An interesting secret of the Great Wall of China

I’m surprised (and amused) to find that a novel construction technique, used to build at least some parts of the Great Wall of China, has been rediscovered. The Daily Mail reports: The delicious ‘sticky rice’ that is a modern mainstay in Asian dishes was the secret behind an ancient Chinese super-strong mortar. Researchers also concluded… Continue reading An interesting secret of the Great Wall of China

The world’s oldest champagne is still drinkable – at a price!

Back in July I mentioned that the oldest known bottles of champagne had been recovered from a wreck beneath the Baltic Sea. Now a couple of them have been opened. Bloomberg reports: The Aaland authorities only discovered yesterday while recorking some of the bottles that they contained two varieties of Champagne: Veuve Clicquot and Juglar,… Continue reading The world’s oldest champagne is still drinkable – at a price!

Do you serve decaf with fish, or only with poultry?

I’m astonished to find out that there’s a new global trend to match various flavors and types of coffee with different dishes, just as one would do with wine. The Age reports from Australia: Coffee is the “new wine” and Australia is at the forefront of this growing global trend, matching specialty coffee with fine… Continue reading Do you serve decaf with fish, or only with poultry?

A drink to burn hairs off your chest?

I was intrigued to learn that the Motel Bar in Wellington, New Zealand, has brought back an historical tradition. The Atlantic reports: Centuries ago, British sailors supposedly used gunpowder to determine whether their daily tot had been watered down by an unscrupulous purser. Pursers were widely assumed to requisition a portion of official rum supplies… Continue reading A drink to burn hairs off your chest?

Two clever advertisements

These two video advertisements for Jamesons Irish whisky tickled my funny-bone. I don’t drink Irish whisky very often, but next time I go to the pub, I think I might have to invest in a glass of Jameson’s as a ‘thank you’ for the entertainment! Peter

Save the haggis, och aye!

Via Roberta X we learn that climate change is threatening the future of that famous food, the haggis. A vital ingredient to make the traditional Scottish dish is becoming increasingly hard to find: sheep lung. Many sheep have been infected with Lung Worm, which does not affect the rest of the sheep’s body, [but] does… Continue reading Save the haggis, och aye!