And yet, it seems that the most time honored and “interesting” varieties are the ones that we know the least about, at least in this country!  In fact, it is quite staggering how little the average North American knows about the world of spirituous beverages, at least from a historical and cultural standpoint.  However, with relative ease, one can become better educated on the subject.  All it takes is a little research, some travel, and (of course!) some drinking.  And the more one knows, the more they are want to know, and there is almost no limit to how much one can learn and experience.  The only limits are those imposed by geography; and as we all know, the world is a pretty big place!

Absinthe: Often referred to as the “Green Fairy”, absinthe originated in the north-western region of Switzerland sometime in the 18^th century.  It achieved great popularity by the late 19th- and early 20th-century France, particularly amongst intellectuals, artists and bohemians.  It is made from anise, herbs, fennel, and the flowers and leaves of the herb commonly referred to as “wormwood”.  The result is a naturally green (but sometimes colorless) strong liquor that ranges anywhere from 50 to 75% percent alc/vol. (and sometimes even more!)  Traditionally absinthe is drunk with sugar and water.  The ritual is both time honored and complex, involving a special, porous spoon, a fire source and a contoured glass.  Before the alcohol is even poured, the spoon and sugar cube are placed across the top of the glass.  The absinthe is then poured over the cube, saturating it with alcohol.  The sugar is then set aflame, water is then poured over it to extinguish the flame and dilute the liquor.  All three are then mixed, and consumed.

Anisette: is a   clear, colorless liqueur that is consumed in Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Mexico and Peru.  It is made using aniseed (the seed of the anise plant which grows throughout the Mediterranean) rather than star anise (from the Chinese evergreen, star anise tree) which is used in making other anise-flavored liqueurs.  It is sweeter than most anise-flavored liqueurs and also has a lower alcohol content (typically 25% by volume).  It was even created as an absinthe substitute and comes in many varieties which includes Ouzo, Sambuca, Anis Mico and Cartujo.

Arak: Arak is another anise flavored drink, produced largely in the Middle East but also popular throughout the Mediterranean, North Africa and parts of Central Asia.  It is clear and colorless and is generally combined with ice and water.  This causes the drink to become cloudy, due in part to the fact that the oil of anise is not soluble in water.  What results is a drink that is milky in color, sweet, and refreshing.

Arrak: Arrack is a drink that is made from fermented fruit, grains, sugarcane, or the sap of coconut palms, mainly in South and South East Asia.  It is especially popular in Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Philippines.  In the former case, it is made by taking the milky sap from the flowers of a coconut palm tree before the flowers bloom.  This sap is then fermented to form a mildly alcoholic drink (known as palm wine) which is then placed into vats of wood where it is distilled.  The end product is a strong alcohol with a taste that is somewhere between whiskey and rum.  Where sugar cane is involved (particularly in China and Indonesia) the process involves combining the sugar cane with fermented red rice and yeast in a pot still, giving it a unique blend of flavors.

Beck Se Ju: the name literally translates to “100 years wine”.  This is a Korean wine made from rice that was traditionally used for medicinal purposes.  to This is due to the combination of herbs that were part of the distillate, which included ginseng, licorice, omija (Schisandra chinensis), gugija (Chinese wolfberry), astragalus, ginger, and cinnamon.  The taste is somewhere between sake and herb liquor (like Jagermeister) with a strong ginseng aftertaste.

Grappa: literally “grape stalk”, grappa is a grape-based liquor made from the pomace of wine grapes (the solid remains that are left over after they are pressed for juice).  The distillation process is done without adding water and without direct flame, relying on steam heat, which ensures a strong (between 35 and 60% alcohol per volume) and coarse tasting beverage that is often consumed after meals as a digestive.  The name Grappa applies to any “pomace brandy” that is made in Italy, but there are regional variations of this drink as well.  Spanish Orujo, which is also made from the distilled pomace of grapes, is one such example.

Herbero: is a Spanish liqueur that is produced in the Sierra de Mariola, a southwestern region of Spain renowned for its mountains that are rich with herbs and medicinal plants.  The plants used in the production of herbero include at least four of the following: sage, chamomile, pennyroyal, lemon verbena, blessed thistle root, peppermint, cattail, fennel, anise, melissa, agrimony, savory, felty germander, thyme, and French lavender.  The result is a clear liqueur that is often light yellow, green or red in color.

