Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--Turkish/American Snacks

      With Christmas being over, and the first day of the new year right around the bend, I'll return to a normal, regular, non-holiday themed exotic edible.  This one was not an accident--I explicitly was combing the Shop-Rite shelves for blog fodder a few months ago, and this was one of the discoveries.  Specifically, I tried two kinds of Lebby's chickpea snacks--the mocha flavor, and dark chocolate kind.

     This brand was yet another entry on the long list of companies that have official websites bereft of information about the founders, and the general history of the business.  About all it had was a product list, a very brief, undetailed "our story," a list of articles mentioning their brand, where to find the products, and a "contact us" page.  The most detailed section was how the Lebby's snacks are made.  For the record, the chickpeas are first dry roasted, using no oil, salt, or additives, and then "rested" in a burlap sack for 10 days.  This process is repeated twice more.  Then, the chickpeas are laid out in the air, and then soaked in water.  Following this, the damp chickpeas are rested for another day, again in the burlap sacks.  Next the chickpeas are heated in a large tin container, and the shells are removed using a rustic wooden knob.  Finally, they're cooled, and spiced with the appropriate flavor.  Aside from the two kinds I had, alternate flavors are milk chocolate and sesame honey.  (Ironically, these other two kinds would have been the flavors I would have been most eager to eat, but, the store had only my two least favorite ones.)  All the Lebby's chickpea snacks are kosher and free of gluten.  However, only one is vegan, and not all of them are free of soy, or GMOs.  Also, the facility that makes the snacks also processes soy, tree nuts, dairy, and peanuts, if that's a concern.

     But who's behind the curtain at Lebby's, and what's the history of the business?  I had to consult other online sources, including LinkedIn.  A start date of 2016 seems to be the consensus.  As is the CEO and co-founder, being Onur Oz.  Evidently there are 7 employees, such as co-founder/Chief Information Officer/board member Sinan Asa, and President and board member Kaan Dagalti.  A few previous jobs were listed for Onur Oz, and some of these appear to have been in Turkey.  Given that the food is made in Turkey, Oz's purported earlier employment history, and the names of the other employees, I'm taking a wild guess that Lebby's was founded by and run by Turkish folks, or at least Turkish-American people.  The company's headquarters, though, are out of Brooklyn, NY, as is the distribution company, Healthy Habits Delivered LLC.

Lebby's chickpea snacks, dark chocolate flavor:  These were chickpeas, not shockingly, covered in dark chocolate.  So they were about 1 cm. (about 3/8 of an inch) in diameter, and a dark brown color.  Crunchy.  Alas, the dark chocolate made them overly bitter.  Since I'm not a big fan of dark chocolate in general, this was to be expected.  Still not terrible--somewhat okay.

Lebby's chickpea snacks, mocha flavor:  Same size and shape as the previous, with the only difference being that these were a tannish, honey-like color.  Also crunchy.  Started off kind of sweet, ended with the mocha tint.  As with the other one, mocha is not a flavor I like in general, so there's that.  Still alright.  Kind of grew on me as I kept eating them.  So my final impression is upgraded to decent, I guess.

     In closing then, I won't buy these flavors again, as they were mediocre at best.  But, if I see the milk chocolate and/or sesame honey ones, I would give those a try.  I'm quite fond of hummus, and various other dishes featuring chickpeas (such as some Indian selections), so clearly the chickpeas themselves were not the problem.  Therefore, chickpeas covered in something I like would surely change my opinion.  When/if I get the opportunity I'll update this post.  And for those who like dark chocolate, mocha, and chickpeas, you might want to give these a shot.

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--Christmas/Winter Beers

       I recently updated my post about pumpkin beers.  This was a post I originally wrote like 10 years ago, but one that I periodically update when I try new examples of said style.  Anyway, it occurred to me that I've missed out on another common seasonal style--Christmas and/or winter beers, which are clearly most popular in winter, and in December especially.  So I went out and bought every beer of these sorts that I could reasonably find.  (Meaning, ones that could be bought in single bottles, and weren't absurdly expensive.)  And then I drank these up, and rated them.  I also went back through my notes about beers I've tried over the decades (yes, yes, I'm a beer nerd), and picked out ones that qualify for the list.  So here we go.  Like with pumpkin beers I'll try to update this one repeatedly and make it a regular December tradition.

     But first things first--what exactly is a Christmas or winter beer?  Not surprisingly, there aren't strict rules or anything, and individual takes on them can certainly be found.  But, as with pumpkin beers, or summer beers, there are some general commonalities.  Some of these include the beer being dark, malty, strong, and and spicy.  According to a good article in Paste Magazine in 2016 by Jim Vorel, there are four notable examples.  First, a winter warmer is dark, strong (5-8% alcohol content), sweet, and with a heavily malty flavor.  Hops are mild to nonexistent, and no spices are used. Second, old ale is also rich, sweet, and malty.  This is  typically an English ale that's been aged.  Alcohol content varies, but modern ones tend to be potent, around 8% or more.  Third, American Christmas beers, conversely, are spice bombs.  Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger are the most common spices used, but pepper, licorice, cloves, mace, and even spruce tips are also known.  Like the previous ones, malt presence tends to be strong, although hoppy examples aren't unheard of.  Fourth, and finally, Belgian Christmas ales tend to be strong, malty, and fruity.  Some are dark, like quads, but some are pale ales.  Drinkers often consider them to be bready, malty, and sometimes with the tastes of gingerbread and cocoa.  If we want to be technical, the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) gave official guidelines in 2015.  They define this beer style to be a subset of spiced beer, and also being dark, rich, malty, and strong.  Hops are absent or subdued.  Honey, molasses, and maple syrup may be added.  Fruit additives include citrus peels, dried raisins, or plums.

     As far as the most popular examples of Christmas or winter beers are concerned, I was glad to see that I've tried a good percentage of these.  St. Bernardus Christmas Ale, Troegs' The Mad Elf, and Anchor's Our Special (Christmas) Ale tend to be on most folk's "best of" lists.  Also highly respected are Corsendonk's Christmas Ale, Rogue's Santa's Private Reserve, Sam Adam's Winter Lager, Great Lakes' Christmas Ale, Bell's Christmas Ale, Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale, Deschutes' Jubelale, and Prairie's Christmas Bomb.  But that's enough background, I think.  Let's get to the beers!  One final note--you'll notice a difference in how detailed the reviews are.  Basically, the shorter ones are from years ago, and the longer ones I just had within December of 2022.  I'm listing them worst to first, using the American scholastic F through A system.  All of these are American-made unless noted.  I hope this helps folks (re)discover a seasonal type of beer.  And if any readers have their own recommendations for this style I'd like to hear about them in the comments.  Also, finally, happy holidays!

Manayunk Festivus.                                D.    Starts off interesting, and spicy, very gingery, but ends very astringent.  The end ruins it.  ABV (alcohol content) of 7.0%.

Victory Merry Monkey.                          D+.  This is billed as a Belgian style, with cranberry, orange peel, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Had a brownish-yellow color, and a malty odor.  Didn't really taste fruit or spices.  Overly malty, almost stout-y.  Very disappointing beer from a very good brewery.  Hard to finish.  Boozy and cloyingly sweet.  ABV of 10%.

Einstock Icelandic Winter Ale.              D+.  Malty odor, and dark brown color.  Too malty, stout-ish.  Weirdly sweet.  Not good at all.  ABV of 8.0%, made in Iceland.

Abita Christmas Ale.                             C-.  Brown hue, slightly hoppy odor.  Odd flavor.  Astringent.  Very odd.  Kind of stout-ish.  Hard to rate.  Not terrible, but not good, either.  ABV not listed.

Shipyard Gingerbread Ale.                   C.  Weird.  Definitely ginger-y.  Can't decide whether this is refreshing or unpleasantly cloying.  Thus the average grade.  ABV of 4.6%.

St. Bernardus Christmas Ale.               C.  Dark brown color, not much of an odor.  Kind of a bland brown ale.  Not spicy.  Not bad, but not especially good, either.  ABV of 9.8%, made in Belgium.

Rogue Santa's Private Reserve Ale.     C.  Over-carbonated--it overflowed on me.  Overall it was kind of an average amber/red.  Not great.  Kind of disappointing, given the usually good brewery.  ABV of 5.3%.

