Try-day Friday!

This try-day Friday was memorable. Kevin stumbled upon this new culinary line of Cheetos-brand boxed mac n' cheese at the grocery store. Cheetos has settled upon the spiral (fusilli) noodle as their signature pasta shape. It must've tested as the best way to hold their cheese-infused sauces. There were three flavors to choose from original (aka "Bold and Cheesy"), jalapeno, and Flamin' Hot. The tasting crew that night consisted of Kristen, Josh, and Jeanette in addition to Kevin. Kevin took up the mantle of mac n' cheese cook for the evening.  First up: Bold and Cheesy This sauce is the vibrant orange one would expect from cheddar cheese powder and Yellow 6. Flavor gets mixed reviews, but the consensus is "meh." The mouth-feel is a bit firm, but no in an al dente way, hmm... Second up: Jalapeno The signature vibrant orange is more subdued, but is accompanied by green-tinged flecks one can only assume are the jalapeno component of this sauce (although...

Simple! It's a gathering of friends on Friday evening to socialize and try food/drink from a designated theme. Themes are often random, but can be seasonal or follow the episodes of popular TV shows (ahem, Great British Baking Show...)  Ever wanted to figure out which mustard is your favorite? Try-day it!  Ever wondered if water has flavor? Try-day it!  Want an excuse to taste bites of different pastries? Try-day it!  Try-day Friday makes for a casual, entertaining night with friends, while offering new subjects to bond over. Have fun with it!

Early in 2020, a few months after the pandemic had started, when restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues were closed, we were looking for a way to make Friday night feel special again. Kristen works in healthcare and was still leaving the house everyday for work. Josh was now working from home full-time and rarely left the house. Binge-watching streamed shows was the way to connect with people. While watching the episode "France" from "Down to Earth with Zac Efron," we learned about Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) ratings of water.  TDS is a measure of the concentration of minerals and metals dissolved into water. Minerals like magnesium, sodium, potassium, calcium, and silica. Metals like iron, zinc, or even lead (eep!) We could get deep into the chemistry weeds on this, but suffice is to say that a lot of things can dissolve into water. The only way our human bodies can detect these solutes (aka things dissolved into water) is through taste. Back to "France....