The regular season of Major League Baseball is just about over, so I thought I'd do another article on some trivia about it. I'll start with a list of the biggest upsets in the playoffs. Note that these cover the period between 1903 and 2018, since the postseasons before that were only quasi-official. Also, bear in mind that I determined this list based on the largest differences in winning percentages. Since MLB teams played a 154 game schedule from 1903-1960, and a 162 game schedule from 1961 on, I thought this was the fairest way. (You'll also note that because some games were rained out, and not always re-played, etc. that some teams occasionally play a game or two more or less than the 154 or 162 games in the regular season.) Anyway, here we go. These will go in inverse order, with the number #1 being the biggest upset, and so on. There were also several ties:
10) 1990 World Series--Cincinnati Reds (91-71, .562 winning percentage) defeated the Oakland Athletics (103-59, .636), for a difference of .074. And to the A's discredit, they didn't even win one game in the Series, losing 4-0.
9) 2011 National League Divisional Series--St. Louis Cardinals (90-72, .555 winning percentage), beat the Philadelphia Phillies (102-60, .630), for a difference of .075
8) (tie) 1987 American League Championship Series--Minnesota Twins (85-77, .525 winning percentage) over the Detroit Tigers (98-64, .605) for a difference of .080.
8) (tie) 2003 National League Divisional Series--Chicago Cubs (88-74, .543 winning percentage) beat the Atlanta Braves (101-61, .623), for a difference of .080.
5) (tie) 2006 National League Championship Series--St. Louis Cardinals (83-78, .516 winning percentage) beat the New York Mets (97-65. .599), for a difference of .083.
5) (tie) 2008 National League Divisional Series--the Los Angeles Dodgers (84-78, .519 winning percentage) defeated the Chicago Cubs (97-64, .602), for a difference of .083.
4) 1954 World Series--New York Giants (97-57, .630 winning percentage) beat the Cleveland Indians (111-43, .721), for a difference of .091. This Series was also a sweep for the Giants.
3) 1973 National League Championship Series--New York Mets (82-79, .509 winning percentage) beat the Cincinnati Reds (99-63, .611), for a difference of .102.
2) 2001 American League Championship Series--New York Yankees (95-65 .594 winning percentage) over the Seattle Mariners (116-46, .716) for a difference of .122. Granted, the Yankees had won the past 3 World Series at the time, and 4 of the last 5, so in that way it wasn't so surprising, but mathematically, it was the second biggest upset.
1) 1906 World Series--the Chicago White Sox (93-58, .616 winning percentage) defeated the Chicago Cubs (116-36, .763), for a difference of .147. In case you're wondering, this Cubs team had the highest winning percentage in MLB history for the period we're discussing. Also, that White Sox team was known as the "Hitless Wonders."
So, as you can see, anything can happen in a short series, even more so when they're best of 5, or best of 1.
Staying on the playoffs, obviously the named Most Valuable Players is almost always a member of the winning squad. However, every so often, a player on the losing side is so spectacular that they're designated the MVP. Here are the four times it's ever happened:
1) 1960 World Series, Bobby Richardson, second baseman, New York Yankees. This was the incredible Series that lasted 7 games, and ended with Bill Mazeroski's dramatic walk-off home run. However, Richardson was great, as he "slashed" (batting average/on base percentage/slugging average) .367/.387/.667, for an OPS of 1.054, with 2 doubles, 2 triples, 1 home run, and 12 rbis. Teammates Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford would have been justifiable choices, too.
2) 1982 American League Championship Series, Fred Lynn, center fielder, California Angels. The Angels lost the five game series after leading 2-0, but Lynn wasn't the reason. He slashed a marvelous .611/650/.889, for an OPS of 1.539, with 2 doubles, 1 home run, and 5 rbi.
3) 1986 National League Championship Series, Mike Scott, starting pitcher Houston Astros. The Astros only won 2 games in this Series, both by Scott. He pitched two complete games, with 1 being a shutout. In 18 innings he only gave up 1 run, 8 hits, and 1 walk, for an ERA of .050, and a WHIP of .500, with 19 strikeouts.