Mead: also known as honey wine, mead is a very multicultural alcohol that is known throughout Europe, Africa and Asia.  Though mead has consistently been honey-based, regardless of where or when it was produced, there are a number of local traditions and varieties.  Some involve spices, fruits, or grain mash, and its strength and level of sweetness vary from place to place.  Its exact origins are unknown, but it is believed to be prehistoric in origin and even predate agriculture itself.  The earliest archaeological evidence of mead dates back to around 7000 BCE, where pottery vessels containing mead were found in Northern China.  In Europe, residual samples were found in ceramics that date back to the 3^rd millennium BCE.  During the Golden Age of Ancient Greece, mead was said to be the preferred drink.  Mead halls were also a common feature in Norse, Danish, and English towns during the Middle Ages where mead was the drink of choice amongst warriors.  It is even mentioned in the Old English epic poem of Beowulf.  For many centuries, mead became an obscure drink, produced mainly in monasteries as a by-product of beekeeping.  More recently, mead has become popular again with the emergence of craft brewing and attempts are being made to revive this prehistoric drink.

Mezcal: is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from an agave plant known as “maguey” that is native to Mexico.  Agave grows in many parts of Mexico, though most mezcal is made in the southern region of Oaxaca.  The exact origins of the drink are unclear, but it is believed to be the product of both the indigenous Mexicans and the conquering Spanish.  The former had been fashioning an alcoholic beverage from the sap of maguey plants for some time (known as Pulque), whereas Spanish settlers began to experiment with maguey sap and distillation.  The result is mezcal, a clear, smoky flavored liquor that is often drunk as an alternative to tequila.

Pisco: Pisco is liquor distilled from grapes.  It was originally developed by Spanish settlers in South America as a cheap alternative to Orujo that had to be imported from Spain.  It is originally named after the conical pottery in which it was originally aged, which was also the name of one of the sites where it first was produced in Peru.  It is now a widely popular drink in Peru, Bolivia and Chile.

Raki: is a grape-based, anise-flavored liqueur popularly consumed in Turkey and the Balkans.  Raki is traditionally produced by distilling grape pomace and then flavored with aniseed.  In this respect, it is similar to Ouzo, Sambuca, Arak, Grappa and Orujo.  It traces its existence back to the Ottoman Dynasty, and is today considered the national drink of Turkey, surpassing the consumption of ouzo, arak and even wine.  It is usually served with mezze (a small meal consisting of appetizers) as an aperitif, though it often accompanies larger meals, usually consisting of seafood.  It is consumed with either a glass of water on the side or is mixed with water and ice.

Soju: a clear, slightly sweet distilled spirit that is traditionally made from rice, though soju makers have been known to add or even substitute other starches such as barley, wheat, potatoes,  sweet potatoes, and even tapioca.  It typically has an alcohol content of about 20% alc. by volume.  Its origin in Korea has been linked to the Mongol invasions of the 13^th century, where the Mongols were believed to have brought arak with them from Persia.  In the region of Kaesong, Korean distillers began to make their own version of this liquor, known as arak-ju. Over time, Koreans perfected the process and substituted rice and other starches for anise to make their product.  Today, soju is by far the most popular Korean drink available, due in part to its inexpensive nature but also its easy drinking taste, which is best described as “vodka-like” but milder and with a certain sweetness.

As Homer Simpson so eloquently put it: “Here’s to alcohol: the cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems.”  Well… be that as it may, alcohol has also served as an outlet for artistic and creative energies for thousands of years.  Beginning with the most basic of ingredients and processes; vintners, brewers and distillers have never stopped honing their craft.  Even today, they are hard at work combining different elements, processes, and ingredients to give our palettes something new and exciting to play with.

Far from being valued solely for its deleterious effects, alcohol has historically served a number of important social functions and as a cornerstone to the culinary industry.  Regardless of where it was produced, alcohol was a means of making contact with the spirit world, marking social occasions, conducting ceremonies, and enhancing gastronomic experiences.  There is scarcely a culture in the world today that did not rely to some extent on alcohol to conduct their rituals, rites, and even daily activities.  In short, alcohol is and probably always will be a part of our culture, and there seems to be no limit to what we can do with it, within reason of course!

