, including cashew, almond, walnut, and pistachio. Fresh Market has a machine for customers to grind their own.
Related: Here are two sweet ways to use it…
Peanut Butter Cookies
1 C creamy peanut butter
1 C sugar
1 egg
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until smooth. Drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto a cookie sheet, about one inch apart. Flatten slightly with the tines of a fork to create a cross-hatched pattern. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool. Store in a tightly sealed container—yield: 2 dozen cookies.
Peanut Butter Blossoms
1 C creamy peanut butter
1 C sugar
1 egg
24 chocolate kisses
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine peanut butter, sugar, and egg in a mixing bowl; stir until smooth. Drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto a cookie sheet, about one inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and gently press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Remove to a rack to cool. Store in a tightly sealed container—yield: 2 dozen cookies.
Deal me in…
A recommendation, not an ad. I receive nothing for these. FYI, the 2026 Winter Olympics will start in February. Peacock has wall-to-wall Olympic coverage and replays of every event, even curling.
And finally, stoop to the conquer…
Growing up in New York City, the stoop was the center of neighborhood life. We met, played ball, hung out, and had fun. During the pandemic, they became a critical place to reconnect with built-in “Social Distancing”.