Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--Costa Rican/American Yuca Strips

      This one was a blast from the past for me.  Or, more accurately, an event from the past.  Whatever the intensity, I first had yuca over 11 years ago, and reported on it in my post on April 10, 2014.  This brush with yuca was in a canned form, and from the mammoth Goya corporation.  This time it was bagged yuca strips, from the relatively tiny Mayte brand.

     I went into some detail about the yuca plant in my 2014 post, so I won't repeat myself much now.  Briefly, yuca, aka cassava and manioc, is a very popular carbohydrate food source in the world, especially in South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia.  It's not to be confused with "yucca," which is an ornamental plant.  To add to the fun, dried yuca is often known as "tapioca," and is then rendered into the strange looking, eyeball-looking, pudding.

     The Mayte brand is plantain-focused.  The company makes many flavors of plantain chips--sweet, garlic, chile-lemon, salted, lime, sweet maduritos strips, and in strip form.  Additionally, Mayte sells "Danny's Roots," which is a bag filled with a combination of plantains, cassava (yuca), sweet plantain, taro, and sweet potato chips.  Other than these chips, and of course, the yuca ones I had, they also make dulce de leche (a milk chocolate spread) and a guava paste.  Mayte's wares are currently sold in Florida, Alabama, Washington D.C., New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and a few other places in New England.  According to the official website, Mayte was started in Miami, Florida in 2002, by a woman who goes by the same name.  She came to Miami seeking independence, and to strive to fulfill her dreams, and to liberate her true self.  Mayte is passionate about music, her roots (both literal plant roots, and her history, I think), and she likes to be the center of attention.  And that's all I could learn.  I couldn't even find out what her real full name is.  "Mayte" is a common nickname in Hispanic communities, as it's usually a shortening of "Maria Theresa," or sometimes "Maria Esther."  Reportedly it means "lovable" or "loved one" in various Spanish dialects.  And I guess Danny of the Danny's Roots product might be Mayte's husband, or father, or son, etc.

Mayte yuca strips:  These were thin yellow strips, with brownish cooked edges, and of various shapes and sizes.  They were dry and crunchy.  By themselves, they tasted kind of like bland potato chips.  Okay, but a little tame.  Combined with a good dip or spread they were much better.  So they were a decent canape or dip vehicle.  Therefore, eating them plain I wouldn't really recommend, but with a good dip they're pretty solid.  And I will try Mayte's plantain offerings if I see them, since it is their flagship product.

     A few weeks ago, in my June 14th post, I reported that one of my stories might be out in the first issue of Horrorsmith:  The Magazine, due out on June 30th.  This was a misunderstanding, as this issue did come out, but my story is not a part of it.  It will be in an issue of this magazine, but obviously in a later issue--perhaps the issue that comes out in late July/early August, or in late August/early September.  I'll try to find out and keep everyone informed as soon as I do.  In the meantime, I certainly recommend that folks give issue #1 a read.  There's no risk--it's free.  You can access it at the publisher's website, which is:   https://www.horrorsmithpublishing.com

     Finally, the other story I've mentioned recently is coming along nicely.  The edits are complete, and my author biography has been turned in.  It's slated for an August 2025 release at this time, in the Volume II anthology.  More info will be shared on this blog as soon as I receive it.  Stay tuned!

 

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--A Turkish-American Savory Spread

      I happened upon this while waiting my turn at the deli counter.  It was amongst the spreads, such as hummuses, cheese spreads, etc.  Specifically, it was red pepper labneh from the Bezi brand and company.

     Looking back through my memories, and former posts, I re-learned that I'd had labneh before.  That example was spelled lebni, but it was the version made by Family Mediterranean Cuisine, which was a restaurant located fairly near me.  (Sadly, it closed down recently.)  Consult my October 24, 2020 post if you're interested.  There are several types of labneh, and as I just covered, several different names and spellings, even.  The one constant is that all lahnehs are dairy, made with some sort of strained milk.  Many are strained yogurt, which has had the whey removed, and are very soft, having the texture of a dip or spread.  These types can be sweet or savory.  Other folks make a dry, solid type, often rolled into balls and eaten with olive oil.  These dry labnehs can once again be savory, or sweet in flavor.  And some labnehs are made with different kinds of milk, which can also affect their taste.  Labnehs made using cow's milk are considered to be the most mild, while those made using goat or camel milk are much stronger.

     Moving on to the maker of the kind I tried, the Bezi Foods Club is the brainchild of two people--Ilay Karateke and Hasan Bahcivan.  Both were born in Turkey, but have since relocated to the New York City area.  Bahcivan is from a cheesemaking family, and Karateke spent a while learning the cheese trade, by interning at a Brooklyn ricotta making operation, and then even working on a dairy farm in the Mediterranean.  Their version of labneh is a bit different than the various types I previously mentioned.  They don't define theirs as a strained yogurt.  Instead, Bezi's is pasteurized milk passed through three membranes, which removes the water and most of the lactose, in a process called ultrafiltration.  This results in a soft, spreadable product, which is less tangy than most labnehs, and is between a yogurt and a cream cheese.  I couldn't learn the exact founding date for Bezi Foods.  It may have been as recently as 2024, or as "long ago" as 2019.  Aside from the roasted red pepper one I ate, the company also makes a plain, and an everything kind.  The official website also proudly noted that their labnehs are higher in protein than most other kinds, while having fewer calories.

Bezi Labneh:  This was an orange colored spread with red pepper specks visible in it.  The odor was peppery, not surprisingly.  The texture was very soft, smooth, and spreadable.  The flavor was rich, and tasty.  Only a slight spice bite, but I really liked it.  I had some plain, and some on crackers.  It was better on crackers, as the crunch and the saltiness of those combined well with the labneh.  It kind of reminded me of lobster, or seafood salads.  (Although there was no seafood or meat of any kind in it.)  So all in all, I would strongly recommend this.  I am a fan of spreads and dips in general, so this wasn't much of a risk for me.  I'll also look for the other flavors of Bezi, and if I locate them I'll update this post.

     I did kind of enjoy how obsessed the Bezi founders are with labneh.  On their website, they included a (probably exaggerated?) account of how they badgered the hosts of every social event they went to about serving labneh.  They also use "labneh" as a verb, meaning the act of preparing and eating the product.  Hence Bezi's posted motto, "There's actually no wrong way to labneh."  An immature part of me wants to accept this challenge and propose outrageous and possibly even criminal uses of labneh, just to get them to admit that there are actual exceptions to their adage.  Finally, there is the company's name.  I Googled translations of it, and consulted some Turkish to English language websites.  Some, and I assume that these are the most accurate and reliable, claim that "bezi labneh" means "cloth labneh," in Turkish, and "bezi" itself also means "hand towel" or "washcloth."  Which probably was chosen by the Bezi folks to refer to the cloth that strains the milk for their labneh.  However, I did see alternate definitions--one translation claimed "bezi" meant "gland," and another one said "bezi" means "diaper."  Which amuses me, because if either of these definitions are true, especially the latter one, that would be a very bold, but stupid name for a food.  It reminds me of the famous 1970's "Saturday Night Live" sketch that mocked the real Smuckers jam ad motto--"With a name like Smuckers, it has to be good."  The SNL troupe came up with many funny and gross parodies of this--Monkey Pus, Death Camp, Dog Vomit, Mangled Baby Ducks, and Painful Rectal Itch.

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--Two Tea-Based Boozes

      These drinks were yet another lucky impulse buy.  One of my local liquor stories had some 50 mL bottles near the cash register, and they happened to catch my eye.  Tea mixed with liquor isn't the craziest adult beverage I've ever seen, but it is at least a bit unusual.  I only recall trying one other such drink--the Owl's Brew Boozy Tea series which I discussed in a post on April 10, 2021.  So I bought a couple.  These were the green tea shot, and the white tea shot from the Kamoti brand.

     The exact origins of this brand, and the company behind it, are a little murky.  Some of these details were on the official website, and some were on other business-related websites like LinkedIn.  Anyway, two friends, Dylan Fusco and Michael, noticed that the bars they frequented in New Jersey and New York were doing a brisk business selling white tea shooters, and green tea shooters.  If you're unaware of these fairly recent drinks (as I was), their recipes are both pretty similar.  The green tea one had a whiskey base, along with peach schnapps, citrus juice or sour mix, and lemon lime soda mixed with the tea.  The white tea shooter was that tea mixed with vodka, peach schnapps, sweet and sour mix, and lemon lime soda.  Both of these were then shaken with ice, and poured into shot glasses for imbibing.  According to Dylan and Michael, they noticed that the taste of these shooters varied with the skill of the bartender, as well as the relative quality of the liquor and mixers used.  And, clearly, they saw a business opportunity, and decided to exploit it.  So, the two guys started the Kamoti Spirits company in 2019, which as of now just sells these two flavors of tea-based drinks.  All the websites I read listed it as being a New Jersey-based business, but the two bottles I bought say they were made in Cocoa, Florida.  Evidently Kamoti either moved its headquarters, or at least opened up a distillery or bottling plant in Florida.  The Kamoti team seems quite proud that their drinks are only 20% alcohol, or about half as strong as most hard liquors.  They note that this makes partying with their product more responsible and safer.  Which I find to be more than a little disingenuous.  It's technically true, but clearly drinkers are more than capable of simply drinking more shots and shooters, and getting just as intoxicated as the folks drinking 40% alcohol liquor.  I mean, most wines are less than 20% alcohol, and most beers are dramatically weaker, since they average around 5%.  And we've all seen plenty of people drunk as hell just from wine or beer, I think!  Anyway, I don't mean to dwell on this point--Kamoti can make their drinks as strong or as weak as they want.  (It almost certainly makes their concoctions easier to drink, and arguably tastier to some consumers.)  But, I'm just saying--20% is less than 40%, but if you're not responsible it can still mess you up just as much as stronger drinks.  Finally, the name Kamoti is the same as the company's mascot, a Komodo dragon, who's seen relaxing on a hammock on their bottle labels.  Also, if anyone cares, I never did see co-founder Michael's last name anywhere, and he might not be a part of the company anymore.

