Don't try this at home : Stoat

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I've been using Google Reader recently, following the lamented death of Planet Fleck, and I suppose I have to admit its better. Here are some "shared items" if, for some reason, you want to read what I read.

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Don't try this at home

Posted on: March 22, 2009 5:18 PM, by William M. Connolley

The recipe (apparently: I was out) is a jar with a little honey in it that you wish to soften; place in the microwave and accidentally type "20 mins" when you meant "20 secs"; go away and return when the room is full of smoke. But the effect is good.

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Comments

Is that completely carbonised, or is it more of a toffee?

[Definitely not toffee. Looks smells and feels quite carbonised -W]

Posted by: Alistair Wall | March 22, 2009 7:13 PM

Interesting. The same thing happens if you add sulfuric (the official spelling) acid to sugar.

[Ha. We don't want none of your stinkin' "f" acid over here :-) -W]

Posted by: Eli Rabett | March 22, 2009 8:06 PM

Poor user interface. My wife's already done pretty much the same thing twice with our new microwave; never happened with the old one. And it's hard to clear the smoke quickly when it's still freezing outside.

Posted by: Arthur Smith | March 22, 2009 8:09 PM

That's why I decrystalize honey for 5 seconds at a time.

Other fun tricks, chocolate chips and marshmallows are apparently two halves of a culinary epoxy activated by 15 seconds in the microwave followed by a quick stir.

Posted by: Left_Wing_Fox | March 22, 2009 10:31 PM

Eli, that's exactly my reaction. I just bought a liter of H2SO4 just to have a fireworks snake without the fire. Now I'm going upstairs to the kitchen to try this out. I love microwave ovens.......

Posted by: EricJuve | March 22, 2009 11:16 PM

Read the title of the post, DON't TRY THIS AT HOME", Good thing microwave ovens are cheap at the second hand store.

Posted by: EricJuve | March 22, 2009 11:33 PM

So you build a microwave oven the size of a double garage, and start industrial production of biochar.

Posted by: Gareth | March 23, 2009 12:44 AM

I read this and was reminded of some certain internet personality who was beekeeping but couldn't remember who it was... Be careful, lots of people know about your bees!

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/mp/5429952/man-guilty-murdering-beekeeper-honey/

Posted by: gravityloss | March 25, 2009 8:49 AM

Is it at all permeable? If so, maybe you have invented a substitute for activated charcoal... wonder if steam treatment would open up the pores.

Posted by: Jumper | March 29, 2009 12:33 PM