text:
Supporting the Empowerment of Women and Girls Globally
Esther Brimmer
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Organization Affairs
Spelman College
Atlanta, GA
February 15, 2012
As prepared
Dr. Meadows, thank you for that introduction.
I greatly appreciate this opportunity and want to thank Spelman College and its Department of International Studies for hosting this event and the very warm welcome. I want to thank the students and faculty from Clark Atlanta University and Morehouse College for joining us today.
It is truly an honor for me to be in Atlanta at America's oldest historically black college for women, particularly during Black History Month, to discuss some of the many ways the President and Secretary of State are supporting the empowerment of women and girls globally.
You already know that Spelman is widely known as a tireless advocate for the advancement of women and girls – that's why you're here! And I should add that some of Spelman's notable and accomplished alumnae have risen to become prominent U.S. diplomats, including Ambassadors Adrienne O'Neal, Aurelia Brazeal, and Ruth Davis. And not only have your women alumnae done great diplomatic work, your current Diplomat in Residence Mr. Terrence Williamson and former DIR Paul Rowe have also made tremendous contributions to diplomacy at the State Department So it is entirely appropriate that I be here today to talk about issues that you are learning about, researching, and that are affecting so many fellow women and men around the world.
As Secretary Clinton and officials across this Administration have stated repeatedly, the major security, governance, environmental, and economic challenges of the 21st Century cannot be solved without the participation of women and girls at all levels of society.
As women progress, everyone in society benefits, including men and boys. Tapping into the limitless potential of women and girls is not only the right thing to do but it is the smart thing. That is why the United States and our international partners are invested in a historic effort to empower women globally.
As the Assistant Secretary for International Organization Affairs, I am responsible for U.S. engagement across the United Nations system as well as with other multilateral institutions. In all those institutions, we are hard at work to find new ways, new actions, and new energy to empower millions of women and girls across the world.
In that context, allow me to make a bold statement:
The United States is not an island. Now, that may confirm what you all learned in third grade geography, but it may not resonate in the same way when we talk about political geography, cultural geography, economic geography, or environmental geography.
When President Obama was
elected, he made clearly very early his intent to reengage
with the multilateral community - the community of
international organizations including the UN, with
international civil society, with the global business
community. He expressed that intent with a keen
understanding of some important global truths, which I will
- First, today's shared challenges demand shared solutions. Consider just a few examples. Climate change, food security, water, public health, trade, transportation. Our modern world faces numerous challenges that cannot be effectively addressed or resolved in the absence of international conventions and agreements. That isn't to say that international organizations are a guaranteed path to international cooperation, but it does indicate that the United States cannot stand on the sidelines while the rest of the world plays the big game.
- Second, we must engage actively in international arenas because there are plenty of nations willing to fill any void we provide. New centers of power are emerging around the world to play larger roles on global issues. India, China, Brazil, Indonesia, Russia, and others. If we are not at the table, at all the various tables where global issues are addressed, we cannot assume that our interests will be represented.
- Third, I would note that non-state actors are playing more important roles in international affairs. There are many places where this is becoming obvious. Violent extremism remains a threat, as does piracy and other forms of transnational crime. Regional and sub-regional organizations such as the African Union and the Organization of American States are playing more influential roles on their issues.
- And finally, I would note that in our globalized world, power and influence increasingly stems from being part of a networks. As a generation more connected, more wired that any previous, you understand what I mean. U.S. influence must now be much, much more than simply sending an Ambassador to Country X and relying on that relationship to guide our affairs We must be part of multiple, overlapping conversations between governments, publics, academic institutions, NGOs. And as we have demonstrated over the last few years, when the United States engages actively with those networks, we can accomplish a great deal.
Now, to the issue at hand. Women and girls around the world face a breadth of challenges - lack of education and basic literacy skills, sexual and gender-based violence, rampant discrimination, the lack of economic opportunities and political participation, and more. –
Access to education is another challenge on which we are working multilaterally to address. Today, women, mainly in the world's poorest communities, represent about two-thirds of the nearly 800 million illiterate adults around the world. That is why the United States is working the specialized agencies such as United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to expand girls' and women's access to education. Seeking to end this imbalance, Secretary Clinton spoke at to UNESCO last May to launch the Global Partnership for Girls' and Women's Education. In Paris, she joined UNESCO's Executive Director Irina Bokova, world leaders, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, including American companies, in pledging to support education for women and girls.
As the Secretary pointed out at the Global Partnership launch, "No society can achieve its full potential when half the population is denied the opportunity to achieve theirs." We know that opening the door for women and girls to greater education leads to more choices, opportunities, and useful information in how to live their lives. Indeed, we also know that birth rates, HIV infections, incidents of domestic violence and female cutting all decline when education rises.
That is why we are deeply committed to the Partnership because it has the power to transform the lives of women. Together, we are working to ensure that money and resources are best used to promote basic literacy training and secondary education for girls around the globe. Working together with other governments, NGOs, and private partners also allows us to multiply our impact, reaching more women and girls in meaningful ways than if we acted alone. It is because of the power of these partnerships that we have been at the fore-front of bringing together diverse groups of governments, foundations, and corporations.
For example, the United States helped broker an agreement between Procter and Gamble and UNESCO to fund literacy training for girls in Senegal. Today only 33% of Senegalese women are literate. This modestly funded agreement will impact 40,000 women in Senegal enhancing their literacy and increasing their income and quality of their environment.
We also have partners, like Nokia, with whom we work in multiple venues. Nokia is a partner in the UNESCO Global Partnership, but they are also one of our partners in the mWomen program. This initiative – led by the Cherie Blair Foundation and the GSM Association, a mobile telephone industry group – aims to reduce the gender gap in access to mobile technology of 300 million in the developing world, by 50 percent, in the next three years. By increasing women's access to cell phones, the programs enables them to gain access to mobile education and mobile banking, which are critical tools for girls and women to strengthen their education and participate in developing markets.
Not only has this administration focused on how to help address the challenges that women face, this administration has also focused on ensuring that more women are holding leadership positions. We have seen progress on this front; year after year we see more women entering government and taking on senior positions, including heads of state. There is still much work to do, the road forward remains rocky and the numbers disproportionate given that women make half of the global population. When women are not serving in governments, when their voice and experience are muted, when they are not at the negotiating table their absence has direct impact on society, on peace and security, on strengthening democracy in the communities, nations and world in which we live.
The Administration is implementing policies and programs to bolster women's leadership capacity in all areas of political participation and decision-making. To that end, we have worked to strengthen the institutional arrangements and mechanisms at the UN for support of gender equality and the empowerment of women.
We were at the forefront in 2009 and 2010 in leading efforts at the UN to support the consolidation of the UN's existing gender-related institutions into a single more effective women's agency. It was our goal at the UN to elevate women's issues to their rightful status.
Our efforts were successful; UN Women formally began operations on January 1, 2011 with a comprehensive mandate to work on all issues related to gender equality and women's empowerment. Its Executive Director, Michelle Bachelet, is an impressive leader, as you know she is the former President of Chile.
UN Women has several strategic priorities, one of which is expanding women's leadership and participation. The events of the Arab Awakening have focused international attention on the importance and fragility of women's political participation. In some cases, gains previously made by women in the Middle East and North Africa are being challenged, and women who had taken part in democracy movements are now excluded from negotiations on future systems of government. These trends jeopardize political stability, economic security, and human rights in countries undergoing transition.
To address these concerns, UN Women, in conjunction with the United States and other partners, held a high-level roundtable discussion during the UN General Assembly last September to examine the role of women during periods of political transition, like in the Middle East and North Africa. This meeting was the first debate on gender equality since the formation of UN Women in January 2011 convening several high-level government representatives from UN Women, the United States, Brazil, the European Union, and other member states.
Additionally, the Administration supports UN Women efforts to advance women's political participation through technical assistance, research, and training, with a focus on countries in transition, including countries in the Middle East. We hope to complement ongoing UN Women projects aimed at greater political participation for women in Latin America and in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia.
Another UN Women strategic priority is enhancing women's economic empowerment. Executive Director Bachelet has often said that women's economic security is a precondition for further improvements in their lives.
Every day, women are starting their own businesses. Between 1997 and 2008, women-owned businesses in the U.S. grew at twice the national average for all other business types. An estimated 10.1 million companies, 40% of all privately-owned firms, were owned by women as of 2008.
What we know is that women-run small and medium sized businesses in the U.S. and internationally accelerate economic growth, and many countries have made progress on laws and regulations concerning inheritance and property ownership, working hours, and retirement ages. Yet women face barriers in the U.S. and globally starting these businesses, including challenges connected with access to training, mentors, finance, technology, and markets. These challenges need to be addressed in order for women to fulfill their potential to increase their livelihoods and contribute to the broader economy.
This Administration continues to address some of the most troublesome challenges facing women and girls, such as the disproportionate impact of armed conflict on women, the role of women in peacekeeping, conflict resolution and peace-building and combating sexual and gender-based violence
It is a priority for the U.S. in areas of post-conflict and transition, to ensure that women participate in peace processes, political transitions, new constitutions, and the electoral process. Thus, we have been blunt in urging others join us in implementing the series of UN Security Council resolutions on these topics, including those we have taken leadership on, such as Resolutions 1325, 1888 and more recently 1960.
As Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton promised during the 10th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in October of 2010, the United States has developed a National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security that will guide our approach to this issue in the coming years. It focuses on the four pillars of 1325: participation, prevention, protection, and relief and recovery, and outlines how the principles of 1325 will be integrated and institutionalized in the United States' work in conflict-affected environments over the next several years. Our ultimate objective is to fully incorporate women and girls into our diplomatic, security, and development efforts – not simply as beneficiaries, but as agents of peace, reconciliation, development, growth, and stability.
The NAP is accompanied by an Executive Order mandating that, within five months, key departments and agencies will develop comprehensive agency-level implementation plans. Secretary Clinton gave two speeches on December 16 and 19 highlighting the critical role of women in building peace around the world, particularly in conflict-affected zones.
In making this promise, the Secretary also committed nearly $44 million in U.S. funding to a set of initiatives designed to empower women, with a large share of the funding to support civil society groups that focus on women in Afghanistan. The U.S. has been adamant that rights of Afghan women will not be sacrificed.
Resolution 1888 was a major achievement for the Administration because it established a Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sexual Violence in Conflict as well as a team of experts to support accountability mechanisms targeting impunity for rape as a weapon of war. The Special Representative position is currently held by Margot Wallstrom.
Resolution 1960, passed at U.S. urging last December, further empowered the UN to address sexual violence in armed conflict by establishing monitoring, analysis, and reporting arrangements, and mandating annual reports to the Security Council on progress towards implementing resolution 1888.
Today we are continuing to work hand in hand with Special Representative Margot Wallstrom to lead and coordinate efforts to end conflict-related sexual violence against women and children.
The United States is also playing a leading role, along with international partners, in supporting empowerment of women, within the UN system, through our participation in the Commission on the Status of Women. The theme of the spring 2011 UN Commission on the Status of Women session was "Access and participation of women and girls to education, training, science, and technology, including for the promotion of women's equal access to full employment and decent work."
At that Commission meeting, the U.S. pointed out that the emerging green economy is shaping employment opportunities, and women can gain a stronger position in the workforce through green jobs. The Department of Labor is leading efforts domestically along with policy-makers, employers, workforce professionals, educators, and trainers to focus their efforts on having women participate in and benefit from the new green economy. Women have made great strides in some male-dominated occupations, but still make up only a small portion of the workers in these jobs.
At the Spring session, and with the goal of further advancing the capacity of women in addressing climate change policy, our delegation led by Ambassador Melanne Verveer, the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues, announced a new international exchange program, which will target women climate leaders from the developing world and the critical role they play in developing climate-related policies.
Participants will travel to the United States for three weeks to learn about the development of new policies related to climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as information about cutting edge small scale clean technologies and how to promote women's entrepreneurship opportunities and markets for them in their countries.
Building on the Administrations' strong commitment to expand educational exchanges and new opportunities in entrepreneurship and science, the U.S. launched the TechWomen Program in 2011 to promote professional development and sustainable relationships for women technology leaders from the Middle East and North Africa. Some of the most prominent U.S. technology companies are committed to participating in the program. Last summer we saw the first graduates from this program, thirty-seven women from places such as Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the West Bank and Gaza. Building on the success of the TechWomen program Secretary Clinton also announced a similar initiative called TechGirls that will bring teenage girls from the Middle East and North Africa for educational programming in the United States.
Earlier this month, we commemorated the Ninth Annual International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation. Female genital mutilation/cutting occurs in many countries around the world transcending cultures and religions. In addition to causing intense pain and psychological trauma, the procedure carries with it severe short and long-term health risks: including hemorrhaging; infection, including increased risk of HIV transmission; birth complications; and even death. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has stressed, violence toward women and girls isn't cultural -- it's criminal. We have supported efforts to abandon this egregious practice since the early 1990s, and consider it not only a public health issue, but a violation of women's rights and dignity.
Challenges like FMG reveal why institutions like the UN are essential. Through multilateral engagement, we can exchange ideas and rally international support to address these issues.
Before concluding, I want to highlight the Obama administration's firm commitment to working with the United Nations and international partners, as well as the NGO and private sector communities to advance the rights, freedoms and opportunities of women. President Obama's 2010 National Security Strategy recognized that "countries are more peaceful and prosperous when women are accorded full and equal rights and opportunity. When those rights and opportunities are denied, countries lag behind."
We know our goal to empower women and girls is an historic effort that will not be achieved overnight. It will require persistence and a long-term commitment of the United States and international community to realize the lasting change we seek for women and girls on a global scale.
I will end there. I look forward to your questions and comments.