Kamoti white tea shot:  Had a tea-y odor, and a clear color, like water.  It was slightly sweet, fruity, and tasted like tea with a kick, or just what it is, I guess.  So it wasn't great, but it was better than I expected.  I don't normally like vodka straight, or even much in mixed drinks unless it has a lot of the other mixers.  So just the fact that I thought this was alright is actually a significant endorsement.

Kamoti green tea shot:  Rather like the white tea one, this one had a tea-like odor, and a clear color.  The taste was pretty similar to the white tea one, too.  Sweet, pretty good.  Maybe a tad better than the white tea shot.  Again, I'm not normally a big whiskey fan, so thinking this was decent kind of surprised me.  Probably the fact that it was only 20% booze helped me like the flavor more.  And after I just finished a long rant about how it doesn't make their shots appreciably safer and responsible and all!  In conclusion then, if you like tea in general, and want an adult version of it, you might really enjoy these.  And even if you're like me and only like tea moderately, it is still a decent different drink to try.  So I didn't love either of these, but I did find them to be alright.

     As I mentioned, the mascot of Kamoti is a Komodo dragon.  Which is a fascinating creature.  They're the world's biggest lizard, as they can even reach lengths of 10 feet (or 3 meters), and weights up to 150 kilos (or 330 pounds).  They also have their own, "nature's chainmail," as their skin contains tiny bones called osteoderms, which harden as they age.  And like other reptiles, they can smell with their tongues, and quite impressively.  They can detect rotten carcasses that are located up to 9.5 km. (5.9 miles) away!  I also recall hearing that their mouths contained so much bacteria that the dragons would hunt by simply biting a prey animal, and then following it around as it slowly died from sepsis and such.  Apparently this isn't true, though--the amount of bacteria in their mouths is described as being ordinary for a carnivore.  Plus, their typical hunting behavior is to ambush an animal and inflict bloody wounds on it, causing it to die of blood loss or shock within a half hour or so.  Perhaps observers became confused because dragons do definitely eat a lot of rotting animal carcasses, and can tail them from far away.  Additionally, there was some hubbub in the giant reptile research community a decade or two ago when some scientists declared that the dragons had some venom.  However, other Komodo experts dispute this claim.  Finally, and maybe most amazingly, female Komodo dragons have been proven to engage in parthenogenesis, or virgin births.  Some researchers thought that lone females laying viable eggs had stored sperm from long ago sexual encounters, but further testing proved that a few ladies did indeed have young without ever experiencing the loving touch of a male dragon.  All of these virgin-birthed young are always males, never females.  Scientists speculate that this ability evolved so that lone females could find a new home, perhaps an isolated island, virgin birth some sons, and then have regular sex with them to produce more males and females, and grow the dragon population that way.  As disturbing as this sounds to people, I suppose "incest is best" can be true for some members of the Komodo dragon world.  Finally finally, despite the bottle labels, I could find no evidence that Komodo dragons like to recline on hammocks.  Perhaps "Big Hammock" paid the Kamoti company to include this furniture to try to increase sales. 

 

  

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--American/Chilean Clams

      I kind of forgot about this one.  I bought it like a year or two ago, and didn't get around to trying and then writing about it.  Fortunately, being canned seafood, it had a long shelf life, and had an expiration date of well into 2026.  So I opened it, and had at them.  This can was minced clams from the Roland brand.

     I've reported on Roland products a couple of times before--some stuffed grape leaves from Turkey on June 25th, 2022, and about Chinese mussels on May 6th, 2023.  Since the products were different, and they came from separate countries I thought they qualified.  If you're curious about the history of the Roland company, which is American, please see my June 25th, 2022 post.  And, normally for thinner posts I include some fun facts and famous folks from the country of origin.  But I already did this, in my post on Chilean brandy on March 12, 2022.  Therefore, most of this post will be about clams themselves.

     Clams are a type of bivalve mollusk, which can live in both fresh and salt water.  There are over 15,000 different species.  Some live only a year, while some can live for dozens, or even hundreds of years.  The old age champ was an ocean quahog clam named Ming (aka Hafrun) found off of Iceland in 2006.  Its growth lines indicated it was 507, or had been born in 1499.  (That's how it got one of its names, since it was born in the Ming Dynasty.)  Later analysis, including carbon 14 dating, confirmed this advanced age.  Clams lack eyes, ears, and noses.  Meaning their senses are quite different from ours.  They also lack a brain--instead they have nerve cell clusters called ganglia.  They also tend to be sequential hermaphrodites, meaning they can start out as one sex, but later switch, if the conditions dictate.  Although they're hermaphroditic, they can't impregnate themselves.  The appropriately, but boringly named giant clam is indeed the largest species.  The overall champ in body length was a Sumatran specimen found in 1817 that measured 137 cm. (or 4 feet, 6 inches) across.  And the heaviest known clam was found near Japan that weighed 337 kilos (or 734 pounds).  Staying on giant clams, many people think that they can close on divers' limbs, and trap and kill them.  But this is extremely doubtful.  Giant clams close their shells very slowly, and to do so have to expel a lot of water.  Meaning that this belief is almost certainly a myth.

Roland minced clams:  The clam bits had a strong, fishy odor.  They were minced, or cut into tiny shreds of brownish-white meat.  The texture was a bit chewy.  I like my clams in bigger pieces--the added chewy texture contributes to a better flavor.  The taste of these clam pieces was similar to other canned minced clams I've had.  Which are okay, but not great.  Like many edibles, fresh tends to be better.  I had some of these clam bits plain, and some with ranch dressing on it.  (I know that might sound weird, but I didn't have anything else readily available at the time, and my cooking skills are admittedly poor.)  So, if you're willing to tolerate canned seafood, this was a decent example.  

     Clams can be eaten in a myriad of ways--raw, boiled, steamed, baked, or fried, to start.  Sometimes they're put into stews, or soups, or chowders.  But arguably one of the most famous manners, at least in the U.S., is Clams Casino.  The exact recipe for this dish varies a little, but it's usually clams served on the half shell, with breadcrumbs and bacon, and often peppers, parsley, lemon juice, and tabasco sauce.  Clams Casino has an accepted origin story.  In 1917, a Maitre d' hotel at the Little Casino hotel in Narragansett, Rhode Island, was tasked by a wealthy lady patron to come up with a new rich and delicious dish for an upcoming event.  The inventor was Julius Keller, and the requestor was a Mrs. Paran Stevens.  Keller developed a new way to serve clams, and his culinary creation was a massive hit.  Keller named it after his place of employment, and the recipe spread from there.  However, historians have pointed out some major problems with this account.  The late 19th century/early 20th century menus for the Little Casino hotel (in some sources it's the Narragansett Pier Casino) burned up in a couple of fires there.  But, other sources include a similar, or perhaps identical clam dish being served in the area decades before.  And, supposedly Paran Stevens' wife was tracked down, but she died in 1895.  Which means that unless her ghost requested that Keller make the new clam dish, the 1917 creation date seems suspect.  Whenever, or whoever invented Clams Casino, no one denies that it's still popular in the U.S. in general (and maybe the world?), and in New England particularly.

 

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--An Italian Cracker Thing, Plus a Writing Update

      A few weeks ago I saw something new in the grocery store.  It was called "cacio e pepe tarallini."  I'm no linguistic expert, but this sounded a bit Italian to me.  A closer look at the label confirmed this--it was called an "Italian selection," and that it was "made in Italy."  So I gave it a go.  It was from the Orsini brand.

     I often complain that the official company website offers little to no information about the founders, or the history of the business itself.  Which was definitely true for today's post topic.  But it went a little further.  Even after a while of Googling the brand name, and its parent company name, I never did see the product I ate on any of the official websites.  The rest of the products listed seemed to fit in, and I did learn about some Orsini wares, but still, it was weird.  Anyway, according to the product label for the food I sampled, Orsini is a brand of the CDM Food S.R.L. company. Other business-related online resources indicated that Orsini was originally started in 1987 by a Gregorio and Lucia Nuccia (a married couple?).  At some point they either were bought up by, or became part of the CDM Food parent company.  CDM, in turn was apparently founded by someone named Alessandro Tatone in 2013.  Other Orsini/CDM products include balsamic vinegars, baked goods, jams, olive oils, pesto and bruschetta products, spices, sauces and pasta dressings, nuts and dried porcini mushrooms, and pastas and rice.

     As for what tarallini is, this is a smaller form of taralli.  Which is a wheat-based cracker snack common in Southern Italy.  The texture is often compared to breadsticks.  The flavor can be either sweet, or savory.  The shape of this cracker is a ring, or oval, with a space in the middle.  The sweet versions of this are often eaten around Easter or Christmas.  Moving on, "cacio e pepe" means "cheese and black pepper" in Italian.  This type of pasta is believed to have been developed by shepherds in the 18th or 19th centuries, in the Lazio region of Italy.  The cheese used in cacio e pepe is usually Romano.  Or, to sum up, what I tried were small crackers flavored like a particular pasta dish.