Sly Fox Christmas Winter Warmer.     B-.  (2016 edition).  Spiced with cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg.  Spicy as expected.  Otherwise a little tame.  Still better than okay.  ABV of 5.5%.

Shiner Holiday Cheer.                         B-.  Brewed with peaches and pecans.  Brownish red color, sweet malty odor.  I could really taste the peaches.  Like a fruit beer rather than a winter one.  Not great, but not bad, either.  ABV of 5.4%.  Made by Spoetzl Brewery.

Oxfordshire Pickled Santa.                 B-.  Nice odor.  Decent to good winter seasonal.  Some spiciness.  Maybe not as good as previous encounter.  (No notes, but probably a high "B" or "A" grade.  ABV of 6.0%, made in England by Rideway Brewing.

Bison Gingerbread Ale.                      B-.  Good, but would have liked a stronger spicy taste.  ABV of 6.0%.

Southern Tier Frosted Sugar Cookie  B-.  Definite sugary taste.  Very sweet.  Kind of approaches being too cloyingly sweet, but pulls back just in time.  Alright?  Weird.  Hides alcohol content well.  Maybe good as a change-of-pace beer.  Don't really know how to rate this one.  ABV of 8.6%.

21sr Amendment Fireside Chat.        B-.  Billed as their winter ale brewed with spices and cocoa nibs.  Dark brown in color, almost black.  Cocoa odor.  Like a brown ale.  Stout-ish, but not too much.  Some chocolate flavor.  Alright.  Hides alcohol content well.  Reminded me of a marzen, too.  ABV of 7.9%.

Corsendonk Christmas Ale.             B/B+.  Tried this in two different years, and had slightly different impressions.  Sweetish odor.  Brown hue.  Tastes like a brown ale, but some spiciness, and fruity flavor.  Hides alcohol content well.  I was pleasantly surprised by this.  ABV of 8.1 and 8.5%, made in Belgium.

Troegs The Mad Elf.                   C+/B/A-.  Tried this at least 3 times, in different years.  This is a holiday ale brewed with honey and cherries.  Reddish brown color, odd odor.  Strong honey taste, didn't really detect the cherries.  I can't explain the discrepancy in my ratings--maybe some batches were better or worse than others, or I got a skunked one, or something.  Anyway, at its best it's like a good mead, and at its worst it's still a bit above average.  Hides its high alcohol content of 11% well.

Sam Adams Winter Lager.                B.  Reddish brown color, slight herbal odor.  Kind of like an amber.  Which isn't my favorite style, but it's alright.  Not overly malty.  Sweetish.  No detectable hop flavors.  So more than decent overall, from a good brewery in general.  ABV of 5.6%.

Sly Fox Christmas Ale.                    B+.  Ale with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves.  Brownish-yellow hue, nice spicy odor.  Can taste the spices, too.  I just wish it was a tiny bit stronger in taste.  Just shy of being something really special or great.  ABV of 6.3%.

Anchor Our Special Ale.                 B+.  Their Christmas ale.  Dark brown color, no real odor.  Starts off like a typical brown ale, ends nicely spicy  Very good.  Surprising.  Anchor is a good brewery overall, and this is a quality take.  Just shy of great.  ABV of 7.2%

Southern Tier 2XMAS.                  A-.  A spiced double ale with orange peel. ginger root, cinnamon, fig paste, cardamom, and cloves.  Red-brown hue, strong spice odor.  Really enjoyed.  Very potent spice bite.  Not too malty.  To pick nits, so to speak, it could have had a tiny bit more spice flavor.  Overall it was really tasty, though.  From a brewery that's not afraid to take chances, something to their detriment.  ABV of 8%.

Prairie Seasick Crocodile.             A.  This was something completely different, a sour ale with cranberries, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Which sounds like an abomination, but somehow it works.  It's sour, but spicy.  I like sours in general, and the addition of spice was nice, not gross.  Shockingly tasty.  I even like the can, which has Santa being attacked by a crocodile.  Made by Krebs Brewing Company.  ABV of 6.3%.

     

     Overall, then, it looks like I kind of like Christmas ales/winter beers better than pumpkin beers in general, with a lot of "B" ratings.  Which kind of surprised me, since I don't dark, malty beers usually, and many of these are dark and malty.  I guess the spices help.  Anyway, enjoy!

   

 

Extremely Difficult Trivia About "Gremlins" (1984)

      Since Christmas is fast approaching, I thought I'd do another movie trivia quiz, one with a relevant theme.  And I know, some folks would argue that "Gremlins" isn't really appropriate, since the movie itself isn't about Christmas, or its associated motifs--no character learns the true meaning of Christmas, or anything like that.  But, in another, more literal sense it does qualify, since it's set around this holiday.  The character who starts the whole proceedings, Gizmo, is actually a Christmas present.  So that's close enough for me, and I wanted to talk about "Gremlins, " so here we are.  The usual trivia quiz rules apply--SPOILERS abound, and I'll ask the questions first, followed by the answers.  Finally, I encourage all of my readers to watch, or re-watch both this film, and its bonkers-but-fun sequel.  I think both of them are still streaming on HBOMax, at least here in the U.S.

Questions:

1)    The kid who entices Rand Peltzer to his grandfather's store is wearing a baseball cap for a pro sports team.  What team is it?

2)    Rand tries to sell Mr. Wing a Bathroom Buddy, one of Peltzer's inventions.  What features does this device have?

3)    How much does Rand pay for Gizmo the Mogwai?

4)    What are the three rules of owing a Mogwai?

5)    We see a billboard advertising for a Kingston Falls local disc jockey.  Who is it?

6)    Pete (played by Corey Feldman) works for his father selling Christmas trees.  What is his dad's name?

7)    What brand of snowplow does Mr. Futterman proudly own?

8)    What two defunct comic strips does Mr. Futterman mention to Billy Peltzer?

9)    What two movies are playing at the local movie theater on that first day?

10)   What famous fast food restaurant do we see in Kingston Falls' town square?

11)   What bar does Kate work at for her second job?

12)   The evil Mrs. Deagle complains that Billy's dog Barney broke her imported snowman.  Where was the snowman from?

13)   By what method does Mrs. Deagle say she'd like to kill Barney?

14)   What famous cartoonist compliments Billy's comic artwork?

15)   At what age does Gerald (played by Judge Reinhold) say he'll be a millionaire?

16)   Aside from Coors, what beer brand do we see in the bar?

17)   Pete is impressed by Billy's recent comic book purchase.  What is it?

18)   We see the evil Mogwais playing an electronic arcade game in Billy's room.  Which one?

19)   What two urban myths does Kate state as fact to Billy?

20)   Billy has noticed that Kate doesn't celebrate Christmas.  He wrongly thinks it's because she practices a different religion.  What religion does he suggest she is?

21)   What famous sci-fi/horror movie do we briefly see playing on the television?

22)   Director Joe Dante also made the werewolf movie "The Howling."  Aside from actors Belinda Balaski, Dick Miller, and Jim McKrell, (who were all in both films), what reference to that earlier film do we see in "Gremlins"?

23)   What time does the mogwai given to teacher Mr. Hanson eat?

24)   What iconic movie poster is seen on Billy's bedroom wall?

25)   Aside from Robby the Robot, what other famous sci-fi movie prop is seen at Rand's convention?

26)   According to the filmstrip in the science class, about how many times a minute does an elephant's heart beat?

27)   Mr. Hanson jokingly asks for what Christmas presents from his students?

28)   The gremlins speak few recognizable words of English.  We do, however, hear them use a mild swear word on 3 occasions.  What is it?

29)   What song do the newly hatched gremlins put on the stereo, presumably to taunt Billy's mother?

30)   What happens to the original 6 gremlins?

31)   Where does Stripe get wet, and in so doing create the majority of the eventual gremlin horde?

32)   What later famous actor plays the deputy police officer?

33)  According to the sign, what are the business hours for Deagle Real Estate?

34)   And what is the phone number for Deagle Real Estate?

35)   Mrs. Deagle has several cats, two of which she calls by name.  What are they?

36)   We see a man dressed as Santa being attacked by gremlins.  Who is this?

37)   What brand of stereo is in Billy's car?

38)   Rand stops into a gas station at one point, which is part of a large chain.  What one is it?

39)   Aside from helping with the movie theater explosion at the end, we see Kate directly kill one gremlin.  How does she do this?

40)   How old was Kate when her father died?

41)   What film do the gremlins watch in the town movie theater?

