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Garlic Fun Facts

partysugar — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 00:01:46 -0700

Today, April 19, is National Garlic Day. I thought I would take advantage of the holiday and put together a quick little round of fun facts for you all to enjoy. Usually, I only reserve my favorite pieces of worthless knowledge for major holidays like Easter and Christmas, but I thought, hey garlic is in practically everything and is used in most cultures throughout the world. Surely, this potent little vegetable deserves its own fabulous batch of fun facts. For example did you know that garlic is actually considered both a vegetable and an herb? Or that garlic has been used medicinally for thousands of years since ancient Greek and Roman times? To see how eating garlic can better your health, read more

Garlic is believed to ward off heart disease, cancer, colds, and flu. The consumption of garlic lowers blood cholesterol levels. and reduces the buildup of plaque in the arteries.

It was even once used to treat acne, warts, and toothaches.
The psychological term for fear of garlic is alliumphobia.
The origin of National Garlic Day is unknown and it is not recorded in congressional or presidential proclamations.
Garlic is said to fight off evil spirits and keep vampires away.
If your garlic has sprouted, it is still usable although it has lost some of its flavor and health benefits.
The smell of garlic can be removed by running your hands under cold water while rubbing a stainless steel object.

Garlic is a member of the onion family which also includes leeks and shallots.
Its pungent flavor is due to a chemical reaction that occurs when the garlic cells are broken. The flavor is most intense just after mincing.
The majority of garlic (90%) grown in the United States comes from California.
If your rose garden is being attacked by aphids, an excellent home remedy to get rid of them is to spritz the leaves and blooms with a mixture of crushed garlic and water.
When picking out garlic at the grocery store, choose firm, tight, heavy dry bulbs.
Garlic has been used to infuse vodka and as an ingredient to make cocktails.
Finally, to tie garlic into Wedding week here on the Sugar Network: at ancient Greek and Roman marriages the brides carried bouquets of garlic and other herbs instead of flowers.

Got a fun fact about garlic? Please add it to the list below!

Easter Fun Facts!

partysugar — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 01:11:53 -0700

I hope that nobody minds my tiny obsession with useless knowledge concerning statistics and facts about food and holidays. I happen to think that knowing a plethora of nonsensical information is an incredibly fun conversation starter, especially in awkward or uncomfortable moments. Although DearSugar may not approve, I'm all for avoiding horrid questions by quickly changing the subject. I mean how else do you deal when you're at your family's Easter brunch and your uncle asks you how your job is going and you were fired the week before? Well instead of bursting into tears or bashing your former employer say: hey did you know that 90 million chocolate Easter bunnies are made for Easter each year? Or that the world's largest jelly bean weighs over 6000 pounds?? I'm telling you read through my Easter fun facts and you'll have something interesting to say when you are at a loss for words. To find out what part of a chocolate bunny gets eaten first and just how many marshmallow Peeps get consumed each year read more

When taking a bite into a chocolate bunny, 76% of Americans prefer to bite off the ears first. 5% eat the feet first and 4% eat the tail first.
During the Easter season, Americans buy more than 700 million Peeps - making Peeps the most popular non-chocolate Easter candy.
Adults prefer milk chocolate (65%) over dark chocolate (27%).
86% would prefer having chocolate bunnies instead of a live rabbit.
Each day throughout the year, 5 million marshmallow chicks and bunnies are produced in preparation for Easter.
16 billion jelly beans are made specifically for Easter which is enough to fill a plastic egg the size of a 9-story building.

Kids prefer red jelly beans and 75% are willing to do extra chores for more Easter candy.
57% of kids get up super early on Easter to see what the Easter bunny has brought them.
80% of parents carry on the tradition of the Easter bunny by preparing a surprise Easter basket filled with goodies for their children and 90% of adults hope for their own Easter treat.
The first chocolate eggs were made in Germany in the 19th century and remain one of the most popular Easter candies today.

Solid chocolate bunnies are favored, followed closely by hollow chocolate bunnies, marshmallow filled bunnies, and other Easter bunny candy.

In the old days pretzels were associated with Easter because the twists of the pretzel were thought to resemble arms crossing in prayer.
The exchange of eggs for Easter dates back to a springtime custom older than Easter itself in which eggs were given as a symbol of rebirth in many cultures.

The Easter egg roll on the White House lawn has been a tradition since 1878.
After Halloween, Easter is the biggest candy consuming holiday.

Got a fun Easter food fact? Please share it with me, I'm dying to know more!