Orsini cacio e pepe tarallini:  These looked like tiny, light brownish-yellow doughnuts, as they were ring-shaped.  Their diameters were about 2.5 cm. (about 1 inch).  Their texture was dry and crunchy.  The flavor was very savory, as they were noticeably salty and peppery.  I didn't find out until researching these a bit that they could be savory, so I was quite surprised that they weren't sweet, like the little doughnuts they appeared to be.  At first I thought they were just okay, but they kind of grew on me.  By the end I kind of liked them.  They're not great, but they were solid.  A bit weird, but it kind of worked for them.  So overall I'd give them a slight recommend.

     I'm happy to announce that another one of my stories should be published quite soon.  My story "Blissful Knowledge" is slated to be part of HORRORSMITH:  The Magazine, from Horrorsmith Publishing.  The planned publishing date is June 30th, or just a few weeks from now.  I'll be posting the cover image, author list, story blurbs, etc., as I get them.  Stay tuned!

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--Another American/Vietnamese Coconut Water

      This is yet another happy accident, as the separate display case was just in the aisle, kind of in my way, even.  But it made up for this when I got another blog post topic, without even having to actually search for one.  Anyway, today's post is about a coconut water from the Mojo brand, made by the folks at the EQUATOR Beverage Company, out of Jersey City, NJ.  Although the coconuts were clearly not grown this far north--they were cultivated in Vietnam.

     This was also yet another in a long line of companies that apparently don't want to discuss their staff or history much at all.  So let's start with the official company website.  EQUATOR Beverage Co. (yes, they evidently left the caps lock on while spelling the first word in the company title)  "specializes in developing, producing, distributing, and marketing new beverage products."  The types of beverages in question include several kinds of Mojo energy sparkling drinks (with flavors such as citrus, blood orange, mango, and pink grapefruit), sparkling coconut waters (again, with options flavored with the same fruit as for the previous kind), regular water called "EQ wtr" (from a source in Saratoga, NY), regular coconut waters, and coconut waters mixed with tequila.  The company also is quite proud that its products lack GMOs, are organic, use eco-friendly packaging (i.e. recyclable), and are made using renewable and eco-friendly plant-based ingredients.  The coconut water I tried also listed all of the benefits of coconut water, such as the electrolytes, vitamins, and hydration.  And also that these drinks lack fat, cholesterol, gluten, preservatives, and sugar alcohols, and are suitable for those on keto, paleo, vegan, and low carb diets.  Readers with good memories may recall that I went into the alleged merits of coconut water in my post on February 28, 2022, which was about another American/Vietnamese coconut water, from Goya.  Some people exaggerate the benefits of coconut water--consult that post for more details.  Also, the energy sparkling drinks are listed as being targeted toward female consumers.  But I didn't see how they were, or why women would prefer this beverage more than men.  Moving on, other business websites filled in a few other details.  EQUATOR began in 2007, and the CEO/Chairman is listed as being Glenn Simpson, and the Corporate Controller is a Ms. Diane Cudia.  Creepily, one of the websites listed Simpson's age and salary.  Which I won't reproduce here, since it seems intrusive.

Mojo coconut water:  The odor was coconut-y, not shockingly.  The liquid itself looked like slightly cloudy water.  No coconut chunks were present, though.  The taste was slightly sweet.  It wasn't as good as some of the other coconut waters I've had, which had stronger tastes.  Also, I actually enjoy the pieces of coconut, which this one lacked.  So, it was rather like the Goya kind--okay, but not one of the better examples of this drink.  I wish I could remember the brands I preferred--maybe I'll see them again, and then re-edit this post.  Coconut water is definitely better for you than most soft drinks, so this isn't a bad choice if you want to drink a little healthier.  But it wasn't dazzling or anything.

     I got to wondering a bit about the derivation of the word "mojo," since this was the brand name of the product I just discussed.  Online sources claim it's originally from a Gullah word "moco," which means "magic."  (Gullah was a Creole language spoken by African Americans.)  Others claim it's from "moco'o," which means "shaman" or "medicine man" in the African language Fulani.  Whatever the original source, by the 1920's or so it was used in African American communities to refer to an object used for magic.  It was a flannel bag which had one or more magical items in it.  This was called a "mojo bag," or "juju bag," or "gris-gris bag," or many others.  The word got a cultural boost when Muddy Waters' 1957 version of a Preston "Red" Foster song, "Got My Mojo Working" became a big hit.  It was popularly used by jazz and blues musicians.  Gradually the word's meaning expanded to also being a term for sexuality or virility.  Some other folks were introduced to the word from its use in The Doors' song "L.A. Woman," (1971), wherein singer Jim Morrison sings "Mr. Mojo Risin'" several times.  (Later he revealed to his bandmates that this phrase was an anagram of the letters of his name.)  Finally, "mojo" is also a Spanish word, with a much different meaning.  It refers to a "sauce," or "marinade," or "stew."

     I was particularly interested in the mojo bag information because I encountered a similar magical item on one of my cemetery excavation jobs.  This was mentioned in my post on October 24, 2015, as well as my contribution to the recent book "Death's Garden Revisited."  Specifically, the object was a bottle filled with nails, called a "witch's bottle."  It was used to break up a romantic relationship, so the sorcerer or witch could then steal the person they wanted.  Aside from nails, the witch also would sometimes put in bodily substances of the target couple, such as menstrual blood, urine, or feces, for that more personalized magical touch.  Often the bottle was secretly hidden on the target's property--either in their house, or at least near it.  Why the bottle we found was in a grave was more puzzling--some witch's thought grave dirt had powers, so maybe that was part of it?  

     Just for fun I played Jim Morrison's anagram game and came up with phrases and names from the letters in my name.  (I had to write the letters on paper, and then cut them out and re-arrange them on my desk, to keep track of each one.)  Here are some:

Daniel Plusafts

Neal DiFastplus

Alan Stupid Self

US Fist Pale Land

Lent Fail--Pus Sad

All Fit Nude Asps

Stupid as Fallen

Dull as Penis Fat 

 

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--A Cheese from the Isle of Man

      It's time to revisit my favorite food in the world yet again.  I'm a bit anxious trying out certain foods and drinks, concerned that they might be terrible.  But with cheese I'm clearly hedging my bets quite a lot.  Anyway, today's offering was an aged red Leicester cheese from the Isle of Man Creamery, made, obviously, on that island in the Irish Sea.

     The Isle of Man Creamery (from here on out abbreviated to IOMC) is a cooperative of either 28 or 30 (sources differ) dairy farms located on the Isle of Man.  This venture dates back to 1934.  And that's about it as far as the business's history goes, from both the official website and other online sites.  I couldn't learn any of the founder's names, or really anything else.  IOMC is really proud of, and really focused on their cow-feeding procedures.  Evidently most cows in the U.K. are only outside grazing about 180 days out of every year, while those for the IOMC have a minimum of 200, and usually go a couple of weeks beyond that.  Reportedly more days outside, and more days spent eating grass, leads to happier, healthier cows, and better milk, as the IOMC's cows produce milk with more omega 3 fatty acids in it.  Other IOMC products include some creams (mostly used for dessert-making), various kinds of milk, a couple of kinds of butter, and a slew of cheeses.  Most of the latter are types of mature cheddar with different inclusions, such as garlic and chives, crushed peppercorns, jalapenos, or oak smoke.  The only two non-cheddar cheeses are the red Leicester I tried, and a double Gloucester.

     But perhaps we should reveal some information about what sort of cheese red Leicester is.  It's an English cheese that's similar to cheddar.  The main distinction seems to be its characteristic red rind and more crumbly texture.  Traditionally the red color was derived from the addition of carrot or beetroot juice, but for the past three centuries or so the color comes from annatto, which comes from the New World achiote tree seeds.  As the name suggests, red Leicester was first made in the English city of the same name.  The birthdate is a bit vague, but seems to be in the 17th century.  It was originally made from surplus milk after all the desired Stilton cheese had been made.  (I assume that Stilton was a major industry in Leicester at the time.)  The cheese is usually aged between 6 to 12 months.  As with most cheeses, longer aging makes for a stronger, sharper flavor.  Younger red Leicester is thought to have a slightly sweet and mellow taste, while older ones have the mentioned sharper flavor.  Both ages of this cheese are considered to have a nutty flavor, too. 

Isle of Man Creamery, Islander Red, Red Leicester cheese:  Had an orangish-color, and resembled cheddar cheese.  No real odor to speak of.  Texture was semisoft.  I had some plain, and some on a cracker.  The flavor of it was tangy, and slightly salty.  I enjoyed this--it was a more than solid cheese.  I didn't really detect the sweetness, and nutty taste that other have, but still, it was tasty.  As usual, a cheese failed to disappoint me.  A recommend for those that enjoy cheese, and probably cheddar cheese in general.

     As this is the first edible or drinkable from the Isle of Man that I've had, I thought I'd do another shallow dive into Manx lore and famous folks.  ("Manx" is the proper term for those from this isle.)  First off, the Isle of Man is technically independent, and self-governing.  It's a British crown dependency, but not actually part of the U.K.  I guess it's similar to U.S. territories like Guam or Puerto Rico and such.  Moving on, the Isle is arguably best known for its cats, which are noted for their short, or even absent tails.  Manx cats are considered to be social, tame, and active.  And their prowess in hunting makes them prized for vermin control on farms, or historically on ships.  The Isle is also well known for its annual, 2 week-long series of motorcycle road races, called the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy for long, or "the TT" for short.  It's held in late May and early June, so it's presumably happening right as I'm writing this.  Staying on sports, the Isle of Man has its own unique one, called cammag, which is a team sport played with a stick and ball, with up to 200 players on a side.  It's reportedly similar to the Irish sport hurling, and the Scottish sport called shinty.

