Posted by dan_staley USDA 5/S 2b (My Page) on Tue, Mar 10, 09 at 12:07 I agree, j, that some of the crops may not need that much N, but how is sodium nitrate not "organic" or "natural"? Is NaNO3 a petrochemical fertilizer manufactured via the energy-intensive Haber process, or is it a naturally-occurring mineral? Dan It's mined from what I understand. It's naturally occuring, and has been used for millenia. It's also known as Chilean saltpetre.

Soda cartridges are not threaded. There is a capsule that fits over the cartridge and that in turn threads against the bottle, pushing the cartridge down, breaking its seal, and charging the bottle. They are normal C02 cartridges, unthreaded. They haven't changed in decades.

We have one and use it daily. We like it less fizzy and add our own fresh juice. I like it with grapefruit fresh squeezed, think Fresca. Much cheaper than buying canned or bottled and no more cans in the recycling. Our local store has the cartridges and they last forever. I works best if you chill the filled bottles in the fridge first. We have three in constant rotation. We put a thick small rubber band around the necks when a couple are -fizzed- so we know which one to pull out. We don't like sugared sodas so works for us. Some friends kids visiting had a blast experimenting and making their own beverages. Use honey or maple syrup and experiment. Just found a second on at a yardsale for our vacation home.

I would probably drink the beer or have a glass or more of the wine, while it is cooling. Just a thought. :) I can remember angel food cakes cooling on those tall Coke bottles-I was always astounded that they never fell out of the pan while cooling. And I always thought there must be some kind of "magic" involved with getting it out of the pan, if it wouldn't fall while cooling. I have never attempted an angel food cake, but I remember my Mom, Grandma and aunts baking them. Yummy!