Heart and Stove’s first pillar is to *enjoy food*. So, on that note, I’m veering away from the strict nutrition talk for now, and instead sharing with you some fascinating, surprising facts that will make you marvel at the wonderful world of food!

Russian Roulette Chillies

Pimientos de Padron chillies may be Spanish, but they fit right into a classic Russian Roulette scenario. Traditionally, these chillies are pan-fried in oil until their skin blisters before being served as a tapas dish.

The extraordinary thing about these small, green chillies is that, while most of them are mild and sweet, about one in every ten chillies packs a surprisingly spicy punch! Since there is no way of distinguishing the tame from the fiery, sharing a plateful of Pimientos de Padrons with friends transcends simple eating: it creates an exciting, Russian Roulette-esque eating experience.

Does Coriander Tastes Like Soap?

Coriander is an herb that people either love or hate. We now know that there may be a scientific reason for the great divide over this aromatic herb: a recent genetic study reveals that some people have a genetic variant to perceive the taste of coriander to be like soap!
 

The Original Poisoned Apple

The wicked witch injected an apple with poison to kill Sleeping Beauty, but she may not have had to… While an apple a day may keep the doctor away, the opposite is true for its seeds, which are actually poisonous. But there is no need to fear; the amount is so miniscule that you don’t have to worry if you accidentally ingest a few: it is not nearly enough to harm you in small quantities.

Coconut Water – the Life Saver

Coconut water sure is trendy, but did you know it can also be life-saving? Natural coconut water – which is the clear liquid in the centre of the fruit – is very similar in electrolytes to human blood plasma! Apparently, wounded soldiers in the Pacific during WWII were saved by the use of coconut water transfusions to replace lost blood plasma when saline solutions were unavailable.

Please don’t try this one at home!
 

Honey Will Not Expire

It may sound surprising since bacteria loves sugar, but thanks to its low pH level (high acidity) and low water content, the original “liquid gold” never goes off. It has been report that archeologists found 2000 year old honey jars in Egyptian tombs, and they not only were free of mould, but also tasted great!
 

Nachos: The Most Craved Food by Pregnant Women?

Many sites and forums make this claim, but I am not sure where it originates. If it is true, it’s fascinating. Mothers of the world: did you crave nachos even more than pickles and ice-cream?
 

Hippopotamus Soup

A warm, nutritious bowl of soup is heavenly after a long winter’s day. Today, you can get every flavour of soup imaginable: cream of mushroom soup, chicken noodle, Italian wedding soup, kumara-blue cheese, even cold refreshing gazpacho.

Regardless of how far we have come or how many options there seem to be, the original soup dates back to 6000 BC and was made from hippopotamus!

Even Corn

An ear of corn will always have an even number of rows. Go ahead, count them!