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Fun Food Facts

YumSugar — Sun, 24 Dec 2006 00:15:09 -0800

Everyone will most likely be seeing extended family members within the next couple of days and there is bound to be one of those inevitable uncomfortable moments when you find yourself suddenly put on the spot. Have no fear Sugar reader! I've compiled a list of fun food facts for you to keep as your secret weapon and bust out in just such moments. For example, did you know the most popular pizza topping in Japan is squid? Here in America it's, yep you guessed it, pepperoni. For more of my fun food facts, read more.

Wisconsin is the state that produces the majority of cranberries, growing more than 300 million pounds per year. That's as much as 25,000 elephants weigh!
6 out of every 10 apples consumed in the US were grown in Washington state.
It takes 12 bees to make one tablespoon of honey.
The average person eats nearly 254 eggs per year.

Carrots were not always orange. Five thousand years ago carrots were white, purple, red, yellow, green, and black. In the 1700's the Dutch bred the variety we commonly find in supermarket's today.
Lemons contain more sugar than strawberries.
The name onion is derived from the Latin term for large pearl.
The first breakfast cereal ever produced was shredded wheat.
Ice cream originates from China. When Marco Polo returned to Italy after exploring China in 1295, he took with him a recipe for a Chinese dessert, entitled Milk Ice. The Italians substituted cream for the milk and ice cream was born.
Bakers used to be fined if their loaves of bread were under a certain weight, so they would add an extra loaf to every dozen to ensure that their breads were not under weight-hence the term, baker's dozen.

Fish has traditionally been paired with slices of lemon since the Middle Ages. Back then people believed the fruit's acidic juices would dissolve any bones accidentally swallowed.

Got a fun food fact to share with us all? Post it below!

Test Your Knowledge of the Food Network's Chefs!

partysugar — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 06:50:24 -0700

One of my favorite specials on the Food Network is Chefography, an hour-long show that details the life of one of the network's celebrity chefs. It's fascinating to learn about their background, personal life, and how they got their start in the food industry. However, not all the chefs have been featured on Chefography. Sure, the heavy hitters (Rachael, Giada, Bobby) are highlighted, but what about the newer chefs? I've done some Internet searching and found a bunch of fun facts about the rising stars of Food Network. Think you can guess which chef's life I am describing?

Question 1 of 8

Which chef's grandmother Alma inspired her to become a cook?

Happy Birthday, Tyler Florence!

YumSugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 03:30:47 -0800

Tyler Florence - best known for his approachable recipes, affable demeanor, and, of course, strapping good looks - turns 38 today. To honor the Food Network host, cookbook author, and celebrity chef (who was just spotted at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival) I've put together a quiz full of TyFlo fun facts. What do you know about the charismatic food figure? Find out when you take our quiz!

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How Foodie Are You?

partysugar — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 03:00:41 -0800

I had such a fabulous time putting together my last food trivia quiz that I decided to do another one.

It's jam packed with fun facts from the trivia game Foodie Fight. What are you waiting for? Test your foodie knowledge now!

Take the quiz

Test Your Global Food Smarts

partysugar — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 07:30:12 -0700

Today is World Food Day, an event that aims to heighten public awareness of the international hunger epidemic. Created in 1979 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, World Food Day is celebrated in over 150 countries.

To commemorate the day, I've put together a quiz with fun food facts from countries all over the world. Think you know a lot about food? Find out now and take the quiz.

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Do You Know Where Your Fourth of July Food Came From?

partysugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:50:48 -0700

With everyone from celebrity chefs like Michael Chiarello to national corporations such as Lay's focusing on eating locally, it's hard not to wonder where your food comes from. For example, where exactly was the pork used to make these burgers raised?

Since the majority of Americans will be hosting barbecues this weekend, I thought it would be fun to test your knowledge of classic Fourth of July foods. To find out where that hot dog was created, take my quiz!

Take the quiz

Test Your Canned Foods IQ!

YumSugar — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 03:00:07 -0800

Canned goods may get a bad rap once in a while, but they deserve an upstanding reputation. Not only is canned food ultra-safe and convenient, but it's also consistently affordable.

If you haven't restocked your pantry with cans yet this year, now's the time to do it - February is National Canned Food Month! How much do you know about this method of preservation, which has saved household dinners for over a century? Find out when you take our quiz.

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Do You Do Greasy?

partysugar — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 01:00:26 -0700

The bizarre food holidays get odder and odder, with today being National Greasy Food Day. I've put together a little quiz about greasy foods. Find out how much you know about pizza, bacon, French fries, and more.

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Take the quiz