RenoVous

 So many cheeses to choose from! I recently learned that Parmesan is the most protein-dense food on earth - it also has all nine essential amino acids and is high in calcium.  But before we get carried away, there's also the fat and sodium.  Mozzarella is lower in sodium than most, and it contains helpful probiotics. Cottage cheese is your best bet for a low fat option. In college, I took a Basque Culture class, and we learned about making traditional sheep's milk cheese.  There are three types, based on location.  We focused on Roncal, from the Spanish side of the Pyrenees. In the summer, Laxtas sheep feed on high mountain pastures, and in the winter they go south.  This has been the practice since the 9th century. Lambing season starts in December, so this is when milk is collected to make the cheese, which is then aged 6-10 months (minimum of four months, as the video mentions).

  The oldest restaurant in the world, Casa Botin, in Madrid. It was founded in 1725, but the building itself can be traced back to 1590. French cook Jean Botín first established a bakery.  When he died, his nephew Cándido Remis, opened a small inn and renovated the first floor.  Today there are four floors, and efforts have been made to preserve the inn-like atmosphere. As an inn, they were restricted from selling meat or wine, and could only cook what a guest brought in.  Later, it became known as a "house of meals."   The business is now run by the Gonzalez family, acquired in the 1930's. During the Civil War, the floor was converted into a dining room for militiamen.  After the post-war period, the Gonzalez sons took over and started making the place what it is today. Cheers to 300 years!!

New research reveals that the modern potato evolved from a fling with a wild tomato over 9 million years ago. Evolutionary biologists and genomic scientists analyzed 450 genomes from cultivated and wild potato species and they were able to trace it back to an ancient ancestor. The original Etuberosum and the tomato did not grow tubers - but the resulting hybrid plant did. Coming from the Andes mountains, the tuber was an innovative way for the potato to store nutrients underground as the climate became colder. Potatoes were domesticated some 10,000 years ago, becoming a key crop the world depends on.  

 This restaurant has been in business since 1956.  My grandparents ate here, my parents - I met my husband here almost 20 years ago. It was bought out in May, by Jacobs Entertainment, who has been buying up much of old 4th Street.  Originally they didn't intend to keep the restaurant, but then decided they would, ultimately killing a legacy. Tomorrow a brand new menu debuts, having removed everything that the customer base has come to expect.  It's been comfort food, reliable soups, made from scratch recipes - which they've been failing on up to this point anyway.  What once was the best sausage gravy in town.... It's just a bummer to watch something you love be torn apart bit by bit.  It would have been better if they had just demolished it for the property they're really after.  Maybe build their own new restaurant instead of dragging down a historic local. RIP.

 The Christmas Market in Zagreb, Croatia has been voted the best in Europe. Above, Zrinjevac Park. There's a ski hill nearby, as well as an ice rink at King Tomislav Square. The Gric Tunnel is transformed. The seasonal treats are highly regarded, such as sarma - boiled or brined cabbage leaves stuffed with a combination of beef and pork, rice and assorted spices. Fritule - little balls of dough laced with brandy, flash fried, and dusted with powdered sugar. Rakija - Croatia's national drink, a clear spirit made from distilled fruits and herbs, sweetened with sugar or honey.  Plum is the most popular flavor. The heart of the event is in Ban Jelacic Square, where you can shop for handmade gifts and listen to live performances around the Grand Christmas Tree. Ante Gelo is one of the artists set to perform, along with his band. Here's a taste.

  This was last weekend, and we didn't make it out there, but I still love this event. For the most part, I've settled on Aussom Aussies.  Their sauce is so good. Site This year's winner was Blazin' Bronco BBQ from Ohio. 2nd place was Battle Born Smokers.  They're a food truck/catering business around town. And Foghat played! Mmmm, ribs. Not to mention the corn on the cob, the baked beans, the cornbread.... All the best.

