FOOD FOLDEROL

THE NEFF ZONE -- BY JIM NEFF

CADILLAC NEWS -- FEBRUARY 22, 2025

The recent subzero temperatures have forced me to hide inside more than I normally do. So, to combat cabin fever, I have taken a plunge into the crate beneath my desk. This is where items reside that did not fit into previous columns. The dive produced tidbits about food. 

If you enjoy a hot cup of tea on a frigid winter day, you might be interested to know that the common tea bag has an accidental origin. “Around 1908, American tea importer Thomas Sullivan reportedly sent samples of tea inside small silken bags to his customers. His clients failed to remove the tea leaves from the bags and soon Sullivan realized that he’d stumbled onto an exciting new concept for tea brewing. He later reimagined the bags using gauze, and eventually paper.” Perhaps the most recognized tea bag, the Lipton flow-thru, was not patented until 1952.

Now, if you like your tea cold, the record for the the largest cup of iced tea happened in the American South. “On June 10, 2016, the residents of Summerville, South Carolina, banded together to create the biggest jug of sweet tea ever made (2,524 gallons), using 210 pounds of loose leaf tea, 1,700 pounds of sugar, and over 300 pounds of ice.” (https://interestingfacts.com/tea-facts/)

Some folks like to put honey in their tea. If you have honey in your kitchen cupboard, it could last a lifetime. Archaeologists have found 3,000 year-old honey that's still edible. 

Thank the bees for this. “Honey’s extraordinary shelf life is the result of several factors. Its low water content and high sugar levels create an environment that’s inhospitable to bacterial growth, and it also contains trace amounts of hydrogen peroxide, which acts as a natural microbial inhibitor. Bees use their rapidly flapping wings to evaporate most of the honey’s water, and an enzyme in their stomachs contributes to honey’s unique antibacterial property.” (https://historyfacts.com/world-history/fact/archaeologists-have-found-3000-year-old-pots-of-honey-that-are-still-edible/)

In terms of cold weather take-out options, pizza is a pretty common choice. Casinos.com took a break from gambling news to rate America's favorite pizza toppings. “From deep pan to New York style, cheesy to BBQ base, there are endless pizza options to enjoy. But which pizza toppings can truly be considered the nation’s favorites?” 

It's probably no surprise that pepperoni leads the way. Michigan is on the pepperoni bandwagon. “The classic and beloved pepperoni is the most popular pizza topping, taking gold in an incredible twenty-nine different states. It’s also the second choice in a further seventeen states.” Rounding out the top five toppings are: bacon, sausage, peppers, and mushrooms. Hawaii was the only state that favored pineapple. 

The least favorite toppings were also ranked. “Ranking bottom across all fifty states, anchovies are the most hated accompaniment of the lot. Other toppings with a low rank include onions, olives, jalapenos, and basil.” (https://www.casinos.com/us/news/america-s-most-popular-pizza-toppings)

Another American favorite has a name with a unique background. “Some of the culinary delights that have become standard American fare carry unusual monikers that may have you wondering about their mysterious origins.” 

One of these is the hot dog. “Despite originating in Germany, hot dogs are an essential American food — an estimated seven billion hot dogs are served up each summer in the U.S. alone. But where did it come from? German butchers named early American frankfurters dachshund sausages after the long and skinny dogs they resembled, which was eventually shortened to hot dogs.”

This fact came from an article titled: “The History of Seven Oddly Named Foods.” In the article we learn that sweetbreads are not a pastry, there's no cheese in head cheese, and grasshopper pie (thankfully) contains no insects. More at: https://interestingfacts.com/oddly-named-foods-history/.

Some foods may be oddly named, but perhaps even odder is the connection between Wi-Fi and the common potato. The next time you're in an airplane you can thank a tater for you're internet connection. 

“Potatoes act as stand-ins for human bodies thanks to their similarly high water content. Wi-Fi signals are transmitted through radio waves, which are easily absorbed by water. The water inside a potato (or the human body) can reflect the signal back and weaken its strength.”

So, what does that have to do with airplanes? “In 2012, Boeing heaped about 20,000 pounds of tubers into humanlike shapes in a grounded airplane to observe how well Wi-Fi flowed through a packed cabin. With this system, Boeing engineers were able to fine-tune Wi-Fi signals to transmit uniformly through a plane cabin and account for wiggling passengers and passing drink carts — ensuring the best possible internet connection at 35,000 feet.” (https://interestingfacts.com/fact/potatoes-can-absorb-and-reflect-wi-fi-signals/)

Finally, if you want to fill your cabin with something other than fever, the aroma of freshly baked cookies is just the thing. AllRecipes.com offers this: “The Cookie Recipe That Made a 98-Year-Old Grandma An Iowa Legend.” For photos and the recipe go to: https://www.allrecipes.com/grandma-rickes-snickers-cookie-recipe-11679683. 

Grandma Ricke's cookies are soft sugar cookies stuffed with mini Snickers bars. Just a suggestion, but having these with a mug of hot chocolate would be a double delight. Dunking is optional. 

Jim Neff is a local columnist. Read Neff Zone columns online at CadillacNews.com and NeffZone.com/cadillacnews.