Food is an integral part of our life. We eat food 3-5 times a day, and our health and appearance depend on what we eat. Today we won’t just talk about food, but we will explore interesting facts about food and drinks that we have never heard of before. For example, did you know that the very first soup was prepared back in the 60th century BC, and from hippopotamus meat?
Interesting facts about food in different countries: East Asia
The Japanese live on an island surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, and therefore they have always eaten seafood and algae. Based on research results, it was found that in the digestive tract of the Japanese there are special microorganisms that are better able to break down and absorb these products.
Banana is not a fruit as many people think, it is just a herb. But a person who eats a banana begins to emit a smell that attracts mosquitoes.
If you smoked and decided to eat tomatoes or carrots, then be careful: tobacco smoke reacts with beta-carotene, after which it becomes carcinogenic to your body. Although smoking itself is poison for humans.
The role of smell and hearing when eating
Many airplane passengers stated that food in the air is different from what it is on the ground. This is due to the fact that not only the sense of smell affects a person’s taste buds, but also hearing. Noisy engines make food seem crispier, but less sweet and salty.
If you close your eyes and hold your nose, you will not be able to distinguish the following foods from each other: onions, potatoes and apples. Since they are similar in taste, they have a similar consistency.
What you didn't know about drinks
Tequila is commonly called “cactus vodka,” although in fact it is made not from cactus, but from agave juice. But the forty-degree strength of the drink allows it to be considered a brother of vodka.
Green tea has 50% higher vitamin C content than black tea. Hibiscus is mistakenly called “red tea,” but this drink has nothing to do with tea; rather, the meaning of decoction or infusion is applicable to it.
In China, there are some varieties of tea that require the addition of salt rather than sugar to the cup.
The wine is called dry because it contains fully fermented sugar.
in food
Today, almost all the food we eat contains chemical additives. How do they affect our body?
Although additives starting with the index “E” are generally considered harmful, there are beneficial additives, such as ascorbic acid (E300) and lecithin (E322). But these components should also be in limited quantities in our diet.
To enhance the taste of their products, many manufacturers resort to the use of glutamic acid and its salts (E620-E625), as well as preservatives - benzoic acid and its salts (E210-E219). Despite the fact that glutamic acid and its salts are natural components for our body, their excess content negatively affects the functioning of the central nervous system and can also be dangerous for the cardiovascular system. Thanks to spices in the cuisines of China and Japan, this component is found in large quantities, so sometimes excessive consumption of this acid and salts is called “Chinese / Japanese restaurant syndrome.”
Scientists have proven that food dyes in baby food cause increased activity in babies. These are mainly red and yellow colored additives. Also, excess content of components that enhance taste can cause damage to a fragile body. For example, when overeating crackers, chips, carbonated drinks, and so on.
Some parents prohibit their children from eating fruit before meals, citing the fact that the child will “kill his appetite.” In fact, fruits contain sugars that promote the release of insulin into the blood and, as a result, stimulate appetite. It is recommended to eat vegetables and fruits from your native area rather than from exotic countries. Since the digestive tract contains enzymes aimed at breaking down familiar foods.
Are the benefits of extra finely ground porridge different from whole grains? Of course yes. The fact is that the smaller the grind, the more degrees of processing the cereal has undergone, and as a result, there is a decrease in its beneficial properties for the body. We remind you that various additives, which are often found in instant cereals, are not beneficial, but rather, on the contrary, harm the body.
Not a single living creature on Earth can do without food. This is how the body receives nutrients and minerals that are necessary for normal growth and development. A person needs a balanced diet. Otherwise, health problems cannot be avoided. Today people have access to delicacies for every taste. Food can affect the human body in different ways. Therefore, we further suggest you look at interesting and surprising facts about food.
