… we’ll be right back.

Sorry to keep you two up in the air.

We’re not gone, just interrupted by events in the non-virtual world. In the odd minute free I’m compiling more about our Captain Gibson, looking at a set of coworker’s ancestors all in Gray, and beginning to get a handle on the Great Antietam Roster (or not, as is to be seen) – all fodder for posts soon.

In the meantime, sorry for the disappearing act and I hope Laurie will be merciful and let me slide another few days.

Canned condensed milk under the Eagle brand was first offered in 1856 by Gail Borden as answer to lack of refrigeration or other effective means to preserve whole milk. It was sold in large quantities during the Civil War, which made Borden a famous name [borden history]. As early as 1861 the US Army was buying it for the troops.

So the cooking technique I’m going to show you–and the resulting magic elixir–may have been available to soldiers at Antietam in 1862.

Or not …

My friend Mike sold me on the idea of boiling a can of the sweetened condensed milk you can still buy today, and promised a pudding-like treat would result. I thought I remembered something like this from when I was very small, so what the heck, I gave it a try.

the Can

Caution: the label instructions expressly warn you not to heat an unopened can. Please do not actually do this. It’s not safe. Enough said.

Preparation was easy: I submerged the unopened can in enough boiling water to cover it, and kept on the boil for 50 minutes. Removed can from heat. Cooled overnight in the refrigerator.

the Can, opened after cooling

When opened, the can revealed a golden nectar the consistency of honey, though creamier: a goop of thicker viscosity but with texture of melted butter. No, not quite that either.

My descriptions are feeble. But pudding this wasn’t. More like caramel ice cream topping .

the goop in a bowl

And caramel is essentially what it tastes like. Except that caramel pales in comparison. This stuff is tremendously rich. Overwhelming to the taste buds. A very small amount will go a very long way.

I lapped-up about a quarter-cup as seen here. That was enough of the straight stuff alone.

I’ve since used it as a topping: it’s was perfect over butter-pecan ice cream. It also makes the most fantastic desert drink when added liberally to very strong coffee. I wonder how espresso would work …

Dang. I’ve been under a rock the last two months.

Proof?

How many blogs are there with “Antietam” in the name? Well now there are two.

Man-about-Sharpsburg Stephen Recker has begun his own in conjunction with his Virtual Antietam site.

Among his many other connections to the battle, Stephen is an infamous collector of related photographs and reunion ephemera. He’s posted a couple of pieces already, among them this ribbon from the 1891 reunion of the 130th Pennsylvania Infantry at Sharpsburg. I’m looking forward to more!

Sorry to take so long to find your new blog Stephen, and welcome to the ‘sphere. If I had known you were coming, I’d have baked a cake.

Ted Savas’ post on extending Brad Gottfried’s concept from The Maps of Gettysburg to other battles is exciting news.

So, who’ll do Sharpsburg? With a budget of over a hundred maps and just over two weeks of 1862 to cover? Dang, what a project that’ll be. Yee-hah!

I’d have to leave my job and family to have time to do it, but it might almost be worth it …

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Thanks to Dimitri for the pointer.

I’ve recently started work for a new client with a brand new team, and needed a far more capable phone than the old razr to help keep us all connected and me on track.

Verizon’s BlackBerry 8830 World Edition

After just a few days’ use, I recommend this lovely little unit. Small and light with beautifully integrated email (3 accounts and counting), always-there phone service, and a suite of PDA tools which easily synchs with my company’s contacts, calendar, and task list applications. Even has a fast web browser, though I don’t recommend casual surfing on a screen of 320 x 240 pixels, however high the quality.

I only had to add the data service to my current phone account, and the handset was discounted, rebate-ed, and part of Verizon’s “new every two” program, so they’re practically giving ’em away.

Yes, it’s a crackberry. Wanna make something of it?

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On a related note: my vocation is keeping me busy, but a real post about Sharpsburg is coming shortly. Look for the 12th Virginia Infantry in Maryland in a day or two. Really.