Nobody quite knows exactly when it began, or what motivated the first tomato to be thrown across the streets of Bunol. Not that anybody complains now mind, given that the annual tomato festival, headlined by a massive food fight, draws in the crowds and revenue to the generally sleepy Spanish town. Importantly though, it’s a lot of fun.
Today (26th August), La Tomatina takes place. This year’s event is (believed to be) the 70th anniversary of the event and thousands of people are expected to gather together in the narrow streets of Bunol, throw tomatoes around, generally get messy and then jump in one of the rivers that intersects the town to try and clean up a little.
Like we said, it’s a lot of fun.
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With 365 days in the year it’s quite easy to lose track of time and see days blend into weeks and weeks into months. It’s also easy to get dates mixed up, something which can be a little detrimental to our personal and/or professional lives.
However you can be excused for being a little confused about Waffle Day because it actually takes place twice a year.
So why does the waffle get to have two days?
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As a sports fan there is nothing worse than watching a penalty shootout. It’s a moment that undoubtedly sends millions of grown adults jumping behind the sofa just as kids would hide behind cushions when watching horror movies. Fear; it has that effect upon people.
But there’s also something immensely enthralling about these gladiatorial events. Take tennis, for example, where players square off in a personal battles; or even reality shows where singers, bakers and performers take each other or in a series of head-to-head battles from week-to-week: It’s a familiar format, one that brings out the best in people but can also force people into deep, dark crevasses from which they may never escape from.
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Stop the presses!
In news that might come as a surprise to the generous readers of this blog, we, the British people, are the second worst tippers in the entire world. According to a report, published by the Global Tipping Index, we’re only behind the French when it comes to being tight-fisted so-and-sos.
Unfortunately, we have previous: Two years ago a similar study, conducted by ICE, found that one in three Brits tip poorly when abroad. We aren’t a nation of shopkeepers; we’re a nation of Mr Pinks.
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Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have recently been tucking into some leafy greens, making history in the process. For many of us, lettuce may be an afterthought; a food items that we expect to find tucked into our salads and placed in our sandwiches. But in space it’s a different matter. Everything is highly regimented and well, lettuce is a little bit superfluous isn’t it? Not anymore.
“The astronauts have a pretty amazing diet, with a lot of different foods,” Gioia Massa, a NASA researcher said. “But they don’t get fresh vegetables often.”
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You may remember that earlier this year the World’s Best Restaurant for 2015 was announced and that the famed Spanish eatery El Celler de Can Roca walked away with the coveted prize.
Other noteworthy talking points from the list included perennial winner Noma dropped down to third; the charming Osteria Francescana Modena claimed a deserved second place; Lima, the Peruvian capital, is something of a culinary hotspot these days; and that the French were unhappy with the omission of a Gallic restaurant in the top ten.
The last point isn’t that surprising….
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Today is National Tequila Day. Did you know that? Okay, neither did we until earlier this week, but whilst this drink day is primarily reserved for our friends in the United States we aren’t going to let a little think like geography get in the way of writing about this devilish alcoholic concoction.
Nearly everybody above drinking age will be able to recount a story that somehow involves tequila, and we’d wager a fair few pounds that a number of these won’t paint the traditional North American spirit in a good light.
However forget what you know about tequila because this drink is becoming more and more prevalent on both sides of the Atlantic as something which is to be enjoyed; less lime and salt, more natural flavour and thought.
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We’re sure that you’ve seen or heard the news over the past couple of days, specifically the story that relates to the rise in hospital admissions for children suffering from tooth decay.
Responding in part to that worrying report and to studies which are showing a rise in obesity rates, the British Medical Association (BMA) has today called for an extra tax of 20% to be placed on sugary drinks.
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If you want to serve the best food possible, then you need to relocate your restaurant as high up as possible. And we don’t mean up a floor or two, or to move into a snazzy new space in a brand new multi-storey construction: We mean up a mountain.
Yes, that’s a crazy proposition. But so was sending a man to walk on the moon or sending a tiny robotic device to land on a moving comet. Impossible is just a word!
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As Britain begins to bask in temperatures that could reach upwards of 35°C, one of the most popular summer food trends is about to break into the spotlight and (quite literally) enjoy its time in the sun.
Down in SW19 some 28,000kg of these will be consumed by tennis fans sat watching sportspeople in white whilst around the country’s farms will be opening their gates to welcome families of all ages for a spot of picking. We are, of course, talking about the strawberry.
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Author
Damien Wilde