1. The apple has been a symbol of femininity in several ancient cultures around the world.
2. In ancient times, the apple resembled the pentagram of good and evil.
3. The giant grass is the banana tree.
4. Banana flowers are sterile.
5. The first cooked food was the digested prey in the stomach.
6. Roasted camel is the largest cooked dish in the world.
7. Fried camel is stuffed with a whole lamb.
8. Oysters were often considered an aphrodisiac.
9. Throughout history, sex and food have often been linked together.
10. Casanova fed his mistresses oysters.
11. Drinking milk was a luxury in the Middle Ages.
12. The Arabs were the first in the world to invent caramel.
13. Caramel was used for hair removal on legs.
14. The first soup in the world was made from hippopotamus meat.
15. The habit of decorating dishes with fresh parsley dates back to ancient Rome.
16. Priestesses of temples in Greek cities were called bees.
17. Beans were considered a symbol of the embryo in some cultures.
18. A tomato is essentially a fruit.
19. It was believed that lemon juice could dissolve a fish bone in the stomach.
20. The main ingredient in pepper sauce is hot chili peppers.
21. Attila’s warriors kept the meat under the saddle of the horse.
22. People used garlic to repel mosquitoes.
23. Bread became a symbol of satiation.
24. One of the indicators of the attractiveness of food is the smell.
25. One of the greatest human transformations of food is heat treatment.
26. The fruits of the fig tree were eaten by the ancient Egyptians during initiation.
27. About 27 million Americans eat at McDonald's every day.
28. Hippocrates believed that dog meat soup had medicinal properties.
29. A split coconut is a good omen in the Philippines.
30. It turns out that carrots have undergone significant transformations throughout history.
31. Several thousand years ago, the nutrient content was much higher in vegetables and fruits.
32. Mosquitoes are attracted to the smell of a person who has eaten a banana.
33. It is better for those who smoke to give up carrots and tomatoes.
34. The reason for the development of hyperactivity in children is the high content of food dyes in children's products.
35. Manufacturers often provide false information on food labels about the calorie content of products.
36. A popular dish in Japan is prepared from the nests of swifts.
37. Champagne foams through the dirt in the glass.
38. Fruit juice is coffee.
39. Most lipsticks contain fish scales.
40. The main ingredient in sperm is fructose.
41. Egg is the most consumed breakfast food.
42. Apple seeds can lead to fatal poisoning.
43. In 1853, potato chips were invented.
44. Some bugs taste like apples.
45. Wasps taste like pine nuts.
46. Worms look like fried bacon.
47. Red wine is served with tuna.
48. Apples with the salmon gene are round and beautiful.
49. More than 3.5 million bathtubs can be filled with Coca-Cola drunk in a year.
50. Fruits are watermelon, pumpkin, tomato and cucumber.
51. Bananas are eaten as berries.
52. Onions only have a smell.
53. Cucumbers are 95% water.
54. The ancient Romans ate reclining.
55. Urea is added to cigars for additional flavor.
56. Large doses of coffee are lethal.
57. Depression, irritability and drowsiness await coffee lovers.
58. In the modern world, food travels more than 2,400 km before reaching the table.
59. Carrots were once purple.
60. Coca-Cola cleans the toilet better than any other cleaner.
61. Milk is used to produce paints and glue.
62. 80% of the world's population regularly eats insects.
63. Mango is the most popular fruit in the world.
64. Only 5 species make up more than 70% of all food products on Earth.
65. A cup of espresso contains less caffeine than regular coffee.
66. The average person spends more than 5 years of his life eating.
67. Acne can be caused by eating dairy products.
68. You can try raw horse meat flavored ice cream in Tokyo.
69. The secretion product of the anal glands of beavers is vanillin.
70. Red food coloring is made from special beetles.
71. The maggots contain cheese that is made in Sardinia.
72. Bread additive is made from duck feathers and human hair.
73. The sperm of fish is their milk.
74. Titanium dioxide is included in ranch sauce.
75. The secretions of beetles add shine to marmalade.
76. Meat from 100 different cows can be contained in one hamburger.
77. Ketchup was used to treat diarrhea.
78. Fruit-flavored snacks are made from car polishing wax.
79. Nutmeg can cause hallucinations.
80. The product of bee vomit is honey.
81. All oranges are treated with ethylene gas to make them orange.
82. Chicken nuggets are produced from the liquefied meat substance.
83. An analogy to the components of marijuana are the components of milk.
84. Up to 11 rodent hairs can contain 25 grams of paprika.
85. The average fast food customer eats about 12 other people's hairs.
86. The first candy appeared in Egypt.
87. The saliva that a person produces during his life would be enough for two large swimming pools.
88. By the age of 60, most people lose up to 50% of their taste buds.
89. The perception of taste depends on the temperature of food.
90. A person gets used to tea faster than to heroin.
91. Apples help with sleepiness in the morning.
92. About 40,000 bacteria are found in the human mouth.
93. There is enough fat in the human body for 7 bars of soap.
94. About 100 grams of proteins are synthesized in the human body in one hour.
95. Food stays in the human stomach for approximately 6 hours.
96. Human gastric juice contains more than 0.4% hydrochloric acid.
97. 21 minutes after eating, a person’s feelings of hunger disappear.
