GASTRONORMOUS

I know what you are thinking. Finally! Thank the Lord! Right?

Watching your waistline? Your favorite lite canned “pork with ham [and] mechanically separated chicken” * product now comes in single serving packets, lest you be tempted to eat an entire can of Spam Lite in one sitting! And now you can take a single serving of Spam Lite with you to work so you can, um, you know, assemble your Spam Lite sandwich on the fly? Or if you have been wishing you could rustle up some Spam Confetti Pasta for one, your day is here!

Can be found in the Pork Hocks aisle of your grocery store.

* Actual information from label.

Now here’s an idea.

I have been a dedicated Brita filter user for years. Until recently I used the plastic pitcher, and now I use the faucet attached-type. While I am concerned about all the landfill waste that the components of Brita filter systems produce, I am even more concerned about the lead and other possible contaminants in drinking water. New York City apparently has very clean water, which is fantastic. Unfortunately, the water department and EPA can’t monitor the decaying pipes in all the old residential buildings in NYC. (The pipes are pretty decayed in my building in particular. When I unscrew the faucet-mounted filter, the mesh screen that unfiltered tap water runs through is thick with rusty particles. Scary!)

So, though I do not know this natural pitcher’s efficacy in lead removal, it is certainly a much more attractive water filter option than the plastic Brita pitcher (let’s face it—even in the sleek “chrome” finish, it ain’t too cute). I am going to do a bit of research to see if I can find out what exactly this Iouseki stones and Binchotan charcoal “filter” actually removes. One batch of burnt sticks and stones filters for about 6 months, making it at least comparable in price to Brita (though the pitcher itself costs more).

Charcoal Water Pitcher [$85; replacement Iouseki stones and Binchotan charcoal: $25; at DWR]