4) 1987 National League Championship Series, Jeff Leonard, left fielder, San Francisco Giants. Leonard slashed .417/.500/.917, for an OPS of 1.417, and hit 4 home runs, and drove in 5. He also pissed off the Cardinals royally, with his slow, "Flaps Down" home run trots. Additionally, Leonard had a great nickname, given his un-smiley demeanor--"Penitentiary Face."
Moving on, I wanted to do a list of the guys who stole home in the playoffs. However, that's tough to do. Online research didn't provide this--even in 2019, some statistics aren't complete. Therefore, I'm listing what I could find. If any reader has more information, please let me know in a comment, and I'll update this. I did find a stat that steals of home have been successful 19 out of 70 times, so I guess I'm missing 12.
Steals of home in a World Series. (Note, most of these were parts of double steals, only Robinson's and maybe Cobb's were the more difficult, "straight" steals.)
1) 1906 World Series, George Davis, Chicago White Sox vs. Chicago Cubs, game 5.
2) 1909 World Series, Ty Cobb, Detroit Tigers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, game 2.
3) 1955 World Series, Jackie Robinson, Brooklyn Dodgers vs. New York Yankees, game 1.
4) 1964 World Series, Tim McCarver, St. Louis Cardinals vs. New York Yankees, game 7.
5) 2002 World Series, Brad Fullmer, Anaheim Angels vs. San Francisco Giants, game 2.
As for all playoffs, in the American League the last guy to steal home was Elvis Andrus of the of the Texas Rangers, in Game 2 of the ALCS in 2010. In the National League, it was Javier Baez of the Chicago Cubs, in Game 1 of the NLCS in 2016.
Leaving the postseason, here's some trivia about one of the rarest plays in baseball, the triple play:
1) An unassisted triple play is incredibly rare, more so than even a pitcher's perfect game, as there have been 15 of the former, and 23 of the latter. The last one was done by Eric Bruntlett of the Philadelphia Phillies, vs. the New York Mets on August 23, 2009. He caught a line drive by Jeff Francoeur for out #1, then stepped on second base to get out#2 on Luis Castillo. Then he tagged Daniel Murphy, who was running toward second base for out #3. This was also only the second time that a triple play ended a game. Finally, this rare, good play made up for two Bruntlett mistakes--he'd committed two errors to enable Castillo and Murphy to be on base.
2) Only one guy has hit into a triple play on his last at bat in his major league career--the New York Mets catcher Joe Pignatano, on September 30, 1962, vs. the Chicago Cubs.
3) The record for hitting into the most triple plays in a career is 4, by Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson, who played for the Baltimore Orioles.
The record for most hits in a game is 9, held by a wonderfully obscure player, Johnny Burnett. Burnett played from 1927-35, and he accumulated a slash of .284/.345/.366, for an adjusted OPS of only 81 (100 is average). However, on July 10, 1932 vs. the Philadelphia Athletics he got 9 hits in 11 at bats, in an 18 inning game.
Another stat which isn't recorded that definitively is catcher's interference, wherein the catcher interferes with the batter, usually by hitting the bat with his glove during a swing attempt. The batter is then awarded first base, unless he wants the result of the play instead. Certain players seem to have a knack for getting this called, by waiting until the last minute before swinging. Here's the list of the best at it in their entire careers, as far as I can determine:
1) 31 times, Jacoby Ellsbury. And although he's missed the past 2 seasons with injuries, he may play some more, and add to this total.
2) 29, Pete Rose.
3) (tie) 18 Dale Berra.
3) 18 Julian Javier.
5) (tie) 17 Roberto Kelly.
5) 17 Carl Crawford.
5) 17 Andy Van Slyke.
Milt May appears to hold the record for committing catcher's interference the most times in a career, with 15.
Once again, this next record isn't entirely definitive, so I'll change this if I find out otherwise. But, that said, evidently only 1 pitcher has picked off 3 base runners in one inning. Tippy Martinez of the Baltimore Orioles took the mound on August 24, 1983, with a runner on first. It was a weird situation--because the Orioles had used most of their players already, they had outfielders playing some of the infield positions, and utility infielder Lenn Sakata catching, something he'd never done before. Therefore, the Blue Jays were aggressive with their leads, thinking Sakata wouldn't be able to throw them out on steal attempts. However, Martinez promptly picked off the first runner, who was caught in a run down near second. Then, a second batter reached first, and was again picked off by Martinez. Then, a third Blue Jay did the same thing. In the Orioles half of the inning, Sakata eventually won the game with a 3 run home run.
