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This is how the ‘continental breakfast’ got its name

Maybe you booked one hotel over another because it served a free continental breakfast. The idea of starting your day with a complementary all-you-can-eat buffet is just what some travels dream of. But if you take a moment to think about it, there isn’t anything especially “continental” about juice and muffins. So what’s with the name? The term “continental breakfast” actually  originated in Britain in the mid-19th century. There, the phrase “the continent” refers to the countries occupying the mainland of Europe. Therefore, a “continental breakfast” denotes the type of breakfast you’d be served in places like France or Italy. Breakfasts in these countries are famously light and delicate when compared to the full English breakfast — a heaping plate of sausage, beans, toasts, eggs and more — or an American breakfast — usually some combination of sausages, bacon, pancakes, waffles, potatoes, and toast. As the nation grew and hotels…

Why we celebrate Oktoberfest in September

Every year millions of people around the world wonder why the German tradition known as Oktoberfest is celebrated primarily in the month of September. The annual celebration is best known for its beer, food and general celebration of German culture. But given the name, shouldn’t the shindig primarily take place in its namesake month? The official Oktoberfest website explains. The first Oktoberfest was held in 1810, with a one-day horse-race held as part of the wedding festivities for Bavarian King Ludwig I and his wife, Theresie. The crowd liked it so much, that it became an annual event, eventually developing into the world of marching bands, sausages and colorfully-dressed beer maidens we know today. But over the decades, the horse-race disappeared, and the event grew to more than two weeks long — stretching the event into mid-October. Since fall can be quite cold in Bavaria, even snowy, a decision was made to start the festivities earlier…

Marriage can make a difference in heart health

Britain’s Prince Harry tied the knot with Hollywood’s Meghan Markle in what some may consider a fairy tale wedding. Throughout their married lives, the royal couple will receive many perks like travel and tax dollars, but among them is one perk that they share with all of us commoners. Research has shown that being married reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. According to a study published in December in the Journal of the American Heart Association, marriage has an actual positive impact on the heart. It’s the first study of its kind to show an association between marital status and heart-disease related deaths. “I was somewhat surprised by the magnitude of the influence of being married,” said Dr. Arshed A. Quyyumi, co-director of the emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute at Emory University in Atlanta and the study’s lead researcher. There are various reasons why marriage make a difference in heart health. “Other than…

You’ll soon be spending more for that cheap wine

Just when you found a few good, cheap wines to rely on, they’re about to get way more expensive. According to data from the Paris-based International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV), wine production was down this year to the lowest production levels seen since 1957. According to Reuters, it’s the weather causing the problem. Three of the world’s top wine producers, Italy, France and Spain, were hit by harsh and unusual weather last year, like drought, hailstorms and late spring frost, leading to an overall drop of 14.6 percent in production. The 2017 harvest only brought 25 billion liters of wine. That’s down from the 2015 harvest which produced 27.6 billion liters, and the 2016 harvest which brought 26.7 billion liters. The continent accounts for 65 percent of global wine production. The OIV told the Independent that this doesn’t necessarily mean there will be a shortage of wine unless the weather conditions and poor harvest…

This is why you’ve never eaten a fresh olive

Olives are fruits that grow on trees, but have you ever wondered why you’ve never seen a fresh olive in the produce section of your grocery store? And did you know that those black olives sitting atop your pizza slice probably started in groves as green olives? As part of the series Reactions, The American Chemical Society and PBS Digital Studios produced a video that touches on the history of eating olives — it’s actually pretty recent — as well as the three chemical processes that make olives lose the terrible tasting compound, oleurpein, that prevents us from eating them fresh. Check this out to learn more about the three chemical methods producers can use on the fruit of the Olea Europaea to bring us the salty little snacks we know and love.  Why can’t you buy fresh olives? https://youtu.be/oStoeHntfG8 Also see, VIDEO: How to build the perfect charcuterie tray. Follow us on Instagram.

