1 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Savor production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:12,720 Speaker 1: I'm Annie Reese and I'm more in Vocal Bam, and 3 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 1: today we have an episode for you about marzipan. Yes, oh, 4 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:20,479 Speaker 1: I'm so excited to talk about this one. I will 5 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: say this one is fun with pronunciations in multiple languages. 6 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 1: Normally we at least get relegated to one. Yeah. Usually 7 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:37,159 Speaker 1: it's only me feeling really silly and incapable of pronunciation 8 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: in like two languages tops like English and one bonus one. Yes, 9 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 1: this one is like four or five. It's a lot. 10 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 1: We're going to do our best. But also it's really 11 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 1: really cool. I've loved looking this up because I have 12 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: little to no experience with mar zippan to my not really, Oh, 13 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: it's so delightful. I okay, I will say I had 14 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: little to new experience with marzipan until until maybe about 15 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 1: ten years ago. I encountered this box of of of 16 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 1: pretty little fruit shaped candies at some like grocery store 17 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:20,120 Speaker 1: holiday display, and I was like, those are cute, and 18 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:21,680 Speaker 1: I like looked at the box and saw that they 19 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: were made with almonds, and I love almonds, so I 20 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: bought it and then just became obsessed. Uh, it's like 21 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 1: one of my favorite candies. I mean almonds. Almonds are 22 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 1: one of my favorite flavors, so like, yeah, it's up there. Yeah, 23 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,840 Speaker 1: I mean they're adorable. I had to say, I really 24 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 1: enjoyed looking through all of the pictures of all of 25 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 1: the shapes people have made them into. It is. It 26 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 1: is a true delight. It is so I'm very very 27 00:01:54,720 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 1: excited to learn more and hopefully acquire some. Yeah. Yes, uh, 28 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 1: January twelve is apparently National Marzipan Day here in the 29 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: United States, so coming up, Yeah, this comes out. We're 30 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: like on the correct end of this for once. Yeah, yeah, 31 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:20,520 Speaker 1: or a little ahead of the curve. And yes, okay, well, 32 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 1: I guess that brings us to our question. Sure, marzipan. 33 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: What is it? Well, Marzipan is a type of candy 34 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 1: made from ground almonds mixed with sugar and sometimes other 35 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 1: stuff until it forms this slightly sticky moldible paste. Very moldible, 36 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 1: and it will really hold its shape once you mold it. 37 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:47,920 Speaker 1: The sugar content means that it melts in your mouth 38 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: with a little bit of chew from both the sugar 39 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 1: and the almonds. It can be flavored with other things. 40 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 1: But but often it's just almondy, you know, like a 41 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:57,560 Speaker 1: sweet and nutty with that kind of like almost like 42 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:02,639 Speaker 1: cherry like note to it. Uh, mars Pan is like 43 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:08,359 Speaker 1: it's like Plato, but instead of being nearly not poisonous, 44 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 1: it's actually delicious. What a food review that would be? Well, 45 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 1: I mean that that's you know, like that's the label 46 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 1: on Plato. It's like non toxic. It's like you can 47 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 1: eat this. It's not meant for that. But um so 48 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: marzipan is like the opposite, like you should eat this. Yes, yes, yes. 49 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: Recipes for marzipan vary, but generally what you're doing is 50 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: taken almonds, um, blanching them to remove the skins, and 51 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 1: then grinding them into a fine meal UM or I 52 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 1: mean you can like buy almond meal a dealer's choice um. 53 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: Then adding some powdered sugar and probably some liquid sugar 54 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 1: like a honey or corn syrup or maybe a sugar 55 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: syrup that you've cooked down yourself from old ability. You 56 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: can also add egg white. It will help firm up 57 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 1: the structure in there, and you can flavor them with 58 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: things like some some almond oil or extract some vanilla, 59 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 1: rose water, orange blossom water kind of gentle stuff like 60 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 1: that made a little bit of ground. Pistachio is common 61 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 1: as well, um, but they are often just plain. And 62 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 1: then color it because it's going to be naturally like 63 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 1: a neutral ivory color. You can color it with food 64 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 1: coloring or apply food safe paints or powders to the 65 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: surface and yeah, shape it into dang near whatever you want. Um. 66 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 1: It's used as a candy on its own, um, as 67 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 1: a decoration on other desserts, um, and as a like 68 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:49,279 Speaker 1: more edible uh option instead of fondant for wrapping cakes. Um. 69 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 1: It's like a less it's it's a little bit less, 70 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 1: like totally smooth and sheeny like you can get with 71 00:04:54,800 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: a fondant, but so much more delicious. I