I'll wrap this up with two types of more progressive trivia. First, there's one woman who was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, in 2006. That was Effa Louise Manley, who was an executive with the Negro Leagues, serving as a co-owner, owner, and treasurer. She was also a civil rights activist.
Staying with the Negro Leagues, unlike the Major Leagues, they had 3 women who played. It wasn't all altruistic and fair--the Negro Leagues in the 1950's were on the decline, and having women play was clearly at least in part a way to garner attention, and fans. (And, depressingly, due to Jim Crow racist laws these players reportedly had to often stay in brothels instead of hotels on the road.) But, by all accounts, the 3 women who did play were clearly talented. Alas, the Negro Leagues, despite being a pro league, didn't keep very good records, so I can't just list their relevant statistics. But I'll include what I did learn.
1) Toni Stone, second base, with the Indianapolis Clowns and the Kansas City Monarchs, 1953-54. One source said she batted .302 in her first season, the other .243. Apparently she batted .197 overall, in 71 at bats.
2) Mamie "Peanut" Johnson, pitcher, Indianapolis Clowns, 1954-55. The only stat I could find was that she had a won-loss record of 33-8. Won-loss record is a weak way to determine pitching effectiveness, of course, but it does suggest that Johnson was pretty good, though.
3) Connie Morgan, second base, Indianapolis Clowns, 1954. Supposedly batted .178 in 45 at bats.
That's it. Enjoy the postseason--maybe something unique, and incredible, will happen this year!
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--Dosakai
So when I was strolling down the aisles in India Bazaar about a month ago, I saw something new and strange in the produce section. It was a yellow, round fruit or vegetable, about the size of a softball, roughly 12 cm. (about 5 inches) in diameter. It was called dosakai, although I've also seen this spelled slightly differently in other sources. Since I'd never even heard of such a food, much less had any, I of course bought it up ASAP.
It turns out that a dosakai is just another subtype of cucumber. And cucumbers, as I learned, actually originated in India as a whole. They've been cultivated for at least 3000 years. Most of Europe and North and South America didn't get them until much later--France in the 9th century, England in the 14th, and North America in the 16th century. Also, despite being regarded as vegetables, botanically the cucumber is a fruit, a berry specifically. They're fortified with potassium, magnesium, and Vitamins C, E, and K. The dosakai is also from India, and is most utilized in their cuisine. They're eaten in various ways--often in soups, or chutneys, or stir fried, or sauteed, or simply raw, in salads.
I checked out several online recipes for dosakai preparations, but none of them were very feasible for me. Most of them were traditional Indian dishes, and I didn't have the accompanying spices, or cooking equipment, or overall culinary talent, to even attempt them. However, I did so something innovative, by my standards: pickling. At least a quick and dirty form of it. First I poured a cup of water into a jar, and then a third of a cup of apple cider (aka white) vinegar. To this I then added two tablespoons of sugar, and then 2 teaspoons of salt. This was all stirred up. Once this was done, I put in the pieces of dosakai, which I had earlier cut up into thin slices. Finally, I capped the jar, and put it in the refrigerator for 6 days.
The resulting dosakai pickles were pretty decent. They looked pretty much the same as before, being whitish flesh with the yellowish rind still attached. There was an accompanying vinegary odor, too. The taste was basically like a regular pickled cucumber, like the kinds I've had thousands of times before. Tangy, and solid. The rind gave the pieces a nice crunch. Therefore, I certainly recommend pickled dosakai for those that enjoy "regular" pickled cucumbers. I also tried some dosakai raw, and unpickled, and that wasn't as good--more blandish, and almost melon-y. And I'd certainly be willing to try some dosakai that's been prepared in other ways, and by professional (or at least more competent) chefs. But, I have to admit that part of me was slightly disappointed about how familiar the flavor of dosakai pickles was. I was somehow hoping for something more different and distinct. Also, for another pickle-related article, see my post on February 17, 2016, about cornichons.
