Momo are probably of Tibetan origin. The name “momo” is derived from the Tibetan term “mog mog”. Momo are a type of South Asian dumplings that are hugely popular throughout the region. Momo are basically dough wrapped around stuffed vegetables or meat. These can be cooked in various ways- but are most commonly steamed.

It is not clear how momo invaded India, but it probably became popular with the influx of Tibetans in India. On the other hand, momo are extremely popular in Nepal, and a theory also says that it was the Newar merchants of Kathmandu who brought the recipe from Tibet during their trades. From there, momo spread far and wide.

Originally, momo were made only from meat- more specifically- yak meat, as vegetables were scarce in the cold and rocky Himalayan regions of Tibet. But when the dish gained popularity in India, vegetable momo came into being to suit the taste of vegetarian Hindus of North India. Still, momo remain a mostly meat dish- though instead of yak meat, chicken is used as it is cheap and cooks easily.

Momo are very popular in Eastern India. West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam all have their own local varieties. They are not only common street food but are often made at home. Ladakh and Dharamshala, which are home to a substantial number of people of Tibetan origin, are also well known for their variety of momo.

Momo are considered a traditional delicacy in Bhutan, Nepal, Sikkim, Assam and north Bengal. Recipes are often passed down via generations. They are often served with a hot and red chilly sauce and accompanied with clear meat soup.

Thanks to India’s love for food- and knack for adapting tasty stuff into local cuisine, you can also get seafood momo in most restaurants. These are mostly stuffed with shrimps. Similarly, you can also get paneer momo that appeals to vegetarians.

It is common knowledge that the best momo are those that are available on the street corners and small shops. While almost every Indian restaurant serves momo, you bet you can find the same – or better- taste for a smaller price at a nearby momo stall.

Momo are mostly steamed. The traditional momo steamer is called a mucktoo. It is a metal utensil with holes at the base. In many places, bamboo steamers are also used.

The biggest donut chain restaurants in the world, based on the number of locations and global presence, include:

1. Dunkin’ (formerly Dunkin’ Donuts): With thousands of locations worldwide, Dunkin’ is one of the largest coffee and baked goods chains, famous for its donuts.
2. Krispy Kreme: Known for its iconic glazed donuts, Krispy Kreme has a significant international presence and a loyal