The burka is the most concealing of all Islamic veils. It is a one-piece veil that covers the face and body, often leaving just a mesh screen to see through.
The word hijab describes the act of covering up generally, but is often used to describe the headscarves worn by Muslim women. These scarves come in many styles and colors. The type most commonly worn in the West covers the head and neck, but leaves the face clear.
Burka and niqab are often incorrectly used interchangeably. While a burqa covers the whole body from the top of the head to the ground, a niqab is a veil for the face that leaves the area around the eyes clear, but may be worn with a separate eye veil. It is worn with an accompanying headscarf. The half niqab is a simple length of fabric with elastic or ties, worn around the face. It typically leaves the eyes and part of the forehead visible.
A full niqab completely covers the face. It consists of an upper band that is tied around the forehead, together with a long wide piece of fabric which covers the face, leaving an opening for the eyes.
In Iran, the wearing of niqab is not common and is only worn by certain ethnic minorities. On 8 October 2009, Egypt's top Islamic school banned the wearing of the niqab in classrooms and dormitories of all its affiliate schools and educational institutes. In Syria in the summer of 2010, students wearing the niqab were prohibited from registering for university classes. The niqab is outlawed in Azerbaijan, Tunisia, and Turkey and banned in Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Netherlands, Yugoslavia, France, Belgium, Norway (Schools and some municipalities), Canada (selected bans), Italy (selected municipalities).
Other coverings: The al-amira is a two-piece veil. It consists of a close fitting cap and a tube-like scarf. The shayla is a long, rectangular scarf popular in the Gulf region. It is wrapped around the head and tucked or pinned in place at the shoulders. The khimar is a long, cape-like veil that hangs down to just above the waist. It covers the hair, neck, and shoulders completely, but leaves the face clear. The chador, worn by many Iranian women when outside the house, is a full-body cloak. It is often accompanied by a smaller headscarf underneath.
Jan 8, 2016
Sliced Bread
Bread is an ancient food that has been eaten for tens of thousands of years. However, pre-sliced bread, which would make a bacon butty a convenient task, did not happen until the early 1900s, when a man named Otto Frederick Rohwedder of Davenport, Iowa invented a device to automate this process. He solved part of the staleness problem by wrapping the thinly sliced loaves in wax paper immediately after slicing was complete. Pre-sliced bread was a hit and within a decade people who had access to it were eating more bread per person than before. Then they began experimenting with various new ingredients and spreads to put on the thin bread slices.
More Sandwich Origins
It is difficult to think of sliced bread and not think of sandwiches.
Monte Cristo - The precise origin of the Monte Cristo is unknown, although most experts believe that it was an Americanized version of the Croque Monsieur. Versions of it appeared under other names in the mid-20th century, and by 1966, it was found on menus in Disneyland with its romantic-sounding name.
Although there are variants today, typically a Monte Cristo will have either turkey, ham or chicken and sliced cheese between two pieces of white bread, dipped in egg and pan fried until golden. It is said that, to be traditional, it should be served with jelly on the side (it takes all kinds).
Patty Melt - The Patty Melt is said to have originated in Southern California in the restaurant chain of William “Tiny” Naylor in the 1940s or 1950s. The traditional recipe has a ground beef patty topped with either American, Swiss or cheddar cheese and grilled onions on rye bread, pan fried in butter.
Po’ Boy - Originating in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Po’ Boy Sandwich can be made a number of ways. The Roast Beef Po’ Boy has mayonnaise and shredded lettuce, roast beef and debris gravy on top of a long white roll or baguette. Other versions, such as the Oyster and Shrimp Po’ Boys, have the seafood battered and deep fried, then served atop baguette with a selection of mayonnaise, hot sauce, tomato, lettuce and dill pickle. One story of its name comes from the labor movement lore. In 1929, NOLA streetcar workers went on strike; to help support them, the Martin Brothers offered to feed the strikers. So many took them up on their offer that, as strikers entered their shop, supposedly one brother would say, “here comes another poor boy.”