This experience was productive in another way, too. Maybe I'll start pickling other fruits and vegetables, just to see what happens. I did particularly enjoy those pickled watermelons (see May 12, 2013 post).
It turns out that a dosakai is just another subtype of cucumber. And cucumbers, as I learned, actually originated in India as a whole. They've been cultivated for at least 3000 years. Most of Europe and North and South America didn't get them until much later--France in the 9th century, England in the 14th, and North America in the 16th century. Also, despite being regarded as vegetables, botanically the cucumber is a fruit, a berry specifically. They're fortified with potassium, magnesium, and Vitamins C, E, and K. The dosakai is also from India, and is most utilized in their cuisine. They're eaten in various ways--often in soups, or chutneys, or stir fried, or sauteed, or simply raw, in salads.
I checked out several online recipes for dosakai preparations, but none of them were very feasible for me. Most of them were traditional Indian dishes, and I didn't have the accompanying spices, or cooking equipment, or overall culinary talent, to even attempt them. However, I did so something innovative, by my standards: pickling. At least a quick and dirty form of it. First I poured a cup of water into a jar, and then a third of a cup of apple cider (aka white) vinegar. To this I then added two tablespoons of sugar, and then 2 teaspoons of salt. This was all stirred up. Once this was done, I put in the pieces of dosakai, which I had earlier cut up into thin slices. Finally, I capped the jar, and put it in the refrigerator for 6 days.
The resulting dosakai pickles were pretty decent. They looked pretty much the same as before, being whitish flesh with the yellowish rind still attached. There was an accompanying vinegary odor, too. The taste was basically like a regular pickled cucumber, like the kinds I've had thousands of times before. Tangy, and solid. The rind gave the pieces a nice crunch. Therefore, I certainly recommend pickled dosakai for those that enjoy "regular" pickled cucumbers. I also tried some dosakai raw, and unpickled, and that wasn't as good--more blandish, and almost melon-y. And I'd certainly be willing to try some dosakai that's been prepared in other ways, and by professional (or at least more competent) chefs. But, I have to admit that part of me was slightly disappointed about how familiar the flavor of dosakai pickles was. I was somehow hoping for something more different and distinct. Also, for another pickle-related article, see my post on February 17, 2016, about cornichons.
This experience was productive in another way, too. Maybe I'll start pickling other fruits and vegetables, just to see what happens. I did particularly enjoy those pickled watermelons (see May 12, 2013 post).
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--A Trinidadian/Tobagonian Soft Drink
Today I'll be crossing the Atlantic Ocean from last week's post, to the nation of Trinidad and Tobago, which is a group of islands off the coast of Venezuela. This is another find from the So It Is African Market, out of Stratford, NJ. And the drink itself is Solo's Apple J.
Unfortunately, the Solo website wasn't working properly for me when I found it--most of its images were blocked. (Don't know if it's my computer at fault, or the website's, or both.) So about all I could get was Solo's other drinks, of which there are 17. There are many other fruit flavors, such as mango, pear, orange, and banana, along with American soft drinks which they are licensed to produce, such as Royal Crown Cola and Upper 10 (RC's answer to 7UP/Sprite). But Solo's flagship brand is their Red Sorrel flavor, commonly knows as a Red. "A rati and a Red Solo," is evidently a common expression in Trinidad and Tobago, referring to the street food meal of a flatbread wrap of chicken, goat, duck, beef, or seafood mixed with potato, chickpeas, and a curry sauce, washed down with the Solo Red Sorrel drink.
However, I was able to get a more comprehensive company history from another, unofficial online source. Serjad Makmadeen was born in Trinidad in 1910, to a father from India, and a mother from Martinique. By the 1930's Makmadeen was able to buy a soft drink plant, assisted by his wife, Khairoin. They created their soft drinks at home, and sold them door to door, reusing old beer bottles. Alas, during World War II, beer bottles were difficult to acquire. But, a soda company in Montreal was going out of business, so they offered to sell Makmadeen their bottles, which were stamped with the Canadian company's name, "Solo." Since it would have cost a lot to change the bottles, Makmadeen decided to just name his company "Solo" as well. (Okay, this isn't the greatest origin story, but it's more compelling then how Han Solo got his surname! Yeah, I went there, Disney!) Makmadeen changed his name to Joseph Charles to increase the changes of getting British funding. Solo was officially founded in 1949.
