Tag Archives: Aztecs

The Colorful Past of Halloween Treats

tricktreat_Web

Lads, look at yourselves. Why are you, boy, wearing that Skull face? And you, boy, carrying a scythe, and you, lad, made up like a Witch? And you, you, you!” He thrust his bony finger at each mask. “You don’t know, do you? You just put on those faces and old mothball clothes and jump out, but you don’t really know, do you? – Ray Bradbury (The Halloween Tree)

Remember the sweet satisfaction of a pillowcase, paper bag or plastic pumpkin-head swelling with the weight of Halloween candy? Think of the candy bars, lollipops and bubble gum mingling together in the monstrous payload you’ve been waiting all year to collect and consume in one riotous night of excitement. It’s so exciting in fact, that you may never pause to ponder why on earth you do it. What happy trick of fate empowered you to don a disguise and march up to strange doorways demanding treats? Continue reading

Bon Appetit Wednesday! Popping Up Some Ancient Amaranth

Amaranthus_cruentus1

Image credit: Kurt Stüber [1] – caliban.mpiz-koeln.mpg.de/mavica/index.html part of http://www.biolib.de

Today’s recipe is for 5-Minute Amaranth Popcorn—a nutritional, gluten-free snack food to accompany a rousing ballgame or a family movie night. It’s so scrumptiously delicious it will fool even the most hard-core popcorn devotees! The best part about this recipe is that it features one of history’s greatest plants. Popularly referred to as a grain, amaranth is not actually a grain at all. It is a seed from a non-grass family of plants and is often grouped together with other pseudograins such as buckwheat and quinoa. It takes its name from the Greek word amarantos, which aptly means “one that does not whither” or “never fading.”[1] Continue reading

Bon Appetit Wednesday! Time to Break Out the Aztec Chocolate Caramel Popcorn

aztec popcornIt’s the end of January and that means National Popcorn Day is upon us! The actual date is contested with some sources saying it’s the 19th (last Sunday) and others claiming it falls on Super Bowl Sunday.  We’ve decided to compromise and celebrate right between these two dates. So whether you’re celebrating retroactively or preparing in advance for February 2nd, this Aztec Chocolate Caramel Popcorn is sure to please. Continue reading

Bon Appetit Wednesday! Savory Pre-Columbian Tamales With Black Beans

Image courtesy of Joel Luks.

Image courtesy of Joel Luks.

Did you know that tamales are not simply a delicious Mexican creation, but actually an ancient food staple?  Created by the Aztecs using maize, their most important food, tamales were often filled with beans that were second only to maize in dietary importance.  Other popular fillings included chilies, amaranth seeds, maize flowers, honey, beeswax, turkey, eggs and cherries.[1] Continue reading

Hot Fudge Sundae: A Dessert 5,000 Years in the Making

Ice_cream_sundaeIt’s July and the temperatures have been rising…and rising…and rising.   How about forgetting the heat with a scrumptious hot fudge sundae?  But before you dig in, let’s take a moment to appreciate the human ingenuity over five millenia that brought you the cooling cream and rich chocolate sauce of this very ancient confection. Continue reading

KIDS’ BLOG! Ancient People Loved Chewing Gum!

kid chewingWhat is your favorite flavor of chewing gum?  Whether it is spearmint, wintergreen, cinnamon or fruit flavored, chewing gum is one of the world’s most popular habits with nearly 100,000 tons consumed per year.  Gum seems like a very modern invention with its fun flavors, colors and special additives for energy, fresh breath, teeth whitening and more.  In fact, the oldest known piece of chewing gum dates back at least 5,000 years and was found by an archaeology student in Finland.[1]  It was a simple lump of birch bark tar that experts believe was chewed by Neolithic people to heal mouth infections. Continue reading

Gum Chewing: A 5,000 Year Old Habit

Girl Chewing Gum

Whether it is spearmint, wintergreen, cinnamon or fruit flavored, chewing gum is one of the world’s most ubiquitous habits with nearly 100,000 tons consumed per year. Gum seems like a very modern invention with its myriad of flavors, colors and special additives for energy, fresh breath, teeth whitening and more.  In fact, the oldest known piece of chewing gum dates back at least 5,000 years and was found by an archaeology student in Finland.[1]  It was a simple lump of birch bark tar that experts believe was chewed by Neolithic people to heal mouth infections. Continue reading