When you think of expensive delicacies, what comes to mind?  Most people would invariably say something like lobster, caviar, sushi or foie gras; foods that are challenging to eat and not always accessible to the human palate.  It is often taken for granted that across the globe, every culture has its own version of these foods, things that are appreciated only by the discerning few who have acquired a taste for them.   It is also taken for granted that these foods are only for those who can afford them, and are therefore a symbol of class and social standing.

But would it surprise you to know that all of these foods began as the poor man’s food?  That’s right, raw fish, fish eggs, goose liver, and bottom feeding crustacean all began as food enjoyed (perhaps enjoyed is too strong a word) by those who couldn’t afford cooked fish, fat birds or plump animals to put on their dinner table.   They were the staples of peasants, fishermen and herders who were forced to sell their wares to make ends “meat” and could only eat what was left over.   This included the organs of their animals, their unfertilized offspring, or things that other people simply didn’t want to eat.

But in time, as our collective knowledge of the world expanded and the globe became a smaller place (thanks to exploration), things began to change.  The wealthy and affluent of society began to demand new and more complex foods to snack on.  Many of these came from overseas, the results of trade, colonization or conquest; but a good deal also came from their own backyards.  Having grown tired of things that tasted good and filled their bellies, they began to turn to foods that were a challenge in and of themselves.

Take lobster for example.  At the time North America was first being colonized by Europeans, lobsters were abundant, often washing up on shore to form piles up to two feet high.  Since they were so plentiful and easy to harvest, lobsters were a frequent meal for poor families near the coast.  Fishermen also subsisted on them because they were plentiful and not sought after since they were bottom feeders.  It wasn’t until the 19^th century that restaurants began serving lobster to wealthy patrons who had quickly acquired a taste for them.  This affinity for the crustacean soon had a devastating effect on the population, causing prices to rise substantially.  Hence why they are so expensive today!

Haggis is another good example.  Generally assumed to be Scottish in origin, haggis is a dish reserved for adventurous eaters.  Containing sheep’s ‘pluck’ (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oats, spices, and traditionally cooked in the animal’s own stomach, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that haggis was a food eaten only by those who were for forced to!  Although its origin is shrouded in mystery, it is generally assumed that herders prepared haggis from what was left over from their herds once all of their meat had been handed over to the aristocrats to whom they owed service.  It has since come to be a symbol of Scottish heritage and is served in pubs and eateries, especially on Robbie Burns Day.

Foie gras has a long and complicated history as well.  Though it traces its origins to ancient Egypt, where geese were forced fed to enlarge their livers, the practice of eating foie gras waned after the fall of Rome.  It remained in effect only amongst a small segment of the European population – the Jews.  Under Kosher law, Jews were forbidden to cook with animal lard.  And while Mediterranean Jews were able to rely on olive oil and Asian Jews on sesame, European Jews had neither available to them until the 19^th century and after.  Poultry fat, that obtained by overfeeding geese so that their livers would be enlarged (and well suited for cooking) was thus employed.  During the High Middle Ages, as gentiles gained a taste for goose liver, they were forced to travel to Jewish ghettos in their towns to seek it out.  By the beginning of the 17^th century, the practice had become much more widespread, with foie gras being appreciated by nobles and wealthy merchants all over Europe.

Let us also consider sushi.  In ancient times, sushi was the food of choice amongst fishermen and commoners in South-East Asia.  Originally, the practice of making sushi involved placing raw fish in with cooked rice, vinegar or salt to keep it preserved.  This was done mainly for the sake of ensuring there was food to eat during the winter months when tsunamis made fishing impossible, and heavy rains made wood fuel difficult to procure, and hence too expensive.  Since that time, sushi came to be the delicacy of choice for the aristocracy of Japan, especially during the Shogun period.  But rather than eating their fish preserved with vinegar and salt, aristocrats enjoyed it fresh and raw on patties of rice with seaweed and ginger.  This custom was considered a mark of high class and was practiced by the nobility alone by the time Admiral Perry sailed to Japan.  With the opening of Japan to the world in the 19^th century, it has expanded to become a delicacy that is enjoyed worldwide.