42)   We hear a gremlin say a famous candy's name at one point.  What candy is it?

43)   What famous store does the climatic battle versus Stripe occur in?

44)   Aside from some cuts and scratches, Stripe wounds Billy fairly seriously.  How?

45)   How many times does Stripe fire his gun at the end?

46)   What station and television program does journalist Lew Landers work for?

47)   Who was Mrs. Deagle's deceased husband?  (We briefly see a photo of him.)

48)   How many people do the gremlins definitely kill?  As in, how many do we see actually killed, or later see or hear evidence of them being killed?

49)   Aside from retrieving Gizmo, what present does Mr. Wing accept from the Peltzers?

50)   How can gremlins, and mogwais drink?  Wouldn't any beverage cause them to form hideous boils in their mouths, throats, and stomachs, leading to more mogwais and gremlins?

51)   What's up with the incredibly vague "don't feed them after midnight" rule?!

52)   A character in the movie has the same name as a famous, or infamous sci-fi/horror movie lead character.  Name them.

53)   What make and model is Billy's unreliable car?

Answers:

1)    The New York Yankees.

2)    According to Rand, it has a shaving mirror, a toothbrush, a toothpick, toenail clippers, a nail file, a dental mirror, and toothpaste.  (Later Rand updates it and adds more features.)

3)    $200.00

4)    Keep him out of the  light, and sunlight especially will kill him.  Keep him away from water, don't get him wet.  Never, ever, feed him after midnight.

5)    Rockin' Ricky Rialto.

6)    Alex.

7)    A Kentucky Harvester.  Which, according to the internet, doesn't exist.  The online consensus was that the snowplow in question was really a Ford 3910 or an International Harvester.

8)    Smilin' Jack and Lil' Abner.

9)    "A Boy's Life," and "Watch the Skies."  Which are the fake names used by producer Spielberg for his earlier movies "E.T." and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."

10)   A Burger King.

11)   Dorry's Tavern.

12)   Bavaria, Germany.

13)   She wants to put him in her spin dryer, on high heat.

14)   Chuck Jones.

15)   30.

16)   George Killian's, both from bottles and a sign.

17)   Hooded Menace No. 1, a real 1951 comic book.

18)   A portable Donkey Kong game.

19)   That suicide rates increase around the holidays (they actually fall, and rise a few weeks or months later), and the myth about guys playing Santa dying in the chimney, that are found by their families days later when they start a fire.

20)   Hindu.

21)   The original, 1950's "Invasion of the Body Snatchers."

22)   The smiley face sticker used by killer Eddie Quist is on the Peltzer's refrigerator.

23)   2:20 am.  We see the clock right before it steals the sandwich.

24)   "The Road Warrior" (1981).  Known in some places as "Mad Max II."

25)   The titular device from the 1960 movie "The Time Machine."  It even disappears, perhaps to another time?

26)   25.

27)   A cassette deck or Super Bowl tickets.

28)   "Caca."  As in, excrement.

29)   "Do You Hear What I Hear?"

30)   Billy's mom kills 3 of them--one in the food processor, one with a knife, and one in the microwave oven.  Bill dispatches 1 with a sword.  Stripe escapes, obviously births the gremlin horde, and then is killed by sunlight in the battle at the store in the end.  The fate of the final one, that Mr. Hanson was experimenting on, is unknown.  It gets away from Billy, and flees the school.  Presumably it met up with its fellow gremlins, joined their group, and died in the theater explosion.

31)   He jumps into the swimming pool at the Kingston Falls YMCA.

32)   Jonathan Banks, who appeared in such movies as "Airplane!" (1980), "Stir Crazy" (1980), "48 Hrs." (1982), "Beverly Hills Cop" (1984), and television's "Community" (2014), but is probably most famous for playing Mike on both "Breaking Bad" (2009-12) and "Better Call Saul" (2015-2022).

33)   10:30--11:15, Monday through Friday.  Or less than an hour a day!

34)   555-2001.

35)   Kopek and Dollar Bill.  Her other cats, reportedly were also named after currency--Ruble, Peso, and Drachma.

36)   Dave Myers.

37)   A Sapphire XI.

38)   Mobil.

39)   In Dorry's, she speeds up the fan one is hanging on, causing it to fly off and crash into a neon sign.  Some fans think she kills the gremlins by using the flash on the camera, but I doubt that was enough to kill them--I think they were just stunned.

40)   9.

41)   "Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs." (1937).  As Billy notes, they love it.

42)   Milk Duds.  Stripe says this.

43)   Montgomery Ward, a huge department store chain in the U.S.

44)   He shoots Billy in the left arm with a small crossbow bolt.

45)   5 times.  3 at Billy, 2 at Gizmo, all misses.

46)   WDHB's Action Central News.  Landers also appears in "The Howling" (1981).

47)   Convicted stock smuggler Donald Deagle.

48)   At least 1, probably 2.  Mrs. Deagle flies out of her window on the malfunctioning chair lift, and is confirmed as dead on the newscast.  Teacher Mr. Hanson sure appears to be dead in his classroom.  Probably by having his face ripped off, and/or by having an air bubble injected into him.  The Futtermans both survive--it's also mentioned on the newscast, and they appear in the sequel.  There's also a car accident seen, but we don't know for sure that anyone died.  To be sure, the gremlins almost certainly killed other people, but it's all off screen, and not confirmed.

49)   He takes one of Rand's Smokeless Ashtrays.

50)   I know it's a silly movie, but it's weird, since we see gremlins drinking beer and liquor, which both are liquids, and mostly water.  As are many foods.  True, they're not pure water, but the pool water that worked on Stripe surely contained chlorine, so it wasn't pure either.  Or, the gremlins run around in the snow, which is frozen water and air, and would surely get their feet and legs wet.  So a plot hole, I guess.  Doesn't affect my enjoyment of the movie, but I noticed it just the same.

51)   The sequel mocked this one a bit, mentioning flying into different time zones, or if one tiny scrap of food comes out from between the teeth from an earlier meal and is swallowed by a gremlin after midnight, etc.  But one detail isn't commented on that always struck me, even back in 1984.  Okay, you can't feed them after midnight, but when can you start again?  Technically 1 am., 9 am., and 5 pm. are all after the previous night's midnight.  I always assumed that dawn was the reset time, but they never say, and this is very important info!  Also, using human constructs like "midnight" as your timing rule deadline is bizarre.  Something more concrete like sundown would be more logical for an animal.  And I know, it's a movie.  But it's another loophole.

52)  In the opening scene, while Billy is walking through the town square he greets a Dr. Moreau, like the evil doctor from various film versions of that story.

53)   It's a Volkswagon Beetle, according to online car buffs a 1967 Sedan Type 1.

        

  

    

 

    

  

Big Double Issue of InD'tale is Up and Ready to Be Read!

 

    It's that time again, only this issue is a big, double-wide one, for December and January.  Aside from my feature, there are pieces by S.L. Carpenter, Courtney Rosenfield, Tamara Cribley, April Holthaus, and Kevin G. Chapman.  Julie L. York's contribution is another chapter from her book.  And then there are articles/interviews with two other authors--Lynette Noni and Alexa Aston.  Along with many, many book reviews.  So, once more, I'd like to thank Owner/Publisher/Editor-in-Chief T.J. Mackay, as well as Executive Editor Katy Nielsen and the rest of InD'tale's staff.  I hope all my readers stop on by to peruse this free Holiday issue.  The link is:

                                             http://www.indtale.com

     Just as a preview, the next couple of weeks will bring a post about beers, and another movie trivia quiz, both appropriately themed for the season.  Stay tuned!

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--An Apple From New Zealand

      This one had me kicking myself.  It's something that members of my family have been eating for years, but it never registered with me.  During many shopping trips I've surely bought dozens (hundreds?) of them.  But oh well, it's not too late.  So today I'll discuss the Envy apple.

    I may have mentioned this before, but I'm not a big apple guy, as far as eating this fruit raw.  I enjoy various desserts with apples (pies, cobblers, cakes, etc.), and cider can be nice, too.  Plus, if you look at the ingredient lists carefully, apple juice is in pretty much every juice drink as a base, no matter what the billed flavor is.  I guess it's a good bland base, and/or is cheap to acquire.  However, just eating a raw, regular apple doesn't thrill me--I often find the skin unappetizing, and the flesh kind of mealy and unpleasant somehow.  So bear this in mind after I give my opinions--I'm not an aficionado by any means.