I believe you. 72 00:05:00,839 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 1: I believe you. Oh every time I encounter fond and 73 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:09,720 Speaker 1: I'm like, this is pretty, but geez, why coming for you? 74 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 1: Fond it savor It's coming to you. Uh. Mars Span 75 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 1: also shows up as a filling in pastries and cakes 76 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 1: like croissants and stolen and um. Some versions of kingcake 77 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 1: also in chocolates and chocolate bars. And although you can 78 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:30,599 Speaker 1: make mars pan yourself, it's not that hard. Um. It 79 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 1: is often purchased in just like a big old log 80 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 1: like a big old plastic or foil wrapped logo marzipan 81 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 1: that you can then work however you would like to. 82 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 1: Marzipan is a popular Christmas and holiday confection the world over, 83 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:48,599 Speaker 1: and it's also the name of a character in the 84 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:53,360 Speaker 1: Nutcracker ballet. Uh yeah, it's a it's sometimes less having 85 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:55,679 Speaker 1: to do with the Nutcracker. More that that that first 86 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: thing a crafty thing for kids around Christmas or winter holidays, 87 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 1: like a like like molding marzipan snowmen and and and 88 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:07,359 Speaker 1: eule logs, stuff like that. Yeah, yeah, I have a 89 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 1: lot of traditions do involve shaping marzipan into specific shapes, 90 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 1: according to some things I read in Norway. In Germany, 91 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:17,679 Speaker 1: there's a tradition of giving people marzipan pigs to wish 92 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:22,000 Speaker 1: them luck. Listeners, please let us know. Yeah, yeah, I 93 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:23,799 Speaker 1: think this is a New Year's thing. We talked about 94 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 1: it in our New Year's Foods episode in the way back. 95 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 1: But yeah, in Germany and Austria, I think as well, 96 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:33,719 Speaker 1: they're called a gluck sh Fine, I'm not sure if 97 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:38,159 Speaker 1: I'm saying that correctly. Uh yeah, yeah, though though these 98 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:41,479 Speaker 1: these little good luck pigs can also be chocolate instead 99 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: of marzipan. I don't know. Uh. Apparently marzipan eels are 100 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 1: traditional in Toledo, Spain. Um. I've seen them. I've seen 101 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:54,479 Speaker 1: them pictured in um, in these round tins, um, like 102 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 1: the size of cookie tins, you know, like for for 103 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:59,280 Speaker 1: like shortbread or or those those those butter cookies, those 104 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 1: little Danish butter cookies. Yeah. Um so so in a 105 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 1: in a round cookie tin, and then the marzipan is 106 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 1: shaped into this like really cute eel that looks a 107 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: little bit like a dragon with scales and everything, and 108 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 1: it's wrapped around a little horde of candied fruit. So cute. Yeah, 109 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 1: but more more more commonly in the States at any rate, um, 110 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 1: and around many other places, miniature, varyingly realistic fruits and 111 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: vegetables are kind of the mainstay of marzipan design. Um. 112 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 1: Anything you can imagine strawberries, apples, peaches, cherries, plums, pears, oranges, lemons, lines, apricots, mangoes. Sure. Um, 113 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:49,480 Speaker 1: but also like eggplant or carrots, or avocado or cauliflower, 114 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 1: or things like walnuts or chestnuts, which I really love. 115 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:56,640 Speaker 1: I feel like people get really clever with like this 116 00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 1: is not made of this thing. This is what it 117 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 1: looks like. I do enjoy that as well. Yeah, there's um, 118 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 1: there's a whole category of marzipan flowers. UM. You can 119 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:15,680 Speaker 1: also do marzipan animals. UM. I've seen snails and clams 120 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:20,559 Speaker 1: and muscles and octopuses and and goldfish and starfish. Um, 121 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 1: marzipan lambs for Easter. Uh. Marzipan can be shaped like 122 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 1: other foods. I've seen marzipan shaped like croissants and doughnuts 123 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:35,080 Speaker 1: and pizza and spaghetti and hot dogs and hamburgers and 124 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:41,439 Speaker 1: French fries. It's so silly. I adore it. It's a 125 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 1: whole marzipan. We're all out there. It is. It is UM. 126 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 1: And also yeah, although many candy makers do keep the 127 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 1: flavor profile pretty simple, UM, and and dress up marzipan 128 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:57,080 Speaker 1: through these decorative means. Um. You can incorporate any dang 129 00:08:57,120 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 1: flavor you'd like. Um. I've seen uh uh like rum 130 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 1: or whiskey or or brandy or various fruit flavored marzipan's 131 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 1: pa colato marzipan UM and also also different cultures around 132 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 1: the world replace almonds in marsipan with whatever is locally available. 133 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:20,840 Speaker 1: From like peanuts to pine nuts to pistachios, two cashews. Um. 134 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 1: In Germany, there is an alternative to marzipan called per zippan. 