Much the same can be said of sheep’s eyes, caviar, frogs legs, truffles, calves’ brain, or escargot.  All began as staple foods for the poor since they were nutritious, easily procured and not exactly sought after.   They were, in effect, the stuff no one else would eat.  But in time, some more than others (and earlier too) these foodstuffs became expensive or rare treats, served only in high-class establishments to discerning clientele.  As legendary chef Elzar put it: “Hey, that’s what rich people eat, the garbage parts of food.”

But why the change?  Perhaps this represented an act of rebellion on behalf of the wealthy towards their privilege, the rich doing a little slumming by putting things in their mouths no other rich person would.  Or, it could have been an act of appropriation, the wealthy laying claim to something that was uniquely “common” since they had grown tired of lording their ample diets over the lower classes.  Or it could have been a necessary move by the wealthy to ensure that their tastes remained distinct.  As pasteurization, refrigeration and improved transportation greatly enhanced the diet of people everywhere, the wealthy must have felt that their dietary world was being invaded.  Thus, they relocated, to lower ground!

Today, the world of cuisine is a challenging and diverse place, presenting many opportunities for enjoyment and disgust.  For those who live in a metropolitan environment and can afford it, just about anything can be ordered and eaten.  And those who do so can always defend their actions by claiming they are adventurous, or just by saying “it’s a delicacy.”

Gelato first appeared on the scene in the ancient Roman Empire when snow was brought down from mountain tops, stored underground mixed with flavorings. It didn’t become mainstream, however until just after the Renaissance when refrigeration techniques and special recipes were developed to combine the ingredients for maximum effect. As with many of the best things in life; red wine, sports cars, fine food and coffee, the birthplace of modern ice cream was Italy.

Gelato was the predecessor to ice cream. After the Italians perfected the recipe, Caterina de’ Medici shared the love with France and the rest, to be trite, is history. If Caterina were around, and not covered in worms and dirt, I would kiss her.

So, the main differences between gelato and ice cream then? Gelato has less fat, less sugar, and a more concentrated flavor. It is made in smaller batches that refrigerate and spoil more quickly.

This, keep in mind, is if ice cream is made with real cream; most of the brands in the supermarket are not made with real cream, but rather modified milk ingredients. Food technology being as it is, milk powder, often coming from New Zealand is reconstituted in food factories in the U.S. where a bunch of other non dairy ingredients like seaweed and hydrogenated vegetable oil. In Canada, many ice “cream” manufacturers use a butter-oil sugar blend. Like its name implies, it is made using a combination of fat and sugar; specifically, 51% sugar, classifying it as a confectionery (candy) product, and thus exempt from many of the import tariffs levied on milk products; making it much cheaper to manufacture; and yet, these frozen desserts are increasing in cost. Read your labels.

I digress. Traditionally made ice cream makers use cream and/or egg yolk as the stabilizer to stop it from freezing solid. Gelato makers use a more finely tuned technique of finding the perfect balance between the sugar and water content.

The truly best gelato comes from Italy! Even immigrant Italian families, using traditional Italian recipes, in Italian bowls, and Italian freezers adding bits of ground up Italians, cannot possibly compare. Must be those magic Italian dairy cows!

the growing rock

i should water my

plants oops

i spilled water

on my rock

oh My! Did

you see that

my rock grew

*the next day*

i should water my plants

should i put water on

my rock. i should *so she  put

water on her rock*

it just grew again

and it is getting too

Big! What should i do?

Should i tell mom or dad

should i let it grow some more

In summary, Alzheimer’s Disease is a specific diagnosis, named after a the guy who discovered it – Alois Alzheimer in 1906, whereas dementia describes a collection of symptoms that have a number of possible causes. Alzheimer’s Disease is confirmed by cognitive – behavioural assessments and brain scans, and is confirmed post mortem by an autopsy.

Makes one long for the beautiful, blue waters and rich history of Greece!

