29x12 - Technological Corks, Zinc Gutters, Traditional Basque Ham, Chisteras

[bunniefuu]

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Narrator: many wine makers
these days are opting

To seal their bottles
with technological corks.

These are stoppers
made of molded particles

Of natural cork

Which have undergone
a purification treatment

To remove the t.c.a. Molecule
and other contaminants,

Which can give wine
a musty odor.

Technological corks
look very much

Like the traditional stoppers

That are cut and shaped
from a solid piece of cork.

These two are made
of natural cork,

Only very differently.

Cork is the bark
of the cork oak tree.

Once the tree reaches
the age of 25,

It can be harvested for its bark
once every decade or so.

A specialized worker makes
cuts in the bark with an ax

Using a very specific technique

That doesn't harm the tree.

Using the handle of the ax,
he gently pries off the bark.

A cork oak typically lives
for 300 years

And can be harvested
up to 15 times.

Upon receiving planks of cork
from the supplier,

The technological cork factory
breaks them into small pieces...

...then grinds those pieces
into granules,

And then stores them
in huge bags.

The first step is to empty
the bags into silos

That feed
the purification equipment.

The machines, which purify
the cork granules,

Are giant autoclaves.

Workers fill each one
with a ton of granules.

Then they start up a compressor,

Which simultaneously heats
and pressurizes carbon dioxide

That then transforms into
a semiliquid gas

Called supercritical co2,

Which is an environmentally
friendly solvent.

They inject the supercritical
co2 into the autoclave

And wash the granules in it
for 3 hours.

The factory's in-house
laboratory then analyzes

And compares pre-
and postpurification samples

Drawn from each batch

To ensure there are
no offending molecules

Remaining after treatment.

A technician uses the technique
of gas chromatography

To separate molecules
by their size and structure,

Then the technique
of mass spectrometry

To measure the electrical signal
that each molecule emits.

The type of signal
identifies the type of molecule.

The signal strength
indicates its quantity.

Once the batch gets
the green light from the lab,

The manufacturer mixes it
with a food-safe binding agent

And transfers the batch
to the molding line.

The molding machine is
computer-controlled

To automatically adjust
the molds

To the dimensions of
the stopper being produced.

The machine pours the cork mix
into the molds,

Which then go into an oven
for a few minutes.

The ingredients bake into
a solid stopper

With just the right degree
of elasticity.

Every stopper made in the same
mold shape is identical,

But no two stoppers cut
from the whole pieces of cork

Are ever the same because cork
has natural variations.

This is merely the cork's
preliminary shape.

A computer-guided
machining center refines them

To exactly the shape ordered.

After finalizing the dimensions,

The machine chamfers
one or both ends.

A chamfer is a beveled edge
that makes it easier

To insert the cork
into the bottle.

Every cork then passes
in front of a camera,

Which detects any defects.

This machine conducts
a permeability test

On a few samples from each batch

To measure how much oxygen
flows past the cork

When it's in position
in the bottle.

The corks are usually
custom-marked

For a specific winery.

Some wineries order a model
that looks more like

A traditional stopper
cut from a solid piece of cork.

That type requires a couple of
extra production steps.

A branding stamp
burns lines on the top.

Then a computer-guided laser
burns a pattern

Around the side of the stopper

To mimic the texture
of natural cork.

The last step is to brand
the winery-specific words

And images.

The cork goes from ground
cork bark to a finished stopper

And then to a final
visual inspection

Before being shipped out
to the winery.

The cork granules are stabilized
by a binding agent

And molded to a custom shape
to block more or less oxygen

According to the winemaker's
specifications.

Some wines require
a completely airtight seal

While others require a certain
degree of air penetration

To mature further
after bottling.

♪♪

Narrator:
zinc gutters drain rainwater

And, in the process,

Develop a natural resistance
to corrosion.

When zinc is exposed
to wet and dry cycles,

A chemical reaction occurs,

Forming a protective patina
on its surface,

No paint
or special treatment needed.

You can't stop the rain,

But you can stop it
from damaging buildings

And their foundations.

These u-shaped zinc gutters
funnel water

Away from the structures
to keep them dry.

The process starts
with the production

Of these 46-ton coils of zinc.

The zinc arrives at the factory
in the form of thick plates.

These plates are almost


The plates drop into a furnace.

Inside, the temperature reaches


Workers add a bit
of copper and titanium

To reinforce the zinc,

And it melts into
a h*m* liquid.