135 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:27,480 Speaker 1: I'm not sure if I'm not I didn't look at 136 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 1: the pronunciation. That's what it looks like. I'm sorry, I'm 137 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:32,480 Speaker 1: moving on. Um. It's it's made with a ground apricot 138 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 1: pits um, which are to be fair closely related to almonds. Huh, 139 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:43,559 Speaker 1: all right, well what about the nutrition. You know, there's 140 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:46,920 Speaker 1: a lot of sugar involved in there. Um, But almonds 141 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 1: do have a good punch of protein and fat. Their 142 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 1: treat their treat treats are nice. We're a big fan 143 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 1: of treats over here. M We do have some numbers 144 00:09:57,280 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 1: for you. We do. On an average day, the famous 145 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 1: Nida Egga cafe ships thirty kilograms about sixty six pounds 146 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: of their product to over forty countries, and they promised 147 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 1: that they're marzipan is two thirds almonds by weight, high quality. Yes. Um. 148 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 1: In the United States, a product labeled marzipan only has 149 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 1: to be uh more than a quarter almonds by weight, 150 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:29,280 Speaker 1: and apparently, under European Union laws, a product called marzipan 151 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:34,559 Speaker 1: has to be at least four almond oil by weight. Anyway, 152 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 1: um burkhard Lloyd made the Guinness Book of World Records 153 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 1: for largest marzipan pig. It wait a ton and five 154 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:50,080 Speaker 1: kilos are over two thousand, two hundred pounds. I'll be honest. 155 00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:52,840 Speaker 1: The picture of it kind of creeped me out. Okay, 156 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:56,320 Speaker 1: now that's fair. Is a big, kind of creepy big. 157 00:10:56,480 --> 00:11:00,560 Speaker 1: The small ones are very cute. They're so cute. Um 158 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 1: Lloyd kept the mars pan pig on display for six 159 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 1: years before someone accidentally bumped into it and broke it. 160 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:09,959 Speaker 1: Oh no, he had a very good attitude about it. 161 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:12,679 Speaker 1: He was kind of that's the way the marzipan crumbles. 162 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:19,440 Speaker 1: Um lloy. Also, uh, he created the first and only 163 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 1: marzipan dress complete with twenty five thousand prowlins pralines. See 164 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: our episode about that for pronunciation issues and I and 165 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:31,160 Speaker 1: I suspect that in this context, what that means is 166 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 1: what we would call chocolates, like like filled chocolates in 167 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:40,280 Speaker 1: the United States. M M yeah. Um. During during the 168 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 1: first week of February, there is um a festival for 169 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:47,840 Speaker 1: St Agatha in Sicily that features a lot of marzipan treats, 170 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:50,959 Speaker 1: including um the two. The two that I read about 171 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:55,319 Speaker 1: um that are particularly popular are olivet which are marzipan 172 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:59,080 Speaker 1: that are shaped and colored to look like green olives. Um, 173 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:04,440 Speaker 1: and a dessert called st Agatha's Breasts. Follow with me 174 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 1: for a minute. So these are okay. These are pastries 175 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 1: made with um, usually pistachio marzipan blanketing, a mound of 176 00:12:10,679 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 1: sweetened ricotta and um sponge cake or pastry crust or 177 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:19,640 Speaker 1: chocolate um shaped like this perfectly round breast um, complete 178 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:22,760 Speaker 1: with a little candied cherry nipple on top. Um. And 179 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 1: this is this is because the story of st Agatha 180 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 1: says that around about two fifty this the Sicilian girl 181 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:35,320 Speaker 1: Agatha kept her Christian faith and rejected the advances of 182 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:38,440 Speaker 1: this Roman ruler who was super into her, and he 183 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:43,079 Speaker 1: had her arrested and had her breasts amputated and she died. Um. 184 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:47,960 Speaker 1: And so Saint Agatha, celebrating her her devotion to Christ. Uh, 185 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:56,320 Speaker 1: they have these boobcakes um and wow yeah um the 186 00:12:56,360 --> 00:13:00,720 Speaker 1: olives the olive that are are because part of this 187 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:03,200 Speaker 1: story is that is that an olive tree sprang up 188 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 1: to shelter her during her flight from arrest. Wow, that's 189 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 1: hardcore for a marzipan I agree very much. Um, at 190 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 1: any rate, at any rate. Norwegian American reports that Norwegians 191 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:32,320 Speaker 1: eat million marzipan candies every year. Mm hmm. Despite this, 192 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:35,680 Speaker 1: if you happen to be thinking about how almonds contain 193 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:40,160 Speaker 1: a precursor to cyanide and that eating all that marzipan 194 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:44,360 Speaker 1: might be dangerous, worry not. According to The Guardian, you 195 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 1: would have to eat like thirty five kilos of marzipan. 196 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:50,200 Speaker 1: It's like seventy seven pounds in a single sitting to 197 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 1: ingest a lethal dose. So you're doing okay. Wow. That 198 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 1: was a real roller coaster because I was like, this 199 00:13:57,000 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 1: is a concern I should have. Oh okay, oh no, 200 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:02,920 Speaker 1: it's not that. Yeah, it's not a concern. You should 201 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:09,360 Speaker 1: have your fine, got it? Cool? Um in Budapest in 202 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:15,160 Speaker 1: a candy maker through a retro candy festival featuring, among 203 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:18,479 Speaker 1: other things, a hundred and fifty different flavors of marzipan. 