Both black and
green tea is harvested from an evergreen, tree-like shrub known as
camellia sinensis. Most likely originating in China, the camellia
sinensis is thought to have first been used to brew a medicinal
drink during the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC to 1046 BC). By the third
century BC, it had become a relatively popular drink using only the
leaves from this plant, rather than mixed with other things as was
common when used medicinally.
Leaves that are going to be used for black tea are allowed to
ferment, or oxidize, completely. The general process is to roll,
tear, or crush the leaves to help the oxidation process (similar to
why the inside of an apple turns brown when exposed to air). The
leaves are then dried out, sometimes in the sun or using machines.
As the leaves oxidize, they gradually turn from green to black.
Manufacturers create green tea by picking the leaves off the plant
and then heating them immediately. This is commonly done by pan
firing the leaves or steaming them. Heat stops the leaves from
oxidizing and allows them to maintain their green color.
Oolong tea is initially generally processed in the same way as black
tea, but is not allowed to oxidize for as long. Once the desired
oxidation level has been reached, which varies by type and
manufacturer (some oolong tea is closer to green tea, while others
are closer to black), the leaves are fired similar to green tea to
stop the oxidation process at that point.
White tea is made by picking the leaves and buds early in the year
while the bud is still closed. The leaves may be placed out to dry
in the sun or mechanically, and minimizing oxidation.
Highest tea consumption per person per year, as of 2014:
1 Turkey 6.87 kg (242 oz)
2 Morocco 4.34 kg (153 oz)
3 Ireland 3.22 kg (114 oz)
4 Mauritania (Africa) 3.22 kg (114 oz)
5 United Kingdom 2.74 kg (97 oz).
A cup of tea is generally six ounces.
May 15, 2015
Cell Phone History
First cell phone 1973 large commercial mobile
phone, first flip type mobile phone, 1G system, Nordic Mobile
Telephone was introduced in 1981, first 2g second generation
cell phone 1991, digital vs. analog first phone to phone text
1993, 1994 Simon smartphone could fax had stylus, touchscreen
color screen (never became a success).
In 1999, the Japanese firm NTT Docomo released the first smartphones to achieve mass adoption within a country, 2001 first 3g phone, 2007 first touch screen smartphone, 2009 first 4g phones. 5G phone development has yet to begin, but should arrive by 2020.
2g, 3g, etc., is for generation, and LTE is for Long Term Evolution (a specific type of 4g).
In 1999, the Japanese firm NTT Docomo released the first smartphones to achieve mass adoption within a country, 2001 first 3g phone, 2007 first touch screen smartphone, 2009 first 4g phones. 5G phone development has yet to begin, but should arrive by 2020.
2g, 3g, etc., is for generation, and LTE is for Long Term Evolution (a specific type of 4g).
Other Words for Underwear
Knickers is actually
a standard word for underwear, mainly in Britain. "Knickers" derives
from "knickerbockers," or "loose-fitting short pants gathered at the
knee." Because the city's early Dutch settlers wore those pants,
"New Yorkers" became known as "Knickerbockers." The Knickerbockers,
more commonly "The Knicks" is the name of New York's NBA team.
In the 1500s, a corselet was something a soldier might wear, a piece of armor for the torso. The word comes from the French word for body. Several centuries later, the same word emerged and shortened to corset, to describe a combination of girdle and brassiere.
Drawers does not refer to where you store them, as in a chest of drawers. The word drawers has been used since the 16th century to refer to garments such as stockings, underpants, and pants. It comes from the verb draw used in the sense of pull, likely because you pull them up your legs.
The union suit gets its name by uniting the upper and lower pieces of underwear in one garment. Two-piece long johns are more common these days, and do not require a seat flap. Long johns are reputedly named after the late-19th-century heavyweight boxer John L. Sullivan, who wore a similar-looking garment in the ring. This explanation is uncertain and the true origin is unknown.
Singlet usually describes a sleeveless undershirt. It also refers to the one-piece suit a wrestler wears. It has only one thickness of cloth. A doublet is not underwear, but a lined jacket worn by men during the Renaissance.