     As for famous Manxmen and Manxwomen, probably the best known folks are the singing Gibb brothers--Maurice, Robin, and Barry.  Known mostly as the Bees Gees, they performed from 1958-2012, sold over 120,000,000 records, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.  They were born on the Isle, although to British parents, and they spent large parts of their lives in other countries, such as Australia.

     Switching to movies, Nigel Kneale (pen name Nigel Neale), was born in England but spent most of his childhood on the Isle.  A writer, Nigel wrote such films as "The Quatermass Xperiment" (1955),  "Quatermass 2" (1957), "Look Back in Anger" (1959), "The Witches" (1966), "Quatermass and the Pit" (1967), and although he was ultimately uncredited, most of "Halloween III" (1982).  Actress Geraldine Somerville was born in Ireland, but spent most of her childhood on the Isle.  She's probably best known for films such as "Close My Eyes" (1991), "Haunted" (1995), "Gosford Park" (2001), the "Harry Potter" movies (2001-11), and "Fair Play" (2023).

     The Isle of Man has also produced four Olympic medalists, competing for the U.K.  Sidney Swann won a gold as part of the 1912 rowing team, and a silver in the same event in the 1920 Games.  Frederick Agnew Gill won a bronze in the 1900 Games as a member of the polo team.  Peter Kennaugh won a gold at the 2012 Games, in the cycling team pursuit event.  And Mark Cavendish won a silver medal in the cycling omnium event at the 2016 Games.

     Finally, Isle of Man-born Sarah Elizabeth Holloway (later Marston) was supposedly the inspiration for, or at least one of the inspirations for the character of Wonder Woman.  Sarah was married to the guy who created Wonder Woman, and was part of a "throuple" with Olive Byrne.  Sarah was also involved with the development of the systolic blood pressure test, which led to the eventual polygraph machine.

     

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--Ecuadorian Plantain Strips

      My local Shop-Rite is making things a lot easier for me lately, blog post wise.  Yet again I was walking down a main aisle, not looking for any exotics and/or disgusting foods or beverages, but I happened to see some on a display case in the middle of everything.  On this day it was some plantain strips from the Tropical Madness brand.  Based, clearly, out of Ecuador.  So I quickly snapped up a bag, and had at them shortly thereafter.

     I wasn't taking a big chance here.  I've reported on plantain or banana products many times previously--one on plantains on August 24th, 2014, one on bananas on June 2nd, 2018, about Ecuadorian plantain chips on June 1st, 2019, about banana "milk" on April 25th, 2020, and on banana snacks on June 17th, 2023.  I'll try not to repeat myself too much here.  Suffice it to say that plantains are a subtype of bananas, chiefly distinct because they're usually cooked or fried and eaten as savory meals or snacks, rather than as raw, sweet desserts and such.  And while I don't like bananas much at all, I do enjoy plantains.

     Alas, I wasn't able to find out much of anything about the maker of these plantain strips.  Tropical Madness Snacks, Inc., appears to be affiliated with another company, Sunwork S.A.  The only official website for either was "under construction."  The little I learned was that the company was founded in 2010, is family owned and operated, and is located in the heart of the main Ecuadorian plantain production area.  Plus, aside from plantain strips the brand also markets plantain chips, and something called I.Q.F. frozen maduro and I.Q.F. frozen tostone.  (I looked up these words, and "maduro" usually refers to a type of cigar, and "tostones" mean "plantains."  Some details on other websites indicated that these I.Q.F. products are probably frozen fruits and vegetables.)  Other business-related websites provided a name--Steven A. Shulga.  Who along with his wife Karla and his daughter (?) Rachael seem to be the owners of Tropical Madness, and possibly Sunwork as well.  And Steven was reported as having been born in Charlotte, North Carolina in the U.S., but has a residence in Ecuador now.  And that's it.

Tropical Madness plantain strips, original sea salt saladito flavor:  These were yellow strips, of various sizes.  Some were slices of an entire plantain, or like 15 cm. (about 6 inches) long, although many were partially folded up.  The texture was crunchy.  The flavor was pretty good.  At first I thought they were weaker than most of the fried plantain chips I've had, as they were kind of bland.  But they kind of grew on me, and I liked them better the more I ate.  That said, a little more spice or salt would have been appreciated.  Overall then, these weren't the best fried, dried plantain strips or chips I've had, but they were at least decent.  I would get these again, and would eagerly try another Tropical Madness plantain selection which has more, or different spices on them.

     As usual, I'll now pad this out a bit by including some fun facts about the nation of Ecuador, and about famous people who were either born in Ecudor, or at least have some Ecuadorian heritage.  Leading off, it's no coincidence that the plantains I tried were from Ecuador, since it's the world's leading producer--25% of the globe's bananas/plantains.  The country also has the most species of orchids in the world, with 4,250.  The so-called Panama hat was actually developed in Ecuador.  While it's not even close to being the world's highest mountain as measured from sea level, because of the Earth's bulge around its middle the top of Ecuador's Mount Chimborazo is the furthest point from the Earth's center.  Or put another way, it's the closest point to outer space.

     As for human beings, arguably the most famous person born there was show creator/writer/director Mike Judge.  He's the son of two Americans, but they happened to be in Ecuador when he was born.  Judge created the television programs "Beavis and Butt-Head," "King of the Hill," and "Silicon Valley."  He also directed such films as "Office Space" (1999), and "Idiocracy" (2006).  Staying in film, Ecuadorian actor Diego Serrano was in such movies as "Class of 1999: The Substitute" (1994), "The 24 Hour Woman," (1999), "The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green," (2001), "The Ode," (2008), and "The Men Who Stare at Goats" (2009).

     Switching to sports, Ecuadorian tennis player Andres Gomez played professionally from 1979-95.  He finished with a won-loss record of 331-273, with 21 singles titles, and 33 doubles titles.  Included in these titles were wins in the French Open singles in 1990, and doubles victories at the 1986 U.S. Open and the 1988 French Open.  In the Olympics Ecuador has had 4 gold medal winners.  The first was Jefferson Perez, who won in the 1996 men's 20 km. walk, and who later got a silver at the 2008 Games in the same event.  Cyclist Richard Carapaz won his gold in the 2020 men's road race event.  Brian Pintado received his gold medal at the 2024 Games in the men's 20 km. walk, and later won silver at the 2024 Games for the marathon walk relay.  Weightlifter Neisi Dajomes won her gold at the 2020 Games in the women's 76 kg category, and then won a bronze medal in the 81 kg category in the 2024 Olympics.

     Finally, there's the (in)famous Ecuadorian Gerardo Mejia, who went by his first name only in his singing/rapping career.  Most Americans regard the 1991 performer of "Rico Suave" as a one hit wonder joke, but he's gone on to a successful second career as a record company executive, and is also now a Chrisitan pastor.

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--A Spicy Compote

      The past year or so especially, I've been on a bit of a jam/jelly/preserve kick.  Therefore, I've been more diligent about checking for new ones at my local grocery store.  A few months ago I was rewarded with a selection that looked interesting--a mixed berry jalapeno one from Janet's.  Readers with exceptional memories may recall that I covered a spicy jam long ago, back on May 22nd, 2015.  So, clearly I decided to revisit this culinary concept, and bought and ate this product.

     However, there's more to this.  As you can read from the title, the Janet's selection I'll discuss today is something a little different from a jam, or jelly, or preserve.  I'm guessing a lot of people haven't ever heard of a compote--I definitely hadn't.  For starters, the name itself is reportedly from the Latin word "compositus," which means either "mixture," or "match."  The food itself is believed to have originated in medieval Europe.  Folks took various fruits, and cooked them in water, along with sugar, spices, and sometimes syrup.  Vanilla, cloves, almonds, coconut, cinnamon, orange peel, lemon, raisins, and pieces of other fruits were, and are, common additives.  Sometimes wine, brandy, or rum were also added, to give the concoction an adult charge.  The result can be served either warm or cold, and was often enjoyed as a dessert.  Occasionally whipped cream, cinnamon, and even more sugar was included as a final topping.  There are several cultural variants of compote, too.  An Eastern European version uses dried fruit, and is called "kompot."  Another dried fruit kind, made by the Mennonites, is known as "pluma moos."  It's pretty common in Jewish cuisine as well.  Although this word to the modern French refers to something as little different--an unsweetened fruit puree, such as applesauce.

     Moving on, since we now know what a compote is, let's get to the makers of the example I had.  Janet's is owned by two sisters--Jessica Amel and Angela Kmeck.  The "Janet" in the company and brand name is after their mother, Janet.  (I couldn't find out Janet's surname online--it may be Amel, or Kmeck, or something entirely different.)  Janet started making compotes in 1996.  By 2017 the family started the company, and thus began selling them.  All of the five compotes offered by Janet's include jalapeno, but the fruit bases vary.  Aside from the mixed berry jalapeno one I had, they also make a peach berry jalapeno kind, a raspberry jalapeno one, a blackberry jalapeno one, and a cranberry jalapeno kind.  On the website, it notes that all of their compotes are designed to be "midwestern spicy," which means, "...a subtle gentle heat that sneaks in at the end of each bite."  And it's supposed to complement the fruit rather than compete with it.  Otherwise, all of the Janet's wares lack gluten, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives.

Janet's finest compotes, mixed berry jalapeno flavor:  It was a deep purplish-red color, and it had a peppery odor.  It had the typical jam/jelly/preserve texture, or spreadable.  I had some plain, and some on a cracker.  I could detect both sweet and spicy flavors.  It had a decent spice bite, but it wasn't too overpowering.  I think the "midwestern spicy" explanation above summed it up well, and it worked for me.  Both plain and on the cracker were about the same, or good.  So it you're looking for a different take on jam/jelly/preserves, and like some, but not a ton of spice bite, this is a decent choice.

