Science Experiment

I found out this week that I will be traveling to San Diego on business the first week in October for about 4 days. San Diego on vacation sounds terrific but San Diego days filled with 14 hours of meetings... not so much. My first thought was " I had damn well better get a direct flight" and my second thought was "how long is my damn yogurt going to stay cold?" Yes, I was swearing a lot but in my head.

As it turns out, there were no direct flights left out of Providence, RI or Boston, MA ( it takes me about an hour to get to either airport). The shortest flight I could find has a lay-over in Phoenix, AZ which will take a total of 8 hours from Boston to San Diego. That realization threw me into a small panic as my little Fridge-To-Go promises only 8 hours of refrigeration power. So....

Today I went into 6th grade science experiment mode. Actually it was probably more like 2nd grade mode but it was a mode nonetheless. Ron from the LongIsland Listserv emailed me a month ago when I was getting ready to go to Kentucky (thanks Ron) and told me that he has traveled with yogurt for about 24 hours and it was fine with some blue ice in an insulated picnic cooler. So I thought I would try to extend the life of my own little lunch bag.

Science Experiment Report
By Jillluck
SCD 101
9/15/07

1. At approximately 8:20AM on 9/15/07 I placed some cool water (that is not a very scientific measurement but I am not expecting an A+) into my Snapware container
2. I then placed the container into the Fridge-To-Go lunch bag along with a small container of blue ice
3. I zipped up the bag and let it sit in my living room for 10 hours which is the total time it will take me to get to the airport, check-in one hour ahead of my scheduled departure time like a good do bee, read some smutty magazines, fly to Phoenix, read some more smutty magazines, fly to San Diego, find my luggage (if I am lucky) and get to my hotel room which will be stocked with a small refrigerator "if one is available."
4. At approximately 6:33PM on 9/15/07 I unzipped said lunch bag, unlocked said container, and submerged my trusty yogurt thermometer into said water.
5. The result?
6. A passable 40 degrees Fahrenheit

After all, passable is all I am really looking for folks. Now grant it 40 degrees is the highest the temperature should rise to ensure the safety of the food but I am feeling pretty comfortable that I will be able to get there within 10 hours. After all, how often do planes get delayed in this day and age (gulp).

Breakfast- Organic SCD yogurt with strawberries, raspberries, and honey
Lunch- Chicken "noodle" soup (from the ice box) with added spinach and Parmesan cheese
Snack- Fuji apple (I got hooked on these after reading Mike Simmon's FLOG
Dinner- Wild king salmon with dill, organic spinach cooked in chicken broth (homemade) and crushed garlic

PICTURE- Tonight's Dinner of salmon & spinach