Solo Apple J drink: Came in a 10 ounce (296 milliliter) can. Color was yellowish. Drink was 22% apple juice, and the rest was water, sugar, and ascorbic acid (for the Vitamin C). The can said it was carbonated, but I didn't really taste much of a fizzy bite. (Maybe it was lightly carbonated? Or a bit flat? There wasn't a date for me to tell if it was old.) It tasted like regular apple juice. Or okay, but not great. Apple juice isn't my favorite fruit juice/flavor, so there's that. So, all in all, if you really enjoy apple juice/flavoring, you'll probably think the Solo Apple J is at least solid.
As is my usual pattern I'll flesh this out a little by including some fun facts about Trinidad and Tobago. First off, this is the only country in the world whose capital, Port of Spain, is named after another country. Also, there are only three natural asphalt deposits in the world, and Trinidad has the largest one--Pitch Lake, which spans 100 acres, is 250 feet deep, and has 10,000,000 tons of asphalt. The world's largest brain coral--10 feet by 16 feet--is off the coast of Tobago. Tobago also boasts the world's oldest protected forest reserve--the Main Ridge Forest Reserve, designated on April 13, 1776. Finally, there are many famous people who are from Trinidad and Tobago, or at least have some Trinidadian/Tobagonian heritage. From the NBA there's Hall of Famer center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Roy Hibbert. (Abdul-Jabbar is also known for his writing, and movie projects.) Staying with sports, Lauryn Williams is one of only 5 people to ever win medals in both the Summer and Winter Olympics, as she won a gold for the 4X100 relay in the 2012 Summer Games, a silver in the 100 Meters in the 2004 Summer Games, and a silver in the Two Women Bobsleigh in the 2014 Winter Games, while competing for the U.S. Famous Trinidadian/Tobagonian musicians include Billy Ocean, Nicki Minaj, and Cardi B. As for cinema, there's director Sam Mendes, known for "American Beauty" (1999, for which he won the Best Director Oscar), "Road to Perdition" (2002), and "Skyfall" (2012). Actress Naomi Harris is arguably most noted for roles in "28 Days Later" (2002), "Skyfall" (2012), and "Moonlight" (2016). Actor Winston Duke is probably best known for roles in "Black Panther" (2018), "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018), "Avengers: Endgame" (2019), and "Us" (2019). Austin Stoker is somewhat more obscure, but fans of older sci-fi/horror movies may recall him for acting in "Battle for the Planet of the Apes" (1973), "Abby" (1974), "Assault on Precinct 13" (1976), and the upcoming "3 from Hell" (2019). Finally, noted civil rights activist Stokely Carmichael (aka Kwame Ture) was born, and spent part of his life in Trinidad as well.
Unfortunately, the Solo website wasn't working properly for me when I found it--most of its images were blocked. (Don't know if it's my computer at fault, or the website's, or both.) So about all I could get was Solo's other drinks, of which there are 17. There are many other fruit flavors, such as mango, pear, orange, and banana, along with American soft drinks which they are licensed to produce, such as Royal Crown Cola and Upper 10 (RC's answer to 7UP/Sprite). But Solo's flagship brand is their Red Sorrel flavor, commonly knows as a Red. "A rati and a Red Solo," is evidently a common expression in Trinidad and Tobago, referring to the street food meal of a flatbread wrap of chicken, goat, duck, beef, or seafood mixed with potato, chickpeas, and a curry sauce, washed down with the Solo Red Sorrel drink.