Reuben - Although many attribute the origin of the name of the Reuben Sandwich to Reuben’s Restaurant in New York, experts were persuaded by the claim of Reuben Kulakofsky of Omaha Nebraska. Using old copies of menus and a sprinkling of folklore, they determined that Kulakofsky, a grocer, invented the sandwich in the first half of the 20th century. Traditionally, a Reuben has a thick pile of corned beef, a slice of Swiss cheese, and a pile of sauerkraut on grilled rye bread.
Sloppy Joe - It is made by mixing and cooking tomato sauce, ground beef, onion, salt, pepper, and spices then heaping on a soft white bun. Like so many others, the exact origin of this sandwich is contested, probably because it evolved over time. There are claims that it originated at Sloppy Joe’s Bar in Old Havana, Cuba during the 1920s. Others claim it was from a different Sloppy Joe’s restaurant in Key West, Florida, known to have been frequented by Ernest Hemingway. By the 1950s, the Sloppy Joe sandwich became popular, particularly in the Midwest.
S’more - It is technically a sandwich, made with two graham crackers sandwiching a thick piece of chocolate and a melted marshmallow. The S’more was named from people asking for 'some more', which appears to be the original name. The origin is typically credited to the Girl Scouts who included the recipe for 'Some Mores' in their 1927 publication Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts.
Monte Cristo - The precise origin of the Monte Cristo is unknown, although most experts believe that it was an Americanized version of the Croque Monsieur. Versions of it appeared under other names in the mid-20th century, and by 1966, it was found on menus in Disneyland with its romantic-sounding name.
Although there are variants today, typically a Monte Cristo will have either turkey, ham or chicken and sliced cheese between two pieces of white bread, dipped in egg and pan fried until golden. It is said that, to be traditional, it should be served with jelly on the side (it takes all kinds).
Patty Melt - The Patty Melt is said to have originated in Southern California in the restaurant chain of William “Tiny” Naylor in the 1940s or 1950s. The traditional recipe has a ground beef patty topped with either American, Swiss or cheddar cheese and grilled onions on rye bread, pan fried in butter.
Po’ Boy - Originating in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Po’ Boy Sandwich can be made a number of ways. The Roast Beef Po’ Boy has mayonnaise and shredded lettuce, roast beef and debris gravy on top of a long white roll or baguette. Other versions, such as the Oyster and Shrimp Po’ Boys, have the seafood battered and deep fried, then served atop baguette with a selection of mayonnaise, hot sauce, tomato, lettuce and dill pickle. One story of its name comes from the labor movement lore. In 1929, NOLA streetcar workers went on strike; to help support them, the Martin Brothers offered to feed the strikers. So many took them up on their offer that, as strikers entered their shop, supposedly one brother would say, “here comes another poor boy.”
Reuben - Although many attribute the origin of the name of the Reuben Sandwich to Reuben’s Restaurant in New York, experts were persuaded by the claim of Reuben Kulakofsky of Omaha Nebraska. Using old copies of menus and a sprinkling of folklore, they determined that Kulakofsky, a grocer, invented the sandwich in the first half of the 20th century. Traditionally, a Reuben has a thick pile of corned beef, a slice of Swiss cheese, and a pile of sauerkraut on grilled rye bread.
Sloppy Joe - It is made by mixing and cooking tomato sauce, ground beef, onion, salt, pepper, and spices then heaping on a soft white bun. Like so many others, the exact origin of this sandwich is contested, probably because it evolved over time. There are claims that it originated at Sloppy Joe’s Bar in Old Havana, Cuba during the 1920s. Others claim it was from a different Sloppy Joe’s restaurant in Key West, Florida, known to have been frequented by Ernest Hemingway. By the 1950s, the Sloppy Joe sandwich became popular, particularly in the Midwest.
S’more - It is technically a sandwich, made with two graham crackers sandwiching a thick piece of chocolate and a melted marshmallow. The S’more was named from people asking for 'some more', which appears to be the original name. The origin is typically credited to the Girl Scouts who included the recipe for 'Some Mores' in their 1927 publication Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts.
