The urine test

No samples required, just a test of your knowledge.

Answer True or False.

1. Urine made by healthy kidneys that has not left the body is actually sterile.
2. A bacterial infection makes urine cloudy.
3. Urine from fox and wolf is used as an animal repellent to keep other animals (e.g. deers, rabbits) away from man’s properties.
4. Cancer-causing compounds were never once found in the urine of babies who were in constant exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS).
5. Gross hematuria means that blood cannot be seen in the urine with the naked eye.
6. Asparagus can make urine green and smelly.
7. The drug Premarin is not made from estrogen extracted from pregnant mares’ urine.
8. Children with a rare inherited condition, known as the “blue diaper syndrome” has blue urine.

Answers: 1. T :: 2. T :: 3. T :: 4. F :: 5. F :: 6. T :: 7. F :: 8. T

How did you fare? Think you can handle some more?

Amber garlic

Here’s my aged garlic, which is something new and available at our Japanese supermarket.

It has a strong but mellow garlicky scent which smells kind of like soy sauce. It’s also incredibly soft.

According to its maker, this amberish garlic had undergone a maturing process for 2 weeks under low temperatures which in turn raises the level of S-allyl cystein (a beneficial compound broken down from allicin) to an exceptional high.

You should really see the wrinkles!

[Update It has a mild pickled taste, otherwise almost bland.]

Loveliness…

…from France arrived yesterday!

Valerie’s stream of from-me-to-you goodness is unsparing.

She made me a lovely apron, with a blend of my favorite colours. Such delectable cupcakes as pockets! Oh, I can’t bear to use it.

But with this madeleine tray, I’m definitely going to bake some traditional French madelines from the recipe she wrote down for me.

She also made a lovely sachet pillow. I’ve been recently falling in love with such little pillows and somehow she just “knew”. My swap mates are simply amazing.

Valerie ordered this book on celtic knots for me. So sweet of her! It’s by an author whom I’m familiar with because I had twice borrowed one of her books from the library.

She also sent beautiful postcards of regions in Bretagne (Brittany), travel-themed stickers, beads, fun cabochons, pink ribbon, chocolates, candies and coffee packs. In addition, she included packs of a light + flavourful green tea that comes in a muslin tea bag, sealed with stitches, right up to the label at the end, which means no glue or staple, just stitches! I had a cup in the afternoon and I even added ice cubes. Tastes good both hot and cold.

Thanks so much Valerie! I fully appreciate everything.