File 0022: Be Our Guest (Live)
To help raise money for AbleGamers, Halli and Cayla did a live show on March 26th 2021 where they talked about:
- Fugu: The Deadliest Sushi: In Japan blowfish or more commonly known as fugu has been a delicacy for thousands of years, despite it being packed with a lethal neurotoxin, one we don't even have an antidote for. Yet you can buy it in restaurants!
- Counterfeit Wine: Anything that is worth money is bound to have a plethora of fakes sold by a conman with a desire for a quick buck. But wine? Halli tells us about how one, Rudy Kurniawan went to extreme lengths to turn his hobby into a multi-million dollar empire
After our main topics, Halli and Cayla share some food trivia, followed by some bonus Dragon Age discussion, as most of their conversations eventually devolve into
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Sources
Other Food Related Trivia
Near the end of this episode Cayla shares some fun food trivia, here are all the things she mentioned and their sources
Graham Crackers were invented to quell sexual urges: Sylvester Graham believed the sexual desires of people was going to be the downfall of society. His thought being that the more immoral the activity, the more harm it did to the body. So the theory was that bland foods would dampen such desires >> The Atlantic
Flamin hot cheetos were invented by a janitor working at a frito-lay plant: Richard Montanez, a mexican janitor used to experiment with making his own seasoning for the factory's cheetos. With encouragement from his friends and family he calls up the CEO and pitches his idea. The rest is history >> KansasCity
Pizza Hut used to be the biggest purchaser of kale in the US, until the kale craze took off in 2012.>> NPR
Honey is the only food that doesn't go bad: The oldest honey ever found was unearthed in Georgia, and dates back over 5,000 years. Honey in its natural form is low in moisture and is high in acidity make it very inhospitable to bacteria, preventing them from living long enough to spoil it. Not only that honey is an antibiotic that can be used on open wounds to help prevent and reduce infection >> io9
In the 14th century the Aztecs and Mayans used chocolate as currency: The Aztec empire acquired a taste for chocolate but since they couldn't grow it in the dry highlands of central Mexico, they traded with the Mayans for the beans. 16th-century Aztec ruler Moctezuma II drank 50 cups of chocolate a day out of a golden goblet to increase his libido >> History
Fresh oysters are still alive when you eat them >> insider
Green, Red, Yellow and Orange bell peppers are all the exact same vegetable, just different stages of development >> buzzfeed
Nutella uses 25% of the world's hazelnuts: Nutella was an unexpected by-product of WWII. Italian chocolate-maker, Ferrero, couldn't get enough cocoa, so he was forced to use hazelnuts instead. >> CDA
In Russia beer wasn't considered alcohol until 2011: 'Until 2011, Russia classed beer and any alcoholic beverages under 10% ABV as soft drinks!' >> CDA
In 1965 a corned beef sandwich was smuggled into space by astronaut John Young: It was a six-hour mission. He tried to enjoy said sandwich and discovered it was breaking up in the zero-gravity conditions pretty quickly. He stuffed it back into his pocket, for his co-pilot to remark that it was a good thought, if the sandwich would've just held together. We can confirm that NASA have "taken steps to prevent recurrence of corned-beef sandwiches in future flights". That was a legitimate quote from a NASA spokesman. >> CDA
'McDonald's chicken nuggets come in four shapes and they all have names: the boot, the ball, the bone and the bell.': They've said that these shapes are geared towards children, to ensure consistent cooking and for extra 'dip-ability' >> CDA
Peanut butter can be used to make diamonds: You need to be able to replicate the conditions of the Earth's lower mantle...which is 2,200 degrees centigrade. Scientists have been trying to recreate these conditions to find out more about the workings of the world and needed a carbon-rich material and landed on peanut butter. Don't get too excited, it took them weeks to create a 2mm diamond. >> CDA
Large groups of pistachios can spontaneously combust: Due to their low water and high fat content, pistachios have been known to burst out in flames. The nuts and its kernels can overheat when stored in the oily fibrous materials used for its transportation. >> CDA