98. On average, up to 2 liters is the capacity of the human stomach.
99. A person’s stomach turns red when his face turns red.
100. Unbridled appetite is a disease called bulimia.
Everything related to nutrition is worthy of delight. Scientists can make diamonds out of peanut butter and grapes can explode in the microwave! Haven't heard of this? Well, you might be interested in this list of impressive food facts that not many people know.
Scientists Can Process Peanut Butter into Diamonds
Scientists have found that peanut butter contains quite a lot of carbon, which means it can be converted into diamonds. It is only necessary to completely remove the oxygen, and then subject the product to enormous pressure for the transformation process to occur. Of course, natural diamonds will still always be considered more valuable.
Red Skittles are made with boiled bugs.
Carmine is a common food coloring found in a variety of raspberry- and strawberry-flavored candies and other foods. It is even used in lipsticks. Carmine is obtained from crushed cochineal beetles.
Oysters are alive when eaten
If you eat raw oysters, chances are they are still alive during the process. This product loses its freshness quite quickly, so it is served as soon as possible - while the shellfish are alive. Some of them can survive without water for up to two weeks. If the oysters are dead, they are dangerous to eat. That is, when you order them in a restaurant, they bring you live oysters, and they die in the process of chewing. Luckily, they don't have a central nervous system, so they don't feel pain.
Potatoes can reflect wireless internet signals
Due to their high water content and certain chemical composition, potatoes are able to absorb and reflect radio waves and wireless Internet signals.
All the bananas in the store are clones
Although there are more than a thousand varieties of bananas in the world, the familiar yellow fruit sold in every store is a genetic clone of the Cavendish banana. These bananas have no seeds and also last longer. Due to the lack of seeds, they are cloned to continue production. Growers fear that a lack of genetic diversity could eventually lead to the extinction of bananas.
Candies and cars are coated with the same wax
Have you ever wondered why gummy bears are so glossy? They are covered with a layer of wax, the same one that is used to polish cars. It is completely safe for health.
The Aztecs used chocolate as currency
The Aztecs are widely known for their love of chocolate. They used cocoa beans as money! People during the reign of the Aztecs could pay taxes with such beans.
Honey never spoils
In its natural state, honey contains a minimum of liquid, and it is also acidic in nature. In such conditions, bacteria die instantly. This is why archaeologists have found pots of honey from thousands of years ago, and the product still seemed fresh. However, honey is not the only such product - salt, sugar and rice can also be stored indefinitely.
Carrots were originally purple
Carrots once looked completely different. It was originally purple or white. The orange carrot we all know and eat now is the result of a genetic mutation that spread in the sixteenth century - the purple variety then virtually disappeared.
Cranberries spring back like a rubber ball
Cranberries are able to spring back when the berries are ripe. You can check how ripe the berries are: if you throw a cranberry on the floor, it should jump up like a small ball.
Wasabi is colored horseradish
If you like to eat sushi with wasabi, you should know that it is most likely just colored horseradish. Unfortunately, wasabi is too often counterfeited - you need to go to a truly sophisticated Japanese restaurant to try the real thing. This is too expensive an ingredient for every restaurant to use, so imitation is used.
Farmed Salmon - White
Wild salmon are naturally pink due to the fish's diet being high in shrimp. When farmed commercially, fish eat differently. As a result, the product turns out white. To provide it with a pleasant pink tint, manufacturers use plant pigments for coloring.
Apple pie wasn't invented in America.
Many Americans believe that there is no more American product than apple pie, but this is a mistake. Pies were invented in medieval England, and the traditional apple dessert with a lattice of pastry on top was modernized by the Dutch.
People once thought tomatoes were poisonous
In medieval Europe, tomatoes were called “poison apples” because aristocrats often fell ill and died after eating them. No one guessed that the problem was with the cutlery. According to historians, zinc utensils were used back then, with which the tomatoes reacted, which led to poisoning. Only the spread of pizza with tomatoes from Italy gradually changed the negative attitude towards this product.
