Gracie Latrelle

Tag: food

  • Honeybees Are Not the Only Insects That Make Honey!

    Have you ever wondered after taking a bite of nature’s delicious gold if Honeybees are the animals that can produce this delicious treat?

    The answer really has two answers both yes and no so let’s dive right on into the hive and find out!

    The answer is no Honeybees are not the only insects that make honey!

    Bumblebees make honey but it cannot be collected and used for by humans. However, Bumblebees only make enough honey for the colony to be able to survive on bad weather days when they are not safe to leave the colony.

    Another group of insects that produces honey is wasps! There are over 17 species of Wasps that produce honey and one specific species that is known for its honey is the Mexican Honey Wasp or B. mellifica. This wasp’s honey is considered a delicacy in some cultures of Mexico. They also provide pest control and help to pollinate avocados.

    Hornets and Yellow Jackets do not produce honey.

    So, as you all can see Honeybees are not the only insects that produce honey, but it doesn’t make that honey taste any less sweeter!

  • Granny’s Red Velvet Cake: Simple & Delightful!

    2 1/2 cups of self-rising flour

    1 1/4 cup of sugar

    1 teaspoon of baking soda

    1 teaspoon of cocoa powder

    1 cup of buttermilk

    1 1/2 cup of Crisco shortening

    1 teaspoon of white vinegar

    2 eggs, cracked and beaten

    1oz of red food coloring

    1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

    Photo by Fatih Sucu on Pexels.com

    In a medium mixing bowl combine your 2 1/2 cups of self-rising flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder. Mix well and sit aside.

    In another medium mixing bowl add 1 1/4 cup of sugar and the 1 1/2 cup of crisco shortening and mix this together until it is light and creamy. Add 1 cup of buttermilk, 1 teaspoon of white vinegar, 2 beaten eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Mix this together until it is mixed well.

    Add the dry ingredients, a little at a time, to the wet ingredients and mix this together until all of the ingredients are well combined.

    Add in your 1 teaspoon of red food coloring to the batter. Mix the coloring into the batter. Be careful not to spill it on your counter as it is not easy to remove.

    Place your cake batter into two 9″ round cake pans or one 9 x 12 cake pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Tip: if you are using the round pans place a sprinkle of flour into the pans and shake it around the pan. Remove the excess flour from the pan.

    Place the cake into the oven and bake on 350 degrees for 25 minutes for the round pans or 30 – 35 minutes for the 9 x 12 pan.

    Cream Cheese Icing

    8oz of cream cheese, room temperature

    1/2 cup of salted butter, room temperature

    1 pound of powdered sugar

    1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

    In a medium mixing bowl combine the cream cheese and the butter and mix this until it is creamy and smooth.

    Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix this on low until it is combined and then mix it on medium until it is smooth

  • Tennessee’s World-Famous Drink: The History of Mountain Dew!

    Did you know that one of the most famous American drinks, besides the soft drink Coca-Cola, was created right here in the state of Tennessee? I am talking about the famous drink, Mountain Dew.

    Photo by Sachin Mittal on Pexels.com

    Mountain Dew started over 70 years ago. The drink was first formed and created to be used as a cocktail mixer by two brothers.

    The exact date of the first drink of Mountain Dew is somewhat unknown but some historians say that the drink debuted between 1940 and 1948, which was the exact year that the trademark was filed with the United States Patent Office.

    Mountain Dew was developed by the Hartman Beverage Co., which was located in Knoxville, Tennessee and run by two brothers Barney and Ally (pronounced “Olly”) Hartman.

    The brothers were dealing with the failure of their Orange Crush bottling company in Georgia, after the company failed in 1932.

    The brothers then re-located to Knoxville to run a bottling plant for beer and Pepsi Cola.

    During this time soft drinks were sold mainly only regionally and because of this issue the brothers could not locate a lemon-lime soda to produce and sell that could be used as a cocktail mixer.

    The brothers asked for help from William “Billy” Jones with the Tip Corp. in Marion, Virginia in the creation.

    The three men privately bottled a lemon-lime mixer that they jokingly called “Mountain Dew” which is the nickname for moonshine.

    Pleased with their creation, the men placed a printed hillbilly label on the bottle of the new drink but it was not sold to the public at first. It was only enjoyed by the men for their own after-hours consumption.

    After this the Tri-City Beverage Company in Johnson City caught eye of the new drink and picked it up to sell to the public!