We’ve all heard of or even seen people throwing rotten tomatoes when disappointed in a live performance; indeed this is where popular movie reviewing and previewing site Rotten Tomatoes gets its name from.
But did people really throw rotten tomatoes at actors?
Well, obviously not during Shakespeare’s time since, as according to the website of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London, tomatoes weren’t even available in England at that time. The site notes, though, that at the end of performances, the actors announced the following day’s features—and if people didn’t like it, they just might have thrown things.
By Michelle Fabio
A condiment of two names—so which is correct?
Is it ketchup or catsup?
According to World Wide Words, one of the earliest references to one of our favorite tomato-based products occurs in the 1711 book by Charles Lockyer, An Account of the Trade in India. And he calls it “Ketchup.”
The origins of the word are convoluted, apparently, but the short version is that it likely comes from a Chinese dialect. The original sauce was meant for fish—interesting since these days ketchup isn’t a very common addition to fish dishes.
It’s one of the most popular phrases in the English language, but do you know where it comes from?
Give yourself an heirloom if you recognize it from the 1937 Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers’ classic film “Shall We Dance,” the seventh movie that the dancing pair filmed together.
The timeless “tomato” phrase comes from “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” a clever song written specially for the movie by Ira and George Gershwin; recently the American Film Institute named the catchy tune #34 on its 100 years…100 songs list.
You can get more information on this enjoyable film on, where else, Rotten Tomatoes, and watch a clip of the famous tomato scene here:
Pizza is one of the world’s most favorite foods and most favorite ways to enjoy tomatoes, but before we get to the question at hand, do you where pizza comes from?
If you guessed Naples, Italy, go grab yourself a slice of the good stuff.
If you want to be traditional about it, you’ll go for what is called a “Pizza Margherita” in Italy, so-named because in 1800, a baker named Raffaele Esposito was presented with the daunting task of serving King Umberto and Queen Margherita. Read the rest of this entry »
• 3 parts top-quality tomato juice
• 3 parts top-shelf vodka, depending on strength of drink
• 1 teaspoon horseradish
• 6 shakes Tabasco Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
• Juice of ½ lemon or lime
• 1/8 teaspoon salt (preferably sea salt)
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or cayenne pepper
• Celery stalk Read the rest of this entry »
Now that Halloween is approaching, perhaps you’re thinking about the perfect drink to serve at your party.
Although a Bloody Mary is traditionally served in the morning, there’s no reason you can’t turn this creepily-named and colored mixture into a ghoulish evening pleasure as well.
Before we get to the recipes though, let’s talk history.
The origins of the Bloody Mary are disputed, but there are two main contenders.
The first, and the one accepted by TABASCO®, is that the drink was invented by Fernand Petoit, a bartender at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in the 1920s. He mixed tomato juice and vodka and said that “one of the boys suggested we call the drink ‘Bloody Mary’ because it reminded him of the Bucket of Blood Club in Chicago, and a girl there named Mary.” Some say, though, that the rich, red cocktail was named for Bloody Mary herself, Queen Mary I, persecutor of Protestants. Read the rest of this entry »
By Michelle Fabio
By Michelle Fabio
