Weather ~ Blue Moon ~ Picture of the Day ~ Cutlery ~ Baked Reuben ~ National Eat Outside Day

  

Good 47º morning. 

 

A blue moon is an additional full moon that appears in a subdivision of a year: the third of four full moons in a season.

The phrase in modern usage has nothing to do with the actual color of the Moon, although a visually blue Moon (the Moon appearing with a bluish tinge) may occur under certain atmospheric conditions—for instance, if volcanic eruptions or fires release particles in the atmosphere of just the right size to preferentially scatter red light.

If you want to read more about the blue moon, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_moon

 

 

Yesterday we actually had some blue sky for a change.....

We topped at 93º.

 

 

 

Picture of the Day...crazy place to receive your mail!

 

 

 

Interesting about knives, forks, and spoons...........

 "cutlery".....

 

Cutlery (also referred to as silverware, flatware, or tableware), includes any hand implement used in preparing, serving, and especially eating food in Western culture. A person who makes or sells cutlery is called a cutler. The city of Sheffield in England has been famous for the production of cutlery since the 17th century and a train – the Master Cutler – running from Sheffield to London was named after the industry. Bringing affordable cutlery to the masses, stainless steel was developed in Sheffield in the early 20th century.The major items of cutlery in Western culture are the knife, fork and spoon. These three implements first appeared together on tables in Britain in the Georgian era. In recent times, hybrid versions of cutlery have been made combining the functionality of different eating implements, including the spork (spoon / fork), spife (spoon / knife), and knork (knife / fork). The sporf or splade combines all three.

 

Etymology

The word cutler derives from the Middle English word 'cuteler' and this in turn derives from Old French 'coutelier' which comes from 'coutel'; meaning knife (modern French: couteau). The word's early origins can be seen in the Latin word 'culter' (knife).

 

Metallic

Sterling silver is the traditional material from which good quality cutlery is made. Historically, silver had the advantage over other metals of being less chemically reactive. Chemical reactions between certain foods and the cutlery metal can lead to unpleasant tastes. Gold is even less reactive than silver, but the use of gold cutlery was confined to the exceptionally wealthy, such as monarchs.

 

Steel was always used for more utilitarian knives, and pewter was used for some cheaper items, especially spoons. From the nineteenth century, electroplated nickel silver (EPNS) was used as a cheaper substitute for sterling silver.

 

Wood:

In 1913, the British metallurgist Harry Brearley discovered stainless steel by chance, bringing affordable cutlery to the masses. This metal has come to be the predominant one used in cutlery. An alternative is melchior, corrosion-resistant nickel and copper alloy, which can also sometimes contain manganese and nickel-iron.

 

Plastic

Plastic cutlery is made for disposable use, and is frequently used outdoors for camping, excursions, and barbecues for instance. Plastic cutlery is also commonly used at fast-food or take-away outlets and provided with airline meals in economy class. Plastic is also used for children's cutlery. It is often thicker and more durable than disposable plastic cutlery.

 

Disposable cutlery

Plastic

Introduced for convenience purposes (lightweight, no cleanup after the meal required), disposable cutlery made of plastic has become a huge worldwide market. Along with other disposable tableware (paper plates, plastic table covers, disposable cups, paper napkins, etc.), these products have become essential for the fast food and catering industry. The products are emblematic of throw-away societies and the cause of millions of tons of non-biodegradable plastic waste. The European Union has banned such plastic products from 3 July 2021 as part of the European Plastics Strategy. Bans are also planned in the UK and Canada.

 

Traditional centers of cutlery-making include:

• Caldas das Taipas in Portugal
• Albacete in Spain
• Meriden and Oneida in United States of America
• Premana in Italy
• Sheffield in the United Kingdom
• Solingen in Germany
• Styria in Austria
• Thiers and Laguiole in France
• Toledo in Spain
• Wazirabad in Pakistan
• Galway in Ireland
• Carlos Barbosa in Brazil

 

 Decoration:

 

From Mr. Food

 

You remember that favorite deli of yours that served Reubens piled high with corned beef and sauerkraut and smothered in cheese? Wouldn't it be nice to serve those at your next casual get-together? It's easy to do with this Baked Reuben recipe!

