The Butter-Margarine Chronicles is an interesting historical look at the Butter vs. Margaine debate put together by Don Payne of Iowa State’s Department of English. For example, did you know that the dairy industry successfully lobbied several states to require that margarine be tinted pink or green (“to clearly identify” the sticks, but also to make it rather unappetizing)? Iowa State is a great place for this archive, since in 1943 the chair of the Department of Economics and Sociology resigned after standing up to the national dairy industry who attacked him for printing a wartime dairy pamphlet that contained the phrase oleomargarine “compares favorably with butter both in nutritive value and palatability”. The president of the university bowed to the special interest groups, and the professor couldn’t stay in that environment. He later went on to win the Nobel Prize for economics.

Let’s say you were keenly interested in the nuitritional value of certain fats and oils. Like, for instance, you were concerned about the saturated fat levels in traditional cooking oils, such as butter, margarine, and olive oil, compared to an extremely tasty but unfamiliar oil such as goose fat. The first place you’d want to go on your quest for knowledge would be, of course, the internet. Specifically, CyberDiet’s fat and oils nutritional database. Turns out you could do a lot, lot worse than goose fat. Which is good to know, now that I’ve got over a quart in my fridge. (You can find nutritional information on any food you want here.)

Goose is good. I really don’t think you can find a better tasting poultry at the market. And it’s easy to cook. As easy as roast chicken. Easier by far than turkey, and only half the size. Did I mention it’s just good? Next time you’re in the market for a roasted bird, check your market’s freezer case for a goose.

Here’s a massive list of links containing homesteading and county living resources, courtesty of Pathetic Plantation.

I taught my girlfriend how to make old fashioned lye soap over the weekend, and the single bar we made came out lovely. It should come as no surprise to those who know me that I know how to make soap. My family made soap on several occasions when I was small, and I think that explains in large part why I hardly ever cuss to this day. Once your mouth’s been washed out a few times with homemade lye soap, it stays clean for a long, long time.

Christmas was nice. I spent it with my girlfriend’s family. They’d met me before on several occasions, but this was the first time I spent the night in their house, as well as it being the first family holiday I’ve spent with them. And it was nice. Somehow, Santa found me, leaving me several things for my kitchen under the tree.

If you’re really into Victorian things, AbsolutelyVictorian can show you the way. Recipes, clothes, etiquette, what-have-you. They’ve got it.

I’ll be making a Victorian Christmas dinner on Wednesday featuring roast goose.

If you really, really don’t like SUVs, perhaps you might want to give them a bumpersticker. Or, if you’d rather not risk damaging one of those humongous bumpers, you can just write them a ticket.

Kathy Miller seems to have created the most complete homemade soap resource collection on the internet. It is a vast, vast collection indeed.