text:
- Fashionable 12" scalloped shaft
- J3 Snip toe
- Single stitched welt
- Technical western rubber outsole
- J-FLEX Flexible Comfort System
- Removable orthotic insert
- Justin stabilization technology
If you are searching for comfort and style you've found it! These western style boots by Justin are pleasing to the eye with their 12" shaft that features detailed stitching and a scalloped top. The snip toe will look great with your favorite dress or pair of jeans. The patented J-FLEX Flexible Comfort System helps make Justin Boots the most comfortable boots you'll ever own. You will be pleasantly surprised when you feel the return energy that is generated by the leather-covered cushioned insole and triple density insole board. Justin's Foot Stabilization insert technology uses dual density memory foam to stabilize the foot while still allowing it to move as needed.
Style(s): L2559
Justin Boots has set the standard for boots of the west making some of the most durable and comfortable men's, women's and kids' boots around. You can count on Justin for great western, casual and original work boots. With the finest leathers and the latest styles in western boots, Justin will always supply the best. Every pair of Justin Boots ever made is built with care and represents the hard work and dependability that won the west. In 130 years of existence men, women and children have been wearing the Justin Boots as a salute to independence and reliability. These boots are for the cowboy and cowgirl in all of us.
With unique styles like the Stampede, George Strait, Ropers and Westerns, Justin Boots continues to lead the way in boot making. The Justin Boots heritage continues to innovate with modern technology like their patented Grip-on-Demand, J-Flex Comfort System and JST while keeping the Justin Boots mystique. So whether you are a Bent Rail fan or a Tekno Crepe fan, you are guaranteed to find the right western boot for you. Check out our selection of Justin Boots and fall in love today.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Testing & Training
Marv Golden has an incredible selection of FAA Testing and Training Materials We carry everything from FAA Publications, FAR/AIMs, Test Prep Materials, Training Kits, and more – all at low prices!
|FAR/AIM Publications
|FAA Handbooks
|Oral Exam / Pract. Test Stds.
|Test Prep & Textbooks
|Training Kits
|Training Devices / Aids
|Aircraft Systems Training
Aviation Testing and Training Materials
No matter what area of aviation you're studying, Marv Golden Pilot Supplies has the educational aids you need to help you ace your exams. Whether you're an aspiring private pilot, sport pilot, commercial pilot or student pilot, our amazing array of flight training aids will prepare you for the road ahead. We carry FAR/AIM Publications, FAA Handbooks, Oral Exam Guides and Practical Test Standards. We also have a full selection of Test Prep & Textbooks from ASA, Gleim, Jeppesen and Oxford Aviation (for European pilots). Don't forget our complete Training Kits and IFR Training Aids.


text:
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 7/7/2013 (1507 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Forgive me if I get a little misty-eyed, but our lives will never be the same.
This is because my wife and I have done the unthinkable -- we put up a fence in the backyard.
We erected this fence in the traditional manner, by which I mean we hired two Fence Guys to build it for us.
In about two hours on the hottest day of the year, they installed a black chain-link fence along the thin band of trees that had been the only thing separating our backyard from our neighbour's side yard.
We didn't really want to be fenced off from our wonderful neighbours, but Mr. X didn't give us a choice.
Regular readers will recall Mr. X is our newest dog, a small, white creature who is larger than a grapefruit but smaller than a mature watermelon. He resembles some sort of tiny experimental sheep, but his spindly white legs and fluffy ears belie the fact he has the heart of a lion and a damn-the-torpedoes-full-speed-ahead approach to life.
The problem was, Mr. X devoted every waking hour to lying in the sun, staring at the old fence along the side of our yard, waiting patiently for the sound of an innocent pedestrian strolling along the sidewalk on the other side.
When this happened -- and it happened several times a day -- Mr. X would instantly transform from a harmless cotton swab into the canine version of the Incredible Hulk, emitting terrifying squeaks and squeals to convey to the hapless passerby on the sidewalk that, if he could only leap over the side fence, he would commit unspeakable canine crimes on their ankles.
Then he would bolt along the fence at the side, through the line of trees at the back and burst into our neighbour's yard, where he would strut around like a tiny cocksure prizefighter and refuse to return, giving my wife and I scornful looks as we shrieked his name in what we hoped was a threatening manner.
Without fail, he would give us a look of utter defiance, assume the power crouch and, as we watched in absolute horror, deposit a small gift in the middle of the neighbour's yard.
At this point, dressed in my flip-flops and fuzzy blue bathrobe -- which would fit a Munchkin but is way too revealing on someone the size of a major kitchen appliance -- I would creep ninja-like into our neighbour's yard and, armed with a plastic Safeway bag and a poop-stained red kiddie shovel, scoop up the offending item with as much stealth as humanly possible, then slink away, my dignity in tatters and my bathrobe flapping in the cool summer breeze.
Tired of the stench of humiliation and poop -- and sick of stubbing our toes on the neighbour's rock garden in pursuit of a defiant pet -- we installed the black chain-link fence, which has the amazing characteristic of being virtually invisible as it sits there amid the trees and shrubs at the back of the yard.
And so, on Day 1 of the new fence, Mr. X was parked in his usual spot when someone brazenly walked past on the sidewalk beside the side fence, prompting him to fly into action, dash madly through the trees and -- KABOING! -- discover one of the basic laws of physics: It is impossible for a small white dog, no matter how fast it is moving, to pass through a chain-link fence.
Fortunately, the only thing Mr. X hurt was his pride. After patrolling the back of the yard, searching in vain for a hole in this new line of defence, he strutted over and stared up at me with what I can only describe as a look of shock mixed with betrayal.
When his moist, beady eyes locked on mine, he transmitted this grief-stricken, one-word telepathic message: "Why?"
Then, his small black nose seriously out of joint, he demanded to be let back in the house. I laughed a silent but cruel laugh, rubbed my hands in glee and savoured one of life's small victories.
At least I did until I discovered the unspeakable crime Mr. X had committed on my fuzzy blue bathrobe.