204 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 1: Oh um. Well, sales of marzipan and the US shot 205 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 1: up during the twenty nineteen holiday season. The spike was 206 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 1: attributed to younger folks who liked the visual aspect of marzipan, 207 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:36,040 Speaker 1: perhaps for social media, along with a nostalgia factor. A 208 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 1: lot of people wrote, you know, my grandparents liked this 209 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:43,240 Speaker 1: or they introduced me to it, something like that. I 210 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,680 Speaker 1: was telling Lauren that reading that article feels very strange now, 211 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 1: just because it was right before the pandemic. And you're like, 212 00:14:52,760 --> 00:15:01,160 Speaker 1: you didn't know, you didn't know, You're so innocent. Yes, yes, wow, 213 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 1: we have quite a history on this one. We do, um, 214 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:06,680 Speaker 1: and we're going to get into that. But first we're 215 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:08,160 Speaker 1: going to get into a quick break for a word 216 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 1: from our sponsor, and we're back. Thank you sponsored, Yes, 217 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:27,400 Speaker 1: thank you. So almonds are a different podcast, that's oh yeah, yes, 218 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 1: it's gonna be a huge undertaking, I suspect, so we 219 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:37,200 Speaker 1: shall undertake it at a different time. However, very briefly, 220 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 1: almonds are old and people have been eating them all 221 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 1: over for a long time. UM. They are thought to 222 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 1: be native to the Mediterranean and perhaps Asia, and I 223 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 1: could have I could have sworn that we had done 224 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:54,880 Speaker 1: an episode on them, but we have not. So there 225 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 1: you go, There you go. That is the once you 226 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 1: have done a certain number podcast, it's the fun question 227 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:09,160 Speaker 1: you get to ask, have we already done it? Alas um? Okay, 228 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:15,160 Speaker 1: but marzipan the earliest known written records of marzipan traced 229 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 1: back to Spain and Italy out of the sixteenth century, 230 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:22,200 Speaker 1: but historians believe it is older than that. For instance, 231 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:24,920 Speaker 1: there is a mention of an almond paste used as 232 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 1: an aphrodisiac in the collection of Middle Eastern Stories one 233 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 1: thousand and one Nights, compiled between the eighth century. Um. 234 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 1: I think it was mentioned outside of being an aphrodisiac 235 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 1: as well, but it was in there, and several sources 236 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: theorized that this treat made its way to Europe from 237 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 1: the Middle East via trade. Spain had an almond and 238 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 1: sugar based treat called poster Reggio at least as far 239 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 1: back as eleven fifty. Going back to the ancient Greeks, 240 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:57,680 Speaker 1: they may have enjoyed a paste of honey and almonds. 241 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 1: Some people trace marzipan to Persia, others to ancient Egypt. 242 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:05,960 Speaker 1: History indicates that at times these marzipan adjacent treats and 243 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: marzipan itself were used medicinally as well. Okay, okay, but um. 244 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: One of the most popularly told more modern stories about 245 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:21,280 Speaker 1: where marzipan comes from places Marzipan's creation in Lubeck, Germany 246 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:25,120 Speaker 1: during the fifteenth century. In fourteen o seven, the city 247 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:27,280 Speaker 1: was under siege and in the grip of a famine, 248 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:32,560 Speaker 1: making flour for bread making um scarce. To alleviate the problem, 249 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:37,320 Speaker 1: the Senate tasked bakers with finding a replacement. Enterprising chefs 250 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:40,159 Speaker 1: got the idea to combine eggs, sugar, and ground up 251 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 1: almonds arriving at marzipan. Yes, okay um. And this is 252 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:48,880 Speaker 1: also around the time when a farmer having a lot 253 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:51,439 Speaker 1: of pigs was a sign that things were going well 254 00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:54,520 Speaker 1: for that farmer, and the pigs would often be slaughtered 255 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 1: at the beginning of winter, the meat preserved to make 256 00:17:57,560 --> 00:18:01,200 Speaker 1: it through the colder months. We've talked about this before 257 00:18:01,359 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: about how because of that, pigs came to symbolize luck, 258 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:10,520 Speaker 1: especially at winter and spring holiday celebrations at the time. 259 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:14,679 Speaker 1: Even if Lubeck wasn't the birthplace of marzipan, it was 260 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 1: a big trade city and the candy did become popular there, 261 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 1: so it might have become known for marzipan, and makers 262 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:30,359 Speaker 1: of the treat guarded their recipes vigilantly. Yes um. And 263 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:33,720 Speaker 1: actually some historians speculate that shaping marzipan like a pig 264 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:39,800 Speaker 1: originated around this time as well. Okay, yes, however, oh, 265 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:43,240 Speaker 1: this is just one story and a lot of European 266 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:47,119 Speaker 1: cities claimed to be the birthplace of marzipan, and the 267 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:50,800 Speaker 1: stories reportedly happened over a wide range of time, making 268 00:18:50,840 --> 00:18:55,119 Speaker 1: penning this one down tricky. Toledo, Spain and Sicily, Italy 269 00:18:55,440 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 1: are two of the big contenders. Like their tourism websites, 270 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:06,359 Speaker 1: are pretty pretty honed into it. Yeah, yeah, yes, the 271 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 1: word itself has Romance language roots, as opposed to Germanic 272 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:13,920 Speaker 1: ones pen or penny meaning bread in Spanish and Italians. 