2014/03/17 [Matilda #54] Friggerin' Pancakes

[Lorien077]

Seems it proves to be a bit of extraordinarily good news for Matilda that this group of adventurers are the kindly and/or responsible type.

Also this explains a lot, IIRC she's stated a dislike for pancakes before.  Anyone remember which strip?  Or have I gone mad with the green fever?

[Slacker Spice]

Seems it proves to be a bit of extraordinarily good news for Matilda that this group of adventurers are the kindly and/or responsible type.

Also this explains a lot, IIRC she's stated a dislike for pancakes before.  Anyone remember which strip?  Or have I gone mad with the green fever?

She did - here.

[Anri]

Yes, now the fear of pancake ferrets makes perfect sense!

[Icalasari]

I wonder what kind of reaction it was?

Was it similar to those suffering from malnutrition?

[ZacAttac21]

Yeah, I don't like Yellow Jungle Lizard pancakes either.

[tehbeefer]

Eight years later and the explanation I didn't think I'd get.  Nice. 

[Lorien077]

She did - here.

Thank you Slacker Spice!

I wonder what kind of reaction it was?

Was it similar to those suffering from malnutrition?

The way she called the pancakes 'acid covered' makes me wonder if perhaps her stomach's tender nature didn't take well to the mild acid that is maple syrup.  (Both it and corn syrup rank about a 5 on the pH scale, meaning somewhat acidic) 
Most definitely over-thinking that one though, its probably just being suddenly tossed in the deep end as far as ingesting solids.  (Which I think can be part of suddenly ingesting full on food when recovering from malnutrition?  I know that if someone is recovering from serious enough starvation you're supposed to start with broth and small bits of bread.)

[MT Hazard]

Anyone who had been really ill knows that you should start with simple foods, like toast. He seems to mean well  but as some one hopes to investigate another species and culture he really should have known better.

I'm petty sure that there are humans that would have a bad reaction to syrup covered pancakes if they had a simpler diet.

Translation begins

First line:
So we figure we got about one more week before (we?) need to pack up head back home
Enough time to get a few more samples and stuff.

Second line:  what? You don't look well Matilda

Third and fourth line:
Are you hungry? Here! Have some pancake!
I guess you haven't eaten anything since you got here.

[Mischa]

The way she called the pancakes 'acid covered' makes me wonder if perhaps her stomach's tender nature didn't take well to the mild acid that is maple syrup.  (Both it and corn syrup rank about a 5 on the pH scale, meaning somewhat acidic) 
Most definitely over-thinking that one though, its probably just being suddenly tossed in the deep end as far as ingesting solids.  (Which I think can be part of suddenly ingesting full on food when recovering from malnutrition?  I know that if someone is recovering from serious enough starvation you're supposed to start with broth and small bits of bread.)

I'm wondering if it's more of a biochemical reaction instead, and simply caused a 'burning sensation' much like one would associate with acid.  Given that Matilda grew up in a relatively harsh environment and apparently could eat crystals for nutrition, her stomach seems like it should be relatively durable... but one never knows with foreign proteins and such.

I remember reading a discussion once about the dangers of travelling into a 'mirror world' (such as in Alice Through The Looking Glass), due to the reversed chirality proteins that would be found in food there.  A glass of milk from a mirror world would likely be toxic to most humans...

[Tuyu]

The way she called the pancakes 'acid covered' makes me wonder if perhaps her stomach's tender nature didn't take well to the mild acid that is maple syrup.  (Both it and corn syrup rank about a 5 on the pH scale, meaning somewhat acidic)  
Most definitely over-thinking that one though, its probably just being suddenly tossed in the deep end as far as ingesting solids.  (Which I think can be part of suddenly ingesting full on food when recovering from malnutrition?  I know that if someone is recovering from serious enough starvation you're supposed to start with broth and small bits of bread.)

I'm wondering if it's more of a biochemical reaction instead, and simply caused a 'burning sensation' much like one would associate with acid.  Given that Matilda grew up in a relatively harsh environment and apparently could eat crystals for nutrition, her stomach seems like it should be relatively durable... but one never knows with foreign proteins and such.

The impression I've gotten from the story so far is that the crystals 'fed' Matty and her people directly, by proximity.

Between that and the liquid magic 'water', she's probably never experienced hunger before. If it weren't for he readiness to try the pancakes, it wouldn't surprise me if she'd never had solid food before.


OOh...second idea:  between absorbing from crystals and drinking liquid magic, Matty's body has never produced stomach acid before...

[joshofspam]

So Matilda might be able to eat pancakes, but her first experience with them was when her body wouldn't have been able to handle something so solid.

Mmmmmmmmmmm...Pancakes.

Edit: Still it's interesting to note that Matilda seems to be in a medical bed very similar to what they use now in hospitals here. It's also interesting to consider the likelyhood that others banished from their clans most likely survived after being cast out if they had similar problems.

[Masque]

Refeeding syndrome. Giving normal food to someone who has suffered starvation is bad.

Matilda wasn't truly starved, but her body had never dealt with solid food and she'd been away from the crystals for days.

[Lorien077]

Refeeding syndrome. Giving normal food to someone who has suffered starvation is bad.

Matilda wasn't truly starved, but her body had never dealt with solid food and she'd been away from the crystals for days.

Thank you Masque, thought that was a thing but had no idea what it was called.  Now we can read up properly~

[Brunhidden]

in addition to the act of giving food to someone who has not eaten 'in a really long time' are two other addons

1- matilda had expressed her favorite foods are 'flammable', her biochemistry is a good few steps to the left of normal, and the van diagram probably most overlaps with high proof alcohol. recall the sack lunch incident with the shroombunny?

2- this isn't just 'hasn't eaten in a long time' the concept that food goes into the mouth was so foreign to her that a rumble in her stomach is 'arrrg, there's a monster somewhere between my lung and my uterus!'  the idea that sensations from the mouth similar to tasting likely took her completely by surprise. in a Terry Pratchett Discworld novel one of the scenarios that occurred was a bunch of newly formed bodies (don't ask for explanations, you have read it or not) trying to take over a city find out that tasting or even smelling chocolate is such an intense sensory overload they die from shock- one of them was able to manage a mouthful of dry toast but that was equivalent to bungee jumping with your tongue


perhaps part of the fright was that syrup would be mildly flammable and sticky to the inside of the mouth? im unsure how much saliva she has, so a small flame sticking like peanut butter in a dogs mouth might have freaked her out too

[LionHeart]

in a Terry Pratchett Discworld novel one of the scenarios that occurred was a bunch of newly formed bodies (don't ask for explanations, you have read it or not) trying to take over a city find out that tasting or even smelling chocolate is such an intense sensory overload they die from shock- one of them was able to manage a mouthful of dry toast but that was equivalent to bungee jumping with your tongue

Thief of Time, for those curious.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

in a Terry Pratchett Discworld novel one of the scenarios that occurred was a bunch of newly formed bodies (don't ask for explanations, you have read it or not) trying to take over a city find out that tasting or even smelling chocolate is such an intense sensory overload they die from shock- one of them was able to manage a mouthful of dry toast but that was equivalent to bungee jumping with your tongue

Thief of Time, for those curious.

Odd. From that description, I would not have recognised it. And I _have_ read (several times) the book in question. Hrm.

[Attic Rat]

Interesting situation. I wonder if a few drops of cooking fat would have been a better choice.
If her body has been metabolizing its own fats, that might not be too far off--and it's flammable.
Still, we know she can handle alcohol. The problem might be getting enough of it. Alcohol is expensive.