However, I was able to get a more comprehensive company history from another, unofficial online source. Serjad Makmadeen was born in Trinidad in 1910, to a father from India, and a mother from Martinique. By the 1930's Makmadeen was able to buy a soft drink plant, assisted by his wife, Khairoin. They created their soft drinks at home, and sold them door to door, reusing old beer bottles. Alas, during World War II, beer bottles were difficult to acquire. But, a soda company in Montreal was going out of business, so they offered to sell Makmadeen their bottles, which were stamped with the Canadian company's name, "Solo." Since it would have cost a lot to change the bottles, Makmadeen decided to just name his company "Solo" as well. (Okay, this isn't the greatest origin story, but it's more compelling then how Han Solo got his surname! Yeah, I went there, Disney!) Makmadeen changed his name to Joseph Charles to increase the changes of getting British funding. Solo was officially founded in 1949.
Solo Apple J drink: Came in a 10 ounce (296 milliliter) can. Color was yellowish. Drink was 22% apple juice, and the rest was water, sugar, and ascorbic acid (for the Vitamin C). The can said it was carbonated, but I didn't really taste much of a fizzy bite. (Maybe it was lightly carbonated? Or a bit flat? There wasn't a date for me to tell if it was old.) It tasted like regular apple juice. Or okay, but not great. Apple juice isn't my favorite fruit juice/flavor, so there's that. So, all in all, if you really enjoy apple juice/flavoring, you'll probably think the Solo Apple J is at least solid.
As is my usual pattern I'll flesh this out a little by including some fun facts about Trinidad and Tobago. First off, this is the only country in the world whose capital, Port of Spain, is named after another country. Also, there are only three natural asphalt deposits in the world, and Trinidad has the largest one--Pitch Lake, which spans 100 acres, is 250 feet deep, and has 10,000,000 tons of asphalt. The world's largest brain coral--10 feet by 16 feet--is off the coast of Tobago. Tobago also boasts the world's oldest protected forest reserve--the Main Ridge Forest Reserve, designated on April 13, 1776. Finally, there are many famous people who are from Trinidad and Tobago, or at least have some Trinidadian/Tobagonian heritage. From the NBA there's Hall of Famer center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Roy Hibbert. (Abdul-Jabbar is also known for his writing, and movie projects.) Staying with sports, Lauryn Williams is one of only 5 people to ever win medals in both the Summer and Winter Olympics, as she won a gold for the 4X100 relay in the 2012 Summer Games, a silver in the 100 Meters in the 2004 Summer Games, and a silver in the Two Women Bobsleigh in the 2014 Winter Games, while competing for the U.S. Famous Trinidadian/Tobagonian musicians include Billy Ocean, Nicki Minaj, and Cardi B. As for cinema, there's director Sam Mendes, known for "American Beauty" (1999, for which he won the Best Director Oscar), "Road to Perdition" (2002), and "Skyfall" (2012). Actress Naomi Harris is arguably most noted for roles in "28 Days Later" (2002), "Skyfall" (2012), and "Moonlight" (2016). Actor Winston Duke is probably best known for roles in "Black Panther" (2018), "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018), "Avengers: Endgame" (2019), and "Us" (2019). Austin Stoker is somewhat more obscure, but fans of older sci-fi/horror movies may recall him for acting in "Battle for the Planet of the Apes" (1973), "Abby" (1974), "Assault on Precinct 13" (1976), and the upcoming "3 from Hell" (2019). Finally, noted civil rights activist Stokely Carmichael (aka Kwame Ture) was born, and spent part of his life in Trinidad as well.
Saturday, September 7, 2019
Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--Moroccan Sardines
A week ago I mentioned discovering a local ethnic grocery which had a great selection--India Bazaar. Well, lightning struck twice, so to speak. About a mile away, on the same road, and in the same town even, was another exotic supermarket--So It Is African Market. Therefore, over the next few weeks and months you'll be hearing about many of the products from there. So combined with the India Bazaar wares, I have blog fodder until like December. Yay!
