A fascinating article in Der Spiegel suggests that it was. New research has revealed that agriculture came to Europe amid a wave of immigration from the Middle East during the Neolithic period. The newcomers won out over the locals because of their sophisticated culture, mastery of agriculture — and their miracle food, milk. . .… Continue reading Was milk at the root of Western civilization?
Tag: Food and Drink
‘Sea bacon’, perhaps?
Ever heard of ‘sea pigs’? I hadn’t, until I read this article at Planet Oddity. To the common man sea pigs may look like sea creatures produced from a cross between a pig and a slug. To some others it appears to be human fingers growing out of the creature’s mouth. But scientifically, these ugly… Continue reading ‘Sea bacon’, perhaps?
200 years of Oktoberfest!
The annual Oktoberfest has kicked off in Bavaria with more than the usual pomp, ceremony and oompah. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the event, which began in 1810. To commemorate the occasion, the festival’s been extended for two days, and historical reconstructions of old-fashioned beer tents have been set up to wow the… Continue reading 200 years of Oktoberfest!
Doofus Of The Day #391
Today’s winner is from South Carolina. It seems a woman and her partner were lying in bed. She was eating pig’s feet at the time. (Hot to trot-ter, perhaps?) Anyway, she was apparently using a knife to dig out the best parts (!), and accidentally cut her partner’s arm. Police are investigating, but have made… Continue reading Doofus Of The Day #391
Two lip-licking records!
This weekend has seen two chocolate records broken. In New Zealand, confectioners Bullrush Chocolates set a new record for the longest bar of chocolate ever made. The Dominion Post reports: From midnight on Friday to this afternoon, BullRush Handmade Chocolates, of Ashburton, made a 14.58-metre-long [almost 48-foot-long] chocolate bar. It sets a new Guiness World… Continue reading Two lip-licking records!
I wonder how much swapping goes on?
The New York Times has published an interesting comparison of ration packs carried by several different armed forces currently serving in the Coalition in Afghanistan. Click on the link, then click on each individual ration pack for a view of what’s inside it. For example, here’s the South Korean ration: It contains “sautéed kimchi, ham… Continue reading I wonder how much swapping goes on?
Hot stuff indeed!
Reader Bryn S. from Wales e-mailed me with a link to this report. Thanks, Bryn! A British firm has claimed the world’s hottest chilli pepper crown, a fearsome beast clocking 1,176,182 on the Scoville scale. Fire Foods of Lincolnshire is responsible for cultivating the Infinity Chilli, which tests at Warwick University confirmed as the planet’s… Continue reading Hot stuff indeed!
That’s the biggest goldfish I’ve ever seen!
An angler in France has made quite a catch. The orange koi carp weighs 30lb – the same as an average three-year-old girl – and is thought to be one of the largest of its kind ever captured. It took Raphael Biagini ten minutes to reel the creature out of a lake in the south… Continue reading That’s the biggest goldfish I’ve ever seen!
Chicken nuggets, anyone?
To my utter disgust, this video shows a teacher explaining to schoolkids how the various parts of a chicken are used . . . including a graphic demonstration of precisely how chicken nuggets are made. After watching that, I’m certainly never ordering chicken nuggets again! Peter
“The drink of angels and hairy Scotsmen”
I couldn’t resist making that quote the title of this blog post. It’s from an article in the Guardian that provides a great deal of information as to how whisky is made. Here’s a brief extract. If you are lucky enough to be reading this with a glass of whisky in your hand then take… Continue reading “The drink of angels and hairy Scotsmen”