Decanting Wine and Whiskey
According to the Scotch Whisky Association, whiskey, once bottled, is a finished product, “If you keep a 12 year old bottle for 100 years, it will always remain a 12 year old whisky.”
The reasons whiskey remains basically the same while wine changes have to do with a couple factors: tannins and alcohol content. Wine has much more tannin content than whiskey. Whiskey has no innate tannins, and only gets a small amount from the barrel in which it ages. Tannins can cause change in a bottle of wine over time, for better or worse. Whiskey has less tannins, it does not have much chance for major evolutions in flavor.
More important than tannins: alcohol content. Wines may have between 11 and 15%, or higher but almost all whiskeys are bottled at a minimum of 40% ABV. With such high alcohol content, the possibility for a dramatic chemical reaction from oxidation is much lower.
Whiskey can change at all over time, especially if it has been exposed to sunlight or temperature fluctuations.
Wine decanters are specifically designed to encourage interaction between liquid and air, always without a cap. Whiskey decanters tend to be built for stability, have glass tops, and usually have a wide bottom. Air is not a factor in whiskey decanters, because it does make much difference.
So, wine is decanted for flavor and whiskey is decanted for looks. Incidentally, do not use a lead crystal decanter, because over a long period of time it could leach into the whiskey.
The reasons whiskey remains basically the same while wine changes have to do with a couple factors: tannins and alcohol content. Wine has much more tannin content than whiskey. Whiskey has no innate tannins, and only gets a small amount from the barrel in which it ages. Tannins can cause change in a bottle of wine over time, for better or worse. Whiskey has less tannins, it does not have much chance for major evolutions in flavor.
More important than tannins: alcohol content. Wines may have between 11 and 15%, or higher but almost all whiskeys are bottled at a minimum of 40% ABV. With such high alcohol content, the possibility for a dramatic chemical reaction from oxidation is much lower.
Whiskey can change at all over time, especially if it has been exposed to sunlight or temperature fluctuations.
Wine decanters are specifically designed to encourage interaction between liquid and air, always without a cap. Whiskey decanters tend to be built for stability, have glass tops, and usually have a wide bottom. Air is not a factor in whiskey decanters, because it does make much difference.
So, wine is decanted for flavor and whiskey is decanted for looks. Incidentally, do not use a lead crystal decanter, because over a long period of time it could leach into the whiskey.
Dec 25, 2015
Happy Friday
Laughter is food for the body. Smiles are food for the soul.
I always keep well fed in body and soul on a Happy Friday, and even more so on a Happy Christmas Friday!
I always keep well fed in body and soul on a Happy Friday, and even more so on a Happy Christmas Friday!
Did You Know?
Christmas and the following New Year's Day (Jan 1) are always one week apart and fall on the same day. However, within any calendar year, Christmas and New Year’s Day always fall on different days.
Boxing Day
It is celebrated in the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand on the first weekday after Christmas. Boxing Day is always the day after Christmas and traditionally occurs on December 26, but is not a fixed-date public holiday, meaning it is celebrated on the next weekday if the 26th is on a Saturday or Sunday. December 26th is also Saint Stephen’s Day, but will be celebrated December 28. I love extending holidays.
Bacon Day
Bacon Day is celebrated annually on December 30th. Bacon is a very popular food and you can find many items also flavored or scented with bacon including popcorn, soap, candles, air fresheners and many more. #bacon
Eating Together
Cornell professors found that firefighter platoons who eat meals together have better group job performance compared with firefighter teams who dine solo. The study is in the Harvard Business Review's December issue.
"Eating together is a more intimate act than looking over an Excel spreadsheet together. That intimacy spills back over into work," said the study's author, Kevin Kniffin. "From an evolutionary anthropology perspective, eating together has a long, primal tradition as a kind of social glue. That seems to continue in today's workplaces."
Over the course of 15 months, Kniffin and his colleagues conducted interviews and surveys in a large city's fire department, which included more than 50 firehouses. The researchers asked the department's 395 supervisors to rate on a scale of zero to ten the performance of their platoon compared to other fire companies in which they served. The supervisors were also asked how often the platoon eats together in a typical work week. The platoons who ate together most often also received higher marks for their team performance. Conversely, the platoons that did not eat together obtained lower performance ratings.