text:
Southern California High Tech Event Calendar
|View By:
|View By:
|How to Grow your Business in Tough Economic Times
|Date: November 07, 2012
|Location:Westlake Village
|How to Grow your Business in Tough Economic Times. Celebrate after Election Day at our Clean Technology Council workshop. Our keynote speaker is Ken Norland. His organization helped create 67,098 new jobs in 2011. Ken will present break though strategies in business planning, staffing and funding…powerful support services you can use at little or no cost…ways to discover opportunities though mentors and advisors. See http://anyvite.com/events/home/yzm5whvn60
|More information: http://anyvite.com/events/home/yzm5whvn60
|Download to Calendar


text:
International Admissions
Welcome to Niagara University!
Imagine yourself as a member of a community committed to pioneering scholarship and inquiry – in an atmosphere that emboldens creativeness, exploration and a judicious mindset while working to find answers to contemporary questions. Grow as part of a diverse environment known for instilling and cultivating a spirit of pride and competitiveness. Enjoy the freedom to ask questions, follow your dreams and discover yourself as a global citizen.
Niagara University welcomes international students from around the world and is appreciative of the contributions and diversity they bring to our campus. Located in Western New York, nestled between the city of Buffalo and Niagara Falls, Niagara University offers many unique and abundant opportunities to our students. Grounded in the Vincentian tradition, since its establishment in 1856, Niagara University has ensured a commitment to quality and the passion to pursue scholarly excellence within a culture of academic integrity. We encourage members of the NU family to embrace challenges and be open to discovery. To have the skills to recognize the challenges faced by modern society, and the confidence to change the world for the better.
A rich Catholic heritage enriches every aspect of Niagara University, benefiting the personal and professional development of the whole NU community. There are over 80 majors to chose from, between the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business Administration, the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management, the College of Education, and the award-winning Academic Exploration Program, as well as over 100 clubs and activities on campus.
Ranking & Achievements
Ranked as one of the best educational institutions in the region by prestigious evaluators such as US News, The Princeton Review, and Colleges of Distinction, NU is known and appreciated for its small class sizes and individual attention by teachers. Set in a beautiful, historic 160 acre campus, the state-of-the-art classrooms are utilized by award winning faculty to impart the latest knowledge to students.
Enabling Environment
At NU the whole system is geared towards providing local and international students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed as professionals. With an international perspective, NU imparts the core capabilities that are needed by students to embark on their choice of careers. The NU Career Services office exists to provide 'assistance in developing and achieving your career objectives as you work toward the goal of lifelong career satisfaction'.
Semester Dates
Many international students who join the Niagara University student body come from the Annual Academic System, where classes stretch for the entire year. NU, however, operates on three semesters or terms per year:
|Fall Semester:
|Late August-Mid December
|Spring Semester:
|Mid January-Mid May
|Summer Sessions:
|May, June and July (courses offered on a limited basis)
Discover the many new and exciting ways Niagara University is utilizing more than ever to help its students and alumni achieve their goals.
The latest tuition and scholarship information can be found here. If you are an international student seeking admissions to Niagara University, please use these pages to find out more about admissions requirements, academic programs and financial aid opportunities. If you still have questions, please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
THE Zero Project will be rolling out the red carpet for their Oscars-themed under-18s Party on Wednesday, February 19 from 7pm to 11pm at Club Neo, Stars Lane, Yeovil.
Entry is £5 payable on the door.
Young clubbers are being encouraged to 'be a film star for the night' including getting 'papped' with their friends in the fun photo booth, supplied by local firm Funtasia Entertainment.
Zero has been successfully running under 18 events during school holidays for the past six years for year 9 students upwards and attracts young people from across Somerset and Dorset.
Cllr Ian Martin said: "I very much welcome the continuing success of this valuable facility for young people in and around Yeovil and am particularly pleased with the uptake of students wishing to become Young Promoters from the three Academy Schools in Yeovil."
The aim of the Zero project, which is supported by the local Police, District and County Councils, Somerset Drug and Alcohol Partnership, REACH, local schools, youth organisations and parents is to reduce anti-social and binge drinking by providing a safe, alcohol free environment where young people can enjoy a good night of music and dance.
This is done by carrying out breath testing and bag searches on entry. Parents are expected to ensure that their children have a safe route home and the Zero team endeavours to ensure a safe passage to the nearby Stars Lane car park at the end of the evening.
A further Easter Party is being planned for Wednesday, April 9 at Club Neo.
Zero's Young Promoter's initiative involving year 9, 10 and 11 students from the three academy schools in Yeovil Mead has had a fantastic start with nine Young Promoters recruited.
The Young Promoters participate in the organising and promotion of Zero events and have been very much hands on with the forthcoming event.


text:
August 15, 2012 Library Board Meeting information
Information for the regular August 2012 library board meeting.
- Agenda Consent Packet - 1
- Information for the Agenda Consent items to be discussed at the August 15, 2012 board meeting. These is the first group of information and covers documents on June 2012 / Fiscal year 2012.
- Library Claims for August 2012
- Library invoices to be considered for approval at the regular August 2012 meeting.
- Agendas for the August meetings
- Agendas and cover letter for the August 15 special and regular meetings of the Library Board of Trustees
- August regular meeting Agenda Consent & Action Items
- Reports and information for the August 15 regular board meeting, including the information for July programs and activities and the action items.
- August 2012 Library Events
- Schedule of events scheduled at the JKPL for August 2012
- Library Claims submitted on June 25, 2012
- Library claims submitted on June 25, 2012 (Exec Committee was authorized to approve payment at the June meeting, but these were not previously viewed / approved by full board)


