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MUNDANE MYSTERIES: “Dinner” Or “Supper”…Which Is Right?

The difference between Dinner & Supper isn’t just a regional thing or a matter of dialect, they really do mean different things.

Well, at least they used to.

Regardless of whether it was eaten in the morning, afternoon, or evening, dinner has historically meant “the largest meal of the day”. The word “dinner” comes from the non-Classical Latin word disjējūnāre, which is defined as breaking a fast.

Supper, however, is more time-specific. Stemming from the Old French word souper, it means an evening meal that’s generally lighter than other meals served throughout the day. So basically, supper & dinner have more to do with the quantity of food served than the time of day that you eat them.

In the 1800s, some rural Americans began calling their midday meal dinner, leaving supper for the evening meal. That was related more to occupations than locations, however. In parts of the Midwest & South, where farmers needed plenty of fuel to get them through the day, the midday meal was bigger (thus, “dinner”). While, in the evening, supper would typically consist of a light soup, which they referred to as “supping”. (In fact, the word supper is related to “suppe”, the German word for soup). This is still the norm in some parts of America, as “supper” is most commonly used for the evening meal in Wisconsin, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa, as well as in large parts of the South.

However, outside of those areas, “supper” isn’t really used much anymore, especially among younger generations, as dinner is, by far & away, the more popular term nationwide. Whatever the case, you’re probably thinking about eating your nightly meal right now, and couldn’t care less what it’s called…you just want it in your belly!

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: What Happens If Someone Objects At A Wedding?

It’s a well-known rom-com movie trope: at the wedding of a woman who’s loved by someone else besides just the groom, the minister utters those fateful words “speak now or forever hold your peace”, and…out comes an objection. Think “The Graduate”, “Four Weddings & A Funeral”, even “Shrek”. Usually, this steers the plot toward a quirkier happy ending. But, what happens if someone doesn’t hold their peace & speaks up at a wedding in real life? Is that really a thing? And, if so, why?

11th-hour objections in real-life aren’t all that common, but they’re not unheard of. It’s not illegal to speak up, but personal issues don’t invalidate a union. It was the Catholic Church that started soliciting objections during 12th century wedding ceremonies as a way to reveal any reasons why it might be unlawful for a couple to get hitched. Maybe the groom had a different wife in another town, or perhaps the bride & groom were actually half-siblings…those sort of reasons. Because, without the bureaucratic processes & databases that we have today to help keep track of everyone’s personal details, back then it was up to the community to help ensure each marriage was legally permissible.

Nowadays, any potential snafus come to light when a couple tries to secure a marriage license, which is usually completed before the ceremony. If you happen to still be legally married to your previous spouse, the county clerk will usually remind you of that little detail. So, because the whole “speak now or forever hold your peace” thing is essentially obsolete now, that’s why it’s often cut from a lot of weddings these days.

But, what would happen if someone were to actually object at a wedding today? It would be up to the officiant as to how to deal with it. The most likely way it would play out would be that the proceedings pause, the objecting person gets pulled aside, and the officiant talks over their reasoning with them (without an audience). Then, unless it’s a legal matter, the ceremony would most likely go on as planned.

So, if you’re worried about any potential outbursts at your own future wedding, it might be a good idea to discuss the strategy with your officiant beforehand. And, also maybe rethink your guest list, as well.

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].

{Katie’s Kitchen} Holiday Cranberry Pepper Jelly Brie

Brought to you by Catoctin Mountain Orchard.

Only 3 ingredients and this cheese appetizer will be a huge hit at your holiday event!

The best part…it only takes 5 minutes to prepare, too!

You can use any kind of red pepper jelly that you’d like- take out a small bowl and add 1/4 cup of red pepper jelly, and 1/4 cup of cranberry sauce (I used canned jellied cranberry sauce) and mix the two together until combined.

Then, spread on top of your brie cheese. I also added walnuts on top of mine, then bake. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place your brie on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes or until it is gooey inside, but not actually melted.

