🚀 go-pugleaf

tobis@skool.ssec.wisc.edu (Michael Tobis) writes,
about my experimental conditions for assessing the
effect of spoons on bubbly stuff:


>Why do I need two refrigerators? (And didn't you forget the spoon?)

It's a short story, even though this topic is old. At least
a year ago there was the same discussion, perhaps on another
newsgroup, and some smartass from the CSIRO (an Australian
agronomical research centre), riled me about carrying out
a controlled experiment, with two bottles open, one with
a spoon, another without, in the same fridge. 

Nothing irks me more than people who will say "that can't 
be true" before even trying. And, in this particular case,
it's neither expensive (beer will do), nor requires fine
measuring apparatus: you just cannot miss the difference,
after 24 hours. Champagne gone flat is champagne gone flat,
period, whereas the one with a spoon in it, 24 hours later,
is still as sparkling as it was the moment you poured.

But the fellow in question insisted on a controlled experiment.
So I mailed back to him: "Yes, by all means, we must carry
out a controlled experiment. However, we mustn't put both
bottles in the same fridge. Who knows if the presence of
a spoon in one bottle does not affect the other? So we
need two fridges. Further, they must be loaded with exactly
the same foodstuff, in the same positions, and kept 
precisely at the same temperatures [here followed a list
of the necessary apparatus, and, among the foodstuff needed,
I'd listed truffles, foie gras, caviar...]. Last but not
least, a scientific experiment must be repeatable. Doing
it once is just not right. So, as soon as you've kindly
provided me with two cases each of a variery of French,
Australian, Spanish, Rumanian, and Californian champagne,
and sufficient quantities of the foodstuffs listed about,
two frost-free fridges (1200 litres) of identical make 
and model..... I shall carry out this much needed controlled
experiment, and let you know the results obtained."

I'm still waiting for the Dom Perignon, truffles, foie gras,
and, even, the necessary frost-free fridges.