In the 1500s, a corselet was something a soldier might wear, a piece of armor for the torso. The word comes from the French word for body. Several centuries later, the same word emerged and shortened to corset, to describe a combination of girdle and brassiere.
Drawers does not refer to where you store them, as in a chest of drawers. The word drawers has been used since the 16th century to refer to garments such as stockings, underpants, and pants. It comes from the verb draw used in the sense of pull, likely because you pull them up your legs.
The union suit gets its name by uniting the upper and lower pieces of underwear in one garment. Two-piece long johns are more common these days, and do not require a seat flap. Long johns are reputedly named after the late-19th-century heavyweight boxer John L. Sullivan, who wore a similar-looking garment in the ring. This explanation is uncertain and the true origin is unknown.
Singlet usually describes a sleeveless undershirt. It also refers to the one-piece suit a wrestler wears. It has only one thickness of cloth. A doublet is not underwear, but a lined jacket worn by men during the Renaissance.
Five Frozen Food Facts
Frozen foods do not require any added
preservatives to keep them safe and consumable, because microbes
cannot grow on food that is at a temperature less than 0°F. The
microbes do not die at that temperature, but they stop multiplying
and can come back as food is unfrozen.
Despite some old wives’ tales, freezing food does not remove any nutrients.
Freezer burn is just the result of air hitting frozen food and allowing the ice to sublimate; other color changes can be blamed on long freezing times or poor packaging. It might look gross, but if your frozen food has maintained a proper temperature, it is fine to eat.
Freezing food typically keeps items edible indefinitely, although taste and quality may diminish over time. Some items that stay tasty even after long freezes include uncooked game, poultry, and meat, which are still good after up to a year in the freezer.
Even though freezing food was used as a storage technique in cold weather climates for many years, it is believed it was first applied to industrial food sales sometime in the 1800s, when a Russian company froze a small quantity of duck and geese and shipped them to London. By 1899, the Baerselman Bros. company adapted frozen storage for their own Russia-to-England food shipping business, though they initially only operated during cold weather months. Birdseye fact here LINK.
Despite some old wives’ tales, freezing food does not remove any nutrients.
Freezer burn is just the result of air hitting frozen food and allowing the ice to sublimate; other color changes can be blamed on long freezing times or poor packaging. It might look gross, but if your frozen food has maintained a proper temperature, it is fine to eat.
Freezing food typically keeps items edible indefinitely, although taste and quality may diminish over time. Some items that stay tasty even after long freezes include uncooked game, poultry, and meat, which are still good after up to a year in the freezer.
Even though freezing food was used as a storage technique in cold weather climates for many years, it is believed it was first applied to industrial food sales sometime in the 1800s, when a Russian company froze a small quantity of duck and geese and shipped them to London. By 1899, the Baerselman Bros. company adapted frozen storage for their own Russia-to-England food shipping business, though they initially only operated during cold weather months. Birdseye fact here LINK.
Bacon Vitamins and Minerals
Bacon provides substantial
amounts of important, necessary vitamins and minerals our bodies
need to function healthfully. From bacon, we receive: 65% of our
Recommended Daily Intake of Thiamin (Vitamin B1) as well as 47% of
Niacin (Vitamin B3), 38% of Vitamin B12, 36% of Zinc, 24% of Vitamin
B6, 22% of Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), 22% of Phosphorus, 10% of
Pantothenate, 10% of Magnesium, 9% of Iron. The Protein to fat
balance in bacon is actually 4 to 1, which is one of the highest
protein to fat balances found in any meat, fish, or fowl.
I apologize ahead of time, but cannot get this silly diddy out of my head, bacon pancakes by Hugh Jackman, Wolverine LINK - and the original LINK.
I apologize ahead of time, but cannot get this silly diddy out of my head, bacon pancakes by Hugh Jackman, Wolverine LINK - and the original LINK.
Friday Quote
"I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals." Winston Churchill
May 8, 2015
Happy Friday
Don't reflect on the past, magnify the now.
I always magnify the fun of a Happy Friday!
I always magnify the fun of a Happy Friday!
