Mixing Opposites

Take a mixture of pineapple (include the crushed fruit if you want), ketchup (catsup if you prefer), apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and sugar. Add some cornstarch to make it thicker and the result is a wonderful sweet and sour sauce that can be made into any number of delicious entrees. I’m not a fan of the Chinese Communist Party but if there is a real General Tso, then he has my admiration. In this case, the opposing flavors go quite well together but there are many other examples where opposites mix well. Salt and pepper is another opposing culinary pair that we enjoy. Cats and dogs can live peacefully under the same roof. Saints and sinners often marry each other and as we know from the movie “The Odd Couple”, even slobs and neat freaks can find common ground. In the 1970s, one of the more important pairings of opposites occurred when a home’s furnace was combined with a compressor and indoor evaporator unit to form a complete unit that could warm the house in cold weather and keep it cool during hot summers. Central HVAC systems eventually became the norm, replacing a stand-alone furnace and one or more window AC units. The homeowner could now control the indoor climate with one thermostat that controlled both heating and cooling. The result was cleaner air, improved circulation, and reduced noise because the noisy compressor unit could be placed some distance away from where the house occupants were located. The future of HVAC is likely to include greater automation and smart controls, refrigerants that are more friendly to the environment, and more developments with geothermal energy. The only thing that will remain the same is the need for homes to be kept comfortable all year round.

New contractor