     Therefore, I came away impressed by this compote.  And I would certainly be willing to try other Janet's compotes, especially the cranberry jalapeno one.  If/when my local shop gets some, I'll buy 'em and add my opinions on them here.

Extremely Difficult Trivia About "Lethal Weapon" (1987)

      Today let's talk about a classic action/comedy movie, 1987's "Lethal Weapon."  This film certainly wasn't the first one in the "mismatched police officers forced to work together" plot, but it is one of the best examples.  Clearly I'm not the only fan, as this movie was successful both at the box office and with critics, and it spawned three movie sequels and a remake television series.  This will be one of my typical movie quizzes, full of incredibly detailed trivia, with questions being asked first, and the answers following.  And beware of SPOILERS if you've somehow not seen this nearly 40-year-old movie.  Finally, I rewatched the Director's Cut version for this quiz.  Questions from scenes not in the original cut are marked with an asterisk (*).

Questions:

1)    What popular song is playing at the start of this movie?

2)    How many years old is Roger Murtaugh turning at the beginning of the movie?

 3)    According to Roger, how long has it been since he last spoke with Mike Hunsaker?

4)    While working alone at the beginning, what is Martin Riggs' police call sign? 

5)    What are the names of Roger's three children?

6)*   The sniper near the schoolyard is wearing an NFL team hat.  For which team?

7)    How old was Amanda Hunsaker, and where was she born?

8)    What is the name of Amanda's mother?

9)    How much do the cocaine dealers at the Christmas tree lot demand for their product, and how much does Martin offer them?

10)   What was the full name of Martin's deceased wife?

11)   According to the police psychiatrist, how long had Riggs and his wife been married?

12)   The autopsy of Amanda Hunsaker reveals that the pills she'd taken had been poisoned, and she would have died soon anyway even if she hadn't jumped.  What was the poison?

13)   What is Martin Riggs' rank?

14)   And what is Roger Murtaugh's rank?

15)   What top secret project was Riggs in while serving in Vietnam?

16)   What is Riggs' primary gun?

17)   And what is Roger's primary sidearm?

18)   Why does Roger owe Mike Hunsaker?

19)   What is the police call sign for Roger's car?

20)   What is the name of the man who threatens suicide, whom Riggs confronts, and makes jump off the ledge into the airbag?

21)   How long has Roger been on the police force?

22)   What kind of hard liquor does Roger offer Riggs at his home?

23)   What was the name of Amanda Hunsaker's pimp, who's killed in the pool at his mansion?

24)   Riggs says he made a shot in Laos at age 19 that probably only 8-10 guys in the world could have.  How far away was his target?

25)   Where did Amanda Hunsaker go to school?  (We see her yearbook.)

26)   What was the name of Amanda's sister?  

27)   What was the title of Amanda's porn video?

28)   Who actually poisoned the pills that Amanda took shortly before her death?

29)   What evidence led Riggs to conclude that the bombing of the prostitute's house was done by ex-CIA professionals?

30)   What is the name of the neighbor kid that saw Mr. Joshua setting the bomb?

31)   What is the name of General McAllister's criminal group, which started as a paramilitary squad?

32)   How many major shipments of heroin a year does this organization make?

33)   What role does Mike Hunsaker play in the criminal organization?

34)   What is the registration number of the helicopter that is used in the shooting of Mike?

35)   Rianne is kidnapped by McAllister's men, and they also kill her date.  Who was this date?

36)   What is the address number of Roger's house?

37)   What is written on the ransom note to Roger about his daughter?

38)   Sgt. McCaskey lies to Mr. Joshua, and tells him that Riggs was killed in the shooting.  What television station does Joshua say he works for?

39)   In what town is the dry lake bed where Roger is sent to pick up his daughter?

40)   When and where does Riggs say he ran into McAllister's group before?

41)   What is the name of the torture specialist in McAllister's gang?

42)   What street is McAllister's bar/nightclub located on?

43)   How does General McAllister die, specifically?

44)   Riggs calls Roger by a nickname at least twice.  Name it.

45)   When Joshua enter Roger's house, a movie is playing on the television.  Name it.

46)   What is written on the note that Roger and Riggs leave for Joshua?

47)   According to her gravestone, when were Riggs' wife birth and death dates?

48)   What is the name of the Murtaugh's house cat?

49)   Around the time that Riggs and Roger are talking to Mike at his bank, we clearly see a movie marquee across the street.  What movie is on it?

50)   Later, we see another marquee, for an adult movie theater.  What films are listed on this one?

51)   Aside from Danny Glover's Roger Murtaugh, and Mel Gibson's Martin Riggs, what other characters, played by the same actors/actresses, appear in all 4 Lethal Weapon movies?

52)   How many people do we see Riggs shoot in the movie?

53)   How many people does Roger shoot?

54)   Who is the film dedicated to?  It's listed in the credits.

55)   Are cops, even undercover ones, allowed to ingest illegal drugs, as Riggs does at the Christmas tree lot buy in the beginning?

56)   Riggs makes two homophobic remarks in the movie.  Name them.

57)   How old was Danny Glover when the movie was released?

58)   Is Riggs surviving a shotgun blast using his bulletproof vest realistic?

Answers:

1)    "Jingle Bell Rock," performed by Bobby Helms in 1957.  Like "Die Hard," this movie is set around Christmas time, without being much about the holiday itself.

2)    50.

3)    12 years.

4)    4 King 3-2.

5)    In order of age, his oldest daughter is Rianne, his son is Nick, and his youngest daughter is Carrie.

6)    The Chicago Bears.

7)    22, and Tennessee.

8)    Claire.

9)    $100,000, and then $100.

10)   Victoria Lynn Riggs.  Her maiden name is never mentioned.

11)   11 years.

12)   An unidentified brand of drain cleaner.

13)   He's a sergeant.

14)   He's also a sergeant.

15)   The Phoenix Project, which appears to be based on the real life Phoenix Program.

16)   He uses a 9 mm. Beretta 92F.  Which is the exact same gun later used by John McClane in "Die Hard." (1988).

17)   He uses a Smith & Wesson Model 19, a .357 Magnum.

18)   Mike saved his life in Vietnam at the 1965 battle of Ia Drang, and took a bayonet to his lungs.

19)   3 William 56.

20)   McCleary, who's a salesman.

21)   20 years.

22)   Canadian Mist, a whiskey.  They also drink several beers on Roger's boat later.

23)   It's unknown, as he's never identified, either in the movie or in the credits.

24)   1000 yards.

25)   Palos Verdes.

26)   Beverly.  Since she's in the yearbook next to Amanda, maybe they're fraternal twins?

27)   "Amanda and Her Friends."  This might be a label, and not the actual title, I guess.

28)   It's never proven conclusively, but all signs point to the prostitute named Dixie.

29)   The mercury switches.

30)   Alfred.

31)   Shadow Company.

32)   2.

33)   His bank launders the money for the criminals.

34)   N230CA.

35)   Mark.

36)   1444.  We don't ever hear, or see the street name, though.

37)   "Your daughter looks really pretty naked."

38)   KCOP News.  Which was a real channel.

39)   Victorville, California.

40)   1969, in Saigon.

41)   Endo.

42)   Hollywood Boulevard.

43)   The General's limo is hit by a bus, causing it to overturn and trap him.  The resulting flames from the collision ignite the grenades that were on the seat, causing them to explode and kill McAllister.

44)   Cochise.

45)   "A Christmas Carol," the 1951 British version.

46)   "Dear Bad Guys  No One Here But Us Cops.  Sorry!  The Good Guys."

47)   1953-84.  That death date doesn't really square with the psychiatrist saying Riggs lost his wife recently, but oh well.

48)   Burbank, which is kind of a weird name for a cat.

49)   "The Lost Boys," also 1987, but released several months after "Lethal Weapon."  This was kind of a promotional joke, as "Lethal Weapon" director Richard Donner was involved with the production of "Lost Boys," as well.

50)   It's playing "Star Angel" and "Debbie Does...."  (presumably "Debbie Does Dallas").  I don't think Richard Donner was involved in the making of either of these, though!

51)   Six others were in all four films.  Darlene Love (who played Roger's wife Trish), Damon Hines (their son Nick), Ebonie Smith (youngest daughter Carrie), Traci Wolfe (Rianne), Steve Kahan (who played police Captain Ed Murphy), and Mary Ellen Trainor (who played police psychiatrist (psychologist?) Dr. Stephanie Woods).

52)   He shoots the sniper (in the director's cut) dead, and then two of the drug dealers at the tree lot, although one looks definitely alive after.  He then shoots Amanda's pimp fatally.  He then shoots and  kills 4 of McAllister's men at the lake bed before being captured.  Next, he shoots 3 more henchman in freeing Roger and Rianne, and then 3 more in the bar,  And finally Mr. Joshua.  So all told, he shoots 15 guys in the director's cut, 14 in the theatrical cut.  He also kills Endo and another guy by breaking their necks.

53)  He shoots Amanda's pimp, non-fatally, and Riggs finishes the guy off later.  He then kills one guy at the dry lake bed, and one more in the bar.  Next, he shoots and kills the limo driver.  And finally, he and Riggs both shoot and kill Mr. Joshua.  So all in all he shoots 5.

54)   Dar Robinson, who was a stunt performer on this film, and many others.  Dar tragically died in an accident on another movie before "Lethal Weapon" was released.

55)   From all I read, they are NOT allowed to, even while undercover, unless their lives are in immediate danger.  Since Riggs identified himself as a cop right after ingesting the cocaine, he didn't even need to sample it.  And even if this was disregarded, there's no way Riggs would have been allowed to continue working that day while under the effects of the cocaine he sampled.

