Grape Racing

So... I posted a question on Facebook for Mer about our college grape racing episode. Someone else asked what it was and I thought I should explain. Besides it's an excuse to post to my sorely under utilized blog.

The theory goes like this. Microwaves heat water. Heat turns water into Steam. Steam expands. Steam coming out of a hole makes a jet. Grapes have a hole where the stem came out. Combine all that and you get Grape Racing. You and your friends get some grapes, mark them and put them in the center of a microwave with the holes pointed in. Then set the microwave for 2-3 minutes and see whose grape jets the furthest.

What I know now, after watching Food Detectives last week, is that there is enough sugar in Grapes that you shouldn't microwave them. Apparently they can catch fire. Who knew?!? (I know... I know... leading question)

The reason I was asking Mer is that when she, I and Greg tried it in college things went... not so well. (remember that leading question?) What I DO remember is that at the exact same moment we started our race two things happened. The first was Merideth's roommate coming back in to the room. The second was a flash coming from the microwave.

The next thing that happened was Mer's roommate shouting something along the lines of "What are you doing to my microwave!". Suffice it to say I don't think she ever quite forgave us. (Maybe for the microwave... Maybe for the giggling and laughing that ensued... but not for being 'weird')

What I don't remember, being yelled at and all, was if the grapes actually caught fire or just flashed. Mer?