273 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 1: There's that argument. Apparently Germany still celebrates a Christmas tradition 274 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:22,159 Speaker 1: of molding mars pan into the shape of bread, a 275 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:30,440 Speaker 1: treat called marzipan brought so again, listeners please uh yeah, 276 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:32,880 Speaker 1: and I'm not sure, I'm not sure of the German 277 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:38,119 Speaker 1: pronunciation of marzipan. Um uh. But so this is a 278 00:19:38,359 --> 00:19:41,239 Speaker 1: that's just fascinating to me because that basically means like 279 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:49,320 Speaker 1: almond bread bread. Yeah. But the etymology on this one 280 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:53,760 Speaker 1: is really fun because of similar sounding words and related 281 00:19:53,800 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 1: meanings across languages and time, all kind of intersecting. So like, yeah, 282 00:19:59,840 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: it you're if you're talking about about bread, right, Germanic 283 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:06,760 Speaker 1: words for bread have that brewer sound yeah and and 284 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:10,399 Speaker 1: uh as in world Um. Latin words for bread have 285 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 1: that paw sound as in as in pond um. But 286 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:21,120 Speaker 1: where exactly anyone got marzipan is debated um, because there 287 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 1: were also a number of both Latin based UM and 288 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:29,800 Speaker 1: Arabic words in circulation in medieval times, with um pond 289 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:35,719 Speaker 1: or bon meaning box, and Martha or marza meaning um 290 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:40,200 Speaker 1: candy or small or spice. So you had these words 291 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 1: like uh like like mota panas meaning small box or 292 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:48,760 Speaker 1: Martha bond meaning spice box. Around the same time that 293 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:53,760 Speaker 1: that that both Um, Germanic and Romance languages started calling 294 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:59,800 Speaker 1: this particular almond confection marzipan or some very close variant 295 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 1: they're of in in whatever language they were speaking. UM, 296 00:21:04,119 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: and like, the more I read into it, the more 297 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:10,639 Speaker 1: it made me think that like probably a product that 298 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:16,160 Speaker 1: was being made across this whole multi linguistic area suddenly 299 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:22,560 Speaker 1: popularized under the Italian based name for whatever reason. Not 300 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:25,119 Speaker 1: not not sure, not sure, I don't know. I couldn't 301 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:29,400 Speaker 1: tell you. UM. I can say that when um, When 302 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 1: English speakers Middle English speakers first started writing about marzipan, 303 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 1: circle of fourteen hundreds they called it march pain um, 304 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 1: based on like march and pain okay um p a 305 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:47,439 Speaker 1: y any and they had already borrowed a couple of 306 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:50,800 Speaker 1: French words, even though the word bread was also in 307 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:54,520 Speaker 1: circulation at the time. Uh Middle English speakers had already 308 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 1: borrowed a couple of French words for dough or bread 309 00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:02,159 Speaker 1: to come up with words like paste and pastry and 310 00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:07,240 Speaker 1: pain um, all of which we're referencing these fancy Ish 311 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:12,400 Speaker 1: Newish soft crusted pies or or other things made out 312 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:23,359 Speaker 1: of dough. So anyway, I love it, I love it um. 313 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:26,879 Speaker 1: A lot of these origin stories of marzipan do feature 314 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:31,320 Speaker 1: similar elements um, one key one being famine, another being 315 00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:36,320 Speaker 1: scarcity um. The Toledo version credits the nuns of Convento 316 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 1: di San Clemente with the invention. According to legend, the 317 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 1: nuns used the only ingredients they had on hand, water, sugar, 318 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:47,920 Speaker 1: and almond flour to create marzipan in order to stave 319 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:51,600 Speaker 1: off a starvation during the Battaya de las Navez de 320 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 1: Tolusa of twelve twelve c um. And I feel like 321 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:57,639 Speaker 1: that's a story we hear a lot of, like a battle. 322 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:05,080 Speaker 1: It's understiege, scarcity what we eat. Yeah, yeah, which, to 323 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 1: be fair, I'm sure happened any number of times. Yep. 324 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:11,240 Speaker 1: I mean on a much lesser scale. That's like me 325 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:18,240 Speaker 1: during the pandemic of like, Okay, I have these five ingredients, 326 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:24,120 Speaker 1: were we go, something's gonna happen and I'm gonna eat 327 00:23:24,160 --> 00:23:28,800 Speaker 1: it no matter what. Um. Okay. So I just want 328 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:30,200 Speaker 1: to put in a note about this because I found 329 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 1: it really interesting. The traditional Easter holiday cake cassada, which 330 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:37,040 Speaker 1: I have never heard of, but I understand people are 331 00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:40,480 Speaker 1: very passionate about it, is thought to have beginnings in 332 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:44,119 Speaker 1: sicily Um, dating around the tenth century, though it is 333 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:49,840 Speaker 1: much contested. Cassada, or at least one popular version of it, 334 