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Marshmallow

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Marshmallow

Toasting marshmallows over the campfire, what a traditional thing to do!

  • Marshmallows are sweet confectionery food items made primarily of sugar.
  • Homemade marshmallow is generally cut into square shaped portions, while commercially manufactured pieces are generally cylindrical in shape, although the shapes can vary.
  • Marshmallows were originally made from the root or sap of the mallow plant, Althaea officinalis, a plant that is said to grow near salt marshes, hence the name of the confectionery, and was also commonly used for medicinal purposes.
  • Marshmallow is generally coloured white, although other colours can be achieved through food colouring and pink is a popular coloured variety.
  • Marshmallows are typically made from sugar and corn starch, although wheat starch is sometimes used, as well as egg or gelatine, which helps to prevent the mixture from collapsing, and flavouring is also often included.

Marshmallow, bundle, white, pink, confectionery, cylindrical, traditional, Australia, Ten Random Facts

  • Marshmallow confectionery, that was made of mallow sap and honey, was invented in Ancient Egypt, and was only available to pharaohs, and it wasn’t until the 1800s that the French invented the fluffy style of confectionery that is now eaten.
  • Marshmallows are a sweet snack food that are eaten as is; used as an addition to hot chocolate; are commonly used as an ingredient in other confectionery items, such as rocky road or puffed rice slices or sweets; and are often coated in chocolate.
  • Alex Doumak, an inventor from America, invented a marshmallow extruding machine in 1948, that allowed for mass production and ease of process, and it created cylinder shaped confectionery due to the tubes that it passed through.
  • Marshmallows are often slightly cooked over campfires or other heat sources, which causes the inside to melt and become gooey.
  • Marshmallows contain small amounts of copper, are very high in carbohydrates (sugar) and contain virtually no fat.

 

Bibliography:
History of Marshmallow, 2014, Boyer, http://www.boyercandies.com/mallo-history.aspx
History of the Marshmallow, 2014, Campfire, http://www.campfiremarshmallows.com/about/history-of-the-marshmallow/
Marshmallow, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshmallow

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Toy Marble

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Toy Marble

Flick the marble down the hill.

  • Marbles are small ball-shaped toys that have a diameter averaging 1.3 to 2.5 centimetres (0.5 to 1 inch), but they can be as big as 7.6 centimetres (3 inches) and as small as 0.1 of a centimetre (0.03 of an inch).
  • Marbles are most commonly made of glass, although steel, ceramic, plastic or clay is sometimes used.
  • Marbles are often used to play games of the same name, with various rules that usually involve rolling or tossing one at a group of others, often to push them out of a boundary.
  • Marbles were invented thousands of years ago, and were a popular item in Ancient Egypt and Rome.
  • Marbles became commercially viable in the 1800s, particularly later in the century, after American Samuel Dyke and others started mass producing them, as the toy was previously individually handmade.

Marble, Group, Many, Assorted, Colourful, Ten Random Facts, Toy, Glass

  • The British and World Marbles Championships has occurred annually in England’s West Sussex, in Europe since 1932, and other competitions are held around the world, including the United States, and Australia.
  • Marbles typically contain brightly coloured patterns including swirls, although solid colours, clear ones, and others with imagery are also available.
  • Marbles are often collected, due to the variety and value of some, and very rare specimens can sell for up to $10,000, although the value of more common examples can be halved if any defects such as chips or cracks are present.
  • Marbles are often made by melting recycled glass, that is then cut into even portions and dropped onto moving rollers that allow the malleable glass to form balls as they cool.
  • Marbles, said to be named due to the stone that they were manufactured from in the past, have been historically made of clay, and they were also produced using glass or stone.
Bibliography:
A Brief History of the Birth of the Modern American Toy Industry in Akron, Ohio, 2008, American Toy Marble Museum, http://www.americantoymarbles.com/akronhist.htm
History of Marbles, 2012, Oh Marbles!, http://www.imarbles.com/historyofmarbles.php
Marble (Toy), 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marble_(toy)