     As it turns out, New Zealand is a hotbed for apple cultivation and development.  The Envy itself is of the Scilate variety, and comes from a cross between the Royal Gala and the Braeburn kinds.  The parents are Kiwis too--the Royal Gala originated in New Zealand in the 1930's and was patented in 1974, and the Braeburn was found growing in these islands in 1952.  The company that invented the Envy was HortResearch, and this new kind was patented in 2009.  It's characterized by a tough and thick skin, pale yellow flesh, and a sweet, low acid flavor.  It was distributed in North America by the Oppenheimer Group, which as far as I can tell is not associated with the nuclear bomb-making Robert Oppenheimer.  Currently Envies are grown in New Zealand, Australia, Chile, and Washington State in the U.S., although folks are attempting to cultivate them in Italy, France, and the U.K. as well.  One of Envy's siblings is the Jazz variety, also a child of the Braeburn and Royal Gala.  (Evidently in different percentages of each to distinguish it, I suppose.)  The Envy brand is now owned by the T & G Group of Companies.  If you're interested, HortResearch also developed new strains of kiwi fruit, too.  Finally, the official website for Envy contains many different recipes--apparently the apple is good raw, in salads, as a butter or barbecue sauce, as a cider or appletini, or in many kinds of pastries, to name just a few.  Finally finally, the original ancient parent of all apples grew (and in fact still grows) in Central Asia, in the Kazakhstan area.

Envy apple:  Its color was red with yellow portions and streaks.  The interior was yellowish-white.  It should surprise no one that I just had mine raw, and made no attempt to cook it up in a pie or anything.  The taste was alright.  Sweetish.  Not mealy like some apples.  Had the typical apple texture--crunchy to get into, but soft inside.  Fairly juicy.  All in all then it was decent, but not awesome enough to make me want to eat more of them.  I'll stick to getting my apples cooked up or juiced, by people other than myself.  I should note that many apple fans, including my mother, think Envies are among the best, if not the best kind they've ever had.  So if you're really into apples, I would recommend them.

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--European Gluten-Free Cookies

      This was yet another happy accident.  My local grocery has been remodeling quite a lot over the past year or so, so I've been having to re-learn where everything is now being kept.  Anyway, I discovered that the store now has a whole section of gluten-free wares.  As luck would have it, some of these were made in other countries.  I picked up a twin bar crispy wafer from The Netherlands, some honeygrams from Germany, and some vanilla wafers from Italy.  But, surprise, they were all the same brand--Schar.  Hence the generalized, vague-ish location name for this post's title.

     The origin of this brand dates back a century.  Dr. Anton Schar (who one website claimed was Austrian) was a general practitioner, but was quite concerned about nutrition, especially for children.  In 1922 he teamed up with brother in law, Gottfried Untertrifaler, to start selling healthier foods.  Among these were gluten-free edibles, for his customers/patients afflicted with celiac disease or gluten allergies.  All of this took place in Meran, South Tyrol, which has changed hands several times over the centuries, but is now part of Italy.  The company, dubbed Dr. Schar AG/SPA, flourished.  Then, decades later, in 1979, Ulrich Ladurner took over the company.  By 1981 the business switched to only selling gluten-free baked goods.  Among these are all sorts of bread (sliced, in roll form, in loaf form, sweet, and crumbs), pastas, pizza and other kinds of dough, crackers, cookies (biscuits), and cakes.  Schar began exporting to the U.S. in 2007, and along with absorbing some American gluten-free brands such as Glutatin and Trufree, it began manufacturing in the U.S. in 2012.  Schar has become huge--it employs over 1400 people, has bakeries in 11 countries, and its products are available in over 100 nations around the world.  Their savoiardi biscuits are probably their flagship product.  Furthermore, I'm becoming very used to companies indicating how many "objectionable" substances that they don't use in their products, but Schar may be the new champ.  They had the "circle with a slash through it" symbol bragging how they avoid fragrance, alcohol, silicone, sls and sles, mineral oil, GMOs, sulfates, sodium, phosphate, aluminum, pesticides, paraben, phthalate, dyes, MSG, aspartame, preservatives, and additives.  (I had to look up what several of these things are!) 

     I've mentioned many gluten-free versions of products that usually have gluten in them in previous posts.  To name a few, the Hippeas snacks (February 5, 2022), health grain bars (August 28, 2021), gluten-free cookies (November 21, 2021) are just some recent examples.  If you want more information on celiac disease itself, my post way back on December 11, 2012 contains much more about it, as well as rating a couple of gluten-free beers.

Schar twin bar (crispy wafer covered in chocolate):  These looked like KitKats, and were about 3.25 inches long (about 8.5 cm.) by 1.25 inches wide (about 3 cm.).  Or four rectangles joined together, covered in brown chocolate.  They were pretty good.  Crunchy and chocolate-ly, rather like a KitKat.  There was something "off," though--I guess it was the missing gluten.  But, if I was unable to eat gluten I think I'd treasure these, as they were a decent approximation of a chocolate wafer.

Schar vanilla wafer:  These were thin rectangles, about 3 inches by 7/8 of an inch (about 8 cm. by 2 cm.), an off white color, with the typical cross hatched wafer design embossed on them.  Nicely crunchy and had a good vanilla flavor.  Started off a little bland, but finished well.  So, as with the twin bars, this was a good take on a classic cookie.

Schar honeygrams:  These were squares, about 5.5 cm. (about 2.25 inches) to a side, with a light brown hue, and tiny holes drilled in them.  They were dry, and crunchy.  Like a graham cracker, obviously, and only slightly sweet.  They were rather bland, though.  Overall I thought these were the weakest of the bunch, but they weren't terrible or anything, just kind of mediocre or boring.

     So, in conclusion, I definitely would recommend Schar cookies to those who can't, or won't eat gluten--they were decent to good replicas of classic cookies with gluten.  I've definitely had gluten-free products that were bad, so I can appreciate how difficult it is to make something palatable without gluten.  I would try other Schar products, too.  And even if you do eat gluten, these might be a decent change of pace for you, if you want to try something different.

 

The November Issue of InD'tale is Available!

 

     First things first, head on over to the following address:

                              http://www.indtale.com

     This month's issue features articles from Kate Archer, Grace Draver, Julie L. York, Zia Westfield, Tamara Cribley, S.L. Carpenter, and myself.  Also, it contains the results of the 2022 RONE Awards.  Along with the usual collection of book reviews.  So, as always, I'd like to thank owner/publisher/editor-in-chief TJ Mackay, Executive Editor Katy Nielsen, and the rest of the InD'tale staff.  All of this, and it's free besides!  Enjoy!

     

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--Costa Rican/American Chips

      This is another revisit of sorts.  I've discussed bananas and plantains many times on this blog.  (As I've covered, the distinction between the two is slight, and kind of vague.)  Specifically, on August 26, 2014, June 2, 2018, and June 1, 2019 I talked about them, and these specimens usually came from the South American nation of Ecuador.  However, today's subject is a little different, in that the plantain chips I recently ate came to me from Costa Rica, in Central America.  And if you're curious, I did previously mention a Costa Rican edible before, in my post on March 30, 2016 about chayote.  The type of chips (or "crisps," in certain places) I had this time were the lightly salted kind, and the garlic ones, both from the Vitarroz brand.

     Also, yet again the company who made the products I sampled has a deficient online presence.  In this case, the official website didn't open.  So my information had to come from other sources, perhaps of questionable accuracy.  (Most notably, one of the most detailed articles came from the notorious NYC newspaper "The New York Post.")  With that in mind, Vitarroz International Foods, LLC, is based out of New Jersey in the U.S., and is distributed by North Shore Bottling Company, Inc., out of Brooklyn, NY.  Vitarroz was founded in 1955 by persons unknown, and has grown to be the second largest supplier and distributer of Hispanic foods in the Northeast United States.  Vitarroz makes or distributes over 300 products, including rice, beans, luncheon meats, coconut milk, soups, and sardines.  In 2009 it was bought by Carlos Gomez, who was born in the Dominican Republic.  Reportedly he was an entrepreneur at a young age, starting a bicycle repair shop at the age of 9.  Gomez made his way to the U.S., and started other businesses as well.  His most successful one was the humungous Union Telecard Alliance, a phone card company.  Additionally, in 2007 he bought the famous NYC nightclub LQ (for Latin Quarter), in its second incarnation and location.  LQ sadly became infamous shortly afterwards as the location where NFL wide receiver Plaxico Burress shot himself.  It closed in 2015.

