Ketchup, catsup, and catchup are all anglicized versions of a Chinese dialect term for a type of fish brine. In the 17th century, British and Dutch traders brought the sauce to Europe, and the name evolved, as did the recipe, which eventually...
While in a cooking class in Mexico, Travis from Orlando, Florida, was told by the instructor that the word quesadilla comes a supposed Nahuatl word, quesaditzen. That’s not the case, although many other food words derive from that indigenous...
Cathy from San Antonio, Texas, notes that many Spanish words come from the Nahuatl language, including the words for “tomato,” “sweet potato,” and “avocado,” which are tomate, camote, and aguacate, respectively. The Nahuatl élotl, meaning “a cob of...
What kind of tomato really smells? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Oh, No, Martha’s Punning Again” Grant, what kind of tomato really smells? A to-may-toe. Because it’s on your feet and your feet are stinky. I don’t know. I don’t...
Quiz Guy John Chaneski has a fresh-picked puzzle about familiar fruits. For example, if you cherish someone, what fruit-inspired phrase about one’s eye comes to mind? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Fresh Fruit Puzzler” You are...
A haiku from artist Alan Nakagawa’s collection of poems about social distance celebrates the kind of companionship that plants provide. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Plant Haiku” Here’s another pandemic related haiku collected...