IBM's Watson computer creates surprisingly delicious BBQ sauce

[Bosonic]

IBM's Watson computer creates surprisingly delicious BBQ sauce

From beating Ken Jennings himself at Jeopardy to helping researchers improve cancer treatments, IBM's Watson supercomputer has racked up an impressive list of accomplishments in recent years.

Watson has proven itself highly intelligent (albeit artificially) when it comes to analyzing natural language and retrieving information, but its latest undertaking is prompting many to beg the question: can a computer actually be creative?

In an effort to demonstrate its "cognitive cooking" technology, IBM researchers recently gave Watson the task of creating its own barbecue sauce from scratch.

Using data sourced by IBM engineers who examined thousands of flavour compounds at the molecular level, along with nutritional data from the FDA, Watson was able to produce what it determined to be a pleasant combination of unlikely ingredients.

...

The resulting "Bengali Butternut BBQ Sauce," a combination of ingredients that includes white wine, butternut squash, tamarind, dates, thai chiles and "and a dozen more ingredients that have never before been slathered together on a chicken wing" according to IBM, is being hailed as "delicious" by nearly everyone who's reviewed it online to date.

http://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/yourcommunity/2014/06/ibms-watson-computer-creates-surprisingly-delicious-bbq-sauce.html

[Bosonic]

1. Recipe

Bengali Butternut BBQ Sauce

Approximate Yield: 550g

300g butternut squash, diced
200g white wine
100g rice vinegar
50g butter, unsalted
50g dates, pitted and chopped
40g water
10g chili paste (Sriracha)
10g Meyer lemon juice
6g molasses
5g tamarind concentrate
5g coriander leaves
5g salt, to taste
4g soy sauce
3g mustard seed
3g turmeric, fresh, thinly sliced
2g Thai chili
2g Meyer lemon zest, grated
0.4g cardamom, ground

1. Gently sweat the squash in the butter over medium low heat until softened, approximately 5-10 minutes.

2. Add the vinegar, tamarind, water, wine, chili paste, and soy; bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Add the dates, chili, mustard seed, turmeric, and cardamom. Continue to simmer and reduce to roughly 250g, for about 20 minutes.

3. Remove from heat; add the coriander leaves and lemon zest. Blend to a very smooth consistency and cool.

4. Season the mixture with salt, lemon juice, and molasses. Chill.

http://ibmblr.tumblr.com/post/87933225530/pass-the-computerized-condiment-please-look

[MADem]

3. It sounds really, really good, actually. nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. "One of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation creations is the NutriMatic Drink Dispenser. ...

... One of which has just provided Arthur Dent with a plastic cup filled with a liquid which is almost - but not quite - entirely unlike tea.

(NutriMatic dispenser noises)

ARTHUR:
Ah. (Takes a sip) Yeugh!! (Spits out liquid)

NARRATOR:
The way it works is very interesting. When the ‘Drink’ button is pressed it makes an instant, but highly-detailed, examination of the subject’s taste buds, a spectroscopic analysis of the subject’s metabolism, and then sends tiny experimental signals down the neural pathways to the taste centres of the subject’s brain, to see what is likely to be well received. However, no one knows quite why it does this, because it then invariably delivers a cup-full of liquid that is almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea.

ARTHUR:
I mean what is the point?

NUTRIMATIC DRINK DISPENSER:
Nutrition and pleasurable sense data. Share and enjoy!

ARTHUR:
Listen, you stupid machine. It tastes filthy! Here take this cup back!

(He throws cup at NutriMatic)

NUTRIMATIC DRINK DISPENSER:
If you have enjoyed the experience of this drink, why not share it with your friends?

ARTHUR:
Because I want to keep them! Will you try and comprehend what I’m telling you? That drink -

NUTRIMATIC DRINK DISPENSER:
…that drink was individually tailored to meet your personal requirements for nutrition and pleasure

ARTHUR:
Ah! So I’m a masochist on a diet, am I?!

http://www.clivebanks.co.uk/THHGTTG/THHGTTGradio9.htm