Q. Dear Umbra,
I am a fairly active, athletic person; that being said, I love my pasta. When I
boil the water for my pasta, I run the tap water for about 5–10 seconds until
the water becomes very hot, then fill up my pot, and set it on my glass-top
stove to boil. The water seems to boil almost instantaneously when I fill it up
with hot water, and when I fill it up from the tap right away with cooler
water, it takes longer. So, my question is: Is it more wasteful to let the
precious water run to get hot for 5–10 seconds, reducing the boiling time? Or
is it more wasteful to fill it up with cooler water, not wasting any water, but
using more electricity to boil the water? One other consideration is that I
live at high altitude, and water takes longer to boil here. Thanks so
much!

Nate W.
Redmond, Ore.

A. Dearest Nate,

Photo: lucadea via FlickrYou know, I actually dropped a few pounds on a pasta diet
once. I just had to walk pasta the refrigerator, pasta the bakery, and pasta
the ice cream shop. A 3-year-old told me that joke.

But you know what's really nothing to laugh at (besides my
pasta joke)? Wasting our precious resources. Cooking noodles is one of those
small things I'm always telling you not to sweat; but conserving water and
energy is a big honking thing to sweat, so I'm happy to fill you in. Plus, it
gives me a chance to play around in the Grist test kitchen.

Since I have some better solutions to come, let's go ahead
and take the letting-water-run-until-it's-hot option off the table right now.
After space heat—that is, heating your entire home—water heaters are the
largest household energy consumers. And there are more efficient means of
heating such a small amount of water that also don't let natural resources just
run down the drain (I don't suppose you had a bucket there each time to catch
excess water?).

So does that just leave us waiting for the recommended six quarts of cooler tap water to
boil on the stovetop before adding our pasta? Not necessarily. First off, you
do not—I repeat, do not—need six
quarts of water to make a bowl of pasta. Yes, I know that's what it says on the
box. Grist's own food guru, Tom Philpott, and
food-science writer Harold McGee both concur that six quarts are overkill. About a quart and a half should do
the trick (I actually used even less for mine).

Secondly, here's the real coup: You can put the pasta right
into the cold water! That's right. You don't need to boil the water first. Pop
your pasta in, put a lid on the pot (contains the heat), and stir as needed to
prevent sticking. This method produced the same delectable rotini for me as the
boil-first method, saving water (ta-ta, six quarts) and energy, and it was
really no extra effort.

I wasn't satisfied to stop there, though, as I wanted to
give you options, plural. I'm not
sure how the cold water method works at high altitude, or if there's any
difference at all, but let's say you decide to stick with the boil-first
method. We know from my previous column
on boiling water for tea that the electric kettle is No. 1 in water-heating
efficiency. Thusly, how about getting your pasta water started in an electric
kettle? Once it's boiling (or nearly boiling) pour it over your pasta in a pot,
and then pop the lid on. Turn the burner on to keep the water's momentum going,
and voila. Cooked pasta in 10 minutes (or however long your particular type of
pasta takes)—which reminds me of yet another energy-saving tip: You don't have
to leave the stove on for the duration of the cooking time. Turn off the burner
a few minutes before the pasta is finished, leaving the lid on. The pasta will
continue to cook in the pot.

And don't just toss that water post-cooking. Pasta water in
restaurants is liquid gold—used as a sauce thickener. While you may not be able
to replicate the starchy water made from boiling order after order of
spaghetti, you can still try mixing some pasta water in with your next batch of
homemade tomato sauce. Or you can just let the water cool to room temperature
and use it to give your houseplants a little hydration.

Saucily,
Umbra

Other helpful links:

Ask Umbra on
water conservation
Ask Umbra on
boiling water for tea
Ask
Umbra on water heaters
Ask Umbra on
waiting for warm water

Q. Dear Umbra,
My granddaughter uses Clorox Disinfecting Wipes constantly on everything. She
has a 2-year-old son, who is asthmatic and seems to have a somewhat compromised
immune system. The least little trigger can set him off into an asthma
attack, which on occasion has developed into pneumonia and resulted in hospital
stays. She is obsessed with certain hygiene, and I tend to think she overdoes
it. Plus, she tends not to wipe off the kitchen counters with a dishrag before
she uses the wipes, which leaves scum on the counters. Please help me with
recommendations I can pass on to her. Thanks!

Carol J.
Scottsdale, Ariz.

A. Dearest Carol,

Advising loved ones on child-rearing or cleaning techniques is
a slippery slope indeed, as is giving this question a definitive answer.