56)   While discussing the concept of another woman being in bed with Amanda, he says it's "disgusting" with real revulsion.  Later, after Dixie's house explodes, Riggs' jacket is smoldering.  When Roger pats out the flames, Riggs recoils and says, "What are you, a (gay slur)?"  Given Gibson's real life prejudices, maybe these were even adlibs?

57)   When the movie was released, in 1987, Danny Glover was 40, or 10 years younger than his character.

58)   From what I read, it depends on the type of vest he had on.  Some vests, or body armor, can save a person from a shotgun blast in addition to most handgun shots.  Although, even if he was wearing the proper vest/armor, Riggs would probably not have shrugged it off so quickly, and been 100% healthy for a while.

 

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--A Boozy Brunch in a Jar Drink

      While I was paying for my beer a few weeks ago, I saw something on the shelf near the cash register--  "Eggo--Brunch in a Jar."  Or more precisely, a waffle and syrup cream liqueur, from Sugarlands Distilling Company, in a partnership with Eggo Waffles.  It was also sold in a tiny 50 mL bottle.  So of course I bought one.  I practically had to, given my tastes.

     Sugarlands is based out of Gatlinburg, Tennessee.  Sugarlands is fairly recent, having started in 2014.  It's currently owned by Ned Vickers, Kent Woods, and Gary Eidam.  Vickers is the founder and company president, and Eidam is also the head distiller.  The company's flagship product is Sugarlands Shine, or various flavors of moonshine.  Some of these flavors get pretty creative and weird, such as Appalachian apple pie, blueberry muffin, maple bacon, and Folds of Honor sour blue raspberry.  Since either 2016 or 2017 (sources differ), the distillery also began making Roaming Man Whiskey.  Which appears to be much more simple and basic rye whiskey.  In 2022 Sugarlands joined with car racer Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and his wife Amy to produce High Rock Vodka.  And at some unspecified date the company devised a line of rum-based cream liqueurs called Sugarlands Sippin' Creams.  Some of these flavors are also a bit unusual, such as orange dream, dark chocolate coffee, banana pudding, butter pecan, and peanut butter.  (And the one I sampled is also quite atypical, clearly.)  Oddly, the three owners aren't listed on the official company websites, but some of the other distillers are.  Some of these include Mark Rogers, Mark Ramsey and Digger Manes, and Jim Tom Hedrick.

     The Eggo story begins way back in 1938, when Frank Dorsa and his unidentified brothers bought up a potato chip factory, and started making their own.  The San Jose, California-based business expanded into producing salad dressings, noodles, and pretzels as well.  And then, in 1953, Frank Dorsa invented a way to cook, freeze, and then distribute waffles, which were christened "Eggos."  Frank also came up with his own mayonnaise, so his food creating talents weren't just limited to frozen waffles.  In 1966 the Dorsas sold their business to Fern Foods, who shortly thereafter then sold Eggo to the massive Kellog's company in either 1968 or 1970 (again, sources differ).  In 1972 Leo Burnett created a television ad campaign which lasted for decades.  "L'eggo my Eggo" as the characters always say in the spot.  Like last week's post, I'm guessing most readers thought of this commercial immediately upon seeing "Eggo."  Or, they thought of the Netflix series "Stranger Things" character Eleven, who apparently lived on a diet composed almost entirely of Eggos for quite some time.

Sugarlands/Eggo Brunch in a Jar, Sippin' Cream, waffles and syrup cream liqueur:  The odor was very sugary, not surprisingly.  The color was a brownish-white.  The taste was very creamy and sweet.  I can't say I detected the waffles, but certainly the syrup, eggs, and cream.  It reminded me of advocaat (see my post on July 30th, 2022) or egg nog.  All in all, then, it was pretty good, as I generally liked egg-based liqueurs.  (I haven't had that many, but the ones I've had I enjoyed.)  So it was undeniably unusual, but in a fun, different way.  The strength of it was fairly mild, being 20% alcohol, or 40 proof.  So, if you enjoy egg nog, and want to have something like it in the non-winter months, this is probably a good choice.

     Sugarlands also has a partnership with the Discovery Channel television program "Moonshiners," which started in 2011, and is still being made.  The show is a bit controversial--the producers and creators claim it's a real life, documentary-like program, while some law enforcement members claim it's all fake, since the moonshiners depicted in the show would be quickly arrested if their activities were genuine.  I guess viewers can decide for themselves.  Finally, if you're curious about my thoughts on the subject of real, illegal moonshine, consult my post on July 27th, 2019. 

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--Odd Flavors of Goldfish Crackers

      Okay, this blog post isn't as strange and/or revolting as most of them.  But it's still a little off-the-beaten-path.  Probably most of the people reading this have had a Goldfish cracker at least once in their life.  But how many of you have had ones that are flavored with the butterbeer mentioned in the Harry Potter universe, or are strawberry shortcake Grahams?  (Hopefully not as many.)  Also, since they're a registered trademark and all, I'll be capitalizing "Goldfish" for the rest of this article. 

     The Goldfish cracker story is a fairly long one, and will take us to two continents, even.  (And happily it was available on the official company website.)  Back in 1897 a woman named Margaret Fogarty was born in New York City.  The oldest of five children, she was academically inclined, serving as valedictorian for her high school class.  After graduating, she worked for nine years, including an eventful stint at an investment company.  Sparks flew between Margaret and a broker named Henry Rudkin, and the two got married and raised three children.  Eventually they moved to a farm in Fairfield, Connecticut.  The property was known as Pepperidge Farm, because of an old and distinctive pepperidge tree which grew on it.  Alas, one of the Rudkin children, Mark, was afflicted with bad allergies and asthma.  Doctors thought that heavily processed foods might be making his conditions worse.  So, Margaret decided to start baking bread at home for Mark that was made from more natural, less processed ingredients.  The initial attempt went poorly, being hard as a rock.  However, Margaret kept at it, and her bread improved.  Enough so that she decided to go into business selling it.  The man who owned the local grocery, Mercurio's Market, was skeptical when she pitched him her idea, especially because she wanted to charge 25 cents per loaf, at a time when most loaves went for only 10 cents.  But then he tried some, and agreed.  Sales started to skyrocket, helped by a positive article about the Pepperidge Farm bread in the national magazine Reader's Digest.  Then a snag hit.  During World War II rationing was instituted, and Margaret refused to sell bread made with inferior substitutes.  Her production went way down.  Fortunately, once the War was over she resumed her higher production, and her company prospered once again.  In the 1950's Margaret traveled to Belgium, and was impressed with some cookies that she had there.  She made a deal with the Belgian manufacturer, and started selling these cookies back in the U.S.A. in 1955.  This scenario unfolded once again in the early 1960's--Margaret was dazzled by some crackers that were in the shape of goldfish while traveling in Switzerland.  Another deal later, starting in 1962 these Goldfish crackers were being sold in America.  (If you're curious, the Swiss baker who invented the crackers was named Oscar J. Kambly, and he created them in either 1954 or 1958 (sources differ on the "birth" date).)  (Additionally, I don't know the details about the exact baker or company that came up with the cookies that Margaret bought--it wasn't reported in the histories I read.)  In either 1961 or 1963 (again, sources differ on the exact date) Margaret sold Pepperidge Farms to the Campbell soup company.  A sojourn into another industry was also fruitful for Margaret, as her 1963 cookbook (the Margaret Rudkin Pepperidge Farm Cookbook) was reportedly the first cookbook to make the New York Times best seller list.  (I looked up this title on Amazon, and I found it easily.  It has very high ratings, and several copies are available for under $10.)  Finally, Margaret was known for being an early feminist, even if this term was probably not used much in her lifetime.  Aside from creating and running her own company, she also apparently hired a lot of women (both married and unmarried) as employees at her business, and helped them out by offering flexible hours.  Back to Goldfish crackers, reportedly they're sold in almost every country in the world, albeit sometimes through subsidiary companies, and/or under different names.  The listed exceptions were North Korea, Iran, Syria, and Armenia.

Goldfish crackers, strawberry shortcake Grahams:  They were the usual Goldfish size and color, being yellow, and of course, shaped like little goldfish.  They had the usual Goldfish texture, too, dry and crunchy.  There was a noticeable sweet strawberry flavor.  Pretty good.  Not great, but solid.  It was a little strange for me to eat a Goldfish crackers that wasn't salty and cheese-flavored.  A dessert Goldfish, I guess you could say.

Goldfish crackers, Harry Potter butterbeer flavor Grahams:  These were also the usual Goldfish size and shape.  The color was a brownish yellow.  Same dry and crunchy texture.  The taste was quite sweet.  From the name I expected these to be buttery, but they really weren't.  Later I saw that "butterscotch flavored" was on the label in smaller letters.  Which makes more sense--that sugary sweet flavor was more what I detected.  And that's good--I'm not a fan of strong buttery flavors in general, such as on popcorn.  Anyway, overall these were pretty tasty.  I liked them a bit better than the strawberry kind, which surprised me a little.  So I would also recommend both of these to people who want a change of pace, a different type of taste in their Goldfish crackers.  They're not dazzling, but they're decent, and just different enough to be interesting.

     Any American over the age of about 35 probably instantly thought about the television commercials when they heard the name "Pepperidge Farm."  They were fairly ubiquitous when I was growing up, with the old man (character name "Titus Moody") talking about the cookies, the good old days, and ending with "Pepperidge Farm remembers."  I must admit I found the ads to be a bit annoying.  But hard to forget.  The fact that I still recall them decades later is surely a testament to the marketing executives who created the commercials.  So good for them, even if I found the ads fairly irritating.

