Do you ever stop and wonder about the mysteries of honey when you add it to your tea or incorporate it into a dish? (No? Just me?) Honey is a fascinating substance. Sticky, sweet, and possibly even good for you. It was enough to send me into a beehive of research to try to shine a […]
Easter celebrations are always a highlight in my household. Whether the kids are decorating eggs with brightly colored paints, or hunting plastic eggs to discover the hidden candy treasures inside, it's always a blast. As I thought about the joys of the holiday, I wondered about the history of Easter Eggs. Why do we decorate […]
I never questioned our St. Patrick's day meal choice as a kid. Corned beef, cabbage – makes sense, right? Today I'm no longer a kid, though, and the history of corned beef and its association with St. Patrick's day is fascinating to me. In this post, I'll distill what I've learned about the dish, its history, […]
Here's something about me: I usually like drinking green tea plain. Sometimes I'll take it with a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of honey – hot or iced depending on the season. Despite green tea's caffeine content, I never considered it a replacement for my morning coffee – but sometimes nowadays it serves that […]
Every holiday seems to have its emblematic superstar treat or meal. Valentine's Day is marked by chocolate, and those chalky little hearts that announce loving messages across their faces. Year after year, candy conversation hearts are exchanged, used in decorations, and bought almost habitually as if Cupid himself endorsed them. As I perused the aisle full of […]
In the process of changing your diet for the better, you tend to learn about incredible new foods that are not yet in the mainstream. As I've mentioned my – let's call it – affinity for chocolate in the past, it wasn't long before I ran across carob. Carob, in the tradition of chocolate, is a plant-based […]
Almost everybody's got a sweet tooth. For me, it sometimes reveals itself in my chocolate habit. Fortunately for me – and probably you, dear reader – the health effects of chocolate mostly lean to the positive side. Maybe we don't have to feel so guilty about a little indulgence? Enjoy the piece and make your […]
As a daily coffee drinker – okay, thrice-daily – I can't get enough of that familiar boost I get from a cup. Yet coffee and its principal active ingredient caffeine are so controversial it's natural to wonder just how healthy they are. Naturally, I decided to do a deep dive into my daily caffeine habit. Let's take a look […]
Gingerbread has become a big part of our Christmas tradition. Every year, my daughters can't wait to build and decorate (their own, as it turns out) gingerbread houses. It feels like gingerbread, as a winter tradition, has been around forever. Of course, that isn't the case – but it does turn out ginger has an extremely […]
December is usually the cheeriest month of the year. There's no snow here, but we have colorful lights, presents, special music –and eggnog. Yes, eggnog! It's a funny drink after all – who had the idea to combine all those spices with sugar and a raw egg? (And often something more alcoholic, to boot). Those […]
