It is the very dream of drinks, the vision of sweet quaffings. The Bourbon and the mint are lovers. In the same land they live, on the same food they are fostered. The mint dips its infant leaf into the same stream that makes the bourbon what it is. The...
Once upon a time, plants and other natural substances were the only medicine sources available. Apothecaries — the pharmacists and chemists of the past — with knowledge passed down over the centuries from dozens of cultures, experimented with concoctions to aid healing and cure diseases. While we can look at...
Continuing the quest to cover the alphabet! That may prove impossible due to the vast number of words in the English language, but I can try to find a few fascinating examples. For a list of all my archived posts covering the topic: VOCABULARY Cowabunga This enthusiastic exclamation of surfers...
The advertisement to the right appeared in the General Advertiser in May 1752. Daniel Cudworth was one of the many London business owners to take advantage of increased advertising opportunities to push his ‘flat razor strap,’ or ‘strop.’ On the surface, there seems little unusual here; a product, some notes...
Barber-surgeons were medical practitioners who provided a wide-range of services during the medieval and early modern periods of history. Traditionally, they were trained through apprenticeships, which could last as long as 7 years. Many had no formal education, and some were even illiterate. Barber-surgeons provided a variety of medical services for...
Essentially the forerunner of a modern bicycle, the draisine rapidly became all the rage in Regency England. The earliest usable and much copied vehicle was created by the German Karl Drais. He called it a Laufmaschine (German for “running machine”), which he first rode on June 12, 1817. He obtained a patent...
Continuing the quest to cover the alphabet! That may prove impossible due to the vast number of words in the English language, but I can try to find a few fascinating examples. For a list of all my archived posts covering the topic: VOCABULARY Barbecue This American contribution to international...
Born the only daughter of Field-Marshall Henry Seymour Conway and Lady Caroline Campbell daughter of the 4th Duke of Argyll, Anne Conway spent much of her childhood at Park Place, Remenham near Henley-on-Thames. Her parents being abroad for much of the time, her cousin Horace Walpole assumed some responsibility for her care...
Gaming counters, or gaming tokens, were held by individuals and used over and over again when playing a wide range of games, particularly gambling ones. Values would be set at the start of each session and payment would be made at the end, when each player would again collect up...
Time for more origins of those bizarre phrases we utter. These are some unique phrases from the history of our friends across the pond. A Square Meal The saying “having a square meal” comes from the English Royal Navy during the time of Nelson. In order to stop the plates/...
Scotch Collops Scotch Collops (slices of meat) are a traditional Scottish dish. It can be created using either thin slices or minced meat of veal, beef, lamb or venison. This is combined with onion, salt, pepper, and suet, then stewed, baked or roasted with optional flavorings according to the meat...
Military uniforms, fame and fashion have always been closely linked. Regimental dress uniforms were designed to stand out and impress young men into joining up – with the added bonus of attracting the opposite sex in the process. LOL! When the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars (1792–1815) brought much of Europe...
Beginning my quest to cover the alphabet! That may prove impossible due to the vast number of words in the English language, but I can try to find a few fascinating examples. For a list of all my archived posts covering the topic: VOCABULARY All Agog Possibly from the French...
Last week, on Thursday the 12th of March, I was invited to talk about the far-reaching impact of Jane Austen. The event was hosted by Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington, Kentucky as part of a community outreach in association with Woodford Theatre, a local theater presenting Sense and Sensibility later this...
Modern museum visitors viewing these porcelain vessels in a display case would assume they were serving pieces. While certainly decorative enough for an elegant 18th c. table, they would NEVER be anywhere near the food! Necessity has always been the mother of invention, and often of design that’s both handsome and useful, too. Visualize the hoops and...