Vitarroz plantain chips, lightly salted:  These were yellow discs, about 1.25 inches (about 3.5 cm.) in diameter.  They were crunchy, but bland.  As advertised, there must have been extremely little salt on them.  I've had plantain chips before, and these were a rather weak example of them.  Not bad, but just disappointingly boring.

Vitarroz plantain chips, garlic flavor:  These were the same size, shape, thickness, and color as the other kind.  Also crunchy.  The garlic taste wasn't strong, but it was noticeable.  Enough to make these solid--not great, but better than average.  All in all I wouldn't recommend the lightly salted ones, but the garlic ones were okay, and would make a nice snack for someone looking for a slightly different kind of crunchy snack.

     As I often do, let's take a brief look at some famous folks from Costa Rica, or at least people with significant Costa Rican heritage.  Arguably the most notable person is Harry Shum, Jr., who was born in Costa Rica, of Chinese parents, but is now a U.S. citizen.  An actor and dancer, he appeared in such movies as "You Got Served" (2004), "Stomp the Yard" (2007), "Mom's Night Out" (2014), and "Crazy Rich Asians" (2018), but he's probably most remembered for his roles on television's "Glee" (2009-15) and "Shadowhunters" (2016-19).  Staying with actors/actresses, there's Madeleine Stowe, who was born in the U.S,, but whose mother is Costa Rican.  Stowe had roles in such films as "Stakeout" (1987), "Revenge" (1990), "The Last of the Mohicans" (1992), "Short Cuts" (1993), "12 Monkeys" (1995), and "The General's Daughter" (1999).  Hernan Jimenez is usually on the other side of the camera, serving mostly as a director, writer, and editor.  His movies (titles translated from Spanish) include "Eyes Closed" (2010), "The Return" (20120, "About Us" (2016), "Elsewhere" (2018), and "Love Hard" (2021).  Danny Burstein is like Madeleine Stowe--American born, but his mother was Costa Rican.  He's an actor and singer, mostly of Broadway plays and musicals.  He's been nominated for 7 Tony Awards, and won 1, for 2020's "Moulin Rouge."  He also appeared in such films as "Transamerica" (2005), "Deception" (2008), and "Indignation" (2016).

     Switching to sports, there's Hanna Gabriels, who was born in Costa Rica.  A boxer, she's amassed a record of 21-2-1, and is currently the WBA Light Middleweight and Light Heavyweight champion, and is also the WBC Heavyweight champ.  In the world of golf, Roberto Castro was born in the U.S, but has a Peruvian father and Costa Rican mother.  He's won 6 PGA events, and finished as high as 12th in a major, the 2013 PGA Championship.  In the Olympics, the most accomplished athletes are the Poll sisters.  Both were born in Nicaragua, from German parents, but moved to Costa Rica as adolescents and competed for this country for the Olympics.  Sylvia (sometimes spelled Silvia) Poll won a silver medal in the 200 meter freestyle swimming event in the 1988 Games, and her younger sister  Claudia bettered her by winning a gold medal in the 200 meter freestyle event in the 1996 Games, and then 2 bronzes in the 2000 Games, in the 200 meter freestyle again, and the 400 meter freestyle competition.  (Sadly, Claudia was banned for 2 years for PEDs in 2002, but maintained her innocence.)  As of now the Polls are the only Costa Ricans to win a medal in Olympic competition.

     Finally, astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz was born in Costa Rica, has Chinese heritage, and eventually became an American.  He flew on 7 Space Shuttle missions from 1986-2002, which is tied for the most ever with Jerry Ross.  Chang-Diaz is a member of the NASA Hall of Fame, understandably.

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--An Irish Cheese

      Halloween is over, alas, so it's back to regular, non-scary themed posts.  Today, I'll do yet another type of my favorite food in the world, cheese.  Specifically, an Irish Castle Cheese, from Tipperary, which is imported from, obviously, Ireland.

     As far as I can tell, "Irish Castle Cheese" is a variant that Tipperary made up.  I'd love to provide a brief history about the castle where it was made, or at least the one that inspired the cheese, but, once again, I tried a food from a manufacturer who's evidently quite shy.  I couldn't find out anything about the place in Ireland that actually created this cheese.  There is some information about the importer and distributer though, which is Abbey Specialty Foods, L.L.C., out of Fairfield, NJ, in the U.S.  Although even Abbey is quite limited on the company details.  About all Abbey revealed on their official company website was that they specialize in importing and distributing cheeses and associated dairy products from around the world, and that the business started in 1999.  I had to check several other online sources to even find out who runs the company.  For the record, it's Tom Slattery who is the CEO, and he was reportedly educated at Seton Hall University.  Anyway, besides Tipperary, some of the other brands Abbey works with include Bergader, Henri Hutin, Sorella, Carrigaline, Castillo Espanol, Swiss Castle, Lye Cross, and Abbey Farms, which judging by the name is evidently made by them.  Tipperary mainly makes various kinds of cheddar cheese.  Varieties include cheddars soaked in whiskey, red wine, or porter, cheddars that are white or colored, and some that are extra sharp or vintage.  The brand also makes salted and unsalted butter, and the amusingly named Irish Swiss Cheese.  In addition to Ireland, Abbey handles products made in the U.S., Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Holland, Germany, France, England, Denmark, and Austria.  Finally, a business-themed website I consulted indicated that Abbey employs 2-10 people.  Which seems absurdly low, but that's what it said.

Tipperary Irish Castle Cheese:   Was a yellow-white color, and had a mild odor.  Semisoft texture.  I had some plain, and then some microwaved on a burger roll with ketchup, which is a quick and dirty cheese sandwich I like to make.  The flavor was nice--pleasantly salty and tangy.  Kind of a medium intensity.  So, as always, I really enjoyed this cheese.  It might have been slightly better melted on the roll, but plain it was more than solid, too.  I would strongly recommend it--very good.

     Tipperary is both a town, and a county in Ireland.  Like probably many people, I associate it with the song, "It's a Long Way to Tipperary," a tune popular as a marching song for soldiers during World War I.  (I'm not THAT old, but I have encountered the song in movies or books about that time period.)  In looking into the song, there is a bit of controversy surrounding it.  It was first performed in 1912 by Jack Judge.  Initially it was credited as being written by Judge and Harry Williams.  However, upon Williams's death in 1924 Judge claimed that he actually wrote the song pretty much entirely, and only gave Williams a co-credit due to kindness, and because of a debt owed.  But, the Williams family disagreed, and said that Williams had written the music, and most of the lyrics to the song before 1912.  Judge countered that Williams never claimed to have written most or all of it before he died, and even signed an affidavit confirming this.  So, it appears that officially the song's creator is Judge, but some folks think this is incorrect.  At least Williams' family still reportedly received royalties long after this time period.

 

Extremely Difficult Trivia About "The Evil Dead" (1982)

      For the last post in October 2022, just before Halloween, I'll discuss the classic movie "The Evil Dead."  (The original, not the remake.)  The movie that started the careers of writer/director Sam Raimi, producer Rob Tapert, actor/producer Bruce Campbell, et. al.  The little independent production that proved that imagination and talent can be more important that a large, or even medium budget.  Anyway, let's get into it.  As usual I'll ask the questions first, followed by the answers at the end.  And the questions are true trivia--tiny, usually insignificant details, of interest only to the most rabid and obsessive fans.  Also, SPOILERS abound ahead, for this 40 year old movie.

Questions:

1)    What is the first noise we hear in the movie, and also the last noise at the very end?

2)    What song are Shelly and later Scott singing in the car as we first see them?

3)    A truck nearly hits our gang as the evil Force apparently temporarily takes hold of the car's steering wheel.  What make of truck is it?

4)    What is this truck's license plate?

5)    The truck also has twin bumper stickers on the front.  What do they say?

6)    At one point we see Scotty drinking something while driving.  What is it?

7)    According to the warning sign for the dilapidated bridge, what is its weight limit?

8)    According to the clock in the cabin, what time does the group arrive?

9)    Scott checks out the work shed.  There are several hanging bones, but only one visible skull.  What animal is the skull from?

10)   As Cheryl is finishing up the sketch of the clock it stops.  At what time?

11)   How many times does the clock then chime?