We'll start with sardines from Morocco. Specifically, Hot Titus's spiced sardines, from the Unimer company. A sardine, as people may not know, is a catch-all term for over twenty species of small fish that are part of the herring family. The source for this common name is somewhat vague: Most people think it's for the island of Sardinia, where sardines may have been abundant hundreds of years ago. Others think it came from the sardonyx stone, whose reddish-brown color is similar to the flesh of the fish in question. Sardines are renowned for their oily nature. This oil, in fact, has commercial uses, as linoleum, varnish, and paint are sometimes made with it. And, despite their reputation as being cheap, canned, trash fish, sardines are actually surprisingly healthy in some ways. They have decent amounts of Vitamin B2, Vitamin B12, niacin, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus, and small amounts of iron and selenium. They're also chock full of omega 3 fatty acid. Plus, unlike many food fish, they're relatively low in mercury. On that note, famous entrepreneur/venture capitalist Craig Cooper (Boost Mobile) reportedly eats five cans of sardines a day, saying they're the "Number 1 superfood for guys." Although he also is said to take precisely 22 minute naps every day, and to go to sleep every night at exactly 10:24 pm, so he seems to be exhibiting some OCD behaviors. I'm also puzzled by his claim--why wouldn't women also benefit from sardine's alleged awesomeness? Finally, "superfoods" are a questionable concept anyway--see my May 1, 2014 post.
I wasn't able to learn much about the Unimer company, makers of the Hot Titus brand, as I couldn't locate an official company website. I did see that it's part of a larger group, and that this subsidiary specializes in canned fish. One source said that the company started in 1973, but another referenced their products being available for over 80 years, so I don't know which is correct. However, in an article entitled, "5 Moroccan Multi-Millionaires You Should Know," Forbes mentioned Said Alj, who's president of the holding group which owns 80% of Unimer. Also, Unimer distributes to over 30 African nations.
Unimer company, Hot Titus spiced sardines in vegetable oil: These were deboned, headless sardines in soy bean oil, which had an orange-ish color. They were pretty good. Spicy as advertised, and the heat built up as they were eaten. Overall this was an interesting take on sardines, and good. I've had many kinds of sardines over the years--in water, mustard, tomato-based sauces, etc., and this was one of the better kinds.
Since this is my first post concerning Morocco, I thought I'd include a few tidbits about famous Moroccans, or at least folks with Moroccan heritage. Morocco boasts the first female Muslim Olympic gold medal winner, Nawal El Moutawakel, who was victorious in the 400 meter hurdles in the 1984 Summer Games. She was also the first Moroccan overall to win a gold. Said Aouita also won an Olympic gold medal, running in the 5000 meter event. Since this also came in the 1984 Games, he must have won his only a few days after El Moutawakel. He also won the bronze medal in the 800 meters in the 1988 Olympic Summer Games. Staying on the Olympics, Hacham El Guerrouj won gold in both the 1500 meters and the 5000 meters in the 2004 Summer Games. He also won a silver in the 1500 meters in the 2000 Games. Some consider him the greatest middle distance runner ever. Moving to the cinema, Juan Moreno y Herrera-Jimenez, better known by his stage name Jean Reno, was born in Morocco, although his heritage is more Spanish-French. He's known for roles is such films as "La Femme Nikita" (1990), "Leon: The Professional" (1994), "Ronin" (1998), "The Da Vinci Code" (2006), and "Alex Cross" (2012). Emmanuelle Chriqui,who was born in Canada to Moroccan parents, is arguably best known for appearances in "Detroit Rock City" (1999), "Wrong Turn" (2003), "You Don't Mess with the Zohan" (2008), "Entourage" (2015), and "Super Troopers 2" (2018). Two women with Moroccan heritage are directors. Michele Ohayon is best known for her Oscar-nominated documentary "Colors Straight Up" (1997). She also directed such documentaries as "Cowboy del Amor" (2005), and "S.O.S/State of Security" (2011). Sanaa Hamri is famous for directing dozens of music videos, for artists such as Mariah Carey, Prince, Jay-Z, and Nicki Minaj, as well as for directing the movies "Something New" (2006), "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" (2008), "Just Wright" (2010), and various episodes of the television show "Empire" (2015-present). Finally, Ibn Battuta (1304-1368 or 1369) was a notable explorer, visiting many places across Africa and Asia.
