Tare (noun)- the weight of a container or wrapper that is deducted from the gross weight to obtain net weight
(verb)- to weigh in order to calculate the amount of tare
Both a blessing and a curse, the bulk snack section at the cafeteria at work will be part of my morning routine for the foreseeable future. Two of my favorites are Sweet Caroline (sesame sticks, peanuts, almonds, and banana chips) and Berry Good (walnuts, almonds, pineapple, golden raisin, blueberries, cranberries, and cherries). Occasionally I mix in some Mango Tango (cashews, pumpkin seeds, chili & lime noodles, and mangoes). I find the combination of salty and sweet and spicy addictively delicious. The nut and fruit mixes satisfy my predictable munchiness as 10 AM or 3 PM rolls around.
I use the self-checkout counter to weigh my snack. The “T” button on the digital scale stands for tare. It resets the zero of the scale display when an empty container is placed on the weighing platform. Subsequently when the entire object is put on the scale, the display shows the weight of the content alone. I’ve definitely performed these steps in a science lab class, but I didn’t know the term for it. The plastic bag is so light that I never bother to tare the balance first.
The trip to the cafeteria for a snack usually concludes with me touching hands with Sweet Caroline, reaching in.. and singing in my head “So good! So good!”
UPDATE: An inspired reader suggested that you can easily make spicy pretzel and nut mix yourself. Perfect for this time of year!
Sweet Carolina will forever take me back to the winter dance in the bubble. DJ Pub Safe.