Random Facts Friday: January 6, 2011

 Hello all! Welcome to the first Random Facts Friday of the new year.
Did you have a little holiday/jet lag getting back into the routine this week at work?
Now that you made it through today, let yourself relax with these tidbits and see how many you already know!

1. Tea: To brew tea during these cold months, allow the tea leaf to expand 3-5 times it's size. See other tidbits: http://www.supermarketguru.com/index.cfm/go/sg.viewArticle/articleId/2682

2. Allspice is a tree with a spread of about 15 feet and has a height of 20-45 feet. It has female and male trees which need to be near each other to produce fruit. The spice comes from dried unripe fruit. Trees are found in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

3. The black rhino, which can live 35 years in the wild, has suffered the greatest rate of decline of all rhino species. In 1970, there were an estimated 65,000 black rhinos in Africa; by 1993, the number had declined to 2,300. Anti-poaching laws and conservation efforts have helped boost the population back to an estimated 4,300.

4. Samoa decided to loose a day and went directly from December 29th  to December 31st, 2011. The nation was tired of lagging nearly a day behind Australia and New Zealand, its chief trading partners. By skipping a day, the nation moved to the other side of the international dateline, where it is now three hours ahead of Australia. Not to worry--Samoa has been through this before. It decided to add a day back in 1982 so it could be more in line with the United States. "Time will tell" which way they like it best.

5. Recipe: For some reason, I am all about lime juice nowadays. I put several teaspoons (could have used more) in my white sauce tonight and just before serving added some chopped walnuts to the sauce also. Warmed up some cooked chicken in the microwave, made some rice, which made the main dish 3 layers-- rice, chicken and the sauce on top. I also like to buy fresh limes, slice them, and put several slices in a tall glass of cold water to surprise my taste buds a bit. Saw this recipe and thought I may try it. See if you like it too.

 Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
• 3/4 cup light olive oil

Blend the lime juice, vinegar, and cilantro together in a blender until smooth. Add the brown sugar, garlic, and salt; blend again until smooth. Spoon the mustard into the mixture. Turn the blender on and slowly pour the olive oil into the dressing mixture in a thin stream; blend until thoroughly combined.