International Battery
The battery has changed much
over the years, but the core principle is still the same. The
battery was invented during 1800, by Alessandro Volta (an Italian).
He called it the Voltaic Pile and was combined layers of copper,
zinc, and cardboard soaked in saltwater.
Almost early every stage in the evolution of the battery has come from a different country. An Englishman improved on Volta’s battery, a Frenchman developed the first rechargeable battery, and a Swede invented the nickel-cadmium battery. The only American influence came from Benjamin Franklin, who was the first person to use the word battery.
Almost early every stage in the evolution of the battery has come from a different country. An Englishman improved on Volta’s battery, a Frenchman developed the first rechargeable battery, and a Swede invented the nickel-cadmium battery. The only American influence came from Benjamin Franklin, who was the first person to use the word battery.
Bacon, Pancetta, and Prosciutto
Bacon and pancetta have the
most in common. They are both typically made from pork belly and
both are cured for a certain length of time. Both are also
considered raw and need to be cooked before eating.
The process for making the two is slightly different. Pancetta is simply cured with salt, but spices and other aromatics are often added to infuse the pancetta with other flavors. Pancetta is sometimes sold sliced paper thin, or cubed. The thin slices can be wrapped around vegetables or meat before cooking. The pancetta cubes are often used like bacon, sautéed with onions or garlic to form the base of a soup, pasta, or risotto.
Bacon is also cured, like pancetta, but the meat is smoked after it has been cured. This is usually a cold-smoking process, meaning that the bacon isn't actually heated or cooked during smoking and remains raw. Smoking can be done with a wide range of woods, from apple to maple, which each give their own distinctive flavors to the meat.
So pancetta is cured and unsmoked, while bacon is cured and smoked, but both need to be cooked before being eaten. They can be used interchangeably in dishes.
Prosciutto is very different from either bacon or pancetta. Prosciutto is made from the hind leg of a pig (ie, the ham), and outside Italy, calling it prosciutto indicates a ham that has been cured.
The quality of prosciutto depends on the curing process. The outside of the ham is usually rubbed with just salt and sometimes a mix of spices. This draws out moisture and concentrates the flavor while the ham slowly air-dries. This process can take from a few months to a several years depending on the desired result. Once cured, prosciutto is usually thinly sliced and eaten as is, uncooked. Sometimes prosciutto gets lightly cooked as a finishing touch to a pasta sauce or other dish, but this is more to bring out the aroma and merge flavors.
The process for making the two is slightly different. Pancetta is simply cured with salt, but spices and other aromatics are often added to infuse the pancetta with other flavors. Pancetta is sometimes sold sliced paper thin, or cubed. The thin slices can be wrapped around vegetables or meat before cooking. The pancetta cubes are often used like bacon, sautéed with onions or garlic to form the base of a soup, pasta, or risotto.
Bacon is also cured, like pancetta, but the meat is smoked after it has been cured. This is usually a cold-smoking process, meaning that the bacon isn't actually heated or cooked during smoking and remains raw. Smoking can be done with a wide range of woods, from apple to maple, which each give their own distinctive flavors to the meat.
So pancetta is cured and unsmoked, while bacon is cured and smoked, but both need to be cooked before being eaten. They can be used interchangeably in dishes.
Prosciutto is very different from either bacon or pancetta. Prosciutto is made from the hind leg of a pig (ie, the ham), and outside Italy, calling it prosciutto indicates a ham that has been cured.
The quality of prosciutto depends on the curing process. The outside of the ham is usually rubbed with just salt and sometimes a mix of spices. This draws out moisture and concentrates the flavor while the ham slowly air-dries. This process can take from a few months to a several years depending on the desired result. Once cured, prosciutto is usually thinly sliced and eaten as is, uncooked. Sometimes prosciutto gets lightly cooked as a finishing touch to a pasta sauce or other dish, but this is more to bring out the aroma and merge flavors.
Longer Days
The earth is gradually slowing down. Every few
years, an extra second is added to make up for lost time. Millions
of years ago, a day on Earth would have been only 20 hours long. It
is believed that, in another million years time, a day on Earth will
be 27 hours long.