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:54,960 Speaker 1: is ringed with green marzapan decorated with candied fruits. According 335 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:58,880 Speaker 1: to historian Clifford Right, cassada was so delicious and seductive 336 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:02,000 Speaker 1: that is late as fIF teen seventy four, the Diocese 337 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:04,960 Speaker 1: of Mazzarada Vallo had to prohibit its making at the 338 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:08,199 Speaker 1: monastery during the Holy Week because the nuns preferred to 339 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:15,800 Speaker 1: bake and eat it then pray, oh that's so good. 340 00:24:16,280 --> 00:24:21,960 Speaker 1: Also like Heckiah, those nuns get it. Ladies love it 341 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:28,040 Speaker 1: so a different episode. It sounds super interesting, yea, but yeah, 342 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:32,640 Speaker 1: I had to, I had to include that tidbit. It's beautiful. Yes. 343 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:38,080 Speaker 1: So these European powers, particularly Spain and Italy, exported marzipan 344 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:41,440 Speaker 1: to their colonies around the world, including regions in South 345 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 1: America and islands in Southeast Asia, where marzipan is still 346 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:51,199 Speaker 1: popular today. Marzipan arrived in Norway in the eighteen hundreds, 347 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:53,080 Speaker 1: or at least by the eighteen hundreds, and was popular 348 00:24:53,119 --> 00:24:56,359 Speaker 1: there by the nineteen hundreds. The Nita Egga Cafe was 349 00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:59,199 Speaker 1: founded in eighteen o six and not long after was 350 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:03,800 Speaker 1: providing sweet to the rich and powerful. Due to the 351 00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:07,960 Speaker 1: ability to shape marzipan, it was a popular thing at 352 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:14,440 Speaker 1: banquets um as almost a storytelling or symbolic food, which 353 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:18,600 Speaker 1: makes sense. With the Industrial revolution and improvements and food 354 00:25:18,600 --> 00:25:22,120 Speaker 1: technologies and transportation, as well as inventions and improvements around 355 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:25,119 Speaker 1: things like food dies and dust um made production and 356 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 1: shaping and coloring of marzipan. All of that made it easier. 357 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:32,760 Speaker 1: J G. Nita Egga and Company were shipping about thirty 358 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:36,360 Speaker 1: five tons up there four hundred marzipan products a day 359 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:39,919 Speaker 1: by ninety nine, with a significant surgeon sales during the 360 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 1: holidays mhm in In an attempt to help control food 361 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:53,159 Speaker 1: fraud and contamination in German marzipan. This group of German 362 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 1: researchers published an article about how they adapted the technology 363 00:25:58,040 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 1: used in crime scene DNA and analysis two genetically identify 364 00:26:04,920 --> 00:26:09,960 Speaker 1: marzipan contaminations with with stuff like ground apricot kernels at 365 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:18,359 Speaker 1: the level of zero point one percent. Wow, that's so good. 366 00:26:21,119 --> 00:26:24,040 Speaker 1: It is a very serious paper that was published in 367 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:28,159 Speaker 1: the American Chemical Society's one of their journals, and I 368 00:26:29,119 --> 00:26:32,119 Speaker 1: it makes me very happy. Now I want like a 369 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:34,400 Speaker 1: c s I show when it's like c SI marzipan 370 00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:38,720 Speaker 1: see see s I could totally it could there could 371 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:41,720 Speaker 1: totally be like a c s I food fraud Yes, 372 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:44,560 Speaker 1: in fact, in fact, And now I don't know why 373 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:49,040 Speaker 1: there hasn't been c s I call us. I think 374 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:51,960 Speaker 1: we brought this up in past episodes too, so no 375 00:26:52,119 --> 00:26:56,280 Speaker 1: excuse zero. It's like you guys aren't even listening to 376 00:26:56,320 --> 00:27:06,680 Speaker 1: the show, which is unfathomable, in fact, unfathomable. Okay. So lastly, 377 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:13,680 Speaker 1: I wanted to include this UM in the Colonial Williamsburg website, 378 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:19,400 Speaker 1: which made me laugh very hard. UM posted a recipe 379 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:24,760 Speaker 1: for a marzipan hedgehog, and it looks fantastic, I have 380 00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:29,080 Speaker 1: to say. Uh. They based it on a recipe from 381 00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:32,160 Speaker 1: Handed Glasses books The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy. 382 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:36,439 Speaker 1: The recipe went like this. Take two pounds of blanched almonds. 383 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:38,960 Speaker 1: Beat them well in a mortar with a little Canarian 384 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:42,040 Speaker 1: orange flower water to keep them from oiling. Make them 385 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:44,199 Speaker 1: into a stiff paste. Then beat in the yolks of 386 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:47,560 Speaker 1: twelve eggs, leave out five of the whites. Put to 387 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:50,560 Speaker 1: it a pint of cream, sweetened with sugar. Put in 388 00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:53,040 Speaker 1: a half pound of sweet butter melted. Set it on 389 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:56,320 Speaker 1: a furnace or slow fire, and keep it constantly stirring 390 00:27:56,720 --> 00:27:58,720 Speaker 1: until it is stiff enough to be made in the 391 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:02,399 Speaker 1: form of a hedgehog. Then stick it full of blanched almonds, 392 00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:05,959 Speaker 1: slit and suck up like the bristles of a hedgehog. 393 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:09,280 Speaker 1: Then put it into a dish. Take a pint of 394 00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:12,120 Speaker 1: cream and the yolks of four eggs, beat up, sweetened 395 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:15,320 Speaker 1: with sugar to your palate. Stir them together over a 396 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:17,719 Speaker 1: slow fire until it is quite hot. Then pour it 397 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:20,359 Speaker 1: around the hedgehog and a dish and let it stand 398 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:23,880 Speaker 1: till this cold and serve it up, or a rich 399 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:27,080 Speaker 1: gass foot jelly made clear and good poured into the 400 00:28:27,119 --> 00:28:29,640 Speaker 1: dish around the hedgehog. When it is cold. It looks 401 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:32,399 Speaker 1: pretty and makes a neat dish, or it looks pretty 402 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 1: in the middle of a table for supper. This is amazing. 