A sophisticated predator, nature's perfect killing machine, the vicious wolf stalks its prey with purpose and skill. It was only with years of selective breeding and genetic altering that this noble beast was transformed into man's subservient little buddy.

That definitely sounds like it has a name - but I wouldn't call a 90 day cook time practical for most people 😄

Not at 0.4659 atmospheres. Our friend here is somewhere in the Andes mountains, probably.

That's true - it can occur at lower temperatures, but there is a practical minimum temperature is there not? Is it lower than the boiling point of water at 1atm or does the explanation still hold true in the abstract?

Not quite ... liquid water can reach 212°C as long as there's at least 20 atmospheres of additional pressure on it.

At standard atmosphere though, adding more energy just speeds the vaporization. This makes water useful for controlling cooking - as long as liquid water exists in a pan, the temperature of the pan can't exceed the boiling temperature at your elevation.

There's a method of cooking bacon that submerges it in a little water. Bacon undergoes the maillard reaction (browning) at [a fast rate around] 300°F. As long as there is water in the pan, browning of the bacon will not occur. The fat, however, renders out at 140°F. So this method uses water to provide the energy to render out the fat safely delaying the maillard reaction until the water has all evaporated. The pan will then increase over ≈212°F very quickly, so best to be careful not to burn it.

I have found dairy expiration dates to be pretty accurate. Sell by is a mystery ... does it mean it'll be bad tomorrow? 3 days? A week?