« November 2004 | Main | January 2005 »
Clean water, food, shelter, and the community of family and friends have never seemed as precious as now in the aftermath of the calamitous quake and tsunami in Asia. We salute those who right now are making every effort to provide food to the survivors. And we look forward to a plentiful and harmonious new year for all the world's people.
This headline appeared in a Miami Herald, December 4, 2004 story written by Nicholas Spangler. Who knew that the Norwegians are fond of waffles? And that there is a contest every year among various worldwide Seamen's Churches. The Miami branch won two years ago, but is trailing by 2000 votes to their counterpart in Dubai. Serving waffles and coffee is a basic act of hospitality among Norwegians, especially favored by seamen.
The contest underway this time of year is known as the Waffle World Cup. Miami's Seaman's Church is a doublewide trailer with couches. The cruise ships that call Miami home port are made up of Norwegian crews.
The Seamen's Church was set up in 1864 to minister to Norwegian sailors around the world. There are 40 of them. And each one serves waffles on demand topped with jam and butter or wrapped around a slice of cheese.
Splenda, the sweetener substitute favorite of the Atkins and South Beach diets, is in short supply. Sucralose is the key ingredient of the popular no-calorie sweetener. The world's only manufacturer of sucralose, Tate & Lyle of the UK, finds orders and interest has exceeded their ability to produce it. Their McIntosh, Alabama, plant is doubling production by early 2006. Another plant in Singapore is also to come on line in the future.
Splenda dominates the US market for sugar substitutes. It is popular for its sugar-like sweetness and stability in baking. 
Florida's four hurricanes damaged that state's citrus crop and now it will cost more to send holiday gift fruit boxes. This year's grapefruit crop is 63 % lighter than last year. Many growers are putting a two dollar hurricane surcharge on each order. Many are not even trying to ship grapefruit. They can't guarantee the quality. 
Carlos M. Gutierrez, head of U.S.'s largest packaged-food manufacturer has been named to head the Department of Commerce in the next Bush administration. Gutierrez, the son of a Cuban political refugee worked his way up from delivering Fosted Flakes in Mexico City to running Kellogg Co. 
Every December 13, one of the longest and darkest nights of the winter, Swedes celebrate the festival of St. Lucia, the patron saint of light. In many homes, a girl gets up early in the morning and puts on a long white dress, with a red sash at the waist, and a laurel crown decorated with four candles. She serves her family warm lussekatt buns for breakfast. The buns, shaped like the number eight, are usually flavored with saffron and topped with raisins or nuts. Boys, called star boys, wear long white shirts and pointed hats. They help serve the buns. Children often go to school dressed in the costumes and serve the buns to their teachers.
Saffron comes from the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus.. It takes 75,000 blossoms or 225,000 hand-picked stigmas to make a single pound, which explains why it is the world's most expensive spice.
Stumble It!
Recent Comments