12)   Ash tries to make a toast in another language, which Scott interprets as "Party down!"  What language was it?

13)   Linda is wearing a college sweatshirt.  For what institute of higher learning?

14)   A ripped movie poster is hanging in the cellar, near the Book, shotgun, etc.  What movie is it?

15)   The crew avoided most brand names, but some slipped through.  What brand is the box of shotgun shells?

16)   What make and model is the shotgun?

17)   What brand of tape recorder is the deadly incantation played on?

18)   We learn that the demons are Kandarian in origin.  What culture is the city of Kandar a part of?

19)   How many keys are on the cabin's key ring?

20)   True or False?  Linda demonstrates ESP while trying to guess the playing cards' suits and numbers.

21)   Possessed Cheryl then correctly guesses a series of cards.  What six does she say?

22)   We see a shirt for a camp in the closet.  What camp is it?

23)   Of the five characters, which ones are stabbed with the ancient Kandarian dagger?  (Either as humans, or when possessed by demons.)

24)   As Ash is dragging Linda's body outside, we see a bluish-purple book on the floor, near Scott's body.  What is the title?

25)   What brand of chainsaw is in the work shed, which Ash then wields?

26)   What jazzy song plays during the "blood rain" cellar scene, and then over the end credits?

27)   Only one attack in the movie involves a bite.  Describe it.

28)   After the near accident with the truck in the beginning of the movie, Scott claims the car is faulty.  When does Ash say was the last time the Delta 88 had a tune up?

29)   Aside from "fake Shemping," (standing in for another character when their faces are off camera or covered with makeup), producer Rob Tapert is seen twice--once intentionally, and once accidently.  Explain these two incidents.

30)   The famous writing/directing/producing Coen brothers team both worked on "The Evil Dead."  What were their contributions?

31)   Who narrated the professor's voice on the taped recording?

32)   True or false?  There is no nudity in the movie.

33)   True or false?  While battling with the possessed Scott, Ash ghoulishly pulls off Scott's penis.

34)   What brand is the famous clock?

35)   Why did the Kandarian demons need the spoken incantation read again to possess the group we see?  (Obviously this is just conjectural, not fact.)

36)   Why don't the demons possess Ash?  (Again, another answer which is just opinion.)

37)   What non-human living creatures do we see in the movie?

38)   What state is the cabin located in?

Answers:

1)    The buzzing of a fly.  Sam Raimi says the idea was that this "fly on the wall" was observing the entire movie.

2)    This is complicated. Most sources credit Baby Moses and the Thrillers' version of "Old Baby Moses and the Thrillers Song."  Baby Moses and the Thrillers were a band made up of the crew and cast.  However, another source claims that this was a cover of a 1972 song, "Word Back Here," by Bruce Reynolds, who taught it to Sam Raimi at camp.

3)    It's definitely a Ford.  There's lots of online debate about what year and model though--the consensus seems to be that it's a renovated/rebuilt 1965 F Series truck.

4)    63F 81N, from Tennessee.

5)    "Lazy Mary."

6)    Moonshine, from a jar.  This was from a longer deleted scene.  

7)    3 tons.

8)    5.20 pm.  Pm. since night falls quickly afterwards.

9)    It's a cow skull.

10)   5:52, almost 5:53.

11)   8 times.  So the clock is apparently faulty, or else the demons are messing around, I guess.

12)   Greek.

13)   Michigan State.  Several members of the cast and crew had attended this college.

14)   "The Hills Have Eyes" (1977).  Which started a back and forth between Wes Craven and Sam Raimi, as Wes then showed "The Evil Dead" on television in "A Nightmare on Elm Street," etc.

15)   They're Federal 20 gauge Hi-Power shotgun shells.

16)   A Winchester 37A, 20 gauge, single barrel shotgun.

17)   A Panasonic, specifically a Solid State RQ 706S.

18)   It's an Ancient Sumerian city.

19)   6.  5 larger ones, and 1 small padlock key.

20)   False.  We see her guess 2 times, incorrectly, but Shelly inexplicably lies and says she guessed right.

21)   Queen of spades, 4 of hearts, 8 of spades, 2 of spades, Jack of diamonds, Jack of clubs.

22)   Camp Tamawka, which Sam Raimi attended.

23)   Possessed Shelly by Scott, possessed Linda by Ash, and Ash by possessed Linda.  So only Scott and Cheryl are not stabbed, either in human or possessed form.

24)   "Four Sweet Old Ladies."  Which may be a real book by Doris Miles Disney.  I couldn't confirm this definitely.

25)   It's a Homelite XL-12.  The 12 refers to the pounds it weighs.  The brand name is covered with black tape.  In later movies they used the lighter Homelite XL, probably because Campbell had it attached to his hand for long stretches.

26)   "Charleston."  Some debate over who wrote this--some say James P. Johnson and Cecil Mack, others say Erik Markman.

27)   Possessed Scott bites Ash on the leg near the end.

28)   The day before.  Suggesting it's the demonic Force that's affecting the car.

29)   He and director Sam Raimi are the fisherman on the road that Scott doesn't wave at, but then, accidently, you can see him standing on the right, behind the bridge, as the car drives down it.

30)   Joel Coen was the assistant film editor, and Ethan Coen co-wrote the professor's speech on the tape recorder.

31)   Bob Dornan, probably best known as the primetime host of American Movie Classics.

32)   False.  You briefly see Shelly topless from the side, and Cheryl partially topless during the tree rape scene.

33)   False.  Despite what many fans think, Ash is pulling a stick out of Scott's lower abdomen.

34)   It's an Ansonia Regulator, Ledger No. 1 model, which ran for 8 days on a full winding, and dates back to the early 1900's.

35)  Clearly the short answer is because the movie needed it for tension and plotting.  But within the movie's logic itself, it's a good question--the professor read it once, and possessions happened.  So why couldn't the demons possess anyone else who came to the cabin?  Maybe the demons can only possess people who were present when the incantation is read?

36)   The rules for possession seem to be that after the incantation is read, anyone can be possessed after they're received an injury from a demon, or The Evil Force.  Cheryl is attacked by the trees and vines, and is even raped.  Shelly is presumably cut when the window breaks upon her.  Linda is stabbed in the ankle with a pencil.  Scott is cut by Shelly's nails on his face, and later is cut badly by the trees.  But, Ash is stabbed with the Kandarian dagger by Linda, and also has his leg cut by her fingernails, among other injuries.  So why wasn't he possessed?  The only answer I can think of is that the demons were having fun taunting and torturing him.  Since he's the last person alive, and unpossessed, perhaps possessing him too soon would ruin their fun.  After all, they knew he was trapped in the area, so there wasn't really a rush.  And yes, so the movie could happen, I know.

37)   We see a mouse, or small rat, in the work shed when Ash goes to cut up Linda, and cockroaches in the bloody mess of Scott and Cheryl's dissolved bodies at the end.  Although the roaches disappear quickly, so maybe they were supernatural?

38)   This one seems obvious, but in looking at the movie again it might be different from what everybody thinks.  It's purportedly Tennessee, as Ash mentions they just crossed the border in the car.  And the movie was really filmed in and around Morristown, Tennessee for most of it.  However, the map shown, which is real, seems to indicate that they're east of Robbinsville.  There's no town of that name in Tennessee, but there is one in North Carolina.  That along with the highway number shown (129), and a body of water named Santeelah (also in North Carolina)  makes it look like they just crossed the border into far western North Carolina, below the Great Smoky Mountains.

     I hope this deep dive into such an awesome horror flick was fun.  Enjoy Halloween, everyone!  Also, JOIN US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

   

   

October Issue of "InD'tale" is Available!

 

     The new issue of "InD'tale" is out, and ready to be read.  This month's issue, obviously, has a bit of a Halloween theme to it.  Including my contribution, which is an article about ghost stories.  Some of which happened to friends of mine, and one that I experienced.  Also, as you can see from the cover shown above, there are further articles from S.L. Carpenter, Elise Kova, Julie L. York, Randy Overbeck, and Tamara Cribley.  As well as an interview with author Helen Harper.  Along with the usual collection of book reviews.  So head on over, and enjoy!  Thanks as usual to Owner/Publisher/Editor-in-Chief TJ Mackay, Executive Editor Katy Nielsen, and all the rest of the InD'tale staff.  The address is below:

                                  http://www.indtale.com

     Like last week, this is a special, mid-week post.  There will be, however, another post on Saturday, October 29th.  That one will be about yet another horror movie classic.  See you in a few days!