Wallet vs. Billfold
The word 'wallet' has been in use since
the late 14th century to refer to a bag or a knapsack for carrying
articles.
A billfold is a type of wallet carried by a man that folds over. Billfold is one of those practical words that describe the function, as folding bills. It is like the kitchen cupboard, which was originally a wall attached board used to store cups and plates.
Americans call their paper money bills, even though they are really Federal Reserve Notes. Other English speaking countries call them notes.
Although billfold and wallet are used interchangeably, it is now more common to use wallet. Technically, a wallet is the type women usually carry in their purse. It has a long section where they can put money without folding it
Wallets were developed after the introduction of paper currency to the West in the 1600s. The first paper currency was introduced in the New World by the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1690. Prior to the introduction of paper currency, coin purses, usually simple drawstring leather pouches, were used for storing coins. Early wallets were made primarily of cow or horse leather and included a small pouch for printed calling cards.
During the 1800s, in addition to money or currency, a wallet would also be used for carrying dried meat, victuals, treasures, and "things not to be exposed". Wallets originally were used by early industrial Americans. It was considered semi-civilized in 19th century America to carry a wallet attached to the belt.
Incidentally, 'share of wallet' is a marketing measurement for the proportion of money the customer spends on a product brand in preference to the competing brands.
Bottom line, all billfolds are wallets, but not all wallets are billfolds.
A billfold is a type of wallet carried by a man that folds over. Billfold is one of those practical words that describe the function, as folding bills. It is like the kitchen cupboard, which was originally a wall attached board used to store cups and plates.
Americans call their paper money bills, even though they are really Federal Reserve Notes. Other English speaking countries call them notes.
Although billfold and wallet are used interchangeably, it is now more common to use wallet. Technically, a wallet is the type women usually carry in their purse. It has a long section where they can put money without folding it
Wallets were developed after the introduction of paper currency to the West in the 1600s. The first paper currency was introduced in the New World by the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1690. Prior to the introduction of paper currency, coin purses, usually simple drawstring leather pouches, were used for storing coins. Early wallets were made primarily of cow or horse leather and included a small pouch for printed calling cards.
During the 1800s, in addition to money or currency, a wallet would also be used for carrying dried meat, victuals, treasures, and "things not to be exposed". Wallets originally were used by early industrial Americans. It was considered semi-civilized in 19th century America to carry a wallet attached to the belt.
Incidentally, 'share of wallet' is a marketing measurement for the proportion of money the customer spends on a product brand in preference to the competing brands.
Bottom line, all billfolds are wallets, but not all wallets are billfolds.
Cancer and Sex
A man is 35% more likely to be diagnosed
with prostate cancer than a woman is to be diagnosed with breast
cancer.
Sriracha Sauce
Rooster sauce, as it is also known has
around since the 1980s. During the early 1980’s, David Tran
immigrated to the United States from Vietnam and settled in Los
Angeles. He was unable to find a hot sauce that he liked and began
making his own. His recipe was modeled and named after the local hot
sauces in Sri Racha, Thailand.
He began selling the sauce out of the back of his van and as the popularity of the sauce grew. Huy Fong Foods grew swiftly and today over ten million bottles of Huy Fong Foods Sriracha Sauce are sold every year.
The bright red, multi-purpose hot sauce is made from red chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, salt, and sugar. The sauce is hot and tangy with just a hint of sweetness. The flavor is unique, addictive, and very versatile.
Sriracha sauce is often served as a condiment in Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinese restaurants throughout the United States. The most popular brand is manufactured in the US by Huy Fong Foods, which is owned by Tran.
He began selling the sauce out of the back of his van and as the popularity of the sauce grew. Huy Fong Foods grew swiftly and today over ten million bottles of Huy Fong Foods Sriracha Sauce are sold every year.
The bright red, multi-purpose hot sauce is made from red chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, salt, and sugar. The sauce is hot and tangy with just a hint of sweetness. The flavor is unique, addictive, and very versatile.
Sriracha sauce is often served as a condiment in Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinese restaurants throughout the United States. The most popular brand is manufactured in the US by Huy Fong Foods, which is owned by Tran.
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