In interviews, firefighters said daily group meals were a central activity during their shifts. Some firefighters who worked a shift that started at 6 p.m. often ate two dinners, one at home and a second at the firehouse. One firefighter said you don't want to dis the wife by turning down the food she prepared and implied that it was just as important to avoid disrespecting his co-workers. "To me, that's a good example of the importance of the group. It's comparable to his family," said Kniffin.
The researchers noted firefighters expressed a certain embarrassment when asked about firehouses where they did not eat together. "It was basically a signal that something deeper was wrong with the way the group worked," Kniffin said.
"Eating together is a more intimate act than looking over an Excel spreadsheet together. That intimacy spills back over into work," said the study's author, Kevin Kniffin. "From an evolutionary anthropology perspective, eating together has a long, primal tradition as a kind of social glue. That seems to continue in today's workplaces."
Over the course of 15 months, Kniffin and his colleagues conducted interviews and surveys in a large city's fire department, which included more than 50 firehouses. The researchers asked the department's 395 supervisors to rate on a scale of zero to ten the performance of their platoon compared to other fire companies in which they served. The supervisors were also asked how often the platoon eats together in a typical work week. The platoons who ate together most often also received higher marks for their team performance. Conversely, the platoons that did not eat together obtained lower performance ratings.
In interviews, firefighters said daily group meals were a central activity during their shifts. Some firefighters who worked a shift that started at 6 p.m. often ate two dinners, one at home and a second at the firehouse. One firefighter said you don't want to dis the wife by turning down the food she prepared and implied that it was just as important to avoid disrespecting his co-workers. "To me, that's a good example of the importance of the group. It's comparable to his family," said Kniffin.
The researchers noted firefighters expressed a certain embarrassment when asked about firehouses where they did not eat together. "It was basically a signal that something deeper was wrong with the way the group worked," Kniffin said.
Pronouncing the Letter X
Did you know there at least eight ways to pronounce the letter X? The first is for today:
as kris in Xmas
as eks in x-ray
as gz in exist
as gzh in luxurious
as ks in sex
as ksh in anxious
as z in xylophone
or not at all as in faux pas.
as kris in Xmas
as eks in x-ray
as gz in exist
as gzh in luxurious
as ks in sex
as ksh in anxious
as z in xylophone
or not at all as in faux pas.
Bacon Mashed Potato Waffles
To make this holiday leftover treat, add crumbled bacon, butter, garlic powder to mashed potatoes and cook in a waffle iron. Add more bacon and cheese on top, then broil until cheese melts. Ah, post holiday ambrosia!
Origins of Christmas Carols
In 1816, a Catholic priest wrote the poem Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht! while stationed at a pilgrim church in Mariapfarr, Austria. When he transferred to St. Nicholas' two years later, he asked Gruber to help him write guitar music for the poem, which the two performed on Christmas Eve of 1818. Silent Night was translated into English more than 40 years later by Episcopal priest John Freeman Young, who is responsible for the version Americans favor. The song has been translated into 142 languages to date.
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, was written by James Gillespie. This tune was first performed on American singer Eddie Cantor's radio show in 1934. The inspiration came from a place of grief. Gillespie was a vaudevillian-turned-songwriter who had fallen on hard times, both financially and personally. Gillespie received a call to write a Christmas tune just after learning his brother had died. However, on a subway ride, while recollecting his childhood with his brother and his mother's warnings that Santa was watching changed his mind. He finished the lyrics in fifteen minutes, then called in composer John Coots to make up the music that would become a big hit within 24 hours of its debut.
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing was originally sung to several different tunes, including 'New Britain'. The up tempo it is sung to today came from German composer Felix Mendelssohn. More than 100 years after it was written, English musician William H. Cummings paired the carol to Mendelssohn's cantata Fetgesang. The carol was a poem written in 1739 by Charles Wesley, brother of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. The original opening line as it appeared in his collection Hymns and Sacred Poems was "Hark how all the welkin rings," using a rarely used term for heaven. The Anglican preacher and friend George Whitefield tweaked the opening line to the one we know today.