text:
Brisket FAQ
This brisket advice is courtesy of BBQ Board member Bob-BQN:
The intent of this FAQ is not to cover recipes, but to explore the process of how-to cook a brisket and to help familiarize you with some techniques, pitfalls, and theory involved. Don't think of this as "The Final Word" in How-To cook brisket, but a good place to get started your first time out. Everyone's equipment is different and folk's preferences vary as well. So the grain-of-salt philosophy applies when reading this opinionated advice. This FAQ is quite long, hopefully it won't take you as long to read as it does to cook a brisket. Briskets aren't as difficult to cook as the length of the FAQ first makes it appear to be, so relax and don't sweat it.
Before the big cook
A few things that you need to determine right out of the shoot is: what type of brisket do you want to cook, how much you'll need and how long it will take to cook it. Keeping a log during long cooks will help you remember details for the next cookout, which can prevent you from repeating mistakes & failures, while increasing your odds of recreating successes and fine-tuning improvements.
What is a brisket?
First let's determine the anatomy of a brisket. A brisket comes from the lower part of the beef in the "chest" region between and just behind the front legs. A couple of commonly sold cuts of brisket are "whole" also called "whole packer" which include the "flat", "point" and "fat cap", or you can purchase the flat only. On occasion you may be able to find points sold separately. Some folks confuse the term "deckle" with the point of a brisket but it is actually the muscle and fat that connects the brisket to the rib cage. You'll find many references on the Internet that simply confuse the issue even further. IMPS defines the brisket cut sold to consumers as: *****All bones and cartilage shall be removed. The deckle (hard fat and intercostal meat on the inside surface) shall be removed at the natural seam exposing the lean surface of the deep pectoral muscle. The inside lean surface shall be trimmed practically free of fat. ***** Therefore when you buy a brisket at the store, most or all of the deckle has been removed and most butchers will also remove it unless requested to leave it.
Should I cook a packer or a flat?
A whole brisket will take longer to cook than just the flat. So why bother with a whole brisket? The point contains a good amount of marbled fat, which keeps it tender and moist while cooking. And the fat cap on a whole brisket is usually not trimmed off as much as a flat's fat cap. In fact, the fat cap is totally missing from some flats, which makes them less suitable for low-n-slow cooking unless a fatty layer is added back such as a layer of bacon on top. The fat doesn't "add" moisture to a brisket as much as it prevents moisture loss while cooking. Some BBQ competition chefs choose to cook brisket flats so they don't have to stay up all night tending the fire. A flat can be started early in the morning and be finished by mid-afternoon.
How can I tell if it's a good brisket?
When selecting the brisket at the store the first thing to check (beside price & weight) is the "sell by" date. Always buy the freshest meat. Then there are a few things folks check for like, a nice layer of soft, white fat. Hard, yellow fat is a sign that the brisket came from an older animal or the animal had a poor diet. Also look for fat that is marbled throughout the meat not just in one area. Another tip for selection is to flex the brisket. The meat that bends tip-to-tip easily is a better choice for tender brisket than those that bend very little. Look for a brisket that has an even thickness across the flat. Those that taper to a thin end will not cook as evenly, the thin end will overcook.
There is some controversy as to whether the left brisket or the right is more tender due to the effort it takes for an animal laying down and getting up while repeatedly using the same side to perform the majority of the lifting. Searching the Internet you'll find some that believe this to be true while it seems the majority believe it to be lore told at a BBQ competition to get others to stop asking "What's your secret?"
How much brisket should I cook?
How many times has this question been asked when cooking for a large crowd? The answer can vary as it depends on the type of eaters you have invited. Families with small children or elders will consume less food than college buddies watching the big game. Men tend to eat more than women and vegetarians eat less meat in general than others. So consider whom you are cooking for and adjust accordingly.
As a rule of thumb, estimate 1 pound of meat (uncooked weight) per adult guest and1/2 pound per child. Sounds like a lot of meat doesn't it? Consider loss. When you trim fat or gristle, that's loss that will not be eaten. Also as meat cooks it looses moisture by evaporation and fat renders & drips away, more loss. If you have a picky eater or someone watching their diet, chances are they will not eat the fat that remains no matter how good it smells. Other meats having bone, the bone must be counted as loss when figuring amounts. After it all boils down, you can figure anywhere from 40-60% product loss from the retail sale to the dinner plate, meaning, that if you bought 16 oz. of meat per person you are now serving the +/- 6 to 9 ounces, which is a recommended serving. You can save a little money by serving smaller portions but to ensure everyone gets something to eat you will need a person serving the meat that can ration it out so that you don't run out of food before everyone is served. To be a gracious host, cook a little extra to allow for seconds or a doggie bag.
How long will brisket take to cook?
Briskets are like snowflakes! What? No two briskets are exactly the same. Chicken & turkey can be estimated very closely with a "minutes per pound" ratio at a certain temperature, but brisket varies greatly. Let's say for simplicity's sake you can estimate 1.5 to 2 hours a pound. A 12-pound brisket can be done in 12 hours during one cookout and the next time a brisket weighing the same could take 22 hours. Why??? There are many variables that contribute to differences; the breed of the animal, its diet, the amount of exercise the muscle had, age of the animal, etc, etc, etc. This will determine the density of the muscle tissue and the amount of fat that is marbled into it. Even the type of cooking equipment used, the chef's experience level at keeping a constant temperature on that equipment and the weather are all factors in how long the cooking session will be. So how could anyone possibly guess?
Good briskets take time to cook but the time varies so how do you tell when it's done? There are a few methods that cook's use. One of the simplest ways for a novice to tell when a brisket is done is checking it with a thermometer. Most briskets that are tough and dry were simply NOT cooked long enough. That sounds contradictory to all that makes sense but you'll find out why when we talk about the plateau stage.
Most briskets will be done around 190* to 205*, however if you buy a good "choice" grade brisket it could be tender and juicy around 180* to 185*. We'll cover testing for doneness later, after we've cooked the brisket.
To roughly estimate "How Long" it will take to get a brisket to the dinner table, let's work backwards…
Beef needs to rest after it is cooked so the juices can redistribute throughout the meat before cutting. A brisket should rest for no less than 30 minute on a counter or 2 to 4 hours in a pre-warmed ice chest. So let's call it a 2-hour rest.
Cooking time is " r o u g h l y " 1 to 2 hours a pound. Let's say most briskets weight between 12 and 15 pounds. Most cooks run their smokers between 220* and 260*, grills usually run higher temperatures than smokers but should be kept low, not to exceed 300* if at all possible (read about the plateau to see why). So let's guess 18 hours cooking time (which WILL vary).
If cooking equipment is allowed to come up to temperature before the meat goes in, then allow time for this, plus time to get the fire going. Some prefer to put cold meat in a cold smoker under the belief that the longer the meat spends exposed to smoke while it remains cold deepens the smoke ring (more to follow). An hour needs to be tagged on to get everything going.
So for an average cook, for an average brisket, on an average day, we can guestimate about 23 hours prior to eating, it's time to get things started. So if you're planning brisket for dinner, start it just after dinner the day before and you won't need to rush anything. (Disclaimer: Your mileage may (WILL) vary!)
Here's some advice on cooking multiple briskets: http://www.barbecuebible.com/board/view ... hp?t=13792
Can a brisket be aged?
It is not uncommon to age beef, especially of the steak variety. Aging intensifies the beef flavor and tenderizes the meat. But do people really age brisket? There are several folks that "wet age" brisket for as long as 3 to 4 weeks. The brisket is kept sealed in its cryovac packaging in a controlled refrigerated environment between 34* to 38*. This means that it shouldn't be kept in a fridge that is opened several times a day. Since the meat doesn't dry using this method there is no concentration of flavor but the brisket should be tenderer when done. A word of caution, aging meat allows bacteria to do their thing, if conditions are not controlled properly the meat will spoil and not be fit to eat.
How much fat should I trim?
There are a few different schools of thought as to trim or not. Many cooks will trim the fat down to about ¼ inch and remove any hard pockets of fat while many others choose not to trim the fat at all. Both methods render a good brisket in the end. Some folks that have trimmed nearly all the fat before cooking usually report a dry tough brisket, this is most likely a direct result of removing the fat which is a protective barrier which shields the meat from the heat and reduces vaporization of the meat's natural juices. Although there is some debate over whether the fat cap adds moisture to the brisket, only bastes the outside, or just protects it from the heat, this is sure, it helps keep the brisket moist.
If you wish to remove the fat for a low-fat or reduced calorie meal, it may be better to trim the layer down to 1/4 inch or so before cooking and remove the rest after the brisket has finished resting. The layer of fat can be easily removed in one fell swoop by running your hand (while wearing a PVC glove or similar) across the fat cap like a squeegee to scrape it off or you can carefully trim each slice after cutting it.
What is a slather? Should I slather?
A slather is basically a thin (emphasis THIN) layer of moist substance applied to the meat before the rub to help the rub adhere to the surface of the meat. Once you rinse the meat to removed possible contaminates and pat it dry then try to apply dry rub to the meat, much of the dry rub will fall away onto the counter top (or other preparation surface) instead of staying on the meat. A slather smeared onto the meat helps the rubs stick to it therefore there is less rub wasted and more flavor in the final product. Different substances that can be used for slather are; Worcestershire sauce, mustard, mayonnaise (or salad dressing), BBQ sauce, hot sauce, etc… Don't be too concerned about the slather "flavoring" the final product. Used sparingly most slathers cannot be detected at the dinner table, except that there is more flavor from the extra rub that stayed on the meat. A lot of folks express concern about mustard tainting their BBQ but there is no detectable flavor from it after it's cooked, when applied thinly. Try it you'll like the results.
When should I rub?
Some meats take on flavor quicker and easier than others. Chicken, fish, steak and other thin or small cuts of meat can be seasoned 30 minutes to an hour or less before cooking. A brisket can also be seasoned just before placing in a smoker or on the grill to cook but it will benefit from a longer marinating session. A majority would agree that applying the rub the day before is perfectly acceptable. Some retail stores pre-marinate their meat before selling. This is becoming ever more popular. Acids will break down the meat fibers and salts will draw moisture out of the meat, both will have an unwanted result on your meal if left on too long, this is why some folks, mainly do-it-yourselfers, don't buy the pre-marinated meats. But how long is too long? On a large cut of meat like brisket it's not recommended to rub more that a day ahead because of the salt content of most rubs. If you are using a no-salt rub then longer times shouldn't be a problem.
During the big cook
You want to determine which way is up, avoid playing peek-a-boo, understand what's taking so long and be able to judge when things are ready. It is strongly recommended that you use a meat thermometer, like a wired remote probe or instant-read, to monitor the brisket's temperature while it is cooking, until you gain experience enough to judge doneness using other methods.
What is a smoke ring and where can I get one?
A smoke ring is the pinkish to red layer of coloring normally around 1/4" deep under the surface of the meat that is caused by a chemical reaction between nitrogen dioxide (nitrites and nitrates) and myoglobin in the meat. This chemical reaction ceases to take place once the meat's temperature rises to around 140* and will not develop any further during the cooking process. This is not to be confused with meat not taking on any more smoke flavor after the 140 degree mark as the meat will continue to collect smoke as long as it is exposed to it. The smoke ring is coloration only and does not contribute to the flavor of the meat. Some believe putting a cold brisket in the smoker yields a better smoke ring because it remains exposed to smoke for a longer period while below the 140* mark.
Artificial smoke rings can be chemically produced using dry curing, pickling and tenderizing products that contain nitrates or nitrites. These products can be applied to the exterior surface of the meat or injected. Take corned beef and pastrami for example, these products are pink in color all the way through. Controlled exposure will give a smoke rink effect. Many BBQ competition cooks and judges say that they can spot one of these "fake" smoke rings a mile away stating that the color is usually a lighter, uneven and the edge where the color stops is not as well defined.
In most BBQ competitions the color, depth, appearance or lack of a smoke ring does not count towards points. Even though judges are told to disregard it for scoring, appearance is one of the categories for scoring. When a human being sees that attractive coloring of the meat and there is a close decision between two entries, which do you think would win, with or without?
So should I put the brisket in cold or room temperature?
This is a matter of personal preference. While some say placing the brisket in cold produces the coveted beautiful smoke ring, a cold brisket also drops the pit temperature. So if trying to achieve a picture perfect slice of meat is your desire then by all means give it a try. But this will use more fuel, not much more if you're only cooking one piece of meat. When cooking dozens of whole briskets for the masses the amount of fuel may add up enough to matter, so there's a trade off. If you let the meat warm prior to placing in the smoker always keep food safety times and temperatures in mind. The Food and Drug Administration recommends keeping meats in the danger zone no longer than 4 hours total. The danger zone is considered temperature ranging between 40*F and 140*F. Once the meat is out of cold storage the clock is ticking. This includes transportation, preparation, and time spent in the cooker rising to 140*. So if the meat is on the counter 30 minutes to an hour to warm prior to cooking, that's time off the 4-hour time frame.
Can I still smoke a brisket if I don't own a smoker?
The short answer is most definitely. There are great, illustrated instructions on how to set your grill, gas or charcoal, up for indirect cooking in Steven's book, "How to Grill" in the front of the book on pages 6 through 27. When using a small grill the fire goes on one side and the food on the opposite side. But when using a larger grill, a small fire is banked to each side of the grill while the food is centered between the two mounds of coals. Grills place the fire in a closer proximity to the food than traditional dedicated smokers and the temperatures can run a little hotter and fluctuate greater. Extra attention needs to be given to fire management when smoking on a grill. Since temperatures can be higher than the standard 225* to 250* you would expect to find in a smoker and spikes can happen quickly, more frequent monitoring of conditions will help prevent disaster. Also opening the lid needs to be kept to a minimum. So whenever the lid needs to be opened you'll want to have everything needed to replenish the fire, pre-soaked wood chips, baste-mop-spray, foil, and tools staged and ready for use to complete the task as quickly and efficiently as possible in order to prevent excessive heat loss. On a charcoal grill wood chunks or soaked wood chips can be tossed directly into the fire to provide smoke. On a gas setup you will most likely wish to avoid getting ashes all over the inside grill, as cleanup would be a little difficult. Wood chips are placed in cast iron smoker box can be positioned in or near the flames of a burner being used to heat the unit. If the wood chips are not providing enough smoke the move the box closer to the heat, likewise if the chips ignite and burn up the box should be moved away from the burner a bit. Limiting the amount of oxygen to the wood will also prevent them from catching fire. You can also make a pouch out of aluminum foil (preferable, extra heavy duty foil) and wrap the pre-soaked wood chips tightly in a double-layer as illustrated in "How to Grill" pages 17 & 18.
Should I marinate or inject?
Traditional marinades wouldn't penetrate very deep into the thick muscle of a brisket unless it sits for several days. And there are injector solutions available for briskets. While some folks have used injections and mention an addition of flavor to the meat they also report that the meat can be discolored in the areas that were injected if the solution wasn't evenly distributed.
What is the best cooking temperature?
The most common cooking temperature for brisket is in the neighborhood of 225* to 250* in a smoker. Some people prefer to cook at lower temperatures like 210* and others have said why waste all that time if I can cook it and 325* and finish it several hours quicker. It is a general consensus that brisket should be cooked Low-N-Slow for the best product. A brisket is a tough ornery cut of beef that needs to be cooked for a long time to break down the fibers in the muscle tissue to make it tender. If it is cooked at higher temperatures the brisket will cook faster and if it isn't a high grade of Choice or better then there is a good chance the meat will be tough and dry when served to eat.
What type of wood goes with brisket?
