Fast food is extremely popular, but not the hungry, convenience-and-beef-craving populace happily devours every burger. Here are some sandwiches that the world either declined en masse…or which barely ever existed. THE HULA BURGER Cincinnati has a large Roman Catholic population, and in 1962, area McDonald’s franchisee Lou Groen noticed that during Lent, the 40-day period […]
Just because something is associated with a certain country doesn’t mean it came from that country…or at least not originally or entirely. Recently we got to talking about stuff we associate with certain countries — like how pizza is an Italian food, for example. Somebody asked, “But is it really from Italy?” We got ourselves […]
The baseball season has begun, and what better way to fill the long gaps between pitches by filling up your belly? Here are some of the most creative, interesting, and daunting concession items now available at Major League ballparks. Foot long hot dogs are yesterday’s news. They’re downright tiny when you compare them to the […]
Canada is a lot like the U.S., but it’s not nearly identical. Its culture and cuisine enjoy strong influences from England, Scotland, France, East Asia, and indigenous peoples…which makes for a number of unique food choices you’d scarcely find outside of the Great White North. Montreal bagels Montreal is a densely populated, cosmopolitan city on […]
There are so many pig-and-pork based products out there, and so many of them have colorful, fun-to-say names…that aren’t the most descriptive. Here’s a little primer. PORK RINDS They’re crispy like potato chips, but contain no starch at all — they’re fried pig skin. It’s made by simmering separated pork skin in boiling water, cut […]
Uncle John knows pretty much everything—and if he doesn’t, he heads his massive research library, or puts one of his many associates on the case. So go ahead: In the comments below, ask Uncle John anything. What does “market price” at a restaurant mean? No price listed Have you ever been to a restaurant—particularly a seafood […]
Butter is a lightly processed dairy fat, formed into bricks, and shipped into stores. But butter is relatively expensive, leading to the development of butter-like margarine in the 19th century. Like butter, it’s made from fat—generally some kind of vegetable oil. Unlike butter, it requires a pretty lengthy and science-heavy process to make. Starts as […]
If you’re a little tired of eggnog, fruitcake, and those other familiar holiday sweets, try one of these special goodies from distant lands. Sweden: Knäck The name translates to “break,” an apt word to describe this “Christmas Butterscotch,” a toffee- or brittle-esque dessert. It’s made out of slowly cooking heavy cream, sugar, syrup, butter, vanilla, […]
Need a bottle of soy sauce? You could drive five minutes to the nearest grocery store and pick up a bottle for three bucks…or you could make some from scratch with the same method that soy sauce makers in Asia have been using for centuries. (Warning: Choose the latter option, and it’s going to take […]
Does Uncle John, the guy responsible for producing a 600-page book every year, drinking a lot of coffee? You better believe he does. Here’s how the good stuff works. Awaken! Caffeine affects neurotransmitters. Normally, those keep blood vessels mostly closed, but the stimulation by caffeine widens them, allowing more blood to flow right through them. […]
This article was first published in our 31st annual edition, Uncle John’s Actual and Factual Bathroom Reader. Generic name The generic name for a soft drink varies by region: In New England and the Southwest, it’s generally called “soda,” in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest, it’s generally “pop,” and in Texas and the South it’s called “Coke” (even […]
Ever wonder who put the “strone” in “minestrone”? The “owder” in “chowder”? The “ho” in “pho”? (Careful, there, soup boy! This is a family soup book!) Then sit thee down at the Table of Label—and read all about the name origins of several well-known soups. . (This article was first published in our 31st annual edition, […]
When the microwave was first released in the late ‘70s, people thought that was a silly kitchen gadget, so who knows? Maybe over time people will swear by these things, too. Bear Paws Meat Shredder Claws You could shred meat or make a pork roast into pulled pork with the gentle use of a fork […]
Apples, oranges, melons, and berries—they’re sweet, delicious, nutritious…and extremely dangerous, apparently. Here are some weird news stories about people who sustained some nasty injuries courtesy of nature’s candy. Bad Breadfruit In December 2017, a Salt Lake City woman named Valerie Zaugg took a vacation to Hawaii, home to an exotic piece of produce called the […]
While it takes its name from a German city, there are few foods more quintessentially American than the hamburger. But from sea to shining sea, there are tons of variations on the old meat patty between two buns. After all, America is a big country, and the land of ingenuity. Smash Burger While the rest […]
A lot of cheeses are named after their points of origin—Cheddar, Roquefort, and Colby are named after places in England, France, and Wisconsin, respectively. Other cheese names are a bit more complicated. Cottage Cheese It’s the most familiar and commonly consumed form of cheese curds (at least in the United States). What are curds? Coagulated […]
Here’s the tale of how humans came to eat bears—tiny, adorable, rainbow-colored Gummy Bears, that is. Origin story Not too long after the end of World War I in the early 1920s, a 27-year-old candy factory worker from Bonn, Germany, named Hans Riegel decided to quit his job and go into business for himself. He […]
There are a lot of reasons to drink non-alcoholic beer—mostly because regular beer has alcohol in it, and lots of people don’t want to drink alcohol for personal, health, or religious reasons. Here’s how they make the beer without the booze. It starts out the same. Breweries start making non-alcoholic beer in exactly the same […]