Deck the Hall originally dates back to sixteenth century Wales, where its melody and much of the lyrics were copied from the New Year's Eve song 'Nos Galan'. Lines like "Oh! how soft my fair one's bosom/ Fa la la la la la la la la," were transformed into Yuletide wishes like "Deck the halls with boughs of holly/ Fa la la la la la la la la." This musical makeover was done by Scottish folk music scribe Thomas Oliphant. His version is not the one most commonly sung today. Now, lines like "Fill the mead cup, drain the barrel," have been changed to "Don we now our gay apparel." This variant became popular from revised music sheet printings made in 1881.
Jingle Bells was not originally conceived for Christmas time. It was written by James Lord Pierpont in 1850s Savannah, Georgia. The song originally titled 'The One Horse Open Sleigh' was intended to celebrate Thanksgiving. The local Unitarian church where he would later play the song on the organ boasts historical markers declaring it the birthplace of the song. However, some sources say Pierpont was singing the memorable melody when he still lived in Medford, Massachusetts. "Jingle Bells" was renamed in 1857 when its lyrics and notes were first published. Decades passed before it rose to prominence.
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, was written by James Gillespie. This tune was first performed on American singer Eddie Cantor's radio show in 1934. The inspiration came from a place of grief. Gillespie was a vaudevillian-turned-songwriter who had fallen on hard times, both financially and personally. Gillespie received a call to write a Christmas tune just after learning his brother had died. However, on a subway ride, while recollecting his childhood with his brother and his mother's warnings that Santa was watching changed his mind. He finished the lyrics in fifteen minutes, then called in composer John Coots to make up the music that would become a big hit within 24 hours of its debut.
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing was originally sung to several different tunes, including 'New Britain'. The up tempo it is sung to today came from German composer Felix Mendelssohn. More than 100 years after it was written, English musician William H. Cummings paired the carol to Mendelssohn's cantata Fetgesang. The carol was a poem written in 1739 by Charles Wesley, brother of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. The original opening line as it appeared in his collection Hymns and Sacred Poems was "Hark how all the welkin rings," using a rarely used term for heaven. The Anglican preacher and friend George Whitefield tweaked the opening line to the one we know today.
Deck the Hall originally dates back to sixteenth century Wales, where its melody and much of the lyrics were copied from the New Year's Eve song 'Nos Galan'. Lines like "Oh! how soft my fair one's bosom/ Fa la la la la la la la la," were transformed into Yuletide wishes like "Deck the halls with boughs of holly/ Fa la la la la la la la la." This musical makeover was done by Scottish folk music scribe Thomas Oliphant. His version is not the one most commonly sung today. Now, lines like "Fill the mead cup, drain the barrel," have been changed to "Don we now our gay apparel." This variant became popular from revised music sheet printings made in 1881.
Jingle Bells was not originally conceived for Christmas time. It was written by James Lord Pierpont in 1850s Savannah, Georgia. The song originally titled 'The One Horse Open Sleigh' was intended to celebrate Thanksgiving. The local Unitarian church where he would later play the song on the organ boasts historical markers declaring it the birthplace of the song. However, some sources say Pierpont was singing the memorable melody when he still lived in Medford, Massachusetts. "Jingle Bells" was renamed in 1857 when its lyrics and notes were first published. Decades passed before it rose to prominence.
Christmas Carols for the Challenged
Schizophrenia: Do You Hear What I
Hear?
Amnesia: I Don't Know if I'll Be Home for Christmas
Narcissism: Hark the Herald Angels Sing About Me
Paranoia: Santa Claus Is Coming to Get Me
Obsessive Compulsive: Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells.
Amnesia: I Don't Know if I'll Be Home for Christmas
Narcissism: Hark the Herald Angels Sing About Me
Paranoia: Santa Claus Is Coming to Get Me
Obsessive Compulsive: Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells.
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