Let's first start by breaking down what exactly is in these
wipes. A couple of the key ingredients are alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride and alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl
ammonium chloride (whew, glad I didn't get those words in my fourth grade
spelling bee). The production of these compounds results in harmful dioxins,
which can cause cancer, immune system problems, and reproductive issues.
Additionally, the ingredients themselves can cause skin irritation, headaches,
and respiratory issues. In short, these chems are not a good thing to have around a child who's
already having his share of breathing problems, methinks.

Plus, these wipes are utterly disposable, equaling a lot of unnecessary
waste. One swipe, and then into the trash bin—sad. Not to mention the fact that
they are packaged in a plastic bottle, which is a big petroleum-sucking no-no
in my book.

I'm not a doctor and don't even pretend to play one in this column
(though I do look mighty authoritative wearing a stethoscope), so I'm not going
to try to diagnose whether your great-grandson's condition warrants the kind of
disinfection these wipes offer, harsh though their ingredients may be. Try
referring his mom to my April
12 column on sanitizing counters with white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide
(in two separate bottles). The combo kills almost all Salmonella, Shigella, and
E. coli bacteria. However, if whiter,
grime-free surfaces are all your granddaughter is after, then our friends vinegar,
baking soda, and castile soap along with a reusable dishcloth and a little
elbow grease should do the trick.

Spotlessly,
Umbra

Other helpful links:

Ask Umbra
on bleach
Ask
Umbra on green cleaning
Ask Umbra
on having kids
Ask
Umbra on mini-dilemmas

In my April
5 column, I responded to 9-year-old Ian's question about eco-friendly
packaging for his newly designed card game. In return, I received a package
this week with a handmade thank-you card from Ian, a lovely letter from his
mom, and pictures of Ian and his completed product, which I wanted to share
with you guys.

Ian, rocking a rad fedora and showing off his upcycled game packaging.Hello! I wanted to say thanks, because your ideas really
helped! My updated format looks great, and it's eco-friendly, not to mention
cheap. Here are some pictures for you to enjoy.

Ian

Dear Umbra,

Several weeks ago, you answered my 9-year-old son's question
about creating eco-friendly packaging for a game he's invented. Your reply
thrilled him—he was surprised that he got a reply. It made his day. He ended up
rethinking his packaging and created drawstring bags out of a variety of
leftover fabrics. It significantly lowered his costs, taught him sewing skills,
and added an element of personalization to each game. And eco-friendly to boot!

Many thanks from a grateful mom,
Gwyn R.

Mixed Review: McCormick Pesto Sauce Mix

Posted by Lucy Baker, May 22, 2010 at 3:00 PM

“As thin and watery as broth-based soup.”

Pesto from a packet seems almost heretical. Its verdant hue, herbaceous aroma, and light, fresh consistency embody the spirit of spring, whether tossed with pasta or spooned over shrimp. If I were a better person, I would be making big batches right now to freeze and use all year long.

But short of time and patience, I decided to try McCormick's Pesto Sauce Mix, available in most supermarkets for less than $2. I was especially interested in testing the mix because the ingredient list was surprisingly short (as opposed to a veritable paragraph of unpronounceable chemicals), and the first four listed were basil, salt, Parmesan cheese, and garlic. It didn't seem like anything an Italian grandma would serve on Sunday night, but maybe—just maybe—it would do the trick for me.

The mix itself bore a strong resemblance to matcha powder. It also smelled a lot like dried oregano, which I found odd—why not dried basil? To prepare the pesto, I combined the mix in a small saucepot with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/2 cup of milk. (The instructions indicated that water could also be used, but milk would, obviously, yield a creamier sauce.) Then I heated it to barely a simmer, just until it was warmed through.

I had expected the sauce to thicken, like a pudding or custard, but once the pesto was “done” the consistency was exactly the same—as thin and watery as broth-based soup. I'm not one to go for pesto that's as thick as hummus, but I do like a little heft. One of the best parts of eating it is discovering the little nuggets of cheese and basil hidden in the curve of a piece of orecchiette or inside the tube of ziti.

Ever hopeful, I tossed the pesto with a bowl of pasta and took a tentative bite. I was pleased to taste real basil flavor, even if it wasn't half as potent as the flavors found in fresh pesto. While thin, the sauce did a good job of coating the pasta with a light, creamy film. I was reminded of how Mario Batali always says it's important to taste the pasta, not just the sauce. Unfortunately, the mix was also much too salty. Each mouthful—and I only had a few—was overwhelmingly brackish and briny. I felt like I needed a glass of water or a slice of bread to sooth my assaulted taste buds.

In the end, I would not recommend this mix prepared as a sauce for pasta. However, if the popularity of onion soup mix is any indication, I bet it would make an addictive dip when mixed with sour cream. Its low price certainly makes it party friendly.

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