This is another area of personal preference. Different woods have distinctive flavors. Brisket is commonly cooked over a mesquite fire, however for some this wood has a very strong flavor. There are even known cases of food allergies to mesquite. Other popular woods for brisket include pecan and oak. But folks use woods such as peach, apple, cherry, etc. to cook brisket with equal success. Fruit woods are can also be blended with nut woods for a mellower, sweeter version of the more traditional flavors. In the end two factors play a big reason in the selection of wood used, availability and personal taste. So try different woods and see which one suits you best.
If you are sensitive to heavier flavored woods like hickory & mesquite and the smoke taste is too strong for your liking, wrapping the brisket in foil or even a paper bag once the desired level of smoke is achieved will reduce exposure to smoke. Take care that the paper bag is not exposed to direct heat or flames.
Should I cook brisket in a foil pan?
Brisket can be cooked in a foil pan but most pit masters don't use one. Some folks who cooked brisket in a pan have said that the bottom of the brisket reminded them more of pot roast than how a brisket should taste, while some say they can produce fantastic brisket using this method. Others express concern as to whether you could get a proper smoke ring and smoke flavor on the bottom of the meat. One thing that can be done to help is to place a wire rack in the bottom of the pan to elevate the brisket above the pool of juices to prevent it from braising while it cooks. This would also allow for a little airflow underneath yet keep the brisket in close proximity to the moisture. Another option is to put the pan below the food grate directly under the brisket to function as a drip pan.
Should I cook brisket fat side up or down?
A brisket can be cooked either fat side up or with the fat down. A couple of major factors in determining which way the fat belongs is "personal preference" or the type of equipment it is being cooked on.
Nearly as heated a debate as a Propane or Purist (charcoal, wood, lump) fire is the topic of fat up or down.
Some believe that if the fat is up it will melt and baste the meat during the cook helping to keep the exterior moist. Some have said that the fat melts into the meat making it moist and tender, however, recent explanation of the science of a brisket states that the meat is not porous enough to allow fats to soak in, instead it is the internal marbled fats and connective tissue that break down to do this.
Many barbecue competitors will tell you to cook the brisket fat side down. They have a pretty good reason for this. If it is cooked fat side up the surface of the meat comes in contact with the food grates and the bark is disturbed and even scraped off or it sticks to the grates. This is extremely undesirable when turning in your product to be judged. Cooking with the fat down allows a nice beautiful bark to form, preserving all the flavor of the smoke and spices.
Now if you want to determine the fat's positioning according to what type of equipment you own, then place it according to where your fire is located. If the fire is located underneath the cooking area, as with a vertical smoker or a grill, then you may wish to cook with the fat side down. Just like on whales and seals in the great white North, fat is an insulating layer that can protect from extreme temperatures. With the fire below and the fat position down so that it's between the heat and the meat, it can help protect the brisket from direct exposure to the fire's radiating heat and from possible temperature spikes. If you have an offset smoker and the fire is to the side, positioning is totally up to you.
Should I rotate or flip the brisket during cooking?
If you have a smaller offset smoker where the pit is always hotter on the firebox end and the exhaust stack end is cooler then it is a very good idea to rotate the brisket. Rotating the brisket under these conditions will help promote more even cooking. However, since the point end (if cooking a whole brisket) is thicker and contains more marbled fat, it will need to face the fire for approximately 2/3 of the time.
Flipping is not necessary to produce great brisket but there are pit masters that swear by it. In fact one chef is known for removing his brisket from the pit, submersing it completely in marinade (as opposed to mopping or spraying) and then placing it back into the smoker on its other side. Some who do flip recommend doing so on the "halves". Example: During a 20 hour cook; flip at 10 hours (half way into the cook), 15 hours (half the time remaining), and at the 17-1/2 to 18 hour mark.
Rotating can work better with offsets and flipping is optional depending on your opinion.
How often should the cooker be opened?
Truthfully … as little as possible! Every time the lid is opened you are adding to the time and fuel it takes to cook your food. When you open to peek, take a picture, mop or spray, flip or rotate, add fuel or smoke wood, add water (pre-heated hot water by the way), check the meat's temperature, wrapping in foil, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, (see how many excuses there are) you let out precious heat. The smoker can take anywhere from 5 to even 20 minutes to recover its temperature after being opened, depending on door size, climate conditions and duration. So it is very important to resist the temptation to open the smoker. Some say do this or that hourly, and as mentioned above others recommend performing routine maintenance on the halves. But perhaps the best advice is, the less the better.
Does a brisket need to be mopped?
You can baste, mop, spray or even dip a brisket to keep it moist during cooking. If you do baste, mop, spray or dip, don't do it for the first couple of hours, the reason for waiting it to allow the dry rub to dry out, set, and form a bark. Otherwise if you start off applying liquids to the surface right away you'll end up washing all those good flavors off your meat. Science says that a moist surface will conduct heat better than a dry surface. Therefore, if you keep the exterior of a brisket wet while it's cooking it should cook quicker. But there is a trade-off because opening the smoker slows the cooking process. Once again some recommend applying liquids hourly while other will tell you to only do it on the halves. You can still attain a moist tender brisket even without mopping if it's cooked low-n-slow over a long period of time.
What is a plateau?
A brisket will go through a noticeable temperature plateau while cooking. This is normal and can last a long, long time. Somewhere around 160-165* the temperature can level off or even drop in the brisket because the process of melting & breaking down connective tissue, sinew, collagen, and fat begins and it consumes a lot of energy in doing so. A brisket can set there for 1 hour or even stall out for 5 to 6 hours, the time with vary from one piece of meat to the next. During the plateau phase a brisket gets tender and juicy, unlike a steak, which would only dry out and get tough. Even though brisket and steak come from the same animal they are completely different beasts and take a different mentality to cook. Be patient during this period and let the brisket take its time without trying to rush it or push it through by turning up the heat. If you don't understand what is happening here you will go crazy thinking that your thermometer is broken or the fire isn't hot enough or whatever. Just endure and let the brisket cook like it is suppose to. If you try to rush the brisket through this process by raising the temperature then you'll most likely end up with tough, dry meat when you serve it on the table. You want the meat to ride out the plateau and run its natural course because this is when all the good stuff is happening to it, this is when it's getting tender and juicy. A second plateau may sometimes be noticed around 180-185*, however, this one is not nearly as pronounced and won't last as long as the first. Love your plateaus! They are the key to BBQ'ing success.
Should a brisket be wrapped in aluminum foil?
Foil is a common practice when cooking brisket, but brisket doesn't need to be wrapped to produce a great meal. Although some are reluctant to confess to using foil it still seems that more use it than not. Sometimes jokingly referred to as the Texas Crutch (probably because brisket is a Texas thang and you wouldn't understand), foil although used by many, it is used at different times and for differing reasons. Some will wrap a brisket in a double-layer of heavy-duty or extra heavy-duty foil at 160* just before it enters the plateau stage and let if finish cooking in the foil. Others will wait until after the brisket rides out the first plateau wave and reaches 170* to wrap it. And lastly some will wait until the brisket has completely finished cooking to wrap it in foil for a much deserved resting period. Each of these methods with or without foil have proven to yield a deliciously tender brisket. NOTE: For those using propane equipment, once the brisket is wrapped in foil there is no need to add any more smoke wood.
Can a brisket be finished in the oven?
Although "purists" would strongly object to finishing any authentic barbecued food in the oven, the answer is still, yes. For example, you run out of fuel because you may have thought there was "more than that", or you're too tired to stay up with the fire all night and sure disaster will strike if you fall asleep, then perhaps you have no choice. In any case, once the brisket has the desired amount of smoke flavor or is ready to wrap in foil, moving it to a preheated oven will make little or no difference in the final quality of taste or texture.
How can I tell when a brisket is done?
There are several methods for testing if a brisket is done. Some methods are best left to the experienced professionals while others are more foolproof for the novice beginner.
Some very experienced pit masters profess that they can tell if a brisket is done just by looking at it. Some cooks will take a fork, insert it into the meat, and then give it a twist. The can tell by how the fork twists if it's done. Another way to tell if a brisket is done is by picking it up and feeling it or jiggling it. This also takes some experience to be able to tell if it has the right feel of movement.
For someone just starting out who has no basis on which to judge the doneness of a brisket there are two basic tests that anyone can use. You can poke the meat with a skewer or the probe of a thermometer while paying attention to the amount of resistance required inserting and removing device. When the meat is tender it will slide in and out like "butter" with no resistance. You will be able to tell how it should fell after one or two cooks. Another easy way to tell is by reading a thermometer. If a brisket is a good quality cut of meat it could be done as early as 180* but normally it will be closer to 190*. For an extra tender brisket some people cook it to 195* and to as high as 205*. At higher temperatures you might wind up with a brisket so tender that it will not hold together while slicing and may be more suited for chopped beef sandwiches (which are good too).
Whichever method you decide to use to check for doneness, it's a good idea to start checking at around 180* so you don't overshoot the mark you're aiming for.
After the big cook
Is it done yet? When do we eat? I'M STARVED!!! There are still a few things you can do to improve the quality of you brisket.
Now that it's done, what's next?
The first thing NOT to do is start cutting into that savory, delicious smelling hunk of meat. Why, because it needs time to rest, to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. If not allowed to rest, once you cut into it a good amount of the moisture will run out onto the cutting board and the slices will not be as juicy.
As a minimum, you should wrap or tent the brisket with foil and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes. Even better would be to tightly wrap the brisket in foil and place it in a hotbox or pre-warmed cooler for 2 to 4 hours. This will allow the brisket to cook a little more without additional heat then rest and slowly redistribute its juices. The bark will soften some and the overall texture of the brisket will be more tender and juicy.
How do I carve a brisket?
A slice about 1/4 of an inch thick makes good for serving and is what many barbecue competitions require. It can be sliced thinner if the meat is tougher than expected or if you're going to use it for sandwiches.
Brisket should be slice across the grain of the muscle to make it easier to cut with a fork and to chew. The grain of a brisket runs diagonally across the length of the flat and changes direction almost perpendicular in the point. Some prefer to separate the point from the flat prior to slicing so that both can be sliced cross-grain. You can easily familiarize yourself with how the grain runs by examining the meat before it's cooked and before you slather or rub it. A trick to help you identify the direction of the grain when it's time to carve, is to place a couple of toothpicks half way into the meat and spaced apart to indicate its orientation before slathering and rubbing. With the toothpicks in place, you'll see which way to cut the meat come carving time. Caution: If you wrap using foil, toothpick can poke holes in the foil causing hot juices to leak.
What if the brisket finishes too early or later than I expected?
That's the funny thing about brisket … well, maybe not so funny when you're expecting company, each one cooks a little differently so finishing early or late is bound to happen some time.
If a brisket is taking longer to cook than you planned for and things are coming down to the wire you can "push" it. To help move things along, wrap the meat in foil with a 1/4 cup of apple juice or beef broth and turn the heat up. This will braise the meat and steam it a little too. There is a chance that it won't be as good in the moist & tender department as shortening the cooking time reduces the time that fat, collagen, and connective tissues have to break down.
Now let's say the brisket finished way earlier than expected, you need to keep it warm until time to serve. One way is to wrap it in foil or place in a covered pan and put it into a preheated 170* oven (or its lowest setting) and let it "hold". It will continue to cook some but it will also cool a bit without having to worry about the meat temperature dropping into the danger zone. A side benefit will be the house will smell terrific when guests arrive! Another method for holding or transporting a hot brisket, as touched on before is to tightly wrap the brisket in foil and place it in a hotbox or pre-warmed cooler for 2 to 4 hours. To do this first line the bottom of the chest with clean newspaper. The newspaper with help increase the insulating factor of the container and also absorb juices that may leak from the foil. To add thermal mass to the picture, you can place clean, wrapped, hot bricks between layers of newspaper, which will help keep things hotter longer. Then place the brisket(s) in and fill the rest of the air space in the cooler with blankets, towels or more newspaper. Filling the dead air space will slow the amount of heat lost from the meat and keep it warmer longer. If the meat needs to be held over a long period of time, place a wired remote probe thermometer into the thick of the meat and run the lead out of the container to the base unit where you can keep an eye on it to monitor temperatures. Take care when routing not to pinch or bind the probe lead in order to prevent damaging your equipment when opening and closing the lid. Keep the lid closed until time to remove the meat.
Can I freeze brisket after it's been cooked?
Brisket freezes well and still has good texture and flavor when thawed and reheated. The trick to good storage is to remove the air from the packaging so frost doesn't have room to form. For short-term storage you can use something as simple as zip lock freezer bags, but if not used after a few months it may get freezer burned.
For long-term storage or more peace of mind a vacuum sealer works extremely well. The plastic on vacuum bags it thicker than standard zip lock bags and most or all of the air is removed when packaging so foods can be frozen as long as 2 years with very little loss of quality. Also the vacuum bags work well when reheating. Portion the meat into expected serving amounts for meals instead of large amounts to simplify storage, handling and reheating. If the meat is warm when vacuum sealing a lot of juices can be sucked into the machine. Allow the meat to cool in the refrigerator and the task of sealing won't be as messy. If you would like to include a little extra juice with the brisker, a trick to keep the machine from sucking it all out is to freeze the juice in small ice cube trays and then include a couple of these ice cubes in the bag when sealing.
How should brisket be reheated?
If the brisket is whole first thaw it in a refrigerator, this may take a few days. Then place it in a 325* oven in a covered roasting pan with a little liquid in the bottom to prevent drying and warm until the meat reaches 160*.
Sliced meat runs a much greater risk of drying out while reheating. There are a number of ways to reheat it but time and time again it is said that sealed in a vacuum bag is best because it keeps the meat moist. The vacuum bag can be place in an oven, submersed in boiling water, and even microwaved while sealed. Heated air expands and under sealed conditions the expanding air builds pressure, but because the vacuuming process removes air while packaging the danger is removed with it. It is best to thaw the meat prior to reheating but because the slices (hopefully) were portioned into manageable servings they can go straight from the freezer to be reheated quickly when the need arises. You can reheat in the bag in a 300* oven for 30 minute to an hour but the bag should be on a baking sheet in case it develops a leak. The bag can also be dropped (sealed of course) into a pot of low boiling water without fear of overheating or burning the meat. Watch the bag for leaks so you don't end up boiling the brisket if water gets into the bag. And as mentioned the bags can also be reheated in a microwave without concern of it inflating under pressure since the air was removed.
If you don't have a vacuum sealer, thaw it first, keep it moist and keep an eye on it while reheating so it doesn't over cook or dry out.
What else can be done with brisket?
Besides good old smoked beef brisket there are a few variations you can try. Instead of going into great detail about each, they'll just be mentioned to make you aware and the research will be up to you.
Burnt Ends – The point of the brisket is highly marbled with fat. After the brisket is cooked the point is separated from the flat, chopped into chunks and place back into the smoker for several more hours. You can even add a little more rub for extra flavor at this point. BBQ sauce is added to the chopped beef 30 minutes to an hour prior to removing from the smoker. This makes some awesome sandwiches.
Pastrami – Usually made from the flat of a brisket that has been wet or dry cured with a product like Morton Tender Quick and spices for several days. After curing it is rinsed and soaked thoroughly to remove any remaining cure, then coated with a salt-free rub since the cure already added the sodium and smoked as usual.
Homemade Pastrami: Pics & Method
Corned Beef – This is wet cured in a similar fashion to pastrami but the flavors uniquely differ because it is seasoned with pickling spices while curing. Although traditional corned beef is braised or boiled, many have reported successfully smoking them.