  Indigenous to South America, the pineapple has been cultivated for centuries, as far back as 1200 BC in Peru. It carries deep rooted cultural significance as well, symbolizing warmth and welcome.  In the Caribbean, it represents friendship. Christopher Columbus was the first European to encounter the fruit, and he brought it back to Spain, calling it piña de Indes, pine of the Indians. It was later documented in 1568, when French explorer Andrè Thevet wrote of the Tupinamba people, living near modern day Rio de Janeiro, who cultivated and ate Hoyriri.  The natives must have recognized the health benefits - packed with Vitamin C and bromelain (which aids in digestion and reduces inflammation) as well as manganese. In the Philippines, the long leaves' fibers were used to weave fabrics that were a luxury export. Pineapples are pollinated primarily by hummingbirds, with some pollinated at night by bats.  Night is also when the pineapple carries out CAM photosynthesis -...

  Eolone mentioned a student of his, from Nepal, currently celebrating Dashain. A Hindu festival that commemorates when Goddess Durga killed the demons known as Mahishasura.  The demons were attacking the world of the gods, the devaloka. And so, a celebration of the victory of good over evil. The Linge Ping is a traditional swing, constructed in the shape of Shiva Linga.  It is believed that one must leave the ground once a year by riding the swing. Day 10 is Bijayadashami, which involves the preparation of tika.  Made from rice, yogurt, and vermilion, the mixture is applied to the foreheads of younger relatives.  The red symbolizes the bonds of family and community. On October 28, the festival will end on a full moon and the celebration of Kojagrat.  Believers stay awake all night with hopes of being blessed by Goddess Laxmi.

  Minnesota Wild Rice Well, it's the end of National Soup Month, and Reno hosted a Soup Week starting on the 21st.  I didn't get the actual passport for points, but I still enjoyed some noms! The Gold n' Silver makes some of the best soups, and of course, every Friday is Clam Chowder - my favorite. They also made me a fan of Cream of Asparagus, which took me by surprise. Hubby brought some homemade Pozole Verde from a coworker, and oh man was that good. Do you know what the National Soup is? Louisiana Gumbo

 Yesterday concluded a two week period of Reno and then Sparks Food and Drink Week. First I stopped at Black Rabbit Mead Company.  I went for the Hawaiian Embers, with hints of pineapple and jalapeño. The special at the Ale House was Twisted Tea BBQ Tots, and they were delicious. On tap, I got a local Revision brew, Disco Ninja. Last night I went to Great Basin Brewery and had their Sausage and Beer Flight. That empty taster there is my favorite, Nitro Outlaw Milk Stout. For three visits, I got 6 raffles.  We'll see if I win anything this year!

  This is a Polish tradition that celebrates a guilt-free opportunity to gorge on all things dough-related. But they especially love paczki, or doughnuts, traditionally filled with rose jam. Like Fat Tuesday, it is a binge before Lent. On this, Tlusty Czwartek, Polish bakeries will be bursting with flavors and revelers.  It is believed that the tradition of buying and sharing paczki dates back to the 16th century. In the 18th century, historian Jedrzej Kitowicz, made reference to the density and texture of the doughnuts, noting that they were a marked improvement on the baked goods of old, so the recipe has changed over the years. So enjoy one today!

  Showing love for local businesses!  Last night was the finale. Each post showing a visit to a participating location earns a raffle ticket. To start, we tried a new place called Teriyaki Madness. On Monday, we met up with my cousins for some pizza and beer. Noble Pie Pizza Parlor and Pinon Bottle Co.  They have draft options as well. Other places we've visited in the past: Frey Ranch Distillery Ryan's Saloon and Broiler Best burger in town. The Union, in Carson City. And my favorite brewery, IMBIB. We'll see if I win anything!

Mmmm, pizza.  Definitely one of my favorite things. A second favorite to all of the United States. The top three chains are Pizza Hut, Papa John's, and Domino's. We prefer local - below is from Pizano's but JJ's is my number one. Flatbreads with toppings have been consumed by ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks.  But Naples, Italy is considered the birthplace of pizza as we know it today.  It was a bustling town with a large working poor population, and they needed inexpensive food to eat, so the street vendors provided. When Italy unified in 1861, King Umberto I and Queen Margherita visited the city and requested an assortment of pizzas.  The Queen's favorite was the pizza mozzarella - flatbread topped with the cheese, red tomatoes, and green basil - and so it's been called Margherita ever since. With immigration, Neapolitans brought pizza to the United States. While their location has moved, Lombardi's is still in business and using the same oven as they...