Grapes will explode if heated in the microwave
You can do a science experiment: If you cut a grape in half and heat it in the microwave, you'll get an explosive ball of plasma. The thing is that the berry is too small, so the electromagnetic waves are concentrated too much.
Crackers cause tooth decay faster than candy.
You've probably heard that candy is bad for your teeth. In fact, there are many foods that are much worse for your mouth, such as crackers. This is because it is acid that destroys teeth, not sugar. When crackers stick to teeth, it creates the perfect environment for acid-producing bacteria to spread.
Eating large amounts of nutmeg leads to hallucinations
Nutmeg acts as a hallucinogen in the body if consumed in large quantities. You may experience nausea, dizziness and problems thinking. Do not consume more than two tablespoons, and then you will be in no danger.
Americans threw away chicken wings until they came up with a special sauce
Before buffalo sauce was invented, it was common practice to throw away chicken wings. It wasn't until the sixties that Americans started eating them widely, when they started baking them with sauce and butter.
Chili creates the illusion of a burn in the mouth
The feeling of a burn when eating hot peppers manifests itself only psychologically, not physically. The capsaicin contained in peppers affects pain receptors, the brain decides that you are eating something very hot, you begin to sweat, and your face turns red.
Popsicles were invented by accident
There is no exact information on this matter, however, there is a story about how in 1905, eleven-year-old Frank Epperson left a mixture of sparkling water and regular water in a glass on the street, and it froze overnight. So, he accidentally came up with a version of dairy-free ice cream. Over time, this dessert began to be sold in stores, and it spread to other countries.
Processed cheese was invented in Switzerland
Most processed cheese is produced in America, where it even comes in a can, like whipped cream, but it was invented in Switzerland. Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler came up with the product in 1911 when they decided to find a way to extend the shelf life of regular cheese. This greatly facilitated the transportation process.
Colonizers and missionaries of South America met the capybara animal in the 16th century - a rodent leading a semi-aquatic lifestyle. They asked the Pope to declare the capybara a fish so that its meat could be eaten during fasting, to which he kindly gave his consent. 
Eating pies or buns with poppy seeds may cause a positive blood drug test. 
In Scandinavian countries, dishes made from rotten or fermented fish are common. For example, the Icelandic dish hakarl is made from rotten shark meat, and the Swedish surströmming is made from sour herring. 
China has long loved to feast on crocodile meat. On the banks of the Yangtze, small crocodiles were caught and fattened until the tail reached the required length. Thus, the reptile became a domestic animal, moreover, also performing the functions of a watchdog. The fact is that the crocodile was kept at the entrance to the yard in a box like a doghouse, where it was tightly chained by its hind leg with a rather long chain. 
Until the mid-19th century, restaurants served all ordered dishes at once - this method of service is called service à la française (“French system”). In the 1830s, Russian Prince Alexander Kurakin visited France and taught restaurateurs a different way - to serve dishes gradually, in the order they appear on the menu. In modern restaurants, this system is most popular and is called service à la russe. 
Camembert cheese should be consumed as close to the expiration date as possible, but never after this date. 
One day, a young doctor, invited to see a hopelessly ill Russian boy, allowed him to eat whatever he wanted. The boy ate pork and cabbage and, to the surprise of those around him, began to recover. After this incident, the doctor prescribed pork and cabbage to a sick German boy, but he ate it and died the next day. According to one version, it is this story that underlies the emergence of the expression “what is good for a Russian is death for a German.” 
When sugar arrived in Europe, it was a luxury. To show their status, it became fashionable for rich people to have black teeth. 
In the European Union, tomatoes, rhubarb, carrots, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, melons, watermelons and ginger are legally considered fruits. This law allows for the legal production and export of preserves and jams made from these plants, which, according to EU rules, can only be made from fruits. 
The most exquisite delicacy in Japanese cuisine is fugu fish. However, if cooked incorrectly, eating this fish can cause fatal poisoning. Scientists have found that the toxicity of puffer fish is not due to innate properties, but solely to its diet - starfish and shellfish, from which it receives poison. If you feed it with non-toxic food, there will be absolutely no deadly poison in it. However, this discovery did not bring joy to the chefs and owners of Japanese restaurants. After all, a portion of fugu is very expensive and attracts tourists precisely because of the opportunity to experience the thrill, and the absence of danger can significantly reduce the price of the dish. 
