Foodie Factoids
Orange juice and champagne comprise this adult beverage.
What is a mimosa?
(It’s a traditional Sunday brunch drink. We can thank England for giving us brunch and France for bringing the mimosa to it)
From the 1960s through the early 1990s, he said “Heeeeere’s Johnny!” every weeknight.
Who is Ed McMahon?
(He was Johnny Carson’s sidekick for 30 years on "The Tonight Show". While in college, McMahon sold veggie slicers on the Atlantic City boardwalk.)
This is the alliterative name for the wide-legged jeans style popular in the 1970s.
What are bell-bottoms?
(Did you know that British and American sailors wore pants fashioned this way in the 19th century so it would be easier to snag a man if he fell overboard?)
“Red sky at night, sailor’s delight” means this kind of weather in the morning.
What is good or fair?
(The saying is generally true because the red you see at sunset reflects dust particles, which indicate high pressure and stable conditions)
Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday is observed as a federal holiday on this day of the week.
What is Monday?
(We celebrate Dr. King’s birth each year on the third Monday in January)
Brie and Roquefort cheese come from this country.
What is France?
(France makes somewhere between 400 and 1,000 different types of cheese, depending on whether you count sub-types of cheese. It takes 10 pounds of milk to make one pound of cheese.)
“Live long and prosper” comes from Mr. Spock and this show.
What is Star Trek?
(Before making it big in show business, Leonard Nimoy, who plays Mr. Spock, drove a taxi as a side job and once drove President John F. Kennedy.)
This alliterative cereal popular in the 1960s is a chocolate version of Rice Krispies.
What are Cocoa Krispies?
(Introduced in 1958, the cereal had several early mascots, including a monkey and an elephant)
When you feel these parts of the body ache for no apparent reason, expect rain.
What are joints?
(According to the Washington Post, “In one 1990 paper published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, the authors stated that ‘pain was significantly increased for patients with osteoarthritis on days with rain.’”)
On January 4, people who are visually impaired celebrate this method of reading and writing.
What is braille?
(World Braille Day honors Louis Braille, the Frenchman who invented braille and was born with sight but lost it at the age of 10)
With the slogan “Service at the speed of sound,” this drive-in, fast-food restaurant has skating servers.
What is Sonic?
(The restaurant began life as a root beer stand on the same property as a steakhouse. If you have a craving for one of their discontinued items, you can still order it, and they will try to fill the order)
This family was known for their distinctive bedtime routine that began with “Good night, John-Boy.”
Who are the Waltons?
("The Waltons" creator Earl Hamner Jr. said this was something his own family did each night before going to sleep when he was growing up)
This actress is known for roles in "Calamity Jane", "Pillow Talk", and "The Man Who Knew Too Much".
Who is Doris Day?
(She was born Doris Mary Ann von Kappelhoff and got her start dancing and singing as a child)
This fluffy cloud resembling cotton candy is accompanied by bright, blue skies.
What is cumulus?
(These brilliant clouds typically forecast fair weather and float from 10,000 feet up to 39,000 feet. You often fly through cumulus clouds during a commercial airplane flight.)
January was named for Janus, who is depicted with two faces, symbolizing this.
What is looking forward and backward (or looking to the future and the past)?
(He was the protector of gates and doors or beginnings and endings)
The Italian term "al dente" translates to this in English.
What is “to the tooth”?
(Traditional al dente pasta provides more nutrients, is easier to chew, and holds sauces better than overcooked pasta)
Elaine introduced us to the phrase “yada, yada” on this show in “The Yada Yada” episode.
What is Seinfeld?
(The hit ’90s show was supposed to be a one-time, 90-minute special, but it ran for 172 episodes.)
Founded in 1966, this tech store has an alliterative two-word name today.
What is Best Buy?
(Richard M. Schulze and James Wheeler founded the company as an audio specialty store called "Sound of Music". The name was changed in 1983 to emphasize the wide range of consumer electronics for sale)
When you don’t hear a sound from these insects, the temperature has fallen below 55°F/13°C.
What are crickets?
(They won’t chirp when the temperature dips below 55°F or rises above 100°F/38°C)
On January 17, 1991, this operation began the combat phase of the Gulf War in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.
What is Operation Desert Storm?
(It took place on the heels of Operation Desert Shield, which had begun the prior August and lasted 43 days)
Chai tea is made with this spice, which comes from a pod.
What is cardamom?
(It comes from India, and its proper name is masala chai. Chai is also the generic word for tea throughout Asia)
This child actor often said, “What’choo talkin’ ’bout, Willis?”
Who is Gary Coleman?
(Coleman plays Arnold Jackson on the show "Diff’rent Strokes". Arnold often says this quip to his brother, Willis (played by Todd Bridges))
This 1980s slang means “rebellious in an exciting way,” and is also the title of a 1982 song by George Thorogood.
What is “Bad to the Bone”?
(The song inspired this use of the phrase to describe a rebellious, stylish, or cool person)
When you see a compact circle around the moon, expect this soon.
What is rain?
(This type of circle makes the moon resemble a bullseye, and it is caused by thin clouds)
This large South American tourist destination’s name translates to “River of January.”
What is Rio de Janeiro?
(It is named this because the Portuguese landed in the area on January 1, 1502)