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We'll start with sardines from Morocco. Specifically, Hot Titus's spiced sardines, from the Unimer company. A sardine, as people may not know, is a catch-all term for over twenty species of small fish that are part of the herring family. The source for this common name is somewhat vague: Most people think it's for the island of Sardinia, where sardines may have been abundant hundreds of years ago. Others think it came from the sardonyx stone, whose reddish-brown color is similar to the flesh of the fish in question. Sardines are renowned for their oily nature. This oil, in fact, has commercial uses, as linoleum, varnish, and paint are sometimes made with it. And, despite their reputation as being cheap, canned, trash fish, sardines are actually surprisingly healthy in some ways. They have decent amounts of Vitamin B2, Vitamin B12, niacin, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus, and small amounts of iron and selenium. They're also chock full of omega 3 fatty acid. Plus, unlike many food fish, they're relatively low in mercury. On that note, famous entrepreneur/venture capitalist Craig Cooper (Boost Mobile) reportedly eats five cans of sardines a day, saying they're the "Number 1 superfood for guys." Although he also is said to take precisely 22 minute naps every day, and to go to sleep every night at exactly 10:24 pm, so he seems to be exhibiting some OCD behaviors. I'm also puzzled by his claim--why wouldn't women also benefit from sardine's alleged awesomeness? Finally, "superfoods" are a questionable concept anyway--see my May 1, 2014 post.
I wasn't able to learn much about the Unimer company, makers of the Hot Titus brand, as I couldn't locate an official company website. I did see that it's part of a larger group, and that this subsidiary specializes in canned fish. One source said that the company started in 1973, but another referenced their products being available for over 80 years, so I don't know which is correct. However, in an article entitled, "5 Moroccan Multi-Millionaires You Should Know," Forbes mentioned Said Alj, who's president of the holding group which owns 80% of Unimer. Also, Unimer distributes to over 30 African nations.
Unimer company, Hot Titus spiced sardines in vegetable oil: These were deboned, headless sardines in soy bean oil, which had an orange-ish color. They were pretty good. Spicy as advertised, and the heat built up as they were eaten. Overall this was an interesting take on sardines, and good. I've had many kinds of sardines over the years--in water, mustard, tomato-based sauces, etc., and this was one of the better kinds.
Since this is my first post concerning Morocco, I thought I'd include a few tidbits about famous Moroccans, or at least folks with Moroccan heritage. Morocco boasts the first female Muslim Olympic gold medal winner, Nawal El Moutawakel, who was victorious in the 400 meter hurdles in the 1984 Summer Games. She was also the first Moroccan overall to win a gold. Said Aouita also won an Olympic gold medal, running in the 5000 meter event. Since this also came in the 1984 Games, he must have won his only a few days after El Moutawakel. He also won the bronze medal in the 800 meters in the 1988 Olympic Summer Games. Staying on the Olympics, Hacham El Guerrouj won gold in both the 1500 meters and the 5000 meters in the 2004 Summer Games. He also won a silver in the 1500 meters in the 2000 Games. Some consider him the greatest middle distance runner ever. Moving to the cinema, Juan Moreno y Herrera-Jimenez, better known by his stage name Jean Reno, was born in Morocco, although his heritage is more Spanish-French. He's known for roles is such films as "La Femme Nikita" (1990), "Leon: The Professional" (1994), "Ronin" (1998), "The Da Vinci Code" (2006), and "Alex Cross" (2012). Emmanuelle Chriqui,who was born in Canada to Moroccan parents, is arguably best known for appearances in "Detroit Rock City" (1999), "Wrong Turn" (2003), "You Don't Mess with the Zohan" (2008), "Entourage" (2015), and "Super Troopers 2" (2018). Two women with Moroccan heritage are directors. Michele Ohayon is best known for her Oscar-nominated documentary "Colors Straight Up" (1997). She also directed such documentaries as "Cowboy del Amor" (2005), and "S.O.S/State of Security" (2011). Sanaa Hamri is famous for directing dozens of music videos, for artists such as Mariah Carey, Prince, Jay-Z, and Nicki Minaj, as well as for directing the movies "Something New" (2006), "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" (2008), "Just Wright" (2010), and various episodes of the television show "Empire" (2015-present). Finally, Ibn Battuta (1304-1368 or 1369) was a notable explorer, visiting many places across Africa and Asia.
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