One of the most difficult freeze-dried foods to prepare is tea. And one of the most delicious, according to astronauts, is freeze-dried cottage cheese with cranberries and nuts. It tastes like fresh. Space products are the safest and most natural. They contain neither chemical nor synthetic additives: it is unknown how they will behave in space, where, among other things, solar radiation and magnetic waves are present. 
In Japan, it is believed that sushi that is made especially for you by the warm hands of a chef is tastier to eat with your hands. In addition, this is respect and praise for the cook, especially if the sushi was prepared in front of your eyes by the owner of the establishment. This custom is called skinship, “contact through the skin.” 
In the 19th century, packaging for sweets first appeared in Russia - bonbonniere (from the French word bonbonniere - “candy box”) in the form of boxes of different shapes and sizes. This is due to the fact that the traditional home-made preparation of “confects” (as we once used to say) began to be replaced by their industrial production and confectionery or biscuit shops appeared everywhere, which became widespread immediately after the end of the War of 1812. 
In 1912, the centenary of Napoleon's expulsion from Moscow was widely celebrated in Moscow. For this anniversary, a whole range of drinks and dishes appeared, decorated in a festive way. A new cake also appeared - puff pastry with cream, made in the shape of a triangle, in which Napoleon's famous triangular hat was supposed to be seen. The cocked hat became an obligatory part of the emperor’s image after Lermontov’s poems; He is wearing a triangular hat and a gray field coat. The cake quickly received the name “Napoleon” and universal recognition. This name has survived to this day, although the shape of the cake has become rectangular. 
Contrary to the prevailing stereotype, sweets are not so harmful at the beginning of a meal. According to some nutritionists, a cake or pastry can play the role of a kind of anti-aperitif, calming a voracious appetite. It all depends on how hungry you are and how long ago you ate. If you missed another meal, start your meal with a few shares of chocolate, a couple of sweets, a piece of cake, a few spoons of jam or ice cream. This will speed up the saturation of the blood with glucose, reduce the feeling of hunger and prevent overeating. 
At the end of the 18th century, a most interesting medical experiment was carried out in Sweden. The local king Gustav III was extremely interested in the question: is coffee harmful or beneficial? In order to solve the problem once and for all, the king pardoned two twin brothers sentenced to death, obliging them to drink their own drink every day; one - coffee, the other - tea. And he assigned two professors to the twins, who were obliged to closely monitor them and report to the king about the slightest changes in their health. And the attitude towards coffee in those days was such that they expected a completely obvious thing from the experiment: in a year or two, the twin drinking coffee was supposed to die in terrible agony. Reality decisively refuted all expectations, and in a rather cynical way. Both professors were the first of the five to leave: the third was the king himself; the twins thus lasted the longest, both of whom lived to very advanced years. And the first of them, at the age of 83, to leave the world was the one who drank... tea. 
It was a surprisingly hot summer in France that year. It was stuffy in the gardens of Versailles. The king was bored, the ladies suffered, fanning themselves. They were not even interested in the unique collection of original dishes that Viscount de Cruchon, a recognized wine connoisseur and famous collector, put on display in the palace park. But then the Viscount took a huge transparent bowl and began to mix something in it. He filled it with light wine, juices, fruits soaked in sugar and chilled champagne, resulting in a refreshing drink with an unusual, exceptionally pleasant taste. The sleepy kingdom came to life, the ladies, one after another, began to admire: “Cruchon! Oh, Cruchon!” And the new drink, which received the name of its creator, which, by the way, is translated from French as “jug,” became popular at court. What ladies and gentlemen did all summer was drain and mix wines, flavor them with spices, and add various fruits. The king took part in the entertainment with pleasure, throwing rose petals there, and his favorites tried to catch them in their glass. Many years have passed since then, not a single generation has changed. But cruchon, an exquisite dessert alcoholic drink served at celebrations, is still in fashion. Since it is served chilled, it is especially good in spring and summer. To prepare it, of course, it is best to use fresh fruits and berries, of which we now have no shortage. However, if you don’t have any on hand, it doesn’t matter; canned, candied, and frozen will do. What else do you need? Light table grape wines, cognac, rum, liqueur. And, as a rule, champagne. 