Not to worry, landlubbers, you can still be a salty dog on either, but here is the difference; if you are on a sea, you are partially enclosed by land on some part of your border, while if you are on an ocean, you could be a speck with 1000′s of kilometres separating you from sweet solid ground. Seas are smaller, shallower bodies of water, partially surrounded by a chunk of land; the Bering Sea is bordered by Russia and the United States. The Mediterranean Sea is bordered by Southern Europe, Asia, and Africa and considered to be the largest sea in the world. Seas can also be completely enclosed by land as is the case with the Black Sea and the Dead Sea.

What about gulfs; like the Gulf of Mexico and the Persian Gulf. What is the difference between seas, oceans and gulfs? The Newberry Library definition provides the most clarity to this question: “a body of water existing within a large embayment of a continental coastline.” A bay, therefore is like a gulf but smaller scale.

In the 15th century when disease was such a big part of daily life; this type of artwork was commonplace.

Generally, the difference between pandemic and epidemic is one of concentration and geographic reach. Epidemics occur in a specific area which can be a city, state or even an entire country as long as the incidence of the disease remains relatively constant with no exponential growth, and localized. Pandemics are more widespread, and affect a larger amount of people – an entire continent or world wide. HIV, the virus causing AIDS is considered a pandemic. As was the Bubonic plague and small pox.

Colloquially, when the word epidemic refers to a high rate of infection – higher than you would normally expect to be the case. There are frequent epidemics of Dengue fever in the tropics; a virus spread by infected mosquitoes. Seasonal flu is not considered to be an epidemic, even though it has a high rate of occurrence, because it is expected that many people will contract the flu. It can become an epidemic, however, if the number of cases is many more than is historically usual for the seasonal flu. This can become a pandemic if the cases start increasing exponentially and spreading to new populations and geographic locations unexpectedly.

The Asteroid Mathilde

Simply put, an asteroid is a body of rock or metal, of any size orbiting the sun. The largest known asteroid is Ceres, the largest member of the asteroid belt and the smallest known dwarf planet (Pluto is a dwarf planet) after when in 2006, the International Astronomical Union, formalized their definition of a planet. This then, begs the question, “what is the difference between a planet, a planetoid and an asteroid? If you are a chunk of rock applying for planet status; you need to have sufficient mass to orbit the sun in a nearly circular fashion, and have cleared your orbit of any other celestial bodies – get beefy and take out the trash as it were. Dwarf planet, planetoid, asteroid or minor planet were terms that were used interchangeably until 2006 when the IAU again stepped in and created guidelines for a specific classification system: if you didn’t meet the onerous requirements to officially become a planet, you could be labeled a dwarf planet as your consolation prize – you need only to have an ellipsoid orbit around the sun. Thus, Ceres is a dwarf planet, but still classified by most in the know to be an asteroid.

A meteor is the streak of light that an asteroid, or any other space debris creates as it collides with our atmosphere; an object in in transition. You can’t pick up a meteor – it is like a rainbow, an effect created by a phenomenon. If you are lucky enough to pick up a space rock that your species has not been rendered extinct by, you have in your hands a meteorite. To summarize, an asteroid is still outside Earth’s orbit; it becomes a meteor as it collides and passes through the Earth’s orbit and a meteorite is the actual matter left at the end.

The problem with this system, and thus one of the reasons why Beta blockers are prescribed, is that if your heart muscle is damaged, or if you have arrhythmias, or one of many other heart conditions, any increase in workload puts  you at risk for sustaining further heart damage. Beta blockers have negative inotropic and chronotropic effects:

What is an Inotropic Effect?

Inotropic refers to the strength at which a muscle contracts. A negative inotrope decreases the strength of a muscle contraction and a positive inotrope increases the strength of a muscle contraction. Beta blockers are negative inotropes – if your heart doesn’t beat as “hard” it is less likely to break down. Drugs like Milrinone have the opposite effect; they increase the contractility of the heart and are used in some cases of congestive heart failure.

What is a Chronotropic Effect?

Chronotropic refers to the speed at which the heart beats. Negative chronotropic agents, such as beta blockers, decrease the hearts contraction rate.

In summary beta blockers work to decrease heart rate (beats per unit time) and the strength of the heart contraction protecting it from incurring further damage.