Free Republic

Sometimes it seems as if the diet world is nearly as polarized as the political sphere. Especially when it comes to Intermittent Fasting (IF). I wrote a piece about it last year and, almost immediately, saw people sub-tweeting me to complain about promoting an eating disorder in the name of wellness. That’s a pretty stock response to the mere mention of IF in some circles. On the other end of the spectrum are the die-hard devotees of this popular weight-loss plan, which places more emphasis on when people eat than what they eat. Earlier this fall, when Dr. Ethan Weiss,...

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack...

When President Joe Biden announced his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill last week, the opening bid drew mostly positive reviews from progressive observers. But a handful of influential left-wing members of Congress, activists and commentators cried foul, arguing that Biden’s proposal failed to deliver on his promise to provide all lower- and middle-income households with $2,000 relief payments. **SNIP** In a note to a group of socialists, David Duhalde, a vice chair of the Democratic Socialists of America Fund, the DSA’s philanthropic arm, acknowledged the merit of the critique of Biden’s proposal before suggesting that an ill-fated battle to increase...

David Delfin’s Los Sabrosos offers LA a rare treat from Nayarit, MexicoMany of Mexico’s most coveted tacos feature pork, from carnitas and cochinita pibil to the various tacos de trompo. There’s tacos árabes from Puebla, adobada from Baja California, tacos de trompo out of Nuevo León, and the nearly ever-present al pastor, with deep roots in Mexico City and many other Mexican states. Much the same is true in Los Angeles, which makes a new type of pork taco contender here in Southern California all the more rare, indeed. Suckling pig tacos, featuring whole roasted young pigs, are a rare...

New first lady Jill Biden took an unannounced detour to the U.S. Capitol on Friday to deliver baskets of chocolate chip cookies to National Guard members, thanking them “for keeping me and my family safe” during President Joe Biden’s inauguration. “I just want to say thank you from President Biden and the whole, the entire Biden family,” she told a group of Guard members at the Capitol. “The White House baked you some chocolate chip cookies,” she said, before joking that she couldn’t say she had baked them herself. Joe Biden was sworn into office on Wednesday, exactly two weeks...

A longtime Shorewood staple has bid adieu.William Ho's, a restaurant which served Chinese fare at 3524 N. Oakland Ave. in Shorewood for over 30 years has closed. After finding the restaurant's ordering platform down and the restaurant's phone number disconnected, we reached out to Steph Salvia, executive director for the Shorewood Business Improvement District. She was able to confirm that, after persisting through many months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the owners recently decided to close the restaurant and retire. The restaurant, long known for both the decorative facade on its building (which sports large sea creatures, including a lobster), its...

The small town of Nuoro, on Italy’s Sardinia island, is home to what many are calling the world’s rarest pasta, an intricate, hand-made treat that only a handful of people can make. Known as su filindeu (in Sardinia’s Sardo dialect), or Fili di Dio (in Italian), and translated as threads of God, this traditional pasta had been linked to La Festa di San Francesco, an ancient religious ritual celebrated every year, in May. For the past two hundred years, the only way to try threads of god pasta was to complete a 33km pilgrimage on foot or horseback from Nuoro...

South Korean social media influencer Hamzy eating kimchi in a YouTube video. Chinese social media sites have banned Hamzy after she gave a thumbs-up emoji to a comment critical of China for claiming to be the origin of the dish. A renowned South Korean academic activist has taken the simmering row with China over which country invented kimchi to a new level – by placing an advertisement in The New York Times promoting it as a purely Korean culinary offering. Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor at Sungshin University in Seoul who specialises in publicity, said he launched the campaign announcing Kimchi...

The original Grilled Cheeeeeese is $6 and comes on a soft, sweet, round bun, which Crave says is similar to King’s Hawaiian Bread. But, for an extra dollar, guests can substitute a griddled, glazed donut in place of the bun. “Our chefs grill the sweet bun halves on the cut sides, flip them over and then pile on the cheese — and we mean pile it on,” Crave says. “We use four slices of American cheese — the best for meltability. As the cheese begins to melt, the halves are put together and the sandwich is griddled until the cheese...

I've been buying Thorne's Quercetin Phytosome but find it expensive. So I wonder is there any real difference in quality between brands of Quercetin?

In the mid-1800s, a new beverage fad took over the United States and Europe. Coca wine was fortified wine infused with coca leaves, i.e., cocaine. According to The Drinks Business, the stimulating wine drink initially had the approval of everyone from U.S. presidents to Catholic popes. One such wine was made by a Civil War vet named John Pemberton, who had cooked up his "brain tonic" as a means to kick the nasty morphine habit he'd picked up after being injured in the war. His Pemberton's French Wine Coca also contained an extract of the African kola nut, which is...