Nicolaus Copernicus is known to everyone as an astronomer, the creator of the heliocentric picture of the world. However, according to medical historians S. Hand and A. Kunin, he deserves no less, and perhaps even greater fame as the inventor of the sandwich. The invention was made by him for medical purposes. The history of the invention of the sandwich is as follows. As a young man, Copernicus studied medicine for two years at the University of Padua in Italy, but did not receive a doctorate. After this, his uncle, Bishop Watzepirrode, in a related way, made him a canon in the Frombork Cathedral and at the same time the commandant of the Olsztyn Castle. The castle was besieged by the army of the Teutonic Knightly Order, and a few months later an epidemic of an unknown disease began within the castle walls. It is known that morbidity was high and mortality was low (only two people died). The medicines used by Copernicus did not produce results. Then he decided to investigate the causes of the disease. The astronomer decided that the reasons may lie in nutrition. He divided the inhabitants of the fortress into small groups, isolated them from one another and put them on different diets. It soon turned out that only one group did not get sick - the one whose diet did not include bread. In this case, it would be reasonable to completely abandon bread in the diet, but it turned out to be impossible to do this in a besieged castle, where there was not a wide variety of supplies. Coarse black bread constituted the main food of the inhabitants of the fortress. Walking along long corridors, climbing narrow spiral staircases to the fortress towers, the defenders of the castle often dropped their ration of bread on the floor. Having picked up a piece, it was shaken off or blown on and eaten. Perhaps, Copernicus reasoned, the infection came from the dirt that fell on pieces of bread from the floor. The astronomer doctor came up with the idea that the slices of bread should be smeared with some light edible substance, against which dirt could be easily seen. Then the stuck dirt could be cleaned off along with the grease. As such a spread, we chose thickly whipped cream without sugar, that is, butter. Thus the sandwich was born. And the infection soon stopped wandering around the castle. The Teutons failed to capture the fortress or learn the secret of the sandwich. When they were forced to lift the siege, the head of the guild of pharmacists and doctors, Adolf Buttenade, came to Olsztyn from Leipzig to learn on the spot about the causes and methods of treating the disease. Copernicus shared his experience with him. Two years after the death of the great astronomer, in 1545, after one war that was fought between numerous and small German principalities, a similar disease appeared in Europe again. Buttenade remembered the Copernican method and began to promote it. As far as we know, sandwiches this time did not help stop the epidemic, but the new dish was to the taste of many and gradually spread throughout all countries. 
Pancakes "Suzette" are a wonderful dessert that you should try just once and you will fall in love with them forever. What is their interesting secret - in the recipe, in the spices, in the magic of the cook, in the past? History preserves an incredibly beautiful legend about the birth of this recipe. According to one source, the appearance of this recipe is associated with the name of Suzanne Reichenberg. Few people know that the name of this French theater actress is associated with one of the most beautiful love stories, which also included culinary discoveries... Suzanne Reichenberg (1853-1924) was a French actress of German origin. In one of the plays by the novelist Marivaux, which was staged at the privileged theater of the French Comedy (Comédie Francaise), Suzanne played the leading role. According to the script, she was supposed to eat pancakes. Since the play was popular and was performed on stage every day, Suzanne had to eat pancakes every day. These, as well as other food for the theater, were prepared by a cook named Monsieur Joseph. At some point, he thought about the difficult gastronomic fate that Suzanne endured every time in the name of art, pretending to enjoy eating disgusting pancakes, and especially for the actress he created special, small, almost fluffy sweet pancakes that no one had ever tasted before. could get bored. Rumor has it that Joseph was in love with Suzanne... In 1934, a book of memoirs by Henry Charpentier, a French chef who immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s, was published in New York. and opened the famous Henri Restaurant there, whose guests were the English Queen Victoria, the English King Edward VII, the Italian Queen Margherita, the Belgian King Leopold, Theodore Roosevelt, John D. Rockefeller, Marilyn Monroe, Sarah Bernhardt and many, many other eminent persons. On the other hand, in his book, Henry talked about how the Suzette pancakes were born as a result of an accidental mistake. And this happened on January 31, 1896, when Prince Edward of Wales, the future King of England Edward VII, came to the Cafe de Paris restaurant in Monte Carlo, accompanied by his friends, among whom was a very young lady named Suzette. Whose relationship she was to the prince, alas, is unknown. Perhaps she was his niece, perhaps his goddaughter, and perhaps his illegitimate daughter... The honor of serving such important guests fell to fifteen-year-old Henry Charpentier, a waiter's assistant. One of the dishes that Henry had to serve to the guests was pancakes. All Charpentier had to do was take the finished pancakes to the table, but first heat them in a sauce consisting of orange zest, sugar and a combination of alcoholic beverages. Suddenly the sauce caught fire and the pancakes were flambéed. By luck, Charpentier became the discoverer of a new sensational taste. The prince and his guests were so delighted with the dessert that Edward inquired about the name of the dish. “Princess pancakes,” said a stunned Henry, and that was the first thing that came to mind. ""Princess"? – Edward was surprised. “Can we name them after our beautiful Lady Suzette?” How could one refuse the future king? The next day, a package arrived for young Charpentier from the Prince of Wales. It contained a ring with precious stones, a cane and a hat. 