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--Eerie, Unsettling Peeps

      A few weeks ago, at my local grocery, I shopped for candy that would be given out to Halloween trick or treaters.  There were few surprises--it was the usual bags of the same candy that's sold year round for the most part.  Probably the biggest difference is that there were bags of "miniatures," which are just smaller versions of the usual sweet fare.  But there was one notable exception--a new kind of Peeps.  I quickly snapped up their Monsters, their Ghosts, and their Skulls flavors.

    I'm guessing every American is familiar with Peeps--the marshmallow candy, synonymous with the Easter season in the spring.  However, perhaps readers in other countries are not.  I'm not sure how widely Peeps are sold around the globe.  Anyway, the Peeps story begins in 1891, with the birth of Samuel Bernstein, in Russia.  Sam immigrated to the U.S. in 1909, and changed his name to Sam Born.  He flourished rather quickly.  In 1916 he received the key to the city of San Francisco in recognition for inventing a machine that stuck sticks into lollipops.  Then, in 1917, Sam opened up a retail store in Brooklyn, NY.  Among other things, he sold candy, some of which he'd manufactured himself.  In 1923 Sam started the Just Born, Inc. candy company, along with his in-laws Irv and Jack Shaffer.  The company moved to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1932.  21 years later, in 1953, Just Born made their most important decision--they acquired the Rodda Candy Company, which made jelly beans and a distinctive marshmallow-based candy called Peeps.  As the name suggests, Peeps were bird-themed, shaped like little birds, although later they were also formed into rabbit shapes.  These became seasonal favorites, sold around Easter.  (Somewhat ironically, I suppose, since Sam Bernstein was Jewish originally.  Maybe he converted?)  Much later, in 2003, Just Born acquired the Goldenberg Candy Company, notable for their Peanut Chews.  Other brands made by Just Born include Hot Tamales, Just Born jelly beans, and their main seller, Mike and Ikes.

     This recent experience has alerted me that there's much about Peeps that's changed over the years.  I thought it was just an Easter thing, but that's not so anymore.  For example, during the winter there are Christmas-y Peeps, shaped like gingerbread men, Christmas trees, snowmen, and stockings.  Aside from the three Halloween ones I got, there's also a pumpkin-shaped kind.  And, of late Peeps are sold year round, not just during holiday seasons.  There are more colors and flavors, too, such as strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate, to go along with the traditional yellow, pink, white, and blue Peeps.  Moving on, Just Born is the 10th largest candy manufacturer in the country, and employs over 600 people.  There's even a Peepsfest held annually, in Bethlehem, which features family-friendly entertainment such as fun runs, live music, magic shows, animals, crafts, and dioramas.  Also held annually, since 1994, is a Peeps eating contest, in National Harbor, Maryland.  In 2017 Matt Stonie ate 255 of them in only 5 minutes, which is evidently the record.  Finally, there's a Peeps movie in development.  This animated production is slated to be written by David Goldblum, and produced by Christine and Mark Holder.  Stay tuned!

Skull Peeps:  These were, naturally, skull-shaped, about 6 cm. by 4 cm. (about 2.5 inches by 1.5 inches), with a white color, nostrils, scar mouth, pink eyes, and green locks of hair (?), one with a heart shape to it.  These were typical Peeps.  Slightly crusty, but very marshmallow-y.  They tasted like regular Peeps, the flavor wasn't distinctively different as near as I can recall.  Meaning they were okay, but not spectacular or anything.

Ghost Peeps:  These Peeps were about the same size as the Skull ones, only obviously in a ghost shape. The arms were raised above the head, kind of like they were signaling a touchdown in football.  White color, with black eyes and a mouth.  These had a softer texture, but once again, didn't taste any different from regular Peeps, at least as I remember them.  Therefore, once again, they were decent, but not great.

Monster Peeps:  These were clearly Frankenstein's Monster, but they left off  the "Frankenstein" part, perhaps due to copyright issues or something.  The size was about the same as the others, only they were formed like the Monster's head, with green skin, and black facial features--eyes, nose, mouth, scar, hair.  Despite the green color, they tasted the same as the others, and correspondingly, similar to the regular Peeps I used to eat.  So okay, but not awesome.

     Peeps seem to be mostly polarizing--folks seem to either really like them, or hate them.  I guess I'm a bit of an anomaly in that I just think they're alright.  I'll eat them if they're available, but I don't go out of my way to buy them, or obsess over them.  Basically, if you like marshmallows, you'll probably like them, but if you don't, these probably won't change your mind drastically.  But I did appreciate the fun, spooky-themed Halloween take on an old standard.  This might be a rare case when appearance is more important than flavor in a confection.  So I recommend them out for shallow, cosmetic reasons rather than a superior taste.  I might buy the Christmas ones if I see them in a couple of months, too.  Furthermore, if you enjoy microwave shenanigans, get some Peeps and put them in one.  Heated up the results are dramatically expanding!  (And they won't damage your microwave or anything, although it will probably make quite a mess.)

 

"Death's Garden Revisited" is Out!

     Regular readers have been hearing about "Death's Garden Revisited" since this spring, when I first talked about the anthology.  Included among these posts were several about the Kickstarter campaign which helped to fund it.  As well as an interview with the woman who birthed this project, Loren Rhoads.  Anyway, the book's been published, just in time for Halloween.  Appropriate for a book that's more than a bit morbid in tone, being about all aspects of cemeteries, and the people interested in them.

     Alas, there have been some snags.  This book will be available on the bigger book buying platforms such as Amazon soon, but because of some distribution issues, at this time it's available only on Loren's personal website, and the printer's website.  These are as follows:

                          LorenRhoads.com

                   https://www.blurb.com/b/11281469-death-s-garden-revisited

     Plus I'll reprint the contributor list below.  These can be divided into three main categories, although obviously there is significant overlap.

Horror Authors:

A.M. Muffaz        Angela Yuriko Smith         Christine Sutton  

Denise N. Tapscott

E.M. Markoff        Emerian Rich            Francesca Maria 

        Frances Lu-Pai Ippolito

Greg Roensch         Mary Rajotte                     Melodie Bolt

              Priscilla Bettis

Rena Mason           Robert Holt                       R.L. Merrill

                Saraliza Anzaldua

Trish Wilson           Stephen Mark Rainey

 

Cemetery Writers/Genealogists/Historians:

Anne Born             Barbara Baird                    Carrie Sessarego 

       Carole Tyrrell

Erika Mailman       J'aime Rubio                     Jo Nell Huff 

               Joane M. Austin

Sharon Pajka          Trilby Plants                     Rachelle Meilleur

 

Morbid Curiosity Contributors:

Brian Thomas        Benjamin Scuglia          Chris LaMay-West

     George Neville-Neil

M. Parfitt               Paul Stansfield                   Rain Graves    

 

     Once again I'd like to thank Loren Rhoads for all her hard work and passion for this project, as well as my talented co-authors.  So what are you waiting for?  Head on over and pick yourself up a copy, and enjoy! 

     Also, this was a special  mid-week post.  But I will be making my usual Saturday post on October 22nd, or 4 days from now.  This one will be about a food that's SCARY!!!!!!  Stop by, if you dare!

 

Extremely Difficult Trivia About "Day of the Dead" (1985)

      Two weeks ago I did a trivia quiz about "Re-Animator," the classic 1985 zombie movie.  Today I'll be covering another classic 1985 zombie movie, "Day of the Dead."  Which is, obviously, the 3rd movie in George Romero's series about the living dead, starting with "Night of the Living Dead" in 1968, and "Dawn of the Dead" in 1978.  "Day of the Dead" seems to be a bit polarizing.  Some horror fans love it, and even consider it the best of Romero's series, while other didn't like it much, and consider it too talky, with unsympathetic characters.  Personally I really enjoyed it.  Anyway, typical rules apply here--I'll ask the questions first, followed by the answers, with many SPOILERS ahead.

Questions:

1)    In Sarah's dream in the opening scene, we see a calendar.  What date does it indicate it is?

2)    According to McDermott, what two places has he been sending radio signals up and down the coast to, as in from where to where?

3)    What is the helicopter call sign?

4)    When was the First National Bank building, shown in the city visited in the early scenes, erected?  (It's printed on the outside of the building.)

