Chatelaine Poll
Where do Canadians stand in The Great Food Revolution? What new eating habits have we adopted?
To find out, CBC and Chatelaine conducted a nation-wide poll that revealed some fascinating insights.
The survey was conducted between December 5 – 12, 2008. 1,000 Canadians -representative of the population by gender, region, income and education – responded.
The results are considered accurate to within +/- 3.1 %, 95% of the time.
Did you know?
…that in Beijing, you can buy Scorpion kebabs? This treacherous snack is crisp on the outside and smooth in the middle.
…that in Southeast Asia, you can find Durian Fruit? It apparently smells like a rotting corpse.
…that in Sardinia, Italy,Casu Marzu Cheese is produced. It’s a Sheep’s milk cheese infested with insect larva. . You eat it by smearing it on bread, maggots and all.
…that also in Italy, tripe Meat is very popular. Beef tripe is made from the first three chambers of a cow’s stomach.
…that in Sumatra, perhaps the most expensive coffee can be found. It’s called Kopi Luwak and it’s made from brewing the undigested coffee beans found in the feces of the Asian Palm Civet ( a mammal that looks like a weasel). Some people pay as much as $50 per cup!
Source: http://shine.yahoo.com
Weird food trivia
A quarter of a raw potato placed in each shoe at night will keep the leather soft and the shoes smelling fresh and clean.
It takes, on average, 345 squirts from a cow’s udder to yield one gallon of milk.
There is no alcohol left in food that’s cooked with wine. The alcohol evaporates at 172 degrees Fahrenheit.
Honey is believed to be the only food that does not spoil. Honey found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs has been tasted by archaeologists and found to still be edible.
The white part of an egg is called the glair.
Foods Around the World
In Thailand, giant water bugs are served as a treat with chili and rice.
People in Ghana roast and make soup out of frogs that they catch in the wild.
Sheep heads are skinned, boiled and eaten in parts of the Mediterranean.
In 1931, canned rattlesnake went on sale in the U.S. It tastes like chicken.
Source: www.avivadirectory.com
The top 5 food consuming countries in the world
Denmark—3,780 calories consumed each day
Portugal—3, 650 calories consumed each day
Ireland—3,620 calories consumed each day
U.S—3,620 calories consumed each day
Greece—3,600 calories consumed each day
Based on a study done by the U.N Food and Agriculture Organization 1998.
Top 5 food myths revealed
Oysters are an aphrodisiac:
In fact, oysters don’t have a secret chemical agent that boosts your sex drive. They do they contain zinc which can help men a bit. But most people believe that oysters are a turn-on simply because they look like parts of the female anatomy. And everyone knows that libido mainly exists in the mind.
Long life milk is full of chemicals:
False. The secret lies in the application of high-temperature technologies. Milk is heated to 135 degrees then quickly cooled. That makes “bad” bacteria perish, but all the minerals are retained.
Light olive oil is “light” on calories:
The “light” refers to the colour, not the fat content.
It is not to safe to refreeze meat after it has thawed:
Wrong. But you do have to be very careful. The meat must be thawed in a fridge at five degrees or less. At this temperature, most bacteria responsible for food poisoning cannot grow and those that can, do so very slowly and are killed by subsequent cooking. And a word to the wise: thawing and refreezing meat makes it lose its juices and go tough.
Carbohydrates cause you to gain weight:
Carbohydrates do not cause weight gain unless they contribute to excess calorie intake. The same holds true for protein and fat.
Fresh Veggies are better than frozen:
Frozen vegetables are usually processed within hours of picking and few nutrients are lost in the freezing process, therefore they keep their high vitamin and mineral content.
Source: www.watoday.com.au
Food record breakers
On June 10, 2006, Joey Chestnut ate 47 grilled cheese sandwiches in 10 minutes.
On Sept. 16, 2007, Richard LeFevre ate 247 pickled jalapeno peppers in 6.5 minutes.
On March 20, 2005, Sonya Thomas ate 46 dozen acme oysters in 10 minutes.
On Oct. 8,2008, Micah Collins at 84 ounces of baked beans in 58 seconds.
On April 29, 2007, Crazy Legs Conti ate almost 35 ears of sweet corn in 12 minutes.
Source: International Federation of Competitive Eating
Foods that can be great aphrodisiacs
Asparagus - most likely due to it-s phallic shape. Eating asparagus for three days is supposed to give the most powerful result
Almond - a symbol of fertility thought to induce passion in women.
Avocado - called Ahuacuatl by the Aztecs which means testicle tree.
Bananas - another phallic shaped food rich in potassium and B vitamins which are essential for sex hormone production.
Chocolate - contains chemicals which release endorphins - pair with red wine for an added aphrodisiac affect.
Coffee - primarily due to it-s caffeine content. Caffeine is a well-known stimulant which causes feeling of well being.
Figs - an open fig is thought to resemble the female sex organs.
Garlic - thought to stir sexual desire (be sure you both partake).
Honey - believed to cure fertility and impotence.
Oysters - naturally high in protein - thought to resemble female genitalia.
Strawberries - perfect for feeding to each other (add a little whipped cream for an even more romantic experience).
Vanilla - the scent is thought to increase lust.
Some of the world’s most romantic restaurants
The Atlas Club Nautika, Dubrovnik, Croatia
Eagle’s Eye, British Columbia, Canada
Sugar Mill Restaurant, Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Le Tobsil, Marrakesh, Morrocco
Le Zebra, Tulum, Mexico
Source: http://www.concierge.com
Inventive food gadgets
The transparent toaster — a concept product that uses a special kind of heating glass to warm a single slice of bread, allowing you to watch as it darkens.
Sauce dispensing chopsticks — If it is too much of a hassle to pick up your food with your chopsticks and then dip it into a small bowl of sauce, then these special sauce dispensing chopsticks are just the ticket. Aim, squeeze, and voila, your food is sauced.
Gas powered daiquiri whacker — For those party animals who host daiquiri parties out of the reach of a power outlet.
The Mukka Express — From Bialetti, it’s the first stove top coffee maker with the ability to brew two cups of espresso coffee and froth milk simultaneously.
The Hot Diggity Dogger — A metal basket in the middle holds two hot dogs. The buns go in the semi-circular slots on either side. Push down the starter and minutes later, up pops two cooked hot dogs with nicely toasted buns.
Wham-O-Marshmallow Peeps Marshmallow Maker —Pretty self-explanatory. You mix the marshmallow powder with water, squeeze the sticky mess into molds, set, dry for a few minutes and there you have it—instant marshmallows.
Source: http://thehottestgadgets.com
Songs about food
Chowhound once asked its bloggers to send in their favorite food songs. Here’s a partial list:
Let’s Eat—Nick Lowe
Strawberry Fields Forever—Beatles
Cinnamon Girl—Neil Young
Skin and Bones—The Kinks
Cheeseburger in Paradise—Jimmy Buffett
Caviar and Chitlins—The Atomic Fireballs
One Meatball—Ry Cooder
Crème Brulee—Sonic Youth
Everybody Eats When They Come to My House—Cab Calloway
Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk—Rufus Wainwright
Movies for Food Lovers
Eat, Drink, Man, Woman—“A Chinese feast for the eyes and the palate”.
Babette’s Feast—“This is the one that started the food movie genre”.
Tortilla Soup—“ The Mexican version of Eat, Drink, Man,Woman”.
Dinner Rush— “TriBeCa Italian restaurant, mafia, great food”.
Mostly Martha—“ A feast for the heart”.
Tom Jones—“Watch it for the sexy chicken goggling scene”.
Vatel—“Food as a sin of excess in the court of Louis XVI”
Chocolat—“Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate”.
Like Water for Chocolate—“Repressed passion channeled into exquisite cooking”.
Big Night— “Italian family movie, incredible food.”
Source: http://www.amazon.com