 

 

• 1 loaf (12 ounces) French bread, unsliced
• 1 bottle (8 ounces) Russian or Thousand Island dressing (1 cup)
• 12 ounces sliced corned beef
• 1 can (14.4 ounces) sauerkraut, well drained
• 5 slices Swiss cheese

 

 

1. Preheat oven to 400º.
    
2. Cut the bread in half lengthwise (horizontally) and slightly hollow out the center of each half by removing the soft center 1/2-inch deep on each side. Spread each hollowed-out half with 1/2 cup of the dressing.
    
3. Place corned beef on bottom half of the loaf. Top with the sauerkraut and cheese. Place remaining half loaf on top of cheese. Wrap  sandwich loosely in foil and bake for 20 minutes or until heated through. Cut into 6 pieces and serve. 

 

 

***You can use rye bread instead of French bread if you'd rather, but it tends to be a bit harder to cut and eat.

 

 

 

Historically this date..........

1997 – Diana, Princess of Wales, her companion Dodi Al-Fayed and driver Henri Paul die in a car crash in Paris.

2006 – Stolen on August 22, 2004, Edvard Munch's famous painting The Scream is recovered in a raid by Norwegian police.

 

And births this date include....

1903 – Arthur Godfrey, American radio and television host (d. 1983)

 

1924 – Buddy Hackett, American actor and comedian (d. 2003)

1928 – James Coburn, American actor (d. 2002)

1945 – Itzhak Perlman, Israeli violinist

............ amazing talent!

1949 – Richard Gere, American actor

    .... too weird for my taste! But of course... his middle name is Tiffany!!! Read about his personal life and activism ... interesting!

 

 

 

 

All I know. Nuff said. Have a good last day of August. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

Friends, fresh air, and good food are the focus of National Eat Outside Day every year on August 31. Whether at home, a park, a favorite restaurant or food truck, or the beach, food just tastes better when we eat it under the open sky.

Many foods lend themselves to eating outdoors but sometimes it’s as simple as taking your prepared plate out to the balcony, porch, or patio. Also known as al fresco dining, many restaurants offer patio seating so their patrons can enjoy their meals while taking in the city, beach, countryside or just people watch. Even more temperate climates offer seasonal outdoor dining.

Eat Outside Day encourages you to taste the sunshine (or the moonlight) while eating your meal. It’s like a mini stay-cation where you get to recharge while enjoying a delicious feast outdoors.

HOW TO OBSERVE National Eat Outside Day

National Eat Outside Day offers limitless possibilities to celebrate! Try these ideas:

• Host an outdoor brunch or just take your bacon and eggs outside to enjoy.
• Take your sack lunch outside to eat during your break.
• Pack a picnic basket and head to the park.
• Visit your favorite restaurant and sit on the patio this time.
• Invite friends over for a BBQ.
• Take a dinner river cruise.
• Pack some sandwiches and trail mix and go for a hike.
• Stay up late, pop some popcorn, make cheese and crackers or grab the leftovers. Spread a blanket under the stars and look for constellations while snacking.
• Organize an outdoor potluck.
• Host your book club outdoors with all your favorite foods and beverages.
• Go camping. You’re nearly guaranteed to eat outdoors when you’re in the Great Outdoors.
• Take a cue from your garden. Wash off those ripening vegetables and fruits with a spritz from the hose and savor your bounty.

Eat Outside FAQ

Q. What does “al fresco” mean?
A. It means “in the air” and typically is used to reference outdoor dining.

Q. Is outdoor dining a new fad?
A. Not really. Humans have been eating outdoors for centuries. Sometimes out of necessity (caves, huts, teepees, covered wagons don’t always have a lot of space for indoor eating).

Q. What are some of the best foods to eat outdoors?
A. Just about anything can be eaten outdoors depending on the setting. However, some foods are better than others when it comes to portability and convenience. Sandwiches, finger foods, fresh fruits and vegetables all fit the picnic profile. When we’re cooking at home, nearly anything can be on the menu – including soup.

You can do this as long as you are not in the middle of a hurricane of an area with wildfires and super smokey air!

Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Interesting About Mushrooms ~ Cider-Glazed Chicken & Hash ~ National Beach Day

  

Good 47º less smokey morning. 

 

 

Yesterday we actually had some blue sky and puffy clouds! What a nice change. 

