Tag: Hunterdon County

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

This post is about bacon.

Canadian bacon, American bacon, and Scottish back bacon each come from different parts of the pig and are prepared in distinct ways that affect their taste and texture.

Canadian bacon is made from the lean eye of the loin, in the back of the pig. It is a much leaner cut than what the United States1 consider 'regular' bacon and resembles ham more than the streaky fatty salty sugary bacon consumed in the United States1. Canadian bacon is usually smoked after being cured and is often sold in rounded slices. It has a milder flavour and lower fat content compared to United States (US) bacon.

US bacon is often referred to as streaky bacon due to its high-fat content. It is made from the pork belly. It has a rich, smoky salty sweet flavour and crispy texture when cooked. US bacon is typically cured and then smoked, resulting in a fattier and more calorie-dense product compared to Canadian bacon.

Scottish back bacon is similar to Canadian bacon in that it comes from the loin of the pig. However, Scottish back bacon may include a small portion of the belly attached, which adds a little more fat and flavour compared to Canadian bacon. Scottish back bacon is also cured and can be smoked or unsmoked, depending on the traditional recipes and regional preferences.

The main differences between these types of bacon lie in their cut of pork, fat content, and the preparation process. Canadian and Scottish back bacon are leaner with a more ham-like texture, while American bacon is fattier with a crispier texture when cooked. I do not like US bacon. It’s disgusting.

During the pandemic, I found the Scottish Gourmet, an online where I ordered various Scottish foods to make my full Scottish breakfast, including black pudding and packaged slices of back bacon. I loved the back bacon so much that I had been placing regular orders of back bacon. I freeze the packages and thaw them as needed. I cook a slice for breakfast each morning.

27 February 2024 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR

On my first visit to the Brick Farm Tavern’s mini market, I discovered they sold Canadian bacon. It’s not quite the same as Scottish back bacon but it's quite tasty. The mini market is just a 15-minute drive from home making their bacon more accessible than the Scottish Gourmet.

While walking back to the car from the mini market, I noticed these birds walking across the lawn near the Dog Run Bar. Fortunately, the X-T3 and the XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR were in the back of the car.

The bird is the Canada Goose (Branta canadensis), identifiable by its black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and brown body. Canada Geese are native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, but their range has expanded with the help of humans to parts of northern Europe, New Zealand, and other areas. They are highly adaptable and can be found in a variety of habitats, including lakes, rivers, ponds, and sometimes even urban parks. Canada Geese are known for their V-shaped migration patterns and their loud, honking call.

  1. I am making an effort to stop referring to citizens of the USA as Americans. South Americans and Central Americans are Americans too!! 

Kodachrome 25 - Expired

I received a few rolls of expired 35mm film cartridges in a box from a stranger in Lewes, Delaware. In the box were a few 35mm cartridges of Kodachrome 25 that had expired in 1988.

Kodak Kodachrome 25 was a popular 35mm colour reversal film produced by Kodak from 1935 until it was discontinued in 2009. Dwayne's Photo processed the last roll of Kodachrome film in Parsons, Kansas, on December 30, 2010. They officially closed their doors in December 2011, marking the end of an era for this iconic film stock. Despite the discontinuation of Kodachrome film, its legacy inspires photographers and fans worldwide. Its iconic look continues to be sought after by those who appreciate its unique colour palette and nostalgic feel. The last roll of Kodachrome manufactured was given to renowned National Geographic photojournalist Steve McCurry.

Kodachrome is so iconic, so famous, that Hollywood made a fictionalised movie about the last roll of Kodachrome.

Heck, Paul Simon wrote a song about Kodachrome. Kodachrome is the most famous film product ever.

Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world’s
A sunny day, oh yeah

I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away

I received a few rolls of expired 35mm film cartridges in a box from a family friend in Lewes, Delaware. In the box were several 35mm cartridges of Kodachrome 25 that had expired in 1988. Coincidentally in 1989 I exposed a single roll of Kodachrome 64, the only Kodachrome film roll I have ever used. At least, it's the only Kodachrome slides I found in a box of my old images.

When exposed, an expired roll of Kodachrome 25 film will have decreased sensitivity to light, often resulting in underexposure when exposed at native ISO. The film's colour dyes will have also degraded over time, leading to colour balance and saturation shifts. Exposing an expired roll of 35mm film will result in unpredictable results, as the film's sensitivity to light will have degraded over time. Expired film will be more prone to graininess and other anomalies. I read on the Internet that to ensure the best possible outcome, it is recommended to overexpose the film by 1 to 2 stops to compensate for its decreased sensitivity.

Despite these potential challenges, I wanted to expose the expired Kodachrome 25 film cartridge. Perhaps I would enjoy whatever result I would get. I set realistic expectations and was open to the possibility of unexpected results.