5)    In that zombie-infested city the group visits, what is the name of the theater that's shown?

6)    We briefly see a soldier watering a type of plant atop the underground facility where the group resides.  What kind of plant is it?

7)    What is the helicopter number?

8)    With Major Cooper recently dead, how many people are living in this facility?

9)    What is the name of the facility/bunker where the group is living and working?

10)   According to the poorly kept, and possibly inaccurate corral reports, when was the last time a zombie was removed from the corral underground?

11)   Rhodes announces a complete group meeting later.  For what time?

12)   According to Dr. Logan, because of the decomposition within zombies, about how long could they continue to function?

13)   According to Logan, what is the last place in the brain to decay after death?

14)   According to McDermott, how old is the radio and communications equipment he's forced to use?

15)   According to McDermott, why can't the compound communicate with Washington D.C. anymore?

16)   How many people were at the facility at its start?

17)   Logan estimates that the current ratio of zombies to living humans is what?

18)   What is the basis for Sarah's scientific research?

19)   According to Sarah, how long a time was their operation put together in?

20)   What kind of alcohol does McDermott offer Sarah in the hallway?

21)   What is the name of John and McDermott's house trailer?

22)   According to John, how big is the complex?

23)   Fisher is trying to feed the zombies, unsuccessfully.  What is this attempted meal?

24)   Zombie Bub is named after Dr. Logan's father.  What was his father's profession?

25)   Aside from a book, what items does Logan first give Bub to examine and play with?

26)   What famous book does Bub examine?

27)   Fisher says he saw a zombie trying to drive in Washington D.C.  What street was this happening on?

28)   What words does Bub utter?

29)   True or False?  It's Miguel's fault that a zombie gets loose and fatally attacks a soldier at the corral during a removal.

30)   Bub listens to music on walkman.  What song does he listen to?

31)   One of the zombies near the end is still wearing a football uniform.  What is written on its jersey?

32)   How many times does Bub fire his gun?

33)   According to the chart that we briefly see, showing the zombie records, how many zombies were in the corral, total?

34)   Which soldier is wearing a wedding band?

35)   At the end, on the island, Sarah crosses off a date on a makeshift calendar.  What day is it?

36)   Most characters are only referred to by one name, either a first, or presumed surname.  Name the three exceptions to this.  (All the character have probably been given full names in comic books, or other media, but I mean just within this move.)

37)   What characters are seen directly killed by a zombie or zombies?

38)   Why doesn't Dr. Logan revive as a zombie?  We see him apparently only shot in the torso, with brain intact.

39)   What actor or actress from "Dawn of the Dead" (1978) was one of the New York casting associates for "Day of the Dead"?

40)   The stunt coordinator from "Dawn of the Dead" (1978) also played a named character (not an anonymous zombie) in "Day of the Dead."  Who was the actor, and the character's name?

41)   The assistant to special effects maestro Tom Savini also played a character in this movie.  Name them.  (Again I mean a named character, not an anonymous zombie.)

42)   Where is the underground facility located?

43)   Aside from Joe Pilato, who played Rhodes in this movie, and a cop in the original "Dawn of the Dead," but saw his scenes mostly cut from the theatrical cut of the film, who was the only person to appear as named characters (no anonymous zombies or bikers) in both "Dawn of the Dead" (1978) and this film?

44)   What kind of handgun does Sarah own and use, which is also given to Bub to examine?

45)   What make and model are Captain Rhodes's signature paired handguns?

46)   What kind of submachine gun do Sarah, John, and McDermott carry early in the movie, in the city scene?

47)  Who is the first person in the movie to threaten another living person with a gun?

Answers:

1)    It's showing October, with all 31 days crossed out, so presumably the date of the first day of the movie is November 1st, of an unspecified year.

2)    From Sarasota to the Everglades.

3)    4--0--Alpha, or 40 Alpha.

4)    1915.

5)    The Theatre Edison.

6)    Marijuana.  Naughty, naughty!

7)    N57404.

8)    12.  Consisting of 7 soldiers, 3 scientists, 1 electronics/communications engineer, 1 pilot.    

9)    The Seminole Storage Facility.

10)   The 15th, presumably of October.

11)   7 p.m.

12)   10-12 years, for early revivals.

13)   The R complex, in the core of the brain, center of animal instincts.

14)   World War II era.

15)   Because the power is now out on the mainland, meaning the relays are no longer working.

16)   18.  Rhodes notes that 5 military personnel have died, and only 1 scientist/civilian.  Since there are 12 alive left at the beginning of the film, that gives us 18.

17)   400,000:1

18)   To reverse the process, and eradicate the zombie problem that way.

19)   A matter of days.

20)   Brandy.

21)   "The Ritz," according to its sign.

22)   14 miles!

23)   The army issued, canned "Beef Treats."

24)   He was a surgeon, and disapproved of his son's decision to only practice purely research medicine.

25)   A toothbrush and a razor.

26)   Stephen King's "'Salem's Lot."

27)   Independence Avenue.

28)   "Hello Aunt Elisha," at Logan's urging.  He also might say, "I'm sorry" in very garbled speech to Sarah when he startles her during their initial encounter.

29)   False.  He's holding the pole properly, but the collar strap around the zombie's neck rips apart, freeing it.

30)   Beethoven's "Ode to Joy."

31)   Mailbox 22.  Maybe he was part of a postal team?

32)   6 times.  He misses Steele with his first shot.  Then he hits Rhodes with his 3rd shot (in the shoulder), his 5th shot (leg), and his 6th shot (lower right torso).  So all in all, pretty good marksmanship!

33)   The highest number we see is #83, so at least that many.

34)   Rickles.  We see it clearly several times.

35)   She crosses off November 4th, so it's apparently the 5th.  Although there is a continuity error, as she has November 1st being on a Monday, when the previous calendar had it on a Friday.

36)   Miguel Salazar, Ted Fisher, and William (Bill) McDermott.

37)   There are 4--Rhodes, Torrez, Rickles, and Miguel Salazar.  Fisher and Logan are shot dead by Rhodes.  Johnson is accidently shot by Miller.  Steele is bitten, but commits suicide before he's eaten.  Miller is fatally bitten, but technically mercy killed and prevented from returning as a zombie by a bullet from Steele seconds before he bleeds to death.  

38)   Good question!  I think there are 4 possibilities.  1) It's a mistake by the filmmakers. 2) He dies in a refrigerated room, and maybe the cold delays reanimation. 3) One of the many machine gun bullets actually did hit him in the brain, although it was subtle so we didn't see it, or blood.  4) It's a monumental bit of evidence that the situation has changed--dead bodies with intact brains aren't always reviving as zombies.

39)   Gaylen Ross, who played "Frannie" in "Dawn."

40)   Taso Stavrakis, who played the soldier Torrez.

41)   Greg Nicotero, later part of the famous KNB special effects business, plays the soldier "Johnson."

42)   Another good question, with some hypothetical elements.  It's clearly in Florida--there are maps of the world, then of the U.S., and then Florida in the conference room.  The group clearly visits Fort Myers, Florida in the beginning, as several landmarks are shown.  And McDermott mentions sending radio signals from Sarasota to the Everglades, both in Florida.  Also, supposedly the city they visited, Fort Myers, is the biggest one within 150 miles of their facility.  Moving on, the real life set of the facility is in Pennsylvania.  Florida is a low lying state, so an underground complex like we see isn't very plausible.  That said, given the information we're provided, I'm going to guess that it's Central Florida.  South of Orlando and Tampa, and North of the Everglades, since a subterranean bunker makes even less sense in a huge swamp!  And given all of the action on the Gulf Coast, the facility is probably closer to the west side of the state than the east. Atlantic Ocean side.  In reality, the facility above ground entrance seen, along with the island that John, Sarah, and McDermott reach at the end, is on Sanibel Island, near Fort Myers, where George Romero had a vacation home.  But neither of these places is explicitly stated as being Sanibel Island.

43)   John Amplas was "Martinez" in "Dawn," and scientist Ted Fisher in "Day."

44)   She has a Smith & Wesson 59.

45)   They are matching Smith & Wesson Model 629s, which are .44 Magnum revolvers with 6 inch barrels.

46)   They use 9 mm. Uzi SMGs.

47)  Surprisingly it's Sarah, who threatens to shoot Steele when he's manhandling Miguel Salazar at the zombie corral toward the beginning of the movie.