One day, Louis XIV was served wine from his beloved Jean-Paul Chenet for dinner. The wine was excellent, but the bottle was a little crooked. The king became angry and ordered the winemaker to be taken to the Louvre. - What's happened?! Why is it crooked? – Louis asked, pointing his finger at the crooked bottle. - She's not crooked. She is upright, but bows before the brilliance of Your Majesty,” answered the resourceful winemaker. “Yes, indeed, she reminds me of the bow of my lovely ladies-in-waiting,” said the Sun King. - My God, what kind of dent is this? Jean-Paul answered without hesitation: “Don’t your gentle touches leave dents on the fluffy skirts of your ladies-in-waiting?” The king laughed and ordered the resourceful winemaker to be rewarded. Since then, all Jean-Paul Chenet wines have been bottled with a slightly curved neck. 
Dried tomatoes were first preserved in oil in southern Italy, and now they can be found almost all over the world. For canning, tomatoes are chopped, salted and dried in the sun so that all moisture is removed from them and the aroma becomes more intense. Dried tomatoes are poured with vegetable oil and spices. 
Few people today know that real borscht is a stew made from hogweed, a plant that most people today consider to be a weed. It was the decoction of hogweed with beet kvass that was called borscht in the old days. So we owe the appearance of one of our most favorite dishes to weed. 
The name “vatrushka” apparently comes from the word “vatra”, which in most Slavic languages means “fire”, “hearth”. In fact, this name perfectly suits the round open pie, shaped like the sun. After all, it was the hearth for the ancient peoples that was the symbol of this luminary. 
Healthy recipes from cookbooks written on the plains turn out to be harmful in the mountains and vice versa. The food that the inhabitants of the plains prepare from books compiled by the mountaineers becomes overcooked. At the same time, mountain dwellers would have to eat undercooked food if they cooked strictly according to recipes written by those living on the plains. This is due to the difference in atmospheric pressure, which causes water to boil at a lower temperature in the mountains. 
Praised as a hangover cure, menudo soup is actually especially popular in Mexico on New Year's morning. It is cooked from beef stomach films and veal legs, green chilies, peeled corn kernels and seasonings. It is usually garnished with lime wedges, large quantities of chopped chili and onions, and served with hot tortillas. 
The chrysanthemum, a sacred flower in China and Japan, is edible. Exquisite desserts from chrysanthemum petals are prepared in both countries: fresh petals are dipped in a mixture of beaten eggs and flour, soaked and dipped in hot oil, after which the petals are thrown onto paper to absorb excess oil. In Japan, chrysanthemums were divided into edible and bitter (medicinal). This plant contains a lot of B vitamins, ascorbic acid, carotenes, mineral salts, simple and complex carbohydrates, and a large amount of protein, especially in the leaves. 
Potatoes were the first vegetable to experience weightlessness when they were grown on the Columbia spacecraft in October 1995. 
The English name for cranberry (Cranberry) means “crane berry”. This name was given to cranberries by American settlers. Long, thin cranberry flowers reminded the settlers of the head and beak of a crane. In Russia it was also called stonefly, crane fly, and snowdrop. 
Banana is a berry. The banana plant is the largest plant without a hard trunk. The stem of banana grass sometimes reaches 10 meters in height and 40 centimeters in diameter. As a rule, 300 fruits with a total weight of 500 kg hang on one such stalk. Bananas are almost one and a half times more nutritious than potatoes, and dried bananas have five times more calories than raw ones. One banana contains up to 300 mg of potassium, which helps fight high blood pressure and strengthens the heart muscle. Each of us needs 3 or 4 g of potassium per day. 