Join us on January 19 as we celebrate National Popcorn Day! Buttered, salted, kettled, drizzled with caramel, popcorn is one of those snacks perfect anytime, anywhere. It’s great on the go, in the theater, or in your living room! Just be prepared to dig some of it out of your teeth. NATIONAL POPCORN DAY 2021 DEALS There are always some great deals knocking around on National Popcorn Day. We’ve done some research and compiled a summary of what’s available below. Showcase Cinemas Showcase Cinemas is offering free popcorn to ticket holders and private screening attendees at all of its open...

America was built on alcohol. Many of the founding fathers distilled or brewed their own booze because the ingredients needed to make it flourished perfectly in the soil of the newly formed United States. Remember, Samuel Adams isn't just some fictional mascot made up to publicize a brewing company, and Budweiser's "George Washington recipe" is actually historically accurate. Also, the terrible road conditions of the time made transporting grains the traditional way, you know, in bread and stuff, a true hardship. It was much easier to just turn whatever you grew into alcohol — which would net an even better...

Fennel rings! They’re like onion rings, but a little sturdier, which means more dipping sauce, which is only a positive in my world. The fennel flavor is pretty mild, but if you’re paying attention, you can taste it. And, I mean, there’s no guilt associated with eating fennel rings. It’s seasonal. Fennel Rings 1 bulb of fennel 1/2 – 1 cup of all-purpose flour 1/2 – 1 cup of panko (or normal breadcrumbs) 1 egg, beaten 1 cup or more of vegetable oil salt and pepper Slice fennel into rings or parentheses shapes, between 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch thick,...

There are stunning floor-to-ceiling windows which let you gaze out at the views of Mexico as you rumble towards your destination. And, there are two lounge areas so you can read your book and enjoy a drink while feeling like Agatha Christie’s Poirot on a classy adventure. Guests in the Elite class will be offered a new range of custom made cocktails plus access to the Premium Bar with Reserva de la Familia, Tequila Maestro Tequilero, Centenario, 1800, rum, vodka and whiskey.

The 30-year-old stewardess says in the video: "Rule number one – never consumer any liquid that is not in a can or a bottle. "The reason being is those water tanks are never cleaned, and they are disgusting. "So talk to a flight attendant, we rarely, rarely drink the tea or coffee, they come from the same water tank and so when you're drinking that coffee and tea it comes from that hot water and it's absolutely disgusting." She then shows what the coffee makers look like and says the parts in the machine won't be cleaned "unless they are...

One of the best things about travelling the globe is trying amazing world cuisine – and there’s nothing better than hot, fresh street food. And the good news is that even if we’re not able to travel at the moment due to Covid-19 restrictions, we can still feel like we’re away from home by taking inspiration from our adventures’ best dishes. From the food markets of São Paulo to enjoying stroopwafel on a dutch canal, here are some of the best culinary experiences the world has to offer.

An MP has called on the prime minister to secure fishing rights for a UK super trawler which has been unable to operate since December. The Kirkella freezer trawler, based in Hull, catches cod and haddock in sub-Arctic waters, but Brexit has left it without a fishing agreement. Labour MP for Hull East Karl Turner said the delay in a deal was the "last nail in the coffin" for the industry. The government said negotiations would conclude "as soon as possible". The 81m (266ft) vessel, which has been moored in Hull since December, catches up to 2.3m fish in each...

Forget the filet mignon. A great poet once said, "beef is what’s for dinner." Unfortunately, that dinner -- at times -- can be wildly overpriced and not nearly as well-marbled as it should be. What gives? We hate to break it to you, but you’re likely ordering a cut of beef that’s totally overrated while overlooking another criminally cheap option that still tastes great. Price point does not determine quality! Thankfully, a group of chefs from around the country shared with us their secret cuts under the condition that they also got to talk trash about filet mignon (and a...

Winner will be asked to binge watch and rank 3 Netflix seriesThis company is looking for someone to rank Netflix shows and takeout pizza. Earlier this week, casino review company, BonusFinder, launched a competition to find its "Professional Binge Watcher." The company previously ran competitions to pay people to test burgers, ice cream, candy and pumpkin pie. "We’re now on the hunt for the perfect candidate to inform us of the best bingeable Netflix shows and the best takeout pizza to help us all through these turbulent times," the competition website says.