403 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:43,080 Speaker 1: Literally everything about this is amazing. I love it. I 404 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 1: love it. Let's make a hedgehog. I just I love hedgehogs, 405 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:53,680 Speaker 1: and I love marzipan, and I love old recipes. Yes, 406 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:59,080 Speaker 1: and I love that. For some reason, this marzipan hedgehog 407 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:02,600 Speaker 1: like necessarily needs to be like swimming in some kind 408 00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:09,520 Speaker 1: of bath of custard or jelly. Mm hmm. I love it. 409 00:29:09,800 --> 00:29:12,440 Speaker 1: I love it as well. It is excellent. Go look 410 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 1: at a picture of listeners. Do it? Do it right now? 411 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:16,880 Speaker 1: I mean if you're driving or something, don't do it 412 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:18,960 Speaker 1: right now, but like, like, as soon as you are 413 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:24,480 Speaker 1: safely able to um. The image results range from very 414 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 1: adorable to a lot Shall we say yes? Uh, it 415 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:38,440 Speaker 1: was well worth the Google image search. Yes, it is 416 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:46,800 Speaker 1: chef's kiss Um. It does make a neat dish. Indeed, 417 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:50,280 Speaker 1: it does, it does. I would welcome this on any 418 00:29:50,360 --> 00:29:56,080 Speaker 1: holiday table. Well, on that note, that is what we 419 00:29:56,120 --> 00:29:58,520 Speaker 1: have to say about Mars of Haan four. Now it 420 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:01,360 Speaker 1: is um we we have some listener mail for you, 421 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:03,080 Speaker 1: but first we've got one more quick break for a 422 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:15,320 Speaker 1: word from our sponsor, and we're back. Thank you, sponsor, Yes, 423 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:26,600 Speaker 1: thank you, and we're back with It was like changing shapes, 424 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:29,080 Speaker 1: and then I was like, suck the hedgehog. And then 425 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:32,960 Speaker 1: I was thinking, Mars a pan the hedgehog. It needs 426 00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:40,200 Speaker 1: to be like the sad, clumsy sidekick of Sonic. All right, 427 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:47,920 Speaker 1: we are We're we're dropping gold today, gold amazing ideas 428 00:30:47,960 --> 00:30:54,880 Speaker 1: into the universe. Come on, mm hmmm, okay, Chad wrote, 429 00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:56,840 Speaker 1: I was kind of surprised that you didn't know of 430 00:30:56,920 --> 00:30:59,440 Speaker 1: disco fries and wanted to write in and share. As 431 00:30:59,480 --> 00:31:01,600 Speaker 1: I was listen in to the Putine episode and mentally 432 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:04,959 Speaker 1: drooling over the visions of gravy, duck, cheese and fries 433 00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 1: running through my head, I kept thinking of my childhood 434 00:31:07,640 --> 00:31:11,680 Speaker 1: experiences with disco fries, which I considered the working class 435 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:14,960 Speaker 1: are poor man's poutine? Well I do now. As a kid, 436 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:17,959 Speaker 1: they were pure heaven. I could get them back then 437 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:19,880 Speaker 1: I would order them whenever our family went to a 438 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:22,240 Speaker 1: place like an a MW A locally owned d Q 439 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:25,560 Speaker 1: or the Skating Rink. I never saw them on a 440 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 1: menu anywhere else, and it was a rare treat when 441 00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:31,280 Speaker 1: we dine at any of these places. Your episode briefly 442 00:31:31,320 --> 00:31:34,600 Speaker 1: transported me back to the memories of those fries covered 443 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:37,040 Speaker 1: in gravy and tiny bits of well, who knows what 444 00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:41,080 Speaker 1: it was, probably smam. It's been a few decades since 445 00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:43,440 Speaker 1: I had some disco fries, and I had to smile 446 00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:45,720 Speaker 1: when you two debated what they were and did not 447 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:48,840 Speaker 1: know about them. Thanks for listening. Such an emotional food 448 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:51,440 Speaker 1: memory for me. On a relaxing Sunday, it was a 449 00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:53,240 Speaker 1: cooking day and I made a dish of tie yellow 450 00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:56,960 Speaker 1: curry with delicata squash, onions, cauliflower, and garlic, served with 451 00:31:57,040 --> 00:32:00,320 Speaker 1: Christmas Lama beans from Rancho Gordo, which is not the 452 00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:03,320 Speaker 1: same thing as disco fries, but it certainly hit the spot. 453 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:09,960 Speaker 1: That does sound delicious. All of that sounds delicious. Oh goodness, 454 00:32:10,280 --> 00:32:13,280 Speaker 1: that's Skating Rink. I will tell you did not have 455 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:15,680 Speaker 1: anything like that. You've got the nachos, but it was 456 00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:20,080 Speaker 1: just like chips that they put the sad cheese. Yeah 457 00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:28,080 Speaker 1: we cheese like in yeah scare quotes. Um, yeah, now 458 00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:30,600 Speaker 1: I'm trying to think. I I I know that we 459 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:34,240 Speaker 1: had like now in laters and yeah, like sad nachos 460 00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:38,480 Speaker 1: at the skating rink, but I can't remember any other food. 461 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:40,920 Speaker 1: I'm sure that there was other food I don't know, 462 00:32:41,840 --> 00:32:46,360 Speaker 1: but no regional little regional specialties like this. UM make 463 00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:49,040 Speaker 1: me so happy when like, yeah, you go like three 464 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:51,560 Speaker 1: states over and people are like, what are you talking about? 465 00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:55,680 Speaker 1: But you're like, this is a key part of my childhood. 