text:
Would you have wanted to be the manager whose job it was to persuade Steve Ballmer to keep investing in Kin?
Thought not. The writing has been on the wall for this smart-ish phone for some time. The Microsoft CEO – who took direct personal responsibility for the company's mobile business six weeks ago, on the early "retirement" of consumer products chief Robbie Bach – has now delivered the coup de grace (the story was broken today by Ina Fried at Cnet, and Microsoft confirmed to us that there will be no future versions of the device).
One message from this: Microsoft's period of experimentation in consumer gadgets is coming to an end. Mr Ballmer is doubling down instead on the main battle ahead as he looks to buttress the Windows platform against Apple and Google. Read more


text:
JIM Escott, from Melksham, won the Trowbridge Seniors match fished at Pockeridge with 18 lb 4 oz of roach, rudd and perch.
Runner up was Peter Thomas, from Bristol, with 10 lb 4 oz of carp and roach, followed by Mick O'Neil, from Melksham, with 7 lb 12 oz of roach and rudd.
Other placings: 4. Ken Gingell Trowbridge 4 lb 8 oz; 5. John Blackmore laving ton 2 lb 8 oz; 6. Paul Brown Devizes 2 lb 4 oz.
IAN Willetts, from Bradford, carried off top prize in the Wilts Angling Evening match at Leech Pool with 127 lb of carp.
Tony Gilbert, from Melksham, was next with 109 lb of carp, followed by Nathaniel Johnson, from Melksham, with 102 lb.
Other placings: 4. Matt Skyrme Trowbridge 62 lb; 5. Tony Steel Trowbridge 33 lb; 6. Richard Brimble Westbury 32 lb.
LAST Saturday's Blue Circle Open match was won by Pete Neate, from Holt, with 115 lb of carp.
Kevin Grant, from Trowbridge, was second with 112 lb , followed by James Barrell, from Melksham, with 63 lb 8 ozs.
Other placings: 4. Andy Western Westbury 46 lb; 5. Simon Davis Trowbridge 37 lb; 6. Dave Baker Trowbridge 34 lb.
SUNDAY'S Wilts Angling Open went to Dave Bancroft with 108 lb of carp, followed by Bradford's Willetts with 98 lb and Melksham's Johnson with 92 lb.
Other placings: 4. Roland Lucas Frome 89 lb 0 oz; 5. Pete Neate Holt 83 lb 0 oz; 6. Pete Witham Staverton 65 lb 0 oz.
Future events
Sunday May 25: Chippenham match at Pockeridge.
Tuesday May 27: Trowbridge Seniors match at Cheverell; Lavington Pensioners match at Cheverell.