Coffee makes for a healthier liver, experts say

Coffee fans, go ahead and fire up that kettle or that Keurig and prepare some celebratory swings. A new report says that coffee consumption reduces the risk of chronic liver disease. According the roundtable report from the Institute for Scientfic Information on Coffee, people who were regular coffee drinkers — that is, drank between three and five cups of coffee a day — cut their risk of developing liver diseases like cirrhosis and liver cancer by up to 70 percent. The roundtable, held at the Royal Society of Medicine in London, included academics, media medics and representatives from national liver associations from across Europe. They discussed recent research connecting coffee drinking and liver health and how to best disseminate the findings to healthcare professionals and the public. Chronic liver disease is one of the most common disease-related deaths in the United States today. An estimated 31,000 liver-related deaths occur every year. About one…

Food bank received antique Heinz soup can donation

We’re all guilty of it. When it’s time to donate to the food bank, we go to our shelves and pull off some items without giving the expiration date much thought. But one food bank was stunned after a mystery donor left a 47-year-old tin can of soup. It’s a record!! Never had a donation with 10d on before! Please could we remind everyone that food donated needs to be in date! Thank you 🙂 pic.twitter.com/EVf5qMulA6 — Cardiff Foodbank (@CardiffFoodbank) October 5, 2017 The workers at the Cardiff Foodbank posted a picture of antique can of Heinz kidney soup to Twitter. The photo showed a price tag with 10d stamped it. The can is thought to be about 46 or 47 years old, dating to at least before 1971 when Britain adopted a decimal system for their currency. Heinz hasn’t even made kidney soup in 35 years. It’s believed that the soup…

Brad Pitt to open new restaurant, resort in Croatia

Soon, Brad Pitt will be able to add the title “hotelier” to his resume. The actor, activist, producer and father of six is the latest celebrity to step into the world of hospitality. People magazine reported Pitt’s plans to open a new luxury resort in Croatia. The massive development will break ground in at the small coastal town of Zablace and will also include a hotel, villa, shops, a golf course, and several restaurants, the Telegraph reports. The project is estimated to cost more than $1.5 billion and will be “a modern ecologically-responsible planned community.” The 52-year-old actor recently stayed overnight in Sibenik’s new Dogusevon Hotel, toured the town and embarked on a walking tour with a team of 10 people around the proposed site of his new investment. Among them was Nikola Basic, creator of the celebrated Sea Organ, a giant culture that creates music as water is passed through its…

Best Oktoberfest Celebrations in the U.S.

For beer drinkers, the month of September brings the year’s main event: Oktoberfest (save questions about the name for another article). The time-honored annual fall tradition of debauchery begins this Saturday. Of course, Munich is the original Oktoberfest. More than 6 million people from around the world decend on the city every year to guzzle nearly 2 million gallons of beer. But for those of us who can’t get away overseas, there are plenty of ways to celebrate the German festival here at home. More than 46 million German-Americans — the largest single ethnic group — have gifted us with plenty of places to help them partake in their wunderbar celebration. To help you decide where to celebrate Stateside, WalletHub has crunched data to create a list of the top 100 best cities for Oktoberfest celebrations. The data crunchers used 23 indicators including sheer number of breweries and beer gardens, overall safety and walkability, average price of beer,…

Fruit flavored beer on the rise in North America

If you’re a fan of hoppy, bitter beers, hold on to your IPAs — the next trend in beer is not for you. According to a report from Mintel, fruit-flavored beer launches have increased worldwide in response to people seeking more flavorful drink options. Since 2012, one in ten beer launches have contained either fruit juice concentrate, fruit extracts or fruit peels. The trend began to accelerate in Europe about five years ago with the growing popularity of radlers, or shandies — a half beer and half fruit juice or lemonade blend. Seeking to offset a decline in mainstream beer sales, global brewers like Heineken, Carlsberg and Anheuser-Busch InBev began brewing fruit beers as well. But for years it had been craft brewers who have been leading the market with releases of fruity styles such as sours, cherry beers and saisons. Now, we’re also seeing fruit juice being added to their pale ales and…