The term “cupcake” was first revealed in 1828 in Eliza Leslie’s Receipts cookbook. In the early 19th century, there were two different uses for the name “cup cake” or “cupcake”. In previous centuries, before muffin tins were widely available, the cakes were often baked in individual pottery cups, ramekins, or molds and took their name…
Tag: fun facts
Cool Lunchbox Lunches Aren’t Just for Kiddies!
As many of us remember from our childhood days, one of the best parts of our day was opening our lunchbox and diving into the array of goodies mom and or dad had packed for us that morning; Fast forward to current day and busy parents struggling to invent nutritious and delicious daily lunches for…
What Did You Put in Your Lunch Box? We’re About to Explore Many New Options!
Historic lunchboxes from the 1880s. In the center photo you can see a tobacco box recycled as a lunch box. Around the 1880s, school children, who wanted to try to be like their daddies, fashioned similar boxes out of empty cookie or tobacco tins. According to the timeline, the first commercial lunch boxes, similar to the…
What Does Easter Represent To You?
Massive Chocolate eggs, filled with treasures and sweet secrets… Source: washingtonian.com “Torta Pasqualina” Source: trendalert.it Torta Pasqualina was originally produced as an Easter pie around 1400 in Genova, Italy. The name itself comes from “Pasqua”, the Italian word for Easter. Traditionally, the pie was prepared using 33 thin layers of phyllo dough–in honor of Jesus’ age when he was…
Italy’s Easter Eggs and Italia’s Easter Friday
In Italy, there are no Easter egg hunts, no marshmallow Peeps and definitely no jelly beans. Instead, there are chocolate eggs — massive, elaborately decorated, beautifully wrapped chocolate Easter eggs that fill shop windows across the country. The sweet treats are considered Italians’ food gift of choice at this time of year; each one…
Vino: A Poet, a god and a Few Ancient Mixers
The great Roman poet Horace once wrote, “No poem was ever written by a drinker of water.” Possibly, Horace was a tremendous admirer of Bacchus, the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine. And possibly the most intriguing, the god of ritual madness and ecstasy. Bacchus was one of the primary gods worshipped in…
Vino! Some Ancient Medicinal Mysteries
Today, I’d like to cover some ancient beliefs in regard to wine’s therapeutic uses. This “nectar of the gods” hasn’t won the hearts of many and transcended the years for its mere taste alone. We’ll move on to the origin of its making one day soon, but “why” it was used seems more intriguing to…
Coffee o caffè? Making Sense of it All!
We all know what coffee is and how we normally prefer to drink it, but what about the other “caffe’” choices and items on the menu? With all the different types of coffee beans and beverages available at coffee shops today, it can be a bit perplexing when it comes to exploring other options. Rather…
The Art of Coffee: Learn to Become a Latte Barista
The “Art of Coffee” is unlike any that you’ve ever experienced! Impress your friends and families by producing these drinkable works of art right before their very eyes! Some are too stunning to consume, but as the New York Italians say “Fughettaboutit!” Beautiful latte art is a sign of a perfect espresso drink & a talented barista….
Ice Cream (gelato) versus il gelato…There IS a Difference!
If you’ve ever visited Italy, you’ve more that likely had the pleasure of experiencing velvety, luscious Italian gelato or possibly an icier version similar to American ice milk gone Italian ice. Maybe you assumed the only reason it seemed richer and more flavorful than American ice cream was because you were enjoying it in the…
Once Upon a Spice 