We topped at 86º.

 

 

Picture of the Day.....crazy mailbox!

 

 

 

Interesting about mushrooms.........

 

 

A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. Toadstool generally denotes one poisonous to humans.

 

The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi (Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes) that have a stem (stipe), a cap (pileus), and gills (lamellae, sing. lamella) on the underside of the cap. "Mushroom" also describes a variety of other gilled fungi, with or without stems, therefore the term is used to describe the fleshy fruiting bodies of some Ascomycota. The gills produce microscopic spores which help the fungus spread across the ground or its occupant surface.

 

Forms deviating from the standard morphology usually have more specific names, such as "bolete", "puffball", "stinkhorn", and "morel", and gilled mushrooms themselves are often called "agarics" in reference to their similarity to Agaricus or their order Agaricales. By extension, the term "mushroom" can also refer to either the entire fungus when in culture, the thallus (called mycelium) of species forming the fruiting bodies called mushrooms, or the species itself.

 

The terms "mushroom" and "toadstool" go back centuries and were never precisely defined, nor was there consensus on application. During the 15th and 16th centuries, the terms mushrom, mushrum, muscheron, mousheroms, mussheron, or musserouns were used.

 

The term "mushroom" and its variations may have been derived from the French word mousseron in reference to moss (mousse). Delineation between edible and poisonous fungi is not clear-cut, so a "mushroom" may be edible, poisonous, or unpalatable. The word toadstool appeared first in 14th century England as a reference for a "stool" for toads, possibly implying an inedible poisonous fungus.

 

 

Many species of mushrooms seemingly appear overnight, growing or expanding rapidly. This phenomenon is the source of several common expressions in the English language including "to mushroom" or "mushrooming" (expanding rapidly in size or scope) and "to pop up like a mushroom" (to appear unexpectedly and quickly). In reality, all species of mushrooms take several days to form primordial mushroom fruit bodies, though they do expand rapidly by the absorption of fluids.

 

The cultivated mushroom, as well as the common field mushroom, initially form a minute fruiting body, referred to as the pin stage because of their small size. Slightly expanded, they are called buttons, once again because of the relative size and shape. Once such stages are formed, the mushroom can rapidly pull in water from its mycelium and expand, mainly by inflating preformed cells that took several days to form in the primordia.

 

Raw brown mushrooms are 92% water, 4% carbohydrates, 2% protein and less than 1% fat. In a 100 grams (3.5 ounces) amount, raw mushrooms provide 22 calories and are a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value, DV) of B vitamins, such as riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid, selenium (37% DV) and copper (25% DV), and a moderate source (10-19% DV) of phosphorus, zinc and potassium (table). They have minimal or no vitamin C and sodium content.

Vitamin D

The vitamin D content of a mushroom depends on postharvest handling, in particular the unintended exposure to sunlight. The US Department of Agriculture provided evidence that UV-exposed mushrooms contain substantial amounts of vitamin D. When exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, even after harvesting, ergosterol in mushrooms is converted to vitamin D₂, a process now used intentionally to supply fresh vitamin D mushrooms for the functional food grocery market. In a comprehensive safety assessment of producing vitamin D in fresh mushrooms, researchers showed that artificial UV light technologies were equally effective for vitamin D production as in mushrooms exposed to natural sunlight, and that UV light has a long record of safe use for production of vitamin D in food.

 

Edible mushrooms

Main articles: Edible mushroom, Mushroom hunting, and Fungiculture

Mushrooms are used extensively in cooking, in many cuisines (notably Chinese, Korean, European, and Japanese). Humans have valued them as food since antiquity.

 

Most mushrooms sold in supermarkets have been commercially grown on mushroom farms. The most common of these, Agaricus bisporus, is considered safe for most people to eat because it is grown in controlled, sterilized environments. Several varieties of A. bisporus are grown commercially, including whites, crimini, and portobello. Other cultivated species available at many grocers include Hericium erinaceus, shiitake, maitake (hen-of-the-woods), Pleurotus, and enoki. In recent years, increasing affluence in developing countries has led to a considerable growth in interest in mushroom cultivation, which is now seen as a potentially important economic activity for small farmers.