    

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--An Italian Fruit Juice

      This one was just a happy coincidence.  I was walking through the Shop-Rite a few weeks ago, and just happened to see a display pile of some drinks.  The spelling on the bottle read "arancia," and "frutta," which I assumed was a foreign language.  And a closer look at the label revealed it was--Italian.  So I snapped up a bottle.  This was some orange juice from the Santal brand.

     Santal is the fruit-based drink brand of the Paramalat S.p.A. company.  It has several different categories of drinks.  Their Desserts of Nature line includes flavors like Natura Apple Cake, Natura Blood Orange Cake, and Natura Orange Cake.  The Classics are basic fruit juices, such as those made from pears, peaches, pineapples, and blonde oranges (which I'd never heard of, but a little checking indicated that they are a subtype of oranges, grown in Italy, which have a yellow skin and a sweet and juicy pulp).  The Plus drinks have a bit of milk added to the fruit juice, and are usually combination flavors, such as strawberry banana, peach mango, and pineapple coconut.  The Zero drinks lack any added sugars, or sweeteners.  The Tea selections are, well, teas, like lemon and peach teas.  And the Fruitz! ones are mixes for alcohol, with flavors like blood orange mix, and "fishing mix."  (Alas, this last one doesn't contain any fish chunks--it's just a combo of apple, orange, and peach juices.  Maybe it's designed to be mixed with booze and enjoyed while going fishing?)

     The history of Santal and Parmalat on their official company websites were pretty terse and vague.  About all I learned from them was the derivation of the Santal title.  It's from the French term "Sante Alimentaire," which refers to a "healthy state is obtained through a healthy and correct diet."  And, reportedly Santal was the first company to ever offer fruit drinks composed of 100% juice.  (I tried to confirm this online, but wasn't able to.  The actual first here isn't conclusively known.  Some put out Minute Maid orange juice in the 1940's, and there are other possibilities.  Perhaps Santal was the first 100% juice drink sold in Europe?)  Other Parmalat brands include Zymil and Chef, which sell "functional products" such as probiotic yogurts.

     Then I checked other online sources for the background of Parmalat and Santal.  And then the limited nature of the company's history on their official websites became abundantly clear.  It started out okay--in 1961 a 22-year-old college dropout named Calisto Tanzi started a small pasteurization plant.  Over the next couple of decades Parmalat flourished, and began making foods and beverages, mostly dairy and fruit products.  At its height, around the turn of the 21st century, Parmalat also owned a television channel, a travel group, and several pro football teams (or soccer, to we Americans, and I guess Australians).  But, things got disastrous soon after.  In 2003 the company's finances plummeted, incurring massive debt.  Some websites claimed that this was the biggest company bankruptcy in European history.  The law took avid interest, and Calisto Tanzi and some of his executives were charged and tried.  There were many charges, including fraud, fraudulent bankruptcy, and criminal association.  Tanzi was found guilty and was sentenced to over 20 years, in total.  Although most of these convictions were overturned or lessened on appeal.  He ended up doing 2 years in jail, and then more time on house arrest.  His fellow executives were either acquitted, or settled out of court.  Parmalat was then acquired by French giant Lactalis in 2011, so it's been a subsidiary since.  So, all in all, this product's manufacturing company had a much more dark and interesting history than most of the ones that I report on.

Santal orange (arancia) juice:  It had the usual color of orange juice, or orange.  There wasn't much of an odor.  It tasted like regular orange juice.  I couldn't tell much of a difference between this and regular ones I've had over the years, like Tropicana.  (I mean, I'm going on memory here--I didn't have several brands one after the other this time, but still.)  It was arguably weaker than some, I guess, like Simply Orange.  Anyway, long story short, it was okay, but not anything special.  And because of this, this small, 250 mL bottle was probably a bit overpriced.  But I'll try to sample any other Santal flavors I can find--maybe the Plus ones that also have milk are a little more interesting and tasty.

  

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--Limburger Cheese

      Today's post is a revisit of sorts.  Long ago, way back on September 24, 2012, to be exact, I did an article about Limburger cheese.  Feel free to take a look--it includes a brief history of the food, along with its cultural footprint.  And speaking of feet, that 2012 post also includes some info about the connection between the cheese and feet, odor-wise, both literally and figuratively.  But, back then I didn't talk about the brand and company which made the cheese I tried.  Mainly because I didn't know--I was going on a memory that was over a decade old.  Therefore, I feel justified in discussing this cheese again, since this time I took notes right after I smelled and consumed it.  And this time I'll have a bit of detail about the brand and company that made the Limburger.

     The brand of Limburger cheese I had was Country Castle.  Which is made by the Chalet Cheese Cooperative, out of Monroe, Wisconsin.  The CCC, as I'll abbreviate it from now on, is a collective of five dairy farmers, who joined together in 1885.  Aside from Limburger, they also make Swiss cheese, Wisconsin Brick cheese, baby Swiss, Cheddar, and smoked versions of the previous ones.  And then I discovered something surprising.  Currently, CCC's Country Castle Limburger cheese is the only one made in the U.S.  Now, I had my first taste of the cheese back in 1996 or so.  I did some checking online, but I was unable to discover if there were other companies that still made Limburger almost 30 years ago.  So it's possible (perhaps even probable?) that my original brush with this cheese was also from Country Castle.  Even if it was, I still think it's okay.  Since this time my evaluation of the Limburger will be much more current and accurate, as it's not based on vague-ish memory.  Moving on, the Wisconsin town of Monroe is not just the only place in the country to make Limburger--it's also known as the Cheese Capital of the U.S.A.  Given my love (okay, obsession) with this food, I should probably visit the community at least once before I depart this mortal realm.

Country Castle Limburger cheese:  This cheese was an off-white color, and it had a soft, spreadable texture.  And it had a strong, kind of foul odor.  I should say, though, that the smell wasn't as potent as I recalled.  Don't get me wrong--it wasn't good, but it wasn't intolerable or anything.  The flavor was also strong.  It was quite sourish and tangy.  But still pretty good.  I had some plain, and some on crackers.  Plain was decent, and on the cracker was probably a little better--the crunchy cracker made for a good flavor pairing.  So, overall, Limburger isn't my favorite cheese, but it's still solid, maybe even very good.  It sort of reminded me of some blue cheeses.  So if you like strong cheeses, I would recommend you give it a try.  I thought its evil, stinky reputation was quite exaggerated.

     Let's elaborate on Limburger's alleged awful stench some more.  A university in the U.K., Cranfield, did a study in 2004, and concluded that Limburger is only the 5th worst smelling cheese.  If you're curious, they found the worst to be Vieux-Boulogne, followed by Pont-l' Eveque, cendre d' Olivet, and then Epoisses de Bourgogne.  A follow up study in 2007 used an "electronic nose" sensor, which reportedly confirmed this finding.  To take this to a darker place, I saw an article from the New York Times from June 12, 1885, about an attempted suicide by a woman named Teresa Ludwig.  She claimed her German husband ate Limburger frequently, and the odor greatly disturbed her, especially when he then tried to kiss her.  Meaning death was preferable.  To be fair, the article also noted that she was inebriated, so her alleged reason for the attempt may have been made up, i.e., the ramblings of a drunk.  Furthermore, it was stated that she would then face a trial.  Which is....rather disturbing.  I realize suicide is technically illegal, but I thought civilized nations would get the person mental health care rather than jail them.  I doubt prison cures many folks suffering from depression.  But it was 1885, I guess.  And maybe Mrs. Ludwig would actually be happier in jail, as long as Limburger wasn't on the prison menu.

    To end on a more positive note, there's the situation of Stephanie Klett.  She was named Limburger Queen in 2014.  And she couldn't feel better about it--she regards this honor as being superior to also being named Miss Wisconsin.  She regarded her first try of Limburger as "love at first whiff."  And she thinks its odor is not stinky, but "wildly assertive."  I should note that she is also the Wisconsin Secretary of Tourism, which may explain some things.  However, her adoration of this controversial dairy product seems sincere nonetheless.

     

Extremely Difficult Trivia About "Terminator 2: Judgement Day" (1991)

      I did a trivia quiz about the first "Terminator" movie back on April 8th, 2023, so it's high time I got to the sequel, which came out in 1991.  As I think I already mentioned, "Terminator 2" is one of the rare sequels that's at least as good, if not better, than the original.  So let's get to it.  Usual format, and also as usual, many SPOILERS, obviously.  Enjoy!  And I can assure you that I won't be doing any trivia quizzes on any of the other sequels, or reboots, or whatever.  Since I didn't like them at all, they're not worth exploring.  Oh, and for brevity's sake I'll refer to the Terminator that Arnold Schwarzenegger played as the Terminator, and I'll call the advanced one that Robert Patrick played as the T-1000.

Questions:

1)    What was the exact day, month, and year for Judgement Day, when Skynet caused the nuclear holocaust that destroyed human civilization as we knew it?

2)    According to Sarah, about how many people died on Judgement Day?

3)    After he arrives, the Terminator goes to a nearby tavern.  What is the name of this place?

4)    The Terminator incurs three injuries at the bar.  Describe them.

5)    As the Terminator steals the motorcycle and drives off, a popular song plays.  Name the song, and the artist that performed it.

6)    What is the radio call sign for the police officer who investigates the T-1000's arrival?

7)    And what is the location of this arrival point?  (As in the intersection.)

8)    According to the police car's computer, what is John Connor's birthdate?

9)    Also according to this computer, what 4 crimes has John committed?

10)   What are the names of John's foster parents?

11)   What is the address of the house that John and his foster parents live in?

12)   What is the name of the mental health facility where Sarah is confined?