The molten zinc then flows into
a trough-style conveyor system.

Residues, like ashes, float
to the top of the metal soup,

And a worker skims them off.

A floating puck monitors

The speed and depth
of the zinc blend

To prevent overflow.

The molten zinc now arrives
at the casting machine.

Here,


And once linear,
the zinc flows onto it.

The steel acts as a mold
to form the zinc

Into a long rigid sheet.

Water flows onto the zinc
to accelerate cooling

And solidification.

Since water and liquid zinc
don't mix,

The water simply
runs off the surface.

Now solid, the zinc plate
is almost 1/3 of an inch thick,

Far too thick for making
lightweight rain gutters.

The next operation will thin
the plate down dramatically.

This is a powerful rolling mill.

The pressure on its rollers
is so great

That they often must
be replaced.

Once the new rollers
have been loaded,

The mill heats them up.

The operator
activates the rollers.

As they revolve, the hot rollers
exert 770 tons of pressure

To iron the zinc much thinner.

Meanwhile, just ahead,

A steel belt tensioning system
swings into action.

This system prevents slackening
in the zinc sheet

As it exits the rolling mill
and moves forward.

You can see the difference
the rolling has made.

It has reduced the thickness
of the zinc sheet

To about 3/4 of a millimeter.

The steel-belt system maintains
the tension in the zinc sheet

As it's wound around a core.

This produces
the 46-ton coil of zinc.

It's known as the mother coil.

Approximately 25 miles
of rain gutters

Can be made from this coil.

Workers slit the mother coil
into three.

Each coil is a foot wide.

It is now the correct width
to be formed into rain gutters.

A crane lifts one of
the narrower coils

Over the factory floor.

Its journey is guided
by the operator below.

This puts it in position to be
mounted to the next machine,

One that will cut it into
uniform 13-foot-long strips.

That's the standard length
for the rain gutters.

As the zinc uncoils,
an overhead mirror

Provides a top view
for the operator.

In quick swoops, the blade
slices the zinc sheeting

To the correct length.

The zinc strips
then travel through

A progressively narrow channel

And over a cylinder.

This rounds the profile.

More rollers improve
on the u-shape

And also curl the edges of
the gutters to reinforce them.

This gives the zinc rain gutters
their final shape.

The automated profiler ejects
the 13-foot-long gutters

Onto a rounded rack.

Then it tips
to stack the gutters

Neatly on top of each other.

These zinc rain gutters
are ready to hang.

On site, they'll
be welded together

And attached to the roof
with special hooks.

They should come in handy
on a rainy day.

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♪♪

Narrator:
the french basque country

Is, culturally, quite distinct
from the rest of france.

Located in the southwest,
bordering spain,

The region is known,
among other things, for its ham,

Which is salted and air-cured
in an old tradition,

Passed down through generations
of basque farmers.

There are several types
of traditional basque ham.

This one, called kintoa,
is marbled with fat

And has a deep,
strong, fruity flavor.

Its distinct taste
and composition

Begin with
a specific breed of pig,

The basque country piebald,
referring to the animal's skin.

This pig breed is native
to the basque region

Where livestock are raised
on small farms

In the valleys
of the pyrenees mountains.

Unlike
commercially farmed animals,

The female pigs have small
litters of six to nine piglets,

Which grow up roaming
and grazing

Along the vast mountainsides

On an average of 2 acres of land
per 30 piglets.

As a result of
this free-range rearing,

The pigs grow more slowly

And become heavier
than commercially farmed pigs.

Once the animals reach a weight
of about 330 pounds,

Which usually takes a year
to 15 months,

They go to the slaughterhouse.

Each carcass is stamped
with an identification number.

Traditional ham is made
from the hind legs.

After tagging the leg,
a worker places it in a machine,

Which brands the kintoa symbol
into the flesh.

Then another worker spreads
dry salt on the exposed portion.

The salt comes from
salies-de-béarn,

A saltwater spring in a basin

Bordered by
the pyrenees mountains,

The adour river,
and the atlantic ocean.

Workers leave the salted ham
in a cold, damp room

For 1 day per every 2 pounds,

Typically about 15 days per ham.

The salt preserves the meat.

Next, the ham undergoes
a first dry curing.

It hangs on
a stainless-steel rack

In a temperature and humidity
controlled room for 7 months.

When the ham comes
out of the room,

It has lost about 20% of
its original weight

Because most of the moisture
has evaporated.

A worker brushes off
the surface...