Neil Armstrong's first meal on the moon was a baked turkey dinner in a bag. 
Before thermometers were invented, brewers had to stick their thumb into the brewing beer to determine the correct temperature to add yeast. Too cold and the yeast won't work. Too hot and the yeast will die. This is where the expression “rule of thumb” comes from. 
According to legend, Maslenitsa was the daughter of Father Frost and lived in the North. The fragile girl Maslenitsa met a man. He saw her hiding behind huge snowdrifts and asked her to help people tired of the long winter - to warm them up and cheer them up. Maslenitsa agreed and, turning into a healthy, ruddy woman, with laughter, dancing and pancakes, made the human race forget about winter bad weather. 
Avocados do not ripen on the tree - they must be picked and left to rest to be edible. The tree is actually used as a warehouse - the avocado can remain on the tree for several months after ripening. 
Catherine de' Medici (1519 - 1589) brought Italian peas to France (along with other cooks) when she married Henry II. Thanks to her, green peas - "petits pois" - became a delicacy in France. 
Chinese doctors use mangoes to treat dysentery.
Interesting facts about food. Many people love to eat, but everyone loves to eat delicious food! Do you know how many incredible recipes have been created, how many myths and fables there are around the world about food? For example, few people know that in France they have been cooking the same soup for more than 100 years. You say, so what? And the fact that the cooking process does not stop for a second: water and food are constantly added to it and never removed from the heat. Let's go further, we have prepared the most interesting facts about food. So, welcome:
1. In those days when still didn't know how to cook food, but cooked food was already consumed from the stomachs of hunted animals.
2. The oldest and largest dish is fried camel. This dish was served in the courts of Moroccan rulers hundreds of years ago and continues to be prepared today at Bedouin weddings. This camel is stuffed with one whole lamb, 20 chickens, 60 eggs and many other ingredients.
12. It was believed that citric acid could dissolve accidentally swallowed fish bones, so in the Middle Ages any fish was served with a slice of lemon.
13. A tomato is inherently an interesting fruit or even a berry, and not a vegetable. It was also the first plant that could be genetically modified and released to the market in 1994. Soon after, more than fifty more genetically modified foods appeared and were found to be “safe” for human health.
14. Beans in some periods of history were a symbol of the embryo and growth. The ancient Egyptians called the place Ka, where the souls of the dead awaited reincarnation, “the bean field.”
15. Chili peppers are so hot because they contain a substance called the alkaloid capsacin and four other related chemical compounds. It is also the main ingredient in pepper sauce.
16. Fresh milk was very difficult to preserve in the Middle Ages, so it was considered a luxury.
17. People have been using garlic to repel mosquitoes long before Bram Stoker's book about Count Dracula was published. Folklorists believe this was due to the fact that vampires had a good sense of smell, and garlic, with its strong smell, discouraged their sense of smell. Garlic has been proven to be effective not only in repelling mosquitoes, but also ticks.
18. Bread has become a symbol of satiety, and breaking the crust often has a symbolic meaning. The word companion comes from the Latin words “com,” which means “together,” and “panis,” which means “bread.”
19. In the Greek cities of Ephesus and Eleusis, temple priestesses were called bees because bees and how they collected honey were interpreted in a religious context. It was believed that bees produced honey miraculously, because there was no need to worry about the safety of honey, since it did not spoil for a long time.
20. Cooking food using heat treatment is one of the greatest revolutionary discoveries in the history of mankind, as it not only changed the way food is prepared for consumption, but also became an integral part of human culture.
21. In Delphi, the religious center of ancient Greece, the labor of many cooks was used to prepare sacrifices to the gods.
22. Every day, about 26 million Americans eat obscure American food at McDonald's.
23. Oysters were often attributed aphrodisiac properties, that is, many previously thought that they contained substances that stimulated sexual desire.
24. In the Philippines, it is considered a good omen when a coconut splits into halves without any nicks.
25. Hippocrates believed that it was inconvenient to cook the meat of an adult dog, while at the same time he considered soup from a young puppy useful for the sick.
If you have more interesting facts about food, then share in the comments.
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