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Hello Kitty

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Hello Kitty

“Happiness comes in all colours of the rainbow!” – Hello Kitty

  • Hello Kitty is a licensed, cartoon-style character created as an icon and promotional device for Sanrio, a Japan-based company, and it has become the biggest seller for the company, as well as having been one of the top grossing characters in Japan.
  • ‘Hello Kitty’ is known as ‘Harōkiti’ in Japanese-rōmaji and her complete name is ‘Kitty White’ or ‘Kiti Howaito’ in rōmaji; her birthday is the 1st of November; and she is known as a ‘symbol of friendship’.
  • Hello Kitty has the appearance of a clothed, upright, white, Japanese bobtail cat with a red or pink bow on the left ear and  human personality traits, and she is as tall as 5 apples and weighs as much as 3 apples.
  • Hello Kitty is described as a kind and happy British girl from London, that loves to bake, make new friends, listen to music, travel and read, and she has a twin sister named ‘Mimmy’, a pet hamster named ‘Sugar’, and a pet cat named ‘Charmmy Kitty’.
  • Hello Kitty was originally designed by Japanese designer, Yuko Shimizu, for Sanrio in 1974, due to the company noticing that cute designs increase sales, while the second designer was Setsuko Yonekubo, and the third designer was Yuko Yamaguchi.
Hello Kitty, Logo, Japanese, Sanrio, Ten Random Facts, Face, British, Cartoon, Mascot
Hello Kitty
Image courtesy of Sanrio
  • Hello Kitty’s image was first sold on a purse in 1974, increasing company profits significantly, and appearing in the United States in 1976, although by the late 1970s she had lost popularity.
  • Hello Kitty does not have a mouth, which means she can portray a variety of emotions, and consumers can relate differently to her, depending on their mood.
  • Hello Kitty overcame her significant slump in the late 1970s after Yuko Yamaguchi, her third designer, took over, as she created a story for her, and improved the appearance and style of the character.
  • Hello Kitty was originally designed for young girls, although this market was enlarged to encompass teens and adults by the 1990s, and in 2008, Hello Kitty was featured on 50,000 products, and was worth $7 billion on the icon’s 40th anniversary in 2014.
  • Hello Kitty has been depicted on products ranging from clothing, personal items, credit cards, cafes, household items and transport, and she has been featured in video games and a number of television series, as well as a music album.
Bibliography:
Hello Kitty, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hello_Kitty
Hello Kitty, My Melody, Badtz-Maru and other Sanrio characters at SanrioTown.com, 2011, Sanriotown, http://hello-kitty.sanriotown.com/
Interview: Third Hello Kitty Designer Yuko Yamaguchi, 2014, Tokyo Otaku Mode, http://otakumode.com/news/53856f4a935d07d66400069c/

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Zion National Park

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Zion National Park

Zion National Park is a park of many habitats.

  • Zion National Park is a natural park found in the area adjacent to Utah’s Springdale, in the United States of America.
  • Zion National Park covers an area of 593 square kilometres (229 square miles), and features forest, desert and riverside habitats, with sandstone canyons and steep cliffs, waterfalls and gorges.
  • ‘Zion National Park’ was originally named ‘Mukuntuweap National Monument’, issued when it was first protected in 1909, by the then president of the United States, William Taft.
  • Zion National Park’s indigenous name was changed to ‘Zion National Monument’ in 1918, as the former name was not favoured, due to Mormon folk who had occupied and previously referred to the area as ‘Zion Canyon’.
  • The highest peak of Zion National Park is named Horse Ranch Mountain, reaching a height of 2,660 metres (8,726 feet).
Zion National Park, Sunset, River, Rocks, Water, United States of America, Ten Random Facts, Flickr
Part of Zion National Park
Image courtesy of Rene Schwietzke/Flickr
  • Zion National Park has a varied climate, with snow in the winter and hot, desert-like summer temperatures, as well as storms and flash flooding.
  • Zion National Park is said to have been first visited by Europeans in 1776, by Franciscan priests Silverstre Escalante and Francisco Domínguez, while in the mid 1800s the area was explored, and in the early 1860s Mormon farmers established agriculture enterprises in the area with produce like sugar cane, tobacco and fruit.
  • Zion National Park is hit by floods each year due to high rainfall, and the water removes up to a combined total of 2.7 million tonnes (3 million tons) of earth and stone from the canyon area via the Virgin River annually.
  • Many species of animal reside in Zion National Park, like the fox, coyote, jay, deer and squirrel, and there are more than 65 mammal species, over 200 bird species, almost 30 reptile species and a number of water creatures, as well as much flora, including cacti and pine and at least a thousand other species of plants.
  • Zion National Park is visited by up to 3 million tourists annually, and rock-climbing, horse-riding, bird watching and hiking are popular activities.
Bibliography:
Zion National Park, 2014, National Geographic, http://travel.nationalgeographic.com.au/travel/national-parks/zion-national-park/
Zion National Park, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zion_National_Park
Janiskee, B, Would You Love Zion National Park As Much If It Were Called Mukuntuweap National Park?, 2008, National Parks Traveller, http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2008/07/would-you-love-zion-national-park-much-if-it-were-called-mukuntuweap-national-park
Zion: Nature and Science, 2014, National Park Service, http://www.nps.gov/zion/naturescience/index.htm

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Chamois

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Chamois

Is a chamois a mountain climbing goat or antelope?

