Browsing: Food

A Brief History On May 14, 2018, we celebrate another one of those goofy pseudo-holidays, this time National Dance Like a Chicken Day, a day in which we acknowledge the superiority of that wedding reception standby (along with the Hokey Pokey), the Chicken Dance. Of course, we must also delve into what chickens are and how they are important to us. Digging Deeper Long before there was a Chicken Dance, people kept Chickens not for food, but for entertainment. About 5000 years ago in Asia people started keeping the Red Junglefowl (perhaps crossbred with the Grey Junglefowl), the bird that…

A Brief History On May 5, 1862, the Mexican Army defeated the French Army at the Battle of the Puebla (Puebla City) during the Second French Intervention in Mexico, a marvelous victory for the Mexicans over a superior French force, a victory celebrated each year on May 5th, or in Español, Cinco de Mayo. Oddly enough, the Mexican celebration has been appropriated by Americans in the United States where it has become a bigger holiday for us Gringos than for Mexicans! Digging Deeper Mexico had been torn by one of their seemingly eternal civil wars which impoverished the country and…

A Brief History On March 28, 2018, we merrily celebrate yet another “National Day” with murky origins, but a day we embrace whole heartedly (as with most food related things!). The intent of putting something on a stick is to facilitate the eating of the stuff, or somehow enhance the eating experience. We do not refer to things on a stick such as signs, pin wheels, decorations and other non-edible items. Digging Deeper What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of food on a stick? Popsicles? Fudgesicles? Hot dogs? Shish-ke-bab? Let us share some…

A Brief History On January 30, 2018, we celebrate National Croissant Day in honor of that great “French” pastry roll prevalent among breakfast bars in hotels across the country. Flaky, buttery, soft and delicious, Croissants are great as they are, with butter and/or jelly, or as the basis for a light sandwich, including breakfast sandwiches (as Burger King so deftly demonstrates). For all the terrible things people say about bread and its supposedly negative impact on health, the fact is bread keeps people alive and has done so for centuries. Today we list 10 of our favorite types of bread…

A Brief History On December 31, 1759, Arthur Guinness contracted for a lease on four acres of land in Dublin, Ireland, where he promptly commenced to brewing Guinness dry stout beer, a now world famous brew.  The terms of the lease?  Only £45 per year for 9000 years!  Today, we commemorate this part of brewing history by listing what we think are the 10 Greatest Beers (ales, too) in the world today. Digging Deeper 1. Guinness Draught (Stout), Guinness, Ireland. Now owned by Diageo, a multi-national producer of alcoholic beverages (including whisky, vodka, and liquours, as well as brewed drinks and…