You already know about this one, but I can't help myself: the "Viking eruption" will forever have a place on UaKS:
Next we go from the sublime to the ridiculous. You know all those posters you've seen of Albert Einstein, with his funny finger-in-light-socket hair and bushy mustache, saying something profound? Think of this the next time you see one of those posters. When his wife was resisting giving him a divorce so that he could take up with his cousin, Einstein wrote her a letter with his terms and conditions for staying married, including—
You will make sure: that my clothes and laundry are kept in good order; that I will receive my three meals regularly in my room; that my bedroom and study are kept neat. ... You will renounce all personal relations with me insofar as they are not completely necessary for social reasons. Specifically, you will forego: my sitting at home with you; my going out or travelling with you. You will obey the following points in your relations with me: you will not expect any intimacy from me, nor will you reproach me in any way; you will stop talking to me if I request it; you will leave my bedroom or study immediately without protest if I request it.
Nice job, Al, wtf? (No surprise they were divorced.)
And to end back on a higher note. I read a short piece ("All Is Suffering") in Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine by Will Harlan, who decided to do a full Ironman triathlon (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and 26.2-mile marathon run) essentially on the spur of the moment. The race was scheduled for three weeks after he signed up. At that time, he hadn't swum in years, didn't even own a road bike, and his longest recent run was 10 miles. Needless to say, there was suffering involved, including puking up a PBJ. Around mile 7 of the run, he passed "two kids cheering with a hand-made sign that said: '1 out of 100 runners poops their pants. R U that one?'" So next time you happen to go see a long running race of some kind, you know what to write on your sign.
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The post-holiday baking continued this past weekend. Do we need another brownie recipe? No, we do not. But the selling point of this one is that it's both flourless and dairy-free. This one is not quite as good as the Flourless Double Chocolate Brownies I already posted. But that one has a stick of butter and ⅔ cup of white sugar, while this one is basically health food. In fact, the chef developed it "as a calorie-and-nutrient-rich snack for new mothers." They come together quick as can be in one bowl, and they taste great. Even Brad, the Baron of Brownies, gave a thumbs-up.
Flourless Double Chocolate Brownies #2
Adapted from Laura McClain via Bon Appétit (Winter 2026)
Time: ~40 minutes (<15 minutes to assemble the batter)
2 large eggs
227 grams (1 cup) smooth almond butter or peanut butter
104 grams (⅓ cup) maple syrup
59 grams (¼ cup) water
53 grams (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
28 grams (⅓ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
10 grams (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
85 grams bittersweet chocolate (at least 70% cacao), chopped, or bittersweet chocolate chips
1. Place a rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 325 degrees. You can make these in an 8-inch square glass or metal baking pan. If you’re using a glass pan, grease it with butter or Pam nonstick cooking spray. If you’re using a metal pan (which is recommended), tear off a 12-by-12-inch sheet of aluminum foil. Turn the pan upside down, center the foil on it, and fold the excess evenly over the sides of the pan. Fold and crease the corners like you're wrapping a present. Slip the liner off the pan. Turn the pan right side up and insert the liner, carefully working it into the corners of the pan. Spray the liner with Pam.
2. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk just to break them up a little bit. Add all of the rest of the ingredients, except the chopped chocolate. Whisk until smooth and thickened slightly, about 15 to 20 seconds.
3. Using a silicone spatula, stir in the chopped chocolate or chips. Scrape into the prepared pan.
4. Bake until the top is puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 23 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack (still in the pan) and let cool completely (it will deflate a little).
5. Use the foil to lift the block out of the pan. Cut into 16 squares. Store leftover brownies tightly wrapped at room temperature.
1. Place a rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 325 degrees. You can make these in an 8-inch square glass or metal baking pan. If you’re using a glass pan, grease it with butter or Pam nonstick cooking spray. If you’re using a metal pan (which is recommended), tear off a 12-by-12-inch sheet of aluminum foil. Turn the pan upside down, center the foil on it, and fold the excess evenly over the sides of the pan. Fold and crease the corners like you're wrapping a present. Slip the liner off the pan. Turn the pan right side up and insert the liner, carefully working it into the corners of the pan. Spray the liner with Pam.
2. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk just to break them up a little bit. Add all of the rest of the ingredients, except the chopped chocolate. Whisk until smooth and thickened slightly, about 15 to 20 seconds.
3. Using a silicone spatula, stir in the chopped chocolate or chips. Scrape into the prepared pan.
4. Bake until the top is puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 23 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack (still in the pan) and let cool completely (it will deflate a little).
5. Use the foil to lift the block out of the pan. Cut into 16 squares. Store leftover brownies tightly wrapped at room temperature.
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