Kodachrome was known for its vibrant, saturated colours and fine-grain structure. Kodachrome 25 had an ISO rating of 25, making it well-suited for bright, outdoor shooting conditions. I waited for a sunny summer day to ensure I had opportunities to test the film in various lighting and see how it performed. I grabbed my camera, set the ISO to ASA 12, inserted a roll of Kodachrome 25, grabbed my tripod and drove to Princeton University. I did my best to take notes, but I expected the worst. I exposed most of the frames during a visit to my favourite tavern.

Since Kodachrome can no longer be developed as a colour reversal film, I searched the Internet for answers about what to do with my exposed roll of film. I stumbled upon a few references to developing the film as black and white. My internet search suggested that the most recommended place to process my expired roll of Kodakcgrome 25 in black and white seemed to be Film Rescue International. I also found out about Kelly-Shane Fuller, who had found a way to develop Kodachrome into a colour negative. His work has been featured in galleries and exhibitions, and he won numerous awards for his photography. He has created a process to develop Kodachrome into a colour negative. I also contacted Boutique Film Lab, the lab I have used for almost all my film development over the last few years. Boutique Film Lab confirmed they could develop Kodachrome 25 as a black-and-white film.

I rolled the dice and developed my film with Boutique Film Lab. When I sent the roll to Boutique Film Lab, I accepted that I might be wasting money.

I should have exposed the Kodachrome 25 cartridge at ISO 6; ISO 12 was insufficient. The film was so severely underexposed that the Epson Perfection V600 struggled to find the frame border during the scan preview. I manually adjusted the scanner for each frame. After scanning, I followed my usual 35mm scan workflow, importing and running the scans through Negative Lab Pro. I knew I had failed as the images appeared on my Mac Studio Display.

The frames were very dark and underexposed. I did my best to fix things in Adobe Lightroom, but the best I could do was make the image recognisable.

I don't fault Boutique Film Lab. Either the film was unusable, or I needed to expose it properly. I have about five more rolls of Kodachrome 25. I need to find out how the cartridges were stored. I am to use the remaining cartridges.

Name Kodachrome 25
Format 35mm
Film Code Number 5073
Film Code Name KM
Process K-14
Native ISO ASA 25
Features saturated colours and fine-grain structure
Price FREE
Lab Boutique Film Lab
Exposed ISO ASA 12
Lab Process Black and White
Scanner Epson Perfection V600
Software VueScan 9, Negative Lab Pro, Adobe Lightroom
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12
Sunday 29 January 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 · ISO 12

everything you want

Twine, Hopewell, Hunterdon County

On the way home from my birthday breakfast with Bhavna at Aunt Chubby’s Luncheonette, the light falling on the buildings on Somerset Street caught my eye.

According to their website, Twine is a gift shop offering a "… delightfully curated selection of books, unique cards, jewellery, home goods, candles, rubber stamps, inks, open studio and outdoor movies." I’ve never shopped here, but apparently, they have everything I want.

I want work to work remotely. I want to work remotely from a Caribbean Island for a few weeks. I want to take a vacation in 2023. Can Twine provide that?

I'm having so much fun with the ChatGPT AI. I asked the AI to write a blog about Twine a gift shop offering a "… delightfully curated selection of books, unique cards, jewelry, home goods, candles, rubber stamps, inks, open studio, and outdoor movies."

ChatGPT wrote this.

Twine is a gift shop that offers a carefully curated selection of unique items for all occasions. Whether you're looking for a special book, a one-of-a-kind card, or a piece of jewelry to give as a gift, Twine has something for everyone.

One of the things that sets Twine apart from other gift shops is their selection of books. They have a wide range of genres, from fiction to non-fiction, and their knowledgeable staff is always happy to help you find the perfect book. They also offer a unique selection of cards for all occasions, including birthdays, weddings, and even sympathy cards.

Another thing that makes Twine special is their selection of jewelry. They have a wide range of styles, from classic and elegant to fun and trendy. They also have a great selection of home goods, including candles, rubber stamps, and inks. These items make great gifts for the homebody in your life or even as a way to treat yourself.

In addition to their physical store, Twine also offers an open studio where customers can create their own crafts using the supplies they carry. This is a great way to spend a few hours with friends or family, and it's also a fun way to create something special as a gift or to decorate your home.

Twine also offers outdoor movies in the summer months. These movies are family-friendly and are a great way to spend an evening with friends and family. It's a great way to get out of the house and enjoy a fun evening with loved ones.

Overall, Twine is a unique and special gift shop that offers something for everyone. Whether you're looking for a special book, a unique card, or a piece of jewelry, Twine has something for you. They also offer a wide range of home goods and open studio and outdoor movie options. If you're looking for a special gift or just something to treat yourself, Twine is definitely worth a visit.