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...and coats the exposed part
of the ham with a special grease

That's made out of pig's
kidneys, rice flour, and water.

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This grease prevents the surface
from drying out

And crusting during
the second dry curing.

The ham now goes into
a second drying room,

Which dries the ham
in the open air,

Taking advantage of this
particular geographic location.

A warm southern wind from spain

And humid air from
the atlantic ocean to the west

Blow into the room
through windows.

Nature does all the work.

Humans merely regulate
the airflow and humidity

By lifting
or lowering the blinds.

In this room, the ham hangs

From a wooden rather than
stainless-steel rack.

That's because the wood
absorbs excess humidity

And transfers moisture
to the meat

If the air gets too dry.

As the ham dries,
its flavor concentrates.

The charcutier,
an artisanal pork butcher,

Inspects every ham carefully.

The wind that dries the ham
carries pollen

And other natural particles,

Which give this ham
a distinct flavor and fragrance.

The secret is slow curing

Until the ham reaches
optimal maturity.

That takes approximately


So the ham remains
in the second drying room

For more than a year.

When the cured ham is ready,

Workers sprinkle it
with espelette pepper,

A mildly hot pepper from
the northern basque country.

This gives the ham a fragrance
that's as appetizing

As its taste.

♪♪

Narrator:
the ancient basque sport
of pelota, or jai alai,

Can be played with a paddle,
a racket, just your hands,

Or with a specially
made wicker scoop

Called a chistera,

Which helps propel a ball
at lightning speeds,

Making the sport

One of the fastest ball games
in the world.

The chistera was an innovation
of the mid-19th century.

Ever since then, making
chisteras has been the domain

Of a few specialized artisans.

The family-owned workshop
and all the tools it contains

For making chisteras

Has been passed on
from father to son since 1887.

In use for more than 100 years,
these tools still work.

The great grandson
of the workshop's founder

Uses an old plane

And clamping bench to shape
a curved piece of chestnut.

He clamps one end in a vice
and uses a modern drill

To round the tip
before rubbing on a little wax

To help fit a crosspiece.

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To prepare for the next phase,
he smoothes the surfaces

With some fine-grit sandpaper.

It's now time for him
to create the substructure

Of the chistera.

He starts by clamping
the frame onto a mold.

He gauges the curve
of the side ribs

And uses steam to adjust them.

He's used plaster to
patch the mold

Where it's been worn down

By more than 100 years
of constant use.

Then he moves on
to the bottom ribs,

Which he carefully shapes
and trims to length.

Each chistera is completely
bespoke -- that is,

Made to order for
the individual pelota players.

This means each chistera
will differ slightly

To meet the needs of its owner.

That's why the artisan
must take care

To ensure all the dimensions
are correct.

He attaches lengths
of elastic strapping to the mold

To hold the ribs in place
as he works.

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Ribs give a chistera its shape,

But they're not strong enough
by themselves.

They need to be woven

With wicker made from
willow heartwood.

The artisan prepares the wicker
with tools

Designed to shave it down
to the required dimensions.

He then turns the chistera
over to his uncle,

A specialist in wicker wood.

There are two different sizes
of chistera.

For a small one,

It takes a specialist
roughly 9 hours to weave.

For a big one like this,
it takes about 14 hours.

In the game of pelota,

The small hard ball travels
at incredible speeds.

In fact, the guinness book
of world records

Reports a pelota ball
clocked at 188 miles per hour.

Speeds like that could cause
some serious damage.

Here, the artisan rolls
and sews leather padding

Designed to protect
the player's hands from injury.

Once he's made the padding
components,

He sews them onto the chistera,
positioning them where needed.

This leatherwork phase alone
takes about 2 hours to complete.

He now cuts out the shape
required for the glove portion

Of the chistera,

Then slices the outlines
for the individual fingers.

True to form,
even the sewing machine

Is an antique original.

It may be old,
but this well-built machine

Can still do the job of sewing
the leather to a layer of cloth,

Which is specially formulated
to wick away sweat.

To attach the glove
to the wicker scoop,

The artisan must set aside
the sewing machine

And complete this step
the old-fashioned way

By carefully sewing
the components together by hand.

He then trims off any excess
material with a pair of scissors

And inserts his hand
into the glove.

This makes it easier for him
to complete the final step

Of attaching a handy loop.

Preserving a tradition
of handcrafted excellence,

The finished chistera
is a work of artisanal art.

That helps make pelota one of
the fastest games in the world.

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