466 00:32:55,680 --> 00:33:01,320 Speaker 1: What do you mean? What am I talking about? So good? Yes, yes, 467 00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:04,680 Speaker 1: And we really appreciate your listeners letting us know about 468 00:33:07,040 --> 00:33:12,480 Speaker 1: Oh it's wonderful. Um. Florian wrote, Hello, fellow bacteria and 469 00:33:12,560 --> 00:33:19,640 Speaker 1: yeast poop enthusiasts. Uh baby ba ba bappy. There's an 470 00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:25,720 Speaker 1: acronym anyway, Lauren and Anti Ri SARONI, I just wanted 471 00:33:25,760 --> 00:33:28,840 Speaker 1: to share a fond Christmas memory with you, which resurfaced 472 00:33:28,880 --> 00:33:31,880 Speaker 1: while doing my favorite activity, sitting in an armchair knitting 473 00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:36,160 Speaker 1: socks while simultaneously enjoying a cup of hot cocao listening 474 00:33:36,440 --> 00:33:39,400 Speaker 1: to your podcast. It was some days before Christmas, about 475 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:42,160 Speaker 1: twenty years ago. My friends and I were visiting a 476 00:33:42,160 --> 00:33:45,719 Speaker 1: comparatively small Christmas market in southern Germany. Um, you are 477 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:48,560 Speaker 1: probably aware of the concept and the popularity of Central 478 00:33:48,560 --> 00:33:52,960 Speaker 1: European Christmas markets. They mostly consist of wooden booths selling 479 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:56,800 Speaker 1: outrageously expensive crafts, um more mass produced sad trinkets than 480 00:33:56,840 --> 00:33:59,040 Speaker 1: you could ever roll your eyes at under the Christmas tree, 481 00:33:59,280 --> 00:34:04,440 Speaker 1: and most importantly so many wonderful foods and beverages. And 482 00:34:04,640 --> 00:34:07,720 Speaker 1: when they are not reasonably canceled due to COVID, they 483 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:11,680 Speaker 1: are usually packed with people in the evening hours. Not 484 00:34:11,760 --> 00:34:15,160 Speaker 1: just packed, but crammed, stuffed, and compacted like clothing in 485 00:34:15,200 --> 00:34:19,560 Speaker 1: the suitcase of both equally prudent and indecisive person prior 486 00:34:19,719 --> 00:34:22,480 Speaker 1: to a long vacation to a place with an unpredictable climate. 487 00:34:23,680 --> 00:34:29,719 Speaker 1: A jeez, that's very personal, okay. Um. After about an 488 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:33,600 Speaker 1: hour of being squeezed into an uneven block of young adults, Um, 489 00:34:33,640 --> 00:34:36,440 Speaker 1: we were desperate for a breather, while still unwilling to 490 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:39,560 Speaker 1: forfeit our progress of at least looking at each booth. 491 00:34:39,560 --> 00:34:43,280 Speaker 1: Once our gaze fell about an area of almost complete 492 00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:45,920 Speaker 1: absence of any form of life, which radiated in a 493 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:49,880 Speaker 1: circle from a single wooden hut, we assumed that this 494 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:53,720 Speaker 1: was probably the outlet of some obnoxious cult and feeling bold, 495 00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:57,000 Speaker 1: we took our chances. After a few cautious strides, it 496 00:34:57,120 --> 00:35:01,160 Speaker 1: hit us we had ventured into the layer of a cheesemonger. 497 00:35:02,239 --> 00:35:04,520 Speaker 1: Even though my friends were more adventurous than me when 498 00:35:04,520 --> 00:35:07,840 Speaker 1: it came to fragrant cheeses, they shared my experience of 499 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:11,600 Speaker 1: being totally overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of the smell. 500 00:35:12,520 --> 00:35:14,759 Speaker 1: I dare not to guess which type of cheese might 501 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:17,400 Speaker 1: have been the main contributor, but the sum of it 502 00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:23,840 Speaker 1: was as amazing as revolting. An unseen entity filled the place, 503 00:35:24,160 --> 00:35:27,279 Speaker 1: wafting out to us with its vaporous arms, pinching our 504 00:35:27,360 --> 00:35:30,440 Speaker 1: throats and noses until our skin turned pale and our 505 00:35:30,520 --> 00:35:33,920 Speaker 1: veins protruded blue, making us one of its own. I 506 00:35:33,960 --> 00:35:36,440 Speaker 1: believe it could have been weaponized or used as part 507 00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:40,040 Speaker 1: of a defensive system, a roke of force field. It 508 00:35:40,120 --> 00:35:44,040 Speaker 1: had to be smelled to be believed. We finally managed 509 00:35:44,080 --> 00:35:46,960 Speaker 1: to reinsert ourselves into the crowd and eventually managed to 510 00:35:46,960 --> 00:35:49,279 Speaker 1: buy a few bags of candied almonds, which we then 511 00:35:49,400 --> 00:35:54,120 Speaker 1: used as respirators for the rest of the day. This is, 512 00:35:54,239 --> 00:35:57,640 Speaker 1: of course, not to disrespect any fragrant cheese or the 513 00:35:57,640 --> 00:36:01,080 Speaker 1: people making and or enjoying it. But I have never 514 00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:05,680 Speaker 1: since seen a dense crowd being repelled like bacteria from 515 00:36:05,680 --> 00:36:08,880 Speaker 1: penicillium and a Petri dish. So I wanted to share 516 00:36:08,880 --> 00:36:13,320 Speaker 1: my experience with you, and of course my greatest respect 517 00:36:13,360 --> 00:36:16,080 Speaker 1: to the person running the cheese booth on that specific 518 00:36:16,160 --> 00:36:20,120 Speaker 1: Christmas market and people in similar circumstances. I hope that 519 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:23,680 Speaker 1: there are always people braver than me, reaching beyond the 520 00:36:23,760 --> 00:36:31,080 Speaker 1: veil and reaping the treasure of their cheese ventures. Bravo. 521 00:36:33,480 --> 00:36:39,239 Speaker 1: Excellently written and read, Lauren. Oh that's so great. Thank you. 522 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:47,200 Speaker 1: That is hilarious. It's hilarious. Everyone was like, oh, like, nope, 523 00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:55,320 Speaker 1: just like a crowd collective like mmmmm, wide birth. I 524 00:36:55,640 --> 00:37:01,759 Speaker 1: love that. Oh my goodness, how delightful, how delightful all around? Yes, absolutely, 525 00:37:02,440 --> 00:37:05,200 Speaker 1: and it's always such a delight to hear from you listeners. 526 00:37:05,520 --> 00:37:08,640 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for writing. We do appreciate it, 527 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:11,040 Speaker 1: and if you would like to write to us, you 528 00:37:11,080 --> 00:37:14,080 Speaker 1: can our emails hello at savor pod dot com. We're 529 00:37:14,120 --> 00:37:17,280 Speaker 1: also on social media. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, 530 00:37:17,320 --> 00:37:20,080 Speaker 1: and Instagram at savor pod, and we do hope to 531 00:37:20,120 --> 00:37:22,760 Speaker 1: hear from you. Savor is a production of I heart Radio. 532 00:37:22,920 --> 00:37:25,200 Speaker 1: For more podcasts my heart Radio, you can visit the 533 00:37:25,200 --> 00:37:28,359 Speaker 1: i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 534 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:30,959 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows. Thanks as always to our super 535 00:37:30,960 --> 00:37:34,200 Speaker 1: producers Dylan Fagin and Andrew Howard. Thanks to you for listening, 536 00:37:34,239 --> 00:37:35,959 Speaker 1: and we hope that lots more good things are coming 537 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:44,319 Speaker 1: your way.