Serve on a pretty festive platter with your favorite crackers!

 

 

 

Ingredients:

-Brie cheese

-1/4 cup Red pepper jelly

-1/4 cup cranberry sauce

-Option: add walnuts

 

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why A Bride Carries A Bouquet

Bridal bouquets aren’t really required for wedding ceremonies, but imagine how odd it would seem for a bride to walk down the aisle empty-handed. Where did this tradition come from?

It’s been suggested that wedding flowers were originally used to mask body odor, back before regular bathing became the norm, but that’s actually a misconception. In reality, the earliest bridal bouquets didn’t really contain many flowers (if any). Instead, they were mostly made up of herbs. It was the ancient Romans who were the first people to send their brides down the aisle with bundles of herbs, symbolizing traits like fidelity & fertility.

Considered an aphrodisiac at the time, dill was especially common in Roman bouquets, and was also served at many wedding receptions to help the bride & groom prepare for their wedding night. Garlic was sometimes used in the bouquets, too, since it was thought to protect the bride from bad luck or evil spirits. Then, over the centuries, people began to introduce other plant life into their wedding bouquets, flowers included. Marigolds were really popular in 16th-century England, as they were a symbol of faithfulness & endless love.

It was during the Victorian era that floriography, or “the language of flowers’, became a big fad, and led to people sending each other carefully-assembled bouquets of flowers with specific meanings. For instance, pennyroyal meant “you must leave”, while pineapple conveyed that you the recipient was perfect. There were books called “floral dictionaries” that laid out all the flowers’ meanings.

Secret flower messages fell out of fashion, though, as the world shifted its focus to World War I, but bridal bouquets never did. Though, you might want to make sure yours doesn’t contain any pennyroyal, just in case your soon-to-be spouse happens to be an undercover floriographer.

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why A Wedding Ring Is Worn On The Left Hand

We’ve discovered why grooms stand on the right at a wedding, so now let’s show some love to the left: why do we wear wedding rings on our left hand?

Writing with your left hand during the medieval period could get you accused of being possessed. The Spanish Inquisition tortured & killed more lefties than righties. Many cultures have been averse to the left, from the long-standing Islamic no-no of eating or drinking with the left hand, to the ancient Japanese expectation that any wife not favoring her right side could be legally divorced on the spot. So why does a finger on a cursed hand now symbolize lasting love?

Marriage & the now-standard ring finger go back to 2nd-century Egyptians, who falsely believed there was a “delicate nerve” in the 4th left finger that stretched directly to the heart. Centuries later, the Romans held a similar belief, but, instead of a nerve, the Romans believed that the vena amoris, or “lover’s vein”, tied that finger with the heart. During the course of Roman engagements, a well-off suitor who could afford a ring would slip it on his bride-to-be’s 4th finger so that, from there on out, he’d always have a symbolic grip around her lover’s vein.

Others argue the tradition started out as an early Christian ritual. Whenever Orthodox worshippers crossed themselves, they’d join their thumb with their index & middle fingers, to represent the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The leftover “ring” finger signified earthly love, which made it ideal for a wedding ring.

Until the 17th century, though, Orthodox couples usually wore their rings on the right hand, since it was associated with strength (as did most Europeans of all faiths). But, during the Reformation in 1549, an English Bishop & Protestant reformer named Thomas Cranmer broke from tradition when he published “The Book of Common Prayer”, by instructing couples to switch their wedding rings over to their left 4th finger. Before long, husbands & wives across the continent were doing just that. And now, around the world, we still do it today.

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].

{Katie’s Baby Blog} Baby Girl #2 is 21 weeks!

 I wanted to update you on our second baby girl growing! I had my 20 week sonogram last week and she is doing great!

The anatomy appointment is always a fun one, and it’s nice that Tim is able to join me whenever I have a sonogram, because he isn’t allowed to come into the office otherwise for my appointments.

