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National Puzzle Day
Today is National Puzzle Day. I enjoy puzzles, especially those that involve the use of words. What's your favorite type of puzzle? Crossword? Jumble? Anagrams? Soduko? JIigsaw? Does anyone do puzzles regularly? Research suggests that puzzles can help maintain memory and delay/prevent memory issues in one's later years. Sorry no sources of citations for this research.
Today is also National Plan A Vacation Day.
I am retired so I'm not sure I can actually take a vacation. But with the beastly weather we are having in N Central Florida, I have wondered where I might go to escape these arctic like conditions.
Each year, Americans leave more than 600 million vacation days unused. Project: Time Off has uncovered an alarming trend over the last 40 years: Americans are taking fewer and fewer vacation days. They believe that vacation travel is valuable and necessary for strengthening personal relationships, inspiring creative thinking, improving professional performance, and promoting better health.
Where would you most like to go on a vacation? Or if you don't like travelling, what would you most like to do for a "stay-cation" ?
National Corn Chip Day
A little history and some factoids here:
"The corn chip or friotes are not to be confused with the tortilla chip. Both are made from cornmeal which is baked or fried in oil.
Differing steps for processing the corn separate the tortilla from the corn chip. The corn for a tortilla chip is soaked in a lime-water solution that breaks down the hulls. This process creates a crisper, milder chip. A corn chip is sturdier with a stronger corn flavor. Both were popular snacks originating in Mexico.
There are two men credited with patenting and marketing the corn chip in the United States. First, Isador J. Filler often ate a tostada (a hard corn tortilla with toppings) while traveling in San Antonio, Texas as a salesman. He struck on the idea of making them in rectangles and marketing them as a chip. In 1932 he patented his concept.
Around the same time, Elmer Doolin was also traveling in San Antonio and was enjoying friotes. According to the story, he paid $100 for the recipe. Experimenting in his home until he created the ideal chip, Doolin then started selling them from the back of his Model T Ford. When he began mass producing them under the name of Frito Corn Chips, they were a hit.
In 1945, Doolin came to an agreement with Herman Lay (of potato chip fame) to distribute Doolin’s Fritos across the country. The two companies merged in 1959 after Doolin’s death.
I know there are more than a few salsa aficionados among us. Perhaps your expertise extends to chips as well?
Comments
When on vacation we put together a few puzzles. Poured out on table and put together when you want. We usually have a few people sitting around at night putting it together. Most times we can finish 3 in our 7 day trip.
Interesting story on the “invention” of corn chips. I’m both a foodie and a history dork so I’m always interested in the origins of things. I’ve never been that big of a fan of Frito type chips but it IS interesting to know where the name comes from. Also always love seeing the old names like Isador and Elmer. There’s a trend to bring back old names among some people but Elmer is one that should probably stay buried lol. No offense to any Elmers intended of course.
I do like some chips and salsa but I’m particular. There’s a brand of tortilla chips that I’ve been buying for years that is pretty widely available now called Xochitl that I highly recommend. Thin, crispy chips like you get in a restaurant and they also have a bag that seems to keep them from getting stale almost immediately after opening. Ingredients list is short and to the point as well.
A good tortilla chip and good salsa can be great. Stale or boring chips and generic salsa I’d just as soon eat something else.
Anyone have any jarred salsas they swear by? I’m apparently the opposite of the average American in my salsa tastes as I don’t particularly care for the thickness of most big name brands. Since most of them tout the fact that they are thick and chunky I guess that’s what people prefer? I started eating chips and salsa as a broke teenager in Mexican restaurants and at least in my experience almost all places run by Mexican folks have thinner salsa that doesn’t break your chip trying to get some. I don’t mind a pico de gallo if it’s fresh but I don’t really enjoy thick chunks of probably not particularly ripe or quality tomatoes/peppers in a national brand salsa.
I will actually take a good tasting jarred salsa and toss it in the food processor for a few pulses. A couple of brands I’ve found that have good flavor IMO and are easy to find are Mrs. Renfro’s Habanero and Que Vida, both at Publix. I also find “gourmet” salsa to often be a ripoff: if the salsa is good I don’t need peaches, black beans, mango, bourbon, or any other crazier stuff put in. Most of the craft brands are IMO like craft beer that adds weird stuff just to be different. Make a good beer or salsa and it shouldn’t need raspberries or mango added to mask the flavor.
LOL, and yes I am particular about my food. I don’t drink anymore so eating well is one of my remaining pleasures in life, but I also don’t want to be unhealthy so I would prefer to eat less but make sure what I DO eat is **** tasty..
Vacation - I have always wanted to hit up the Fiji Islands. Enjoyed the Bahamas as well, but I could also be happy at PBC or Orange Beach if the timing is right. I can only do the sand for a week, but the beach scene gives me some relief
Corn chips with chili is the way to in my opinion. Not to much, but enough to give a little crunch
Frito-Lay company seems to be a well run, stand-up firm. Solid products. (nothing to see here)
Wonder what a Plan B Vacation is like? Tuscaloosa? Gainesville? Too high?
Chess...play more chess.
chess.com is a great place to hone your skills.
Here’s a puzzle. How many words can you make out of the following letters? You dont need to use every letter to make a word.
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
I'd certainly have to be retired (which I am) and have a ton of motivation to accept this 'challenge". Likely wouldn't finish before the Spring Game and then lose interest.
Good job, Daniel.
Crosswords, esp the NYT ones. They're great.
I'm disappointed. They stopped making my favorite, bbq fritos
All of them. Sorry couldn't resist
Is it bbq or chili?
Bbq. Dont like chili. Honey bbq twisty things are just ok
Wow ok about lost my breath for a moment. I personally like the chili... don’t know if I ever had the bbq. Call me crazy, but the ratio of frito chips to bag space is far superior compared to other brands. For that reason I will support them
One less than RPM, chili without beans and Frito 's are great. Love going to St George, very laid back easy going and not usually to crowded.