text:
- Consumers
- Licensing and Education
- Regulated Entities
- Anti-Fraud Unit
- Online Reporting
- Public Information
After you have read your policy and your claim has not been handled appropriately, you can submit a claim to the Oklahoma Insurance Department.
If you have a Bail Bond complaint, please fill out the Bail Bond Complaint form.
You must do the following:
Fill out the form completely, (see options below)
Sign the form,
Give us as much information as possible, and
Provide copies of all policies, riders, letters, phone logs, etc.
Please note that Oklahoma law keeps all claim files closed to public inspection. Please complete the request for assistance form its entirety.
Mailing address (include supportive documentation)
The Consumer Assistance/Claims Division can be reached toll free at:
1.800.522.0071 (in state only)
Once received at the Oklahoma Insurance Department, your file will be assigned to the appropriate Consumer Assistance/Claims Analyst, who will send you an acknowledgement letter.
We will then contact the company for a detailed explanation of its position. By law, the company has thirty (30) days from receipt of our letter to respond.
There may be some unforeseen delays if the company needs time to gather additional information in order to fully address your concerns. If this occurs, your Consumer Assistance/Claims Analyst will keep you informed of the status of your file by mail.
Once a final response is received and reviewed, your Consumer Assistance/Claims Analyst will forward a letter of explanation.
Additional Information on the Claims Process


text:
LORTON, Va. - The University of Pennsylvania men's golf team finished second out of 13 teams at the CHAMPS/Patriot Intercollegiate, hosted Saturday and Sunday by George Mason at the par-71 Laurel Hill GC.
After shooting 297 and 291 on Saturday, the Quakers shot 285 as a team on Sunday, the second-best score among teams, which pushed them from fourth place to second with an overall score of 873. Missouri was the team champion by a distance, shooting 849, while Villanova shot 874 to finish a stroke behind Penn. Hofstra was fourth, three strokes behind the Wildcats.
Junior Max Marsico tied for fourth among the 81 golfers in the field. He shot 72-73 on Saturday, then carded a 67 to tie for low score on the day to finish the tournament at 212. Sophomore Austin Powell also had a strong Sunday and finished the tournament at 77-72-70--219 to tie for 17th, while senior captain P.J. Fielding (72-74-74--220) tied for 19th.
Ben Cooley (76-72-74--222) tied for 26th in the field, while freshman P.J. Collier (77-74-74--225) tied for 35th. Playing as individuals, Tomas Agrest (79-71-79--229) tied for 46th while senior Colin St. Maxens made his season debut and had the third-best score by a Penn player on Sunday. He finished the tournament at 78-82-73--233 to place 61st overall.
Missouri's Jace Long was the individual champion; he shot 73-69-67 to finish at four-under-par 209 which put him two strokes ahead of the runners-up.
Penn returns to action with the annual Big Five Championship event on Oct. 13-14.
Download: 3 - CHAMPS Patriot Intercollegiate.PDF


text:
Spanish cinema: the next big things
With new work from the likes of Pedro Almodovar, Claudia Llosa, Jaume Balaguero and Alex de la Iglesia in 2013, Spanish cinema is hotter than ever. Juan Sarda profiles a selection of upcoming films.
Restricted Content
Registration is required to read the entire article and to gain access to other restricted areas of the website


text:
"The Jerseys were a perfectly good product. It came with a velcro sticker to put your referring badge on which was a nice surprise cause I thought I was going to have to go buy some velcro." (E6241)
"My grandson was sooo suprised. He absolutely LOVED his personalized jerseys!!! Thank you so much!!!! A+++++++++++" (E14950)
"Great value - great product" (E6231)
Epic Sports
NIKE Small Capacity Waistpack [E118116]


text:
Mary-Lynn Cesar, Kapitall: Last Tuesday, MSCI downgraded Greece from developed to emerging market status, placing the long-struggling nation in the company of newly upgraded Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. This move marks the first time that the financial index provider has demoted a country from developed market status.
[Read more from Kapitall Wire: 4 Retail Stocks to Consider Following May's Better Than Expected Data]
While MSCI relegation appears to be the latest piece of bad news in Greece's ongoing economic saga, some view it as a promising opportunity. The Financial Times reports that the emerging market index will give Greece a higher weighting and exposure to less risk-averse investors, which HSBC projects could lead to more than $1 billion in investments.
Business Section: Investing Ideas
Investor sentiment is featured heavily in the conversation surrounding Greece's emerging market potential. This inspired us to look for promising high-yield Greek dividend stocks based with the backing of institutional investors.
We began our screen with a universe of Greek stocks that offer a dividend between 3% and 7%. We limit our yields to a maximum of 7% because companies can have a hard time sustaining high payouts, especially if they are hit with a few bad quarters.Finally, we narrowed our group down to those stocks with bullish sentiment from institutional investors, which is reflected in significant net institutional purchases over the last quarter representing at least 5% of share float. These purchases indicate that institutional investors, such as hedge fund managers and mutual fund managers, expect these stocks to outperform into the future. We were ultimately left with three shipping stocks. The List Would you follow smart money trends and invest in these Greek stocks? Use this list as a starting point for your own analysis.