13)   According to Dr. Silberman, what is Sarah's diagnosis?

14)   Recently Sarah attacked Silberman.  How, and where on his body?

15)   What is the name of the sadistic, and rapey hospital orderly?

16)   What is the name of John's red-haired friend?

17)   John and his friend steal money from a bank ATM.  What is the stolen card's PIN #?

18)   And how much money do they steal?

19)   Cyberdyne has two remaining pieces of the Terminator from the first movie.  Name them.

20)   What is the name of the shopping mall in Reseda that John goes to?

21)   What specifically is the T-1000 made of?

22)   The T-1000 mimics John's foster mom, and starts preparing a meal.  What is "she" making?

23)   What is the actual name of John's dog, and what fake name does the Terminator use to test to see if it's the T-1000?

24)   What is John's foster father's last beverage?

25)   The police discuss the police station massacre from the first film to Sarah.  What is the name of the station?

26)   John mentions one foreign country that he and Sarah lived in while he was a child.  Name it.

27)   What is the name of the night nurse that the doomed Lewis speaks to just before the T-1000 mimics and kills him?

28)   What is the brand name of the caustic chemical that Sarah puts in the hypodermic needle to hold Silberman as a hostage?

29)   According to the guard, what days of the week, and time of day are the hospital's visiting hours?

30)   According to the Terminator, how many years will his power cell last?

31)   What is Miles Dyson's middle name?

32)   What is Dyson's job title at Cyberdyne?

33)   What exact date did Skynet go online?  (Hint--it's not the same as Judgement Day.)

34)   And at what time, Eastern Standard Time, on Judgement Day did Skynet become self-aware?

35)   What amusement park did Miles Dyson take his family to?

36)   What is the name of Dyson's daughter?

37)   On the run in Mexico, Sarah, John, and the Terminator meet up with her friend Enrique.  What's his last name?

38)   And what is the name of Enrique's wife/girlfriend?

39)   We see three magazines on the coffee table at Dyson's house.  Name them.

40)   On what street is the Cyberdyne building located?

41)   What is the number of the police helicopter that the T-1000 steals?

42)   After their SWAT truck crashes, Sarah, John, and the Terminator steal a passerby's truck.  What is written on its door? 

43)   And what is the business phone number on the truck?

44)   What is the company name of the tanker truck hauling the liquid nitrogen?

45)   How many times does Sarah shoot the T-1000 with her shotgun, bringing it to the precipice of the drop to the molten steel?

46)   As the T-1000 melts in the steel, it assumes several forms.  Aside from its normal look, what two identifiable people does it form right before it's destroyed?

47)   I already mentioned one song for Question #5.  What two other popular songs are played in the movie?  (One several times.)  (And as in, not instrumental songs created for the movie.)

48)   The credits, oddly mention what real life company was in the Cyberdyne building at the time.  Name it.

49)   As mentioned in my first Terminator quiz, co-writer William Wisher Jr. played a role in that movie, and then another character in this one.  Name his Terminator 2 role.

50)   John is wearing a musical group's t-shirt throughout the movie.  Name the group.

51)   At the end, our heroes are careful to destroy all physical evidence of both Terminator.  But they miss one thing.  Name it.

52)   The Terminator famously says, "I know now why you cry.  But it's something I can never do."  Is this true?  (Conjectural)

53)   When do the events of this movie take place?

54)   Even if we ignore all the subsequent sequels, reboots, etc., was this a truly happy ending for Sarah and John?  (Conjectural)

55)   Danny Dyson is seen wearing a baseball hat for a Major League Baseball team.  Name it.

56)  Why does the T-1000 only wound Sarah in the steel mill, and order her to "call to John," when we see later that he can imitate both her body and voice?  Is this a movie loophole?

Answers:

1)    August 29th, 1997.

2)    Three billion, or 3,000,000,000.

3)    The Corral.

4)    The lead biker puts a cigar out on the left side of the Terminator's chest, another biker breaks a pool cue on the back of the Terminator's head, and a third man stabs the Terminator on the right side of his chest with a knife.  None of these injuries impede him in the slightest, obviously.

5)    "Bad to the Bone," (1982) by George Thorogood and the Destroyers.

6)    R-31 David.

7)    The intersection of the Sixth Street Bridge and Sante Fe.  Which seems to be a real location in Los Angeles.

8)    February 28th, 1985.

9)    Trespassing, shoplifting, disturbing the peace, and vandalism.

10)   Todd and Janelle Voight.

11)   It's partially obscured, but it's 19828 South Almond Avenue, and the town/section name appears to be Reseda.  (In reality this number is correct, but the real street this house is on is Valerio, and it's in Winnetka, which is near Reseda.)

12)   Pescadero State Hospital.  Which is made up for the movie.

13)   Acute schizo-affective disorder.  Which is a real medical condition, and the symptoms seem consistent with Sarah's apparent symptoms.

14)   She stabbed him in the kneecap with a pen.  He says he's fine now, though.

15)   Douglas, or "Dougie."

16)   Tim.  I don't think it's ever said, but it's in the credits.

17)   9003.

18)   $300.  Which is probably the maximum daily amount of cash one could remove from the ATM.

19)   Its right forearm and hand, and its (damaged) Central Processing Unit, or CPU.

20)   The Galleria.  From what I read online, the exteriors of the mall were really the Northridge Fashion Center, in Northridge, and the interiors were at the Santa Monica Place.

21)   He's made from a mimetic poly-alloy, or a liquid metal.

22)   Beef stew.  Which kind of makes me laugh.  If John hadn't called, would the T-1000 just have had a pleasant dinner with John's foster father?

23)   Max, and then Wolfie.  The extended edition shows that the T-1000 kills the dog and discovers this ruse right after the call, from reading its collar.

24)   Some low-fat milk.  The T-1000 stabs him through the carton.

25)   The West Highland Police Station.

26)   Nicaragua.  He also says, "places like that," so presumably other Central American nations, and Mexico, too, since Sarah's friend there recognize him.

27)   Gwen, who mentions she wants a beer instead of coffee.

28)   Liquid Rooter.  Which appears to be a drain cleaner.

29)   10:00 to 4:00 (clearly 10 am. to 4 pm.), Monday through Friday.

30)   120.

31)   Bennett.

32)   He's the Director of Special Projects.

33)   On August 4th, 1997.

34)   2:14 am.

35)   Raging Waters.

36)   Weirdly, although we see her briefly, her name is never said, and is not listed in the credits.  We do know her brother's name is Danny, though.

37)   Salceda.

38)   Jolanda.

39)   House Beautiful, Estate, and Traditional Home.  All of which appear to be real, and even still active.

40)   Kramer.  The address number is confused--initially the radio says 2144, while later it's said to be 2111.

41)   N830RC.

42)   BOL-L-GOL Gardening.

43)   555-8141.

44)   Cryoco.

45)   7 times.

46)   The people he imitated in the movie--Lewis the hospital guard, and Janelle.

47)   "You Could Be Mine" (1991) by Guns N' Roses, and "Guitars, Cadillacs" (1986) by Dwight Yoakam.

48)   Renco Investment Company.  Evidently it's some other business now.

49)   He plays the tourist/photographer who takes photos of the Terminator after the T-1000 throws him through the shop window at the mall.  Although I read that Cameron mentioned, maybe kiddingly, that this character might be the same cop from the first one, just shopping.

50)   The rap/hip hop band Public Enemy.

51)   The Terminator loses his left forearm and hand in the gears of a machine while fighting the T-1000 earlier in the steel mill.  And we don't see him retrieve it.  I mean, it's not as vital as the CPU, but still.

52)   I think he meant he didn't fully understand the emotions that would cause a person to cry.  But technically, his model is covered with real human flesh.  In the earlier movie Kyle mentions that they sweat, and have bad breath, etc., to better mimic a living person.  If he can bleed, surely he had tear ducts installed, too.  So I think Terminators could potentially cry, even if it's to trick people.

53)   If the police computer is correct, and we have no reason to think it isn't, the movie takes place sometime between March 1st, 1995, and February 27th, 1996, since John's birthday is February 28th, 1985, and he's 10.  But we can't really pinpoint the season, even, since Los Angeles, and Mexico are summer-hot all the time.

54)  It's kind of bittersweet, I think.  Yes, Skynet won't be developed, and there will be no Judgement Day, so billions of people and human society will be fine now.  But, Sarah is still wanted in the U.S., for a variety of crimes, including involvement in murders and terrorist activities.  As far as the police and government know, she's still insane, and incredibly dangerous.  They'll have to live life on the lam forever--going back to the U.S. would be incredibly risky.  True, Sarah and John had already done this for years, and she probably had fake passports, etc., and plenty of hideouts and connections in Central America and Mexico, but still.  If she's ever caught, and in a country that extradites to the U.S., she'll be sent back to a maximum security mental hospital, or prison.

55)   He's wearing a Minnesota Twins hat.  Kind of odd for a kid in Southern California.  Maybe the Dysons were from Minnesota originally?   

56)  It's better presented in the extended version, but no, it makes sense.  After he reforms from being frozen in the liquid nitrogen and shattered, there's something clearly wrong and damaged with him.  We see him accidently mimicking things he touches, like a railing, and the metal floor he's walking on.  He also "glitches," as his image is disturbed like a television image.  Therefore, he presumably thought that now he might not be able to perfectly imitate Sarah's form and voice to fool John, so he decided to torture her into calling out.  (He's then interrupted by the Terminator.)  And we see this is true-- later he imitates Sarah pretty well, but "her" lower legs and feet are accidently imitating the metal floor.  Which doesn't make much sense without the deleted scenes, granted.