 

China is a major edible mushroom producer. The country produces about half of all cultivated mushrooms, and around 2.7 kilograms (6.0 lb) of mushrooms are consumed per person per year by 1.4 billion people. In 2014, Poland was the world's largest mushroom exporter, reporting an estimated 194,000 tonnes (191,000 long tons; 214,000 short tons) annually.

 

 

 

 

From Mr. Food

Autumn means freshly picked apples, the aroma of cinnamon, and sweet potatoes so tasty, we wish this season lasted all year long. And to embrace all this goodness, we came up with a quick-as-a-wink skillet favorite that’s nothing less than Fall-tacular.

 

 

• 1 stick butter, divided
• 1 (16.2-ounce) bag frozen sweet potato chunks
• 1 large apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 4 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts (no need to thaw)
• 3/4 cup apple cider
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

 

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter; add potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add apple, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and continue to cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender and begin to brown. 
2. Meanwhile, in another large skillet over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter; add chicken and cook for 8 to 10 minutes per side or until no longer pink in center; remove to a plate. 
3. In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add apple cider and Dijon mustard and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until liquid is slightly thickened. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter and heat until butter is melted. Place chicken back into skillet, sprinkling with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and heat for 2 minutes. Spoon glaze over chicken and serve with potatoes.
   
   

***When it comes to the type of apples, that’s up to you. If you like your apples a little more tart, use a Granny Smith, or if you're feeling more All-American, we suggest using a Gala or McIntosh.

 

 

 

Historically this date...........

1963 – The Hotline between the leaders of the U.S.A. and the Soviet Union goes into operation.

 

 

1974 – A powerful bomb explodes at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries headquarters in Marunouchi, Tokyo,Japan. 8 are killed, 378 are injured. Eight left-wing activists are arrested on May 19, 1975 by Japanese authorities.

 

 

1984 – STS-41-D: The Space Shuttle Discovery takes off on its maiden voyage.

 

2003 – While being towed across the Barents Sea, the de-commissioned Russian submarine K-159 sinks, taking 9 of her crew and 800 kg of spent nuclear fuel with her.

 

 

Births this date include....

 

1896 – Raymond Massey, Canadian actor (d. 1983)

 

 

1898 – Shirley Booth, American actress (d. 1992)

 

 

1906 – Joan Blondell, American actress (d. 1979)

 

 

1908 – Fred MacMurray, American actor (d. 1991)

 

1939 – Elizabeth Ashley, American actress

 

 

1972 – Cameron Diaz, American actress

 

 

 

 

All I know. Nuff said. Have a good Wednesday. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

National Beach Day on August 30th celebrates all the sandy beaches across the nation. It also provides an opportunity to help keep those relaxing places clean, so we can continue to enjoy them long into the future.

Whether we spend time on beaches oceanside, at a lake or river, they provide recreation all summer long. Swimming, water sports, and sunbathing are just a few of the relaxing things that come to mind. We also enjoy playing Frisbee, volleyball and long walks. Floating along in the surf on a hot summer day with friends creates summer memories we remember for years to come.

Sometimes, just packing a few icy beverages and a good book is enough to make a beach day perfect. However, we are responsible for caring for the beach, too. Not only should we pack out what we pack in, but it’s necessary to follow the beach rules, also. Safety and fun go hand in hand.

HOW TO OBSERVE

When it comes to swimming at the beach, the American Red Cross provides excellent tips.

1. Swim with a lifeguard present and only in designated areas.
2. Go with a buddy. Never swim alone.
3. Watch for currents, moving water, and riptides. These occur in oceans, lakes, and rivers.
4. Swim within your depth. Don’t swim longer than you are physically capable of doing.
5. Take swimming lessons.
6. Learn CPR.

Organize a group to clean up your favorite beach. Since it’s near the end of the season, your beach will appreciate it. Find out what the facility needs. Take up donations for supplies to keep the beach even cleaner next year. Donate garbage and recycling cans for your beach. Attend a seminar on water pollution and how to prevent it.

Share pictures of your favorite beach while enjoying the last days of summer!

 

NATIONAL BEACH DAY HISTORY

In 1929, the Knights of Columbus out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin launched a National Beach Day as part of their convention plans. However, it never took root.

Then in 2014, Colleen Paige, pet and family lifestyle expert, created National Beach Day to celebrate beaches and the importance of keeping them clean.