text:
Offering unparalleled service and a high commitment to a convenient stay, Hotel Pennsylvania is happy to share NYC hotel reviews from our past guests. In order to help serve our guests better and improve our services, we welcome all comments and suggestions and look forward to welcoming you to our landmark property.
Here are some Manhattan hotel testimonials from recent guests of Hotel Pennsylvania:
I would be remiss if I did not write to tell you how wonderful my stay was at Hotel Pennsylvania. I checked in on Tuesday, November 23. I made my reservations through Priceline and requested two beds as I was traveling with my daughter. However, my confirmation was not specific so when I arrived, I asked the young man who checked us in to confirm. He was very helpful and honored the request. I was extremely pleased when I saw the room. I am so happy that your employee helped us and was the most courteous, professional, and helpful assistant I've had the pleasure of meeting (I travel often for business and am a seasoned traveler). In addition, when I checked out, I left my coat in the room and hours later went back and your helpful and courteous housekeeping staff had it safely packaged and waiting for me. This was a very special trip for my family. We were in NY to see my youngest son play basketball at Madison Square Gardens. We were also meeting my father's family for the first time (he died 35 years ago). Words cannot express my thanks for making this a great experience for us. I plan to share my experience with as many travel rating companies as possible. Your staff are the best and make the difference. Sincerely,
I want to personally thank all of you at the Hotel Pennsylvania for the endless effort you exhibited through out the snowstorms. You made booking the accommodations for our crews easy which was one less thing to worry about. Again thank you,
Dear Sir/Madam: My husband and I recently enjoyed a week at the Hotel Pennsylvania (Aug.2-8), and as an owner of a small tourist operation here in Canada, I know how important it is to receive positive feedback about performance. We found the staff to be very courteous, despite the large numbers of people they had to accommodate at that time, the room clean and comfortable, and despite the Hotels location, surprisingly quiet! I have never posted public reviews before, but I wish to tell you that we were so pleased about our stay that I wrote a very favourable review of the Hotel Pennsylvania on Expedia.ca. We are considering taking our 13 year old daughter to enjoy New York in March. We will certainly try to make a reservation at the Hotel Pennsylvania for that time. Congratulations on very good customer service and value. Sincerely,
To Whoever oversees the Front Door Staff at New York's Hotel Pennsylvania, My husband and I had the great experience of being assisted by Bobby the doorman last week on Thursday July 15th, 2010. He is a credit to your Customer Service staff! He not only did his job for numerous people simultaneously, but he kept an informative ongoing conversation happening with me about the city, what it might be like for us if we move there (my husband was in a job interview) and testifying to how people are friendly and how he LOVES his work. It was obvious that he loves his work! Then, along came "Copa," who you will see in the pictures, and a delightful exchange took place. Bobby yelled "Hey - Copa, come meet my friend!" Copa came over and offered that I hold his dog (I am a dog lover) and my husband snapped a picture. THEN, as if not wanting to miss a potential happening......5 or 6 people gathered to take pictures as well....of Bobby the New York Doorman, Susan the nervous potetential transplant to New York, and "copa." Because I love people, the quirkier the better, it was a great moment in our trip - owed all to Bobby the wonderful doorman at the Pennsylvanian. Please pass along our sincere appreciation to Bobby for his encouraging words, his professionalism and his joy of life in creating a New York moment for us that will always be in our memories from those few days. If we need to come back, we will stay with you all. It was a great experience. Sincerely,
I would like to thank you and the entire Hotel staff for accommodating the Amtrak employees on such short notice. My stay at the Hotel was great, and here at Amtrak we appreciate the hard work and dedication of the staff.
Thanks. You and all of the hotel staff have been wonderful to all of our staff and attendees. I heard many compliments about the hotel registration process in particular. Thanks for taking care of us.
My friend and I want to express our gratitude for our wonderful experience at your hotel this past weekend. The staff was definitely prepared for our arrival and eager to please. We sincerely thank you for making it possible for us to come back to the hotel. We appreciate the large room that you reserved for us. Specifically upon arrival the Front Office treated us with kindness, respect and accommodation needed for our Sabbath observance. And later on, the manager at the front desk was also very accommodating and generous. We will certainly recommend this hotel to our friends and family. We look forward to our next stay at Hotel Pennsylvania. Sincerely,
I just learned that my son and his girl are guests at your hotel. Unknown to them when they booked the trip, yours is the hotel where my parents spent their honeymoon in 1943. What an unexpected collision of history. As a result, Daddy has brought out his stories about fun times spent at your hotel during the war when he was on leave and dating his future wife. I am sure you hear this sort of thing all the time but I think it is wonderful that y'all are still there and helping people create wonderful memories generation after generation. Thank you.
At the request of Captain Nadeem Sufi, PIA would like to commend the services of George, who is working at the crew desk. Captain Sufi has stated that George will not hesitate to go out of his way to provide all possible assistance to guests in order to make their stay comfortable and pleasant. George is certainly an asset to the Hotel Pennsylvania. Kindly convey PIA's appreciation to him. Thank you.
My room attendant and front desk staff were all wonderful. They are just great and so helpful. Great people, great service! This is my second stay at HP. I love it! Best value for price! And great location. I have had very positive experiences here. You do a great job, Hotel Penn. I love you!!! I recommend this hotel to others without hesitation.
On Sunday, March 20, 2011, my wife and I went to MSG for an Elton John concert, a gift from our children. We had STUBHUB tickets my son-in-law purchased, so they were in his name. Imagine how horrified I was to discover, at the gate, that I only had printed one ticket. The employees at MSG were of no help at all. In fact, they chastised me for not having bought the tickets through them. I called STUBHUB, and after several suggestions the kind woman suggested that I go to the nearest hotel and ask if the tickets could be emailed to the manager. I'm sorry, but I don't know the name of the manager on duty that night at your hotel; but please thank whoever it was for allowing STUBHUB to send the new tickets via email, and then print them out for Joanne and I. I'm happy to say that we missed only one song of the concert; and again thank you for saving what started out to be a disastrous and very costly evening. My wife and I are now walking billboards for the Hotel Pennsylvania. Thank you again.
Now that our group has returned to Germany, I would like to thank you and all the people who cared for our group while we were staying at your hotel for their support in making our stay at your hotel possible. As it turned out, we were booked on a later flight but the people at the front desk were very helpful and they did not cancel our rooms although we arrived very late. Please share our thanks with everybody who helped us, especially Mrs. Cortes.
I checked into the Hotel on 4th April 2011. As soon as I checked in my father took seriously ill and spent the rest of our holiday in hospital, plus an extra 5 weeks there when myself and mother had to return back to England. I would appreciate it if a big thank you could be passed on to the manager of the hotel as he was very helpful and considerate during the traumatic time we had. Thank you very much, if i ever return to NY I'd definitely come back to Hotel Pennsylvania. Thank you to all the staff! Regards,
We would like to thank you for your help we received from so many of your staff !!! Our nephew passed away in Australia while we were staying at your hotel which devastated us ! Your staff were so nice for trying to get us on a flight home to Australia, which AA Airways were not very supportive. The man that brought the bags up and got me the extra bed was incredible. Thank you so much for making a bad time as good as you could. Thanks,
Dear Hotel Pennsylvania, On the 8-18th January 2011 we stayed in your fine hotel. What a stay it was! The room, the service, the location - it was all top quality! The room in particular had a certain appeal to us, we felt like Hollywood movie stars! We are Sam and Charmaine Scrivens, 26 and 24 years old. It was our 1st time in New York together, we had saved for a long time. What a wonderful first Anniversary trip it was! It is our strong desire to one day save enough money to return New York and to your hotel. Big thank you and hugs,
To the manager; We stayed at your hotel on the weekend of 11/11/11 for 3 nights. This email is just to say THANK YOU and that we had a wonderful time. Your staff were friendly and efficient and the room was very clean and tidy. It was all a lot better than trip advisor suggests to which I have been on there and written a positive review about our stay with you. Thanks again for your help making our stay for the first time in New York a very special one. Hope to stay with you again in the future. Kind regards
Hello Dear Friends, On behalf of my wife Svetlana, our children and me, please accept our highest esteem for your remarkable city. We adore traveling together with our children, relatives and friends. In the near future, we are going to visit your wonderful city again for a family holiday. Simply put, I want to thank all of you. We still have the most joyful memories of visiting your city and will never forget the happy moments. Yours faithfully,
Hello Dear Friends, I would like to thank you and your staff for making our stay at the hotel a great time for our first, and hopefully not our last, visit to New York at a special time with it being our silver wedding anniversary on August 2nd. Hope to be back with you again sooner rather than later,
I am writing to commend one of your employees, Andrew, aka the Bell Captain, for his excellent service. My family visited NYC over the Memorial Day Weekend. We travelled via bus, not wanting to deal with parking and driving in the city. We were scheduled to depart Sunday afternoon, meeting the bus across the street from the Hotel Pennsylvania. When we arrived at the meeting point, I realized that I had inadvertently left our bus ticket confirmations behind at the apartment where we were staying. Having limited time, there was no way we would be able to return to the apartment, nor could we contact the host. We were stuck, possibly having to stay another night in NYC and missing my eldest son's birthday, as this was the only bus scheduled to travel to our hometown, Richmond, VA that day. I entered your hotel and asked Andrew if he could point me in the right direction, to where I might be able to access my email account and print the ticket confirmations, hoping there might be a library or other facility nearby. Even though Andrew was preparing to leave for the day, he agreed to help me. He helped me access my email account and printed the tickets for us. He "saved the day" for us. It has been 12 years since my last visit to NYC. One thing I noticed this time is how very helpful and kind NYC natives were to us tourists, from directing us on the subway, helping to coordinate tours, or giving us "insider tips" about what to see in the city. But, Andrew's kindness tops our list! I offered to tip him for his service; however, he declined. It is my hope that he be commended/honored somehow for his excellent service.
I stayed in your hotel and was very happy with it. The room was clean and quiet The room was nice. The rates were reasonable as compared to other nearby hotels and the location was conveniently located. I would stay again if I returned to the New York. The hotel exceeded my expectations. It was convenient to shopping mall & subway station. The front desk staff was exceptionally courteous, particularly Ms. Shela, and she was helpful at all times. Once again I would like you to convey my thanks to all your staff who gave me warm welcome and made my stay comfortable with quality service. Warm Regards,
I just wanted to extend a huge thank you to you and your team at the hotel. We had a fantastic trip and the hotel was perfect! We really really enjoyed our stay! We got engaged in the hotel this time which made it even more memorable so we will definitely be back to visit in the future! Again a huge and sincere thank you. Best wishes and Merry Christmas,


text:
MyCuppa Mugs
These ingenious drinking vessels have got a series of coloured strips inside, a bit like those colour charts you see in paint shops. The idea is to ask what colour people prefer their tea and coffee and then match it to the selected strip by adding the right amount of milk. Clever, eh? And no more tar-like tea or insipid, dishwater-style coffee.