Hot spiced wine has been offered to messengers and postmen in Norway who travelled on horseback or skis in cold weather since at least the 16th century. Glögg is a common winter drink consisting of sweet wine or grape juice mixed with syrup and some harder spirits like rum, brandy or cognac. Glögg begins by …
Category Archives: Ideas
Historical Tidbits — 1st Bank of North America established
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. December 31, 1781 1st Bank of North America established Chartered May 26, 1781, by the Continental Congress under the Articles of Confederation, this enterprise was the first national and truly …
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Historical Tidbits — Arnold Attacks Quebec City
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. December 31, 1775 — Patriot forces under Colonel Benedict Arnold and General Richard Montgomery attempted to capture the British-occupied city of Quebec and with it win support for the …
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Auld Lang Syne
At midnight on December 31st, throughout the English-speaking world, the song “Auld Lang Syne” is sung practically everywhere. This song — actually a poem by Robert Burns — is indelibly linked to New Year’s celebrations, but what does it mean? You’ve all seen Billy Crystal in Harry met Sally: “Does that mean that we should …
The “beer before liquor” rule has no scientific basis.
I am sure you’ve heard “Beer before liquor, never been sicker; liquor before beer, you’re in the clear.” This is an adage of unknown origin claiming that low alcohol-by-volume (ABV) beverages (like beer) are best imbibed at the end of a night of drinking rather than early on. There are, however, NO scientific studies supporting …
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The Birth of Urban Planning in America
Despite what you may think today, Philadelphia was America’s first planned city. William Penn had a broad vision for the new settlement and started a revolution in city planning: the open grid plan that became Philadelphia. Having witnessed plague in London in 1665 and the famously calamitous fire of 1666, Penn wanted his Philadelphia to …
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result
Donald Trump has been indited and convicted 33 times but still manages to con the United States into allowing him to be President. In many states, felons are barred from voting so it follows that felons also should be barred from holding office. Those who vote for a criminal do not have the best interests …
The Regimental Brewmeister’s Vanilla Extract
For hundreds of years, the Totonac people, who lived on the east-central coast of Mexico, have grown and harvested the Tlilxochitl vine, an orchid that can only grow in very specific climates. In the mid 1400’s the Aztecs conquered the Totonac people and forced them to provide regular tributes. These tributes included the fruits of …
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Baked Apple Wassail
The word “wassail” appears as early as the 8th century in the poem Beowulf. Originally, it was used as salutatory gesture (wassail!) from Old Norse ves heill “be healthy.” By the 12th Century, Wassail was used as a drinking salutation, similar to the use of “Cheers” or “Probst” today, and his use seems to have …
Metric Time
There are 24 hours in a day, seven days in a week, and (roughly) 365 days in a year. There are 60 minutes in an hour and 60 seconds in a minute. You probably knew all that. But you know it because you’ve committed it to memory — it’s not something you can reason out. …