She is about 13oz already! and HEALTHY!! Which is what I pray for every night…another healthy baby girl!

I am feeling LOTS of kicks. I think way more than I did with Lily and I started feeling them a lot earlier this time around…15/16 weeks! Maybe it’s because I’m actually drinking a little bit of caffeine this time. When I was pregnant with Lily, the smell of coffee turned my stomach so I just didn’t drink any the entire time.

I’m also wayyyy more tired all of the time than I was last time, so a little coffee helps, especially with early weekday mornings.

Yay!- we’re halfway there!

<3 Katie Ryan

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Grooms Stand On The Right At A Wedding

A lot of our wedding traditions don’t really have the best of origins: brides originally wore veils to safeguard against the groom changing his mind in case he didn’t happen to like her face; and, the garter toss harkens back to the days when guests helped disrobe brides shortly after vows were exchanged. Yikes! And, while couples today probably don’t give much thought to where they stand at the altar, the traditional placement (with the bride on the left & the groom on the right) has its own dark backstory.

According to Reader’s Digest, the reason couples getting married stand where they stand is a remnant of “marriage by capture”. Early European grooms would sometimes literally “take a wife” against the will of her & her family. A man would kidnap a woman from her home, while his groomsmen would fight off anyone who tried to stop them. Then, at the actual wedding, the best man (the guy who had the best sword skills) would stand by the groom, ready to jump to his aid in case any uninvited guests arrived.

The groom had to be prepared to battle his angry soon-to-be in-laws, too. And, since most people are right-handed, the groom standing on the right side of the altar meant his right arm would be free to draw his blade at a moment’s notice.

Thankfully, marriage by kidnapping declined in popularity over the centuries, but the groom’s position on the right side still remains. However, one religion switches up that placement: Judaism. And the reason arose from a different tradition: a line in the Bible that says “at thy right hand does the queen stand”, which, in Jewish weddings, means the bride & groom are treated as royalty. (But, then again, every woman should be treated as a queen, right?)

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].

CMA Country Christmas Special Bloopers

Thomas Rhett and his wife Lauren have officially proven how awesome they are with the release of this blooper reel. The outtakes show just how real they are and make them even more lovable check it out.

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Is One Side of Tin Foil Shiny?

In the wake of Thanksgiving, you more than likely utilized tinfoil to cover some, if not all, of your leftovers. Have you ever noticed, though, that tinfoil has 2 different-looking sides, one shiny & one dull? Why is that?

The fact that tinfoil has 2 sides with different appearances is mostly the result of the manufacturing process. To create aluminum foil, a huge slab of aluminum is fed through heated steel rollers until it’s a mere 5 millimeters thick. Then, it’s moved to a set of cold rollers to be thinned even further. And, since it’s thin enough to break at that point, manufacturers push through 2 sheets at a time. When the top of the top sheet & the bottom of the bottom sheet brush against the rollers, they get shiny. But, since the bottom of the top sheet and the top of the bottom sheet only touch each other, they stay dull.

Since the shiny side seems more reflective, a lot of people think that side should face up while cooking or baking. And, if you were trying to fry an egg outside on a hot day, that would make sense, since more sunlight would reflect off the shiny surface, transferring more heat to the egg. But, most regular ovens heat food through convection, where the air in the oven circulates heat energy from the hot coil elements to the food. In other words, convection ovens don’t care how reflective the tinfoil is.

With that said, shiny-versus-dull does matter when it comes to certain specialized types of aluminum foil. For example, the dull/non-shiny side of Reynolds Non-Stick Aluminum Foil has a coating that helps keep food from sticking to it, so you should definitely place your food on that side.

Aluminum foil also isn’t just for ovens. From sharpening scissors to scrubbing grills, it has tons of other uses & none of them depend on whether you use the shiny or the dull side…the tinfoil company just wants you to keep using it!

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].

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