You can hear rhubarb grow!: During a process known as 'rhubarb forcing', you will hear a cacophony of pops as the rhubarb grows. The process began in Northern England in the 19th Century. You put the rhubarb into a dark shed, halting photosynthesis and essentially trick the plant into thinking its spring. The rhubarb will grow unnaturally large and at fast speeds. >> CDA
Ranch dressing is dyed: One ingredient in ranch is titanium dioxide which is used to make it look whiter. It's the same ingredient that is used in sunscreen and paint for coloring. >> thefactsite
Nutmeg is a hallucinogen: If you ingest nutmeg in large doses, it works like a hallucinogen due to a natural compound called myristicin. It has mind-altering effects if taken in large doses. >> thefactsite
The red food dye for Skittles is made from boiled beetles: A common red food dye, carminic acid, is made from the crushed bodies of a beetle called the Dactylopius coccus. This acid is used in maraschino cherries, strawberry and raspberry flavored candy, and lipstick. >> thefactsite
Expiration dates on bottled water have nothing to do with the water: Water can't expire - but the bottle it's in can. Plastic bottles will eventually start leaking chemicals into the water. It won't make the water harmful to drink, but it will make it taste less fresh. >> thefactsite
The Three Musketeers doesn't live up to its name: The famous Three Musketeers candy bar originally had vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate flavors in one! However, during World War II, they changed to only chocolate due to rations. >> thefactsite
Sweet drinks can cause dementia: However, studies have shown that people who drink one or more artificially sweetened drinks per day were almost three times more likely to develop dementia. >> thefactsite
Bad eggs will float: If you need to test the freshness of your eggs, put them in a glass of cold water. The fresher the egg, the faster it will fall to the bottom! >> thefactsite
Bird saliva is a delicacy in China: One expensive delicacy of China is Bird's nest soup which is made from rare bird's nests created from the saliva of small swiftlets. >> thefactsite
There's wood pulp in shredded cheese: An ingredient called "cellulose" is digestible wood pulp. It's a filler used to keep the cheese from clumping together and is approved as safe by the FDA. >> thefactsite
Popcorn at the movies isn't universal: However, in Colombia, dried ants are the popular option. Meanwhile in Korea, the snack of choice is dried cuttlefish, and in China, they eat dried salted plums. >> thefactsite
In an emergency, coconut water can be used for blood plasma: Just like blood plasma, coconut water has levels of high sodium and low potassium. It should only be used in absolute emergencies, because adverse effects may be fever, headaches, itchiness, or aching sensations. >> thefactsite
Eating fast food regularly has the same impact on the liver as hepatitis: One month of eating fast food can cause significant changes to your liver due to the amount of fat and saturated fats. These changes in liver enzymes are similar to the effects of hepatitis. >> thefactsite
Hot chocolate tastes better out of an orange cup: Depending on how you serve something, it can scientifically change your perception of taste. Scientists had 57 volunteers try hot chocolate out of white, cream, red, and orange cups. >> thefactsite
It's impossible to cook an egg on a sidewalk: The highest temperature ever recorded was 131 Fahrenheit. In order to cook an egg on a sidewalk, it would need to be 158 degrees. Even with the reflection of heat, concrete is not a good heat conductor so you wouldn't be able to cook an egg! >> thefactsite
Potatoes can absorb and reflect Wi-fi signals: When Boeing wanted to test out its wireless signal on new planes in 2012, they placed giant piles of potatoes on seats. Because of their high water content and chemical makeup, potatoes absorb and reflect radio and wireless signals just like humans do >> USA Today
Wine Can Be Used to Fuel a Car: Don't try this one at home! In an effort to find sustainable alternatives to traditional oil, Prince Charles had his vintage Aston Martin rigged to run on wine, and claims that it runs better and more powerfully while on the spirit-plus, it smells better while it's driving, too >> town+country
More People Die by Falling Coconuts Than Sharks: Sharks get a bad rap, but in reality, you're much more likely to be finished by a coconut than the aquatic predator. Each year, about 150 people are killed by falling coconuts, compared to only 10 by sharks >> X