Today Is... 📆

GregRedd · August 28, 2021, 6:01am

It is Saturday, 28 August 2021
(W34 | D240 | 125 rem)

Today is: Crackers Over The Keyboard Day

There is a secret life that passes below our fingertips every day, one full of our deepest secrets and a living testimony to everyone who has passed before. That secret life is in the dust and detritus within our keyboards.
Anonymous

We’re all guilty of it, even if drives our IT personnel crazy, we eat at our keyboards and as a result, the space between the keys gets filled with all of the crumbs of our past. Crackers Over The Keyboard Day encourages you to just give up pretending, and just go out and eat crackers over your keyboard!

Crackers Over The Keyboard Day is the brainchild of those crazy holiday people Tom and Ruth Roy over at Wellcat.com.

Let’s be honest, getting these crumbs and things in your keyboard aren’t the best for them, but at the end of the day, they’re mostly harmless.

However, it also probably contains more biological ickiness than the office toilet. Think about it, which one of the two gets cleaned nightly by office staff?

Tom has been making a living as an actor and a talk show host on the radio for many years, while his magnificent wife works as a college administrator, actress, and she even runs her own business selling herbs by mail order! Crackers Over The Keyboard Day is just one more on their list of crazy holidays.

Want to know the most interesting thing we learned about what’s inside your keyboard? When you look at what’s going on with the germs and such that grow there, it bears a striking resemblance to what’s happening in your nose and stomach!

The best way to celebrate Crackers Over The Keyboard Day is to start out with a little experiment. Turn your keyboard upside down and tap it on your desk until stuff stops falling out. Warning, this is probably going to take you some time.

Once you’re done take a close look at what’s fallen out in front of you, it’s likely going to contain a nasty combination of food crumbs, dead skin, and strands of hair. If you’re lucky, you might even find that staple that you lost a few years back.

Then, start creating a new collection in your keyboard by munching over it. That’s how you celebrate Crackers Over The Keyboard Day.

Have a cracking good Saturday!

Entity · August 28, 2021, 6:34am

I find this one strange haha. I cringe at this photo

I don’t think I’ve ever eaten over a keyboard. I’ve had dust filled keyboards but not food.

GregRedd · August 28, 2021, 6:47am

I know it’s probably a doctored or staged picture for emphasis, but I agree with you - it’s very cringe worthy.

I’ll munch the occasional Dorito or piece of toast when I’m at the PC, but never anything more than that.

czc · August 28, 2021, 7:29am

Totally not what you want to be doing to your keyboard.

Wyvern · August 28, 2021, 7:52am

It’s a hell nope from me.

I will rather just ocd clean my keyboard when I get home tomorrow

GregRedd · August 29, 2021, 6:28am

Good morning!

It is Sunday, 29 August 2021
(W34 | D241 | 124 rem)

Today is: More Herbs, Less Salt Day

Eating a healthy, balanced diet is often easier said than done – it takes thought, time and effort to prepare fresh and nutritious food, when less healthy options are often much easier and more convenient!

But eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring! Getting accustomed to cooking with less salt does the body good–and the tastebuds just might not realize what they have been missing.

Salt isn’t exactly bad for us, but as with everything else, too much of a good thing can do more harm than good. Sodium is an important electrolyte needed by our bodies for nerve and muscle function. However, excessive intake of salt can have negative results like hypertension, heart disease, and bloating.

Cardiovascular disease can lead to a stroke, heart attack, and even death. The renal function of kidneys can also be severely damaged, as blood flow to the kidney tissue is disrupted. Tests done on mice also show a linkage with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease due to high sodium intake. The Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) recommended daily consumption of salt less than 1500 milligrams. Fast food utilizes a lot of salt and is a large contributor to increasing the intake of salt in our bodies. Many one-time fast food meals contain 2000 milligrams or more of salt!

This is why it is important to prepare meals at home and control the amount of salt going into our meals. More Herbs, Less Salt Day aims to encourage people to enhance the flavour of their food using herbs and spices instead of heaping large amounts of salt. This way the taste won’t be compromised, and may even turn out better.

More Herbs, Less Salt Day is the perfect day to begin paying more attention to salt intake, while getting creative with other ways to flavour food.

Have yourselves a delicious, salt-free Sunday!

Beo · August 29, 2021, 7:16am

Impossible. Going for a braai at my cuzz.

GregRedd · August 30, 2021, 5:39am

Good morning!

It is Monday, 30 August 2021
(W35 | D242 | 123 rem)

Today is: Amagwinya Day / Vetkoek Day

Found an original South African entry to kick off the new week of “Today Is…”. Sadly, very little local info about it in terms of origins and local promotions. The closest I can find is the Clover Corporate post from 2017? So here’s the standard Days of the Year take…

Are you a fan of Johnny Cakes? Do you salivate when someone mentions Dutch Oliebol? Does it feel like an instant fiesta when you get your hands on a Sopalillas? Then Amagwinya Day is going to fill you with another burst of joy by introducing you to the Afrikaner Amagwinya, a fried dough bread that is absolutely incredible, and is popular throughout the entire South African region. If you’ve never heard of any of these breads then you’re in for a fantastic treat as you discover just how amazing fried bread can be!

It seems that almost every culture that has encountered flour has discovered that if you create a light yeast-based dough and drop it in boiling oil that something magical will happen. Like most fried dough breads, Amagwinya has a distinct similarity to the doughnut in texture and composition, though its most popular preparations are a far cry away from the sweet and creamy fillings that most people associate with doughnuts. The word Amagwinya is Zulu in origin, and can be translated simply as ‘fat cake’.

Amagwinya is thought to find its roots in the Dutch Oliebol that found its way down thanks to trade and travelers, and has become a common favorite of the populace.

Its two most common preparations involve frying the dough, opening it up, and stuffing it with a savory curry based meat filling, or this same combination only the meat is sealed in the bread before it’s fried. Either way this common treat is warming, filling, and a favorite convenience food that can be found anywhere people gather, from the mass transit in Joburg to open-air street markets. If you’re a lover of all things savory and fried, then Amagwinya Day is going to be your opportunity to dive into a whole new set of cuisine that follows a familiar theme.

Have a ‘magwinya Monday, you lovely bunch of fat cakes!

Know More:

https://www.snowflake.co.za/recipes/vetkoek

murfle · August 30, 2021, 7:20am

The site posted above with the recipe is blocking my IP. I’ve checked out a few others, and they state cake flour.

Anyone out there use bread flour?

I’m definitely considering making some for dinner tonight

Avatar · August 30, 2021, 7:44am

How very South African

I would consider making my own in our air fryer, but we’ve got a fat cake city around the corner that sells their small vetkoek at R2 a pop. At about 5-7 cm in diameter its a good deal, I can feed me and my wife with R20!!

Beo · August 30, 2021, 7:53am

haha cool. I learnt about amagwinya in times when I was working closely with African Zulu brethren.

GregRedd · August 30, 2021, 8:48am

I’ve always assumed they were made with cake flour to be honest, but on thinking about it now, not sure it would make a huge difference if you substitute with bread flour.

This recipe suggests either:

And I’ve seen recipes using “all purpose flour” too.
Give it a try, let us know the results!

murfle · August 30, 2021, 8:55am

All purpose is basically half way between cake and bread flour in terms of protein content.

I also doubt it’ll make a difference, considering the dough is fried.

czc · August 30, 2021, 8:59am

Problem is I’ve seen some cake flours with more protein content that Bread flour.

murfle · August 30, 2021, 10:02am

Say what?! Like 11g or more?

czc · August 30, 2021, 12:10pm

Best I’ve seen is 13.1g.

GregRedd · August 31, 2021, 4:45am

Good morning!

It is Tuesday, 31 August 2021
(W35 | D243 | 122 rem)

Today is: International Overdose Awareness Day

With the increasing drug problem in countries all over the world, in many cases, tragedies happen. For those who suffer from the consequences of overdose, it can be hard for families to cope with the after-effects of what happened. It can also be hard for people who don’t understand to find sympathy for those families. Overdose Awareness Day is all about bridging the gap between those who don’t understand and those who know it all too well.

Overdose Awareness Day initiated in 2001 when Sally J. Finn suggested the idea while she was in the Salvation Army in Melbourne, Australia to her friend Peter Streker, a co-worker who was part of the Community and Health Development Program in Melbourne. According to Finn, this holiday acknowledges that, “drugs and the consequence of overdose are part of all our lives, and that there are repercussions from the death and injury of people which are felt across every socio-economic and cultural span of the world.”

Since 2001, they worked together to create this holiday, and today, governments and organizations remember this holiday as a day to recognize a severe problem that needs to be solved.

Overdose Awareness Day acknowledges the grief that families feel when they lose someone to overdose and the struggles that a family member suffers from after their incident.

This holiday sends a few messages out to the public. Because overdose is a complicated and personal topic for many, this holiday aims to break down the fear and prejudice that is created by the stigmas of drug overdosing in society. Instead of bringing hate, it seeks to bring compassion and understanding to the families involved, and that suffer the consequences of overdosing.

One of the ways to observe this day is by wearing silver and purple. You can buy a badge from organizations such as the Overdose Day website or coordinate your outfit for that purpose. If you have a dress code for work, you can convince your higher up to organize a day where coworkers wear these colors.

Light a candle in remembrance, host an education program about overdosing, provide safe spaces for people to tell their stories, and be active if you’re passionate about this subject.

Nevertheless, share this holiday on your favorite social media websites using the hashtag #overdoseawarenessday and let everyone know what day it is.

Respect and love. Be good to each other. Help, don’t harm.

Know More:

https://www.rehabhelper.org/sa/addiction-helplines-sa

murfle · August 31, 2021, 4:00pm

GregRedd · August 31, 2021, 4:31pm

Very nice! How’d it taste?

murfle · August 31, 2021, 4:45pm

I totally nailed the mince. I don’t have any peas at the moment, but I did the meat with carrots, onions and potatoes. Used a crapload of curry mix and 2 bhut jolokias (ghost peppers). First time making this.

I halved the dough recipe, let it rise, punched it down, and made 4 balls. Let them proof a bit, then fried 'em. Screwed my lungs up with all the oil on the element. Took them out when they looked done.

After I let them cool a bit, I cut 'em in half to see the dough in the middle is still raw. I checked the recipe, and it said “divide into 20 balls”, 10 for half… facepalm

So I heated the oil back up, and tossed 'em back in, raw side down, for a minute or two. The outer crust was a little overdone, but wow. Artery clogging goodness! I was gonna put sri racha on, but I knew I’d be making a mess, so I didn’t want to get red in with my curry stains.

I still have some mince left. I’ll probably put it on rice for lunch tomorrow, so maybe I’ll dump some scorpion tabasco on it.

If you’re trying to build your heat tolerance, use this stuff. It kicked my butt! And it still tastes like tabasco. I just took another dab right now just to check, and it isn’t nearly as hot this time. I was in tears on the weekend when I tried it. So I dunno. Still hot. Gotta try this on some fried hallumi