On Friday 04 Jan 2008 4:51 pm, Danese Cooper wrote: > I've always thought it was a pretty straightforward cooking metaphor, > guys. Its a really common cooking instruction to "simmer (usually > stirring constantly) until sauce begins to thicken". The > "thickening" usually means either the proteins are binding (in the > case of custards or if flour roux or cornstarch has been added for > instance) or that sufficient liquid has evaporated. In either case, > its nearly always a turning point in the progress of the recipe.
In fact the protein-coagulation analogy is perfect, because what initially appears clear later becomes murky, and still later opaque. That is how plots thicken. It's curious that what is not "clear" to the mind is likened to what is not clear to one's eyes. Why don't we say "muffled evidence"? Having said that, not getting to the bottom of a crime could leave a bad taste, until juicy evidence shows up. Getting the criminal gives one the sweet taste of victory. Victory is never sour is it? Or even salty? shiv