  • Chamois are mammals originating in Europe’s mountainous habitats, and they have an appearance similar to a goat and antelope.
  • Chamois are one of two species in the Rupicapra genus and they have the scientific name Rupicapra rupicapra.
  • The diet of a chamois consists of vegetation including grass, bark, herbs, leaves and shrubs, and they are generally 70 to 80 centimetres (28 to 31 inches) in height and weigh between 25 to 60 kilograms (55 to 132 pounds).
  • Chamois are part of the subfamily Caprinae, or group of caprids or goat-antelopes that includes domestic sheep and goats, that in turn, are from the Bovidae family, the family of horned and cloven hoofed mammals.
  • A chamois is typically brown to grey or black in colour with black and white prominent markings, including a black stripe on its back, and the fur colour changes according to the seasons.
Chamois, Mammal, Hill, Travel, Horns, Lessinia, Ten Random Facts, Flickr
Chamois
Image courtesy of Umberto Nicoletti/Flickr
  • Female chamois generally live with their young in small groups of up to 30, although in winter they can reach numbers of up to 100; while the mostly solitary males attract these females by engaging in fellow male duels.
  • The lifespan of a chamois ranges from 15 to 17 years, and up to 22 in captivity, with main predators being lynxes, eagles, brown bears and wolves.
  • Chamois are hunted for their meat, fur and/or hide, while the latter is used to make smooth, liquid-absorbing leather known by the same name, although hunting is typically illegal.
  • Chamois can leap up to 2 metres (6.6 feet) high and 6 metres (20 ft) in length, and can move at speeds of 50 kilometres per hour (31 miles per hour).
  • Eight chamois originating from Austria,were deliberately introduced into the mountain regions of the South Island of New Zealand in the Pacific in 1907, with another two in 1914, and they have been legally hunted there since 1930.
Bibliography:
Chamois, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/chamois/
Chamois, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamois
Huffman, B, Rupicapra rupicapra: Chamois, 2004, Ultimate Ungulate, http://www.ultimateungulate.com/artiodactyla/rupicapra_rupicapra.html

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Fudge

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Fudge

Fudge! Well at least these facts aren’t messed up.

  • Fudge is a sweet confectionery food item usually with a strong sweet flavour, that is usually eaten in small quantities.
  • Fudge is typically made of sugar, butter and milk, and sometimes corn syrup, which slows the crystallisation process, and sometimes chocolate, for flavour.
  • Fudge comes in a variety of colours, often coinciding with the various flavours available, and it may contain fruit or nuts.
  • Fudge is typically made by heating the ingredients to temperatures of up to 116°C (240°F) and allowing it to partially cool; then beating the mixture until creamy and smooth and pouring it in a pan to set, before cutting.
  • Although fudge traditionally has a smooth and creamy texture, it will become brittle or hard if cooked at higher temperatures.

Fudge, Lemon Tart, Caramel, Blocks, Homemade, Sweets, Confectionery, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • Fudge can be difficult to master as incorrect crystal sizes, due to imprecise cooking times; temperatures; or cooling processes; can cause more liquid or very hard solid versions of the confectionery.
  • The origin of fudge is uncertain, however it is likely a North America invention, possibly prior to 1886; and the first known instance of commercialisation of the product is said to be in 1886 (sold for 40 cents per pound), in Baltimore in the state of Maryland, in the United States.
  • The term ‘fudge’ possibly originated from the expression of annoyance typically used when something goes wrong, in this case, when making a confectionery that turned into a different substance than expected.
  • Fudge is not very nutritious as it mostly contains large volumes of sugar and a significant portion of fat, although it has a small quantity of manganese and other vitamins and minerals.
  • Fudge is commonly presented and sold in the shape of a rectangular block, and is usually available at market stalls or specialty confectionery stores.

 

Bibliography:
Fudge, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fudge
The Science of Fudge, 2011, The Big Bake Theory, http://bigbaketheory.com/2011/12/22/the-science-of-fudge/
What is the History of Fudge?, 2014, WiseGEEK, http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-history-of-fudge.htm

 

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