Cornucopia - Meaning, History, Tips and Suggestions

A cornucopia, pronounced korn-yoo-KO-pee-uh, is a horn-shaped container. It is a time-honored symbol, long associated with Thanksgiving, that symbolizes abundance. It is also known as the "horn of plenty" and is usually filled with an assortment of the Earth's harvest.

Although it is usually a symbol of Thanksgiving, it was symbolic well before this holiday existed. The word 'cornucopia' actually dates back to the 5th century BC. It derives from two Latin words: "cornu," meaning horn (as in the name of that one-horned creature, the "unicorn") and "copia," meaning plenty.  Thus, "cornucopia" literally means horn of plenty, and the names are used interchangeably.  

History

The cornucopia was usually depicted as a curved goat's horn, filled to overflowing with fruit and grain and nuts, but could actually have been filled with whatever the owner wished. 

Cornucopia - Meaning, History, Tips and Suggestions

Today, the cornucopia often finds its way to the Thanksgiving table as a centerpiece. It is made like a basket and filled to overflowing with fresh flowers and fruits, nuts, and vegetables. Many people have such a basket that they bring annually to their local flower shop to be filled anew with a harvest of seasonal products. 

Most florists carry cornucopias and keep them on hand during the Thanksgiving season.  A horn of plenty centerpiece looks great on a Thanksgiving table or side buffet table arranged with flowers, dried wheat, or cattails, too.  Florists can use their design skills to come up with all different types of cornucopia arrangements using lotus pods, nuts, and dried fruit.  Gourds or miniature pumpkins can be used as well.

A cornucopia is a perfect symbol of gratitude for all that we have - and all that we wish to share.

Have a wonderful holiday!

Cornucopia - Meaning, History, Tips and Suggestions

Author Laura M. Scott is an expert on plant care, an award-winning floral designer, and owner of Gingerbread House Florist and Gifts in Raleigh, NC. She designs and creates cornucopias during the holiday season. Visit Gingerbread House Florist and Gifts on the web at [http://www.raleighfloristnc.com]

Laura's shop delivers flowers and plants anywhere in the world.

The History Of Italian Food

While some of the most popular dishes associated with the Italian culture include a tempting slice of pizza and a heaping plate of pasta, there is much more to the world of Italian cooking. Throughout the many regions in Italy, the distinctive cuisine of the Italians shines through in a wide-range of eating habits, styles of cooking, and selection of local ingredients. The changing of the times has also influenced Italian food, as the meals served in the pre-Roman era possess both similarities and differences in the cuisine of today.

The culinary history of Italy established a reputation more than 2,000 years ago, which includes an illustrious movement during the Roman Empire. Culturally, food preparation was quite important in the past where flashes of significance have been captured in the only surviving cookbook (Apicius), which dates back to the first century BC.

History

The spread of Italian food diversity began after the fall of the Roman Empire when individual city states began to uphold separate identities and traditions. Each region began to display its own unique way of cooking, right down to the formation of a meatball to the characteristic cheeses and wine produced in a locale. The north developed Tuscan beef, while black truffles were very popular in Marches. Provolone and mozzarella cheeses developed in the south, as well as a host of interesting citrus fruits.

The History Of Italian Food

Diverse types of bread, variations in pasta, and varying food preparation techniques also differed according to region. The southern regions of Italy embrace hard-boiled spaghetti, while the north often prefers a soft egg noodle. Milan is known for their risotto, while Bologna has a deep history regarding tortellini, and Naples is famous for their pizzas.

Over the years, Italian cuisine has greatly evolved in part because of a wealth of outside influences that have added to its characteristic flavor and appeal. In the beginning, ancient Greek cookery became an integrated part of Italian cuisine. Eventually, a wealth of imports found their way into the kitchens of early Italians, who sent Roman ships to collect a variety of important foods, including wheat, wine, exotic ingredients, and fine spices from around the world. Some ships even traveled to faraway locations, such as China, to bring back edible resources that catapulted the depth and variety of Italian cooking styles.

Coastal regions are known for their developments in delicious fish and seafood dishes. For example, the island of Sardinia supplies a more traditional and simple style of cuisine, which often incorporated delicacies, associated with the sea. Swordfish, lobster, anchovies, sardines, and other Mediterranean treats represent Italian cooking of the area. In Sicily (another island region), a great deal of the cooking drew heavily from North African influences. An Arab influence also affected cuisine on the island and within the rest of the south, especially with the introduction of various spices and sweets, such as the Sicilian ice cream cake called cassata.

As for one of the most popular Italian dishes, while the history books often state that pasta was a product of the Chinese brought back by Venetian merchant, Marco Polo, it was actually a rediscovery of a food item eaten during Etruscan and Roman times. It is believed that the first pasta in Italy was made similar to the noodles of today - from the same durum wheat - which was cooked in ovens instead of boiled in water.

Today, the differences in Italian cooking still show through in the distinctions between the north and the south. Each region still carries their own traditions in cooking that reflects deep history and culture with a never ending supply of main courses, appetizers, and desserts that continuously tempts the taste buds.

The History Of Italian Food

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History Of Fashion Design

The realm of fashion design, by its sheer glamour and grace, has always been exciting and intriguing. When we talk of fashion design, it implies a form of art that incorporates the nuances of creating clothes and accessories.

The history of fashion design can be traced back to the beginning of the19th century when the designs were the product of the dresses worn in the royal courts. Eventually, Charles Frederick Worth, the first fashion designer, set up his first fashion house in Paris. His designs greatly influenced the people and they labeled them as the designs of the "House Of Worth." As a result, a designer became synonymous with a particular brand.

History

Another important designer who made a significant contribution to the evolution of the fashion was Paul Poi Ret. He blended the classical style consisting of aesthetic dressing with Paris fashion. Other important designers of this age were Patou, Vionnet, Fortuny, Lanvin and Chanel.

History Of Fashion Design

Throughout the 20th century, Paris remained the world's fashion hub, with countries such as the US and Britain openly aping the French designs. The post World War era saw the emergence of other countries as the centers of fashion and Paris ceased to be the sole influential factor. The rising British fashion industry brought a new range of street fashion focusing mainly on the young consumers.

Later, American designers such as Calvin Klein And Ralph Lauren came to the fore with their sportswear and made it a style statement. Today, fashion designs can be categorized into two main categories. The haute couture is designed for individual customers. The other category is the ready-to-wear collection. While the former is based on certain themes and is more for creating a style statement, the latter is meant for the masses.

The mid-90s saw the emergence of a new breed of designers who redefined traditional concepts. They looked at fashion from a new angle, creating their own new concepts.

Thus, the world of fashion design has witnessed a steady evolution over the years and has been the by-product of the sincere efforts of many of the top designers.

History Of Fashion Design

Fashion Design [http://www.e-FashionDesign.com] provides detailed information on Fashion Design, Fashion Design Schools, Fashion Design Programs, Fashion Design Games and more. Fashion Design is affiliated with Fabric Hammocks [http://www.i-Fabrics.com].

Buttons - History and Facts

When did buttons begin to be used? What was used to secure clothing before them? Some history and facts about the button:

• Button-like objects have been found in the Indus Valley of ancient Pakistan and date back to around 2000 B.C.E. These were not used for fasteners, but for ornaments. Before they were used for fastening, pins, leather lacing and belts were used to secure clothing.
• Before buttons could be used as fasteners, the button hole had to be devised. Evidence dates the first button and button hole closure systems to the 13th century in Germany. This may have been a solution to the problem of how to secure clothing that was becoming more and more form-fitting, without having to resort to sharp pins.
• As with most anything that is new, they became a fad. Buttons and button holes covered the clothing of the well to do. The number of them and what they were made out of became a status symbol. It has been rumored that King Louis XIV of France spent over million on them in his lifetime.
• Ever wonder why men's suit coats have non-functioning buttons sewn on the sleeves? Some say they are just for decoration, but there is also the story that King Frederick The Great of Prussia started the practice in the 18th century. The rumor goes that after an inspection of his troops, he ordered that buttons be sewn on the sleeves of their coats to discourage them from wiping their noses on them!
• The Scovill Manufacturing Company in America made a set of gold buttons with the profile of George Washington on them that were presented to Marquis de Lafayette during his U.S. visit in 1824.
• With the increased cost of ivory in the 19^th century, button manufacturers began to make them out of a nut from a specific kind of palm tree in South America. This is called vegetable ivory, or corozo. When the nut is dried, it is a very reasonable facsimile for genuine ivory, and is still used today.
• The first buttons made from celluloid, one of the first types of plastics, were made in the 1860's.
• Before World War One, most button manufacturing was done in Europe, specifically England. After the war, the United States became the center of button making until modern times.

History

Buttons - History and Facts

Buttons - History and Facts

Alan Beggerow is a free lance writer. Visit his writing services website, Ghostwriter, at http://www.ghostwriterboo.blogspot.com

History of Discrimination

Discrimination has a long history throughout the world.  Most societies, especially the larger ones, have practiced some form and some degree of discrimination.  In fact, a notable trend (though by no means necessarily an always true law) is that larger societies have had a larger propensity to discriminate.  Why?  Because of their achievements.  Larger societies, to reach the size that they were, had to accomplish.  They built extensive and complicated networks.  Their engineering was on a scale and level enough to support a large society.  Their art was complex.  They had a formal language and writing system.  All of these things were--and are--marvelous achievements.  But couple with them the fact that for most of human history, people lived only within their societies and had almost no contact with peoples of different societies, and it becomes easy to see why discrimination occurred.  They saw others as foreign and "backward," not having accomplished as much as they did.

From a list of all of the societies that ever existed, it is easy to pick out societies that discriminated.  Spain used to discriminate heavily against the Jews, who were forced either to convert Catholicism or to leave Spain.  The Spanish also created a body--called the Inquisition--to persecute who were not like them.  So, people were persecuted for being Jews.  If someone was thought to be a witch, the she or he was also persecuted.  Likely, homosexuals were also persecuted.

History

In South Africa, Australia, and the Untied States, the black and indigenous populations have faced heavy persecution.  Jim Crow laws in the United States, intentionally imitated by South African and Australia, persecuted blacks.  Segregation was prevalent in all of these three countries.  Blacks were illegally prevented from voting.  Violence against blacks was common.  In the Untied States, the native American population faced heavy discrimination.  Their families were broken up, the children were forced to go schools that would eradicate their culture, and families were forced to abandon their original ways of life and live on reservations.

History of Discrimination

Fortunately, the world as a whole is less tolerant of discrimination today than it was in the past.  Most nations have laws barring most, if not all, forms of discrimination (discrimination based on sexual orientation is an exception, though, and still faces a lot discrimination across the world).

One specific barring of discrimination in the U.S. involves employment practices.  Employers are prevented by the law from discriminating against employees or potential employees (during interviews).  If you feel you have been a victim of any sort of work place discrimination, contact the Orange County Employment Discrimination Lawyers of Perry Smith by visiting their website or by calling 888-356-2529.

History of Discrimination

Joseph Devine

The Sweet History of Muffins

Muffin n. a small, cup-shaped bread, often sweetened and usually served hot.

The derivation of the word muffin comes from the French word moufflet which is often times applied to bread and means soft.

History

The two main types of muffins are English muffins and American style muffins. They vary in style as well as flavor and history.

The Sweet History of Muffins

English muffins are a flat yeast raised muffin with nooks and crannies that are cooked on a hot griddle. English muffin history dates all the way back to the 10th and 11th centuries in Wales. Early English muffins were cooked in muffin rings which were hooplike and placed directly on a stove or the bottom of a skillet.

American style muffins on the other hand are more of a quick bread that is made in individual molds. The molds are necessary due to the mixture being a batter rather than dough. These muffins were originally leavened with potash which produces carbon dioxide gas in the batter. When baking powder was developed around 1857 it put an end to the use of potash as well as to the profitable potash exports to the old country.

Muffin recipes first began to appear in print in the mid 18th century and quickly caught on. By the 19th century muffin men walked the streets of England at tea time to sell there muffins. They wore trays of English muffins on there heads and rang there bells to call customers to there wares.

Three states in the United States of America have adopted official muffins. Minnesota has adopted the blueberry muffin as the official state muffin. Massachusetts in 1986 adopted the Corn Muffin as the official state muffin. Then in 1987 New York took on the Apple Muffin as its official muffin of choice.

So next time you bite into a warm muffin think about its sweet history.

The Sweet History of Muffins

Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet recipes. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful gourmet meals. She is also the publisher of a no cost bi-monthly gourmet newsletter. Her newsletter is always fun and informational packed with tips and trivia you can use everyday. Sign up for her newsletter and learn more about Gourmayeats Weekly Recipe Club at [http://www.gourmayeats.com]

A Brief History Of The Electric Guitar

The Electric guitar hasn't been around nearly as long as the Acoustic and Classical guitars. In fact, the Electric guitar was created just 70 years ago (the 1930s) by Adolph Rickenbacker. Since that time, the Electric guitar has greatly evolved to the where it is today. In this article, we'll go over the history of the Electric guitar.

The History

History

Guitars, or similar instruments, have been around for thousands of years. The Electric guitar was first manufactured in the 1930s by Rickenbacker. Original Electric guitars used tungsten pickups. Pickups basically convert the vibration of the strings into electrical current, which is then fed into the amplifier to produce the sound.

A Brief History Of The Electric Guitar

The very earliest Electric guitars featured smaller soundholes in the body. These guitars are known as semi-hollow body Electric guitars and still are somewhat popular today, mainly due to the fact that they are flexible guitars.

However, with the use of pickups, it was possible to create guitars without soundholes (like the Acoustic and Classical guitars have) that still had the ability to be heard, if plugged into amplifiers. These guitars are called solid body Electric guitars.

The Electric guitar's popularity began to increase during the Big Band era of the '30s and 40s. Due to the loudness of the brass sections in jazz orchestras, it was necessary to have guitars that could be heard above the sections. Electric guitars, with the ability to be plugged into amplifiers, filled this void.

The Electric guitar that is most prevalent today is the solid body Electric guitar. The solid body guitar was created by musician and inventor Les Paul in 1941. It is a guitar made of solid wood with no soundholes. The original solid body guitar created by Paul was very plain--it was a simple rectangular block of wood connected to a neck with six steel strings. Les Paul's original solid body guitar shape has, of course, changed from the original rectangular shape to the more rounded shape Les Paul guitars have today.

During the 1950s, Gibson introduced Les Paul's invention to the world. The Gibson Les Paul, as it was and still is called, quickly became a very popular Electric guitar. It has remained the most popular guitar for 50 years.

Around the same period of time, another inventor named Leo Fender came up with a solid body Electric guitar of his own. In the late 1940s, Fender introduced the Fender Broadcaster Electric guitar. The Broadcaster, which was renamed the Stratocaster, was officially introduced to the public in 1954. The Strat, as it is now known, was a very different guitar in comparison to the Les Paul. It had a different shape, different hardware and was significantly lighter. Fender's Stratocaster Electric guitar is the second most popular guitar in the world, second to only the Les Paul.

Over the years, other companies, such as Ibanez, Jackson, Paul Reed Smith, ESP and Yamaha have all produced solid body Electric guitars of their own. However, most Electric guitars still feature the familiar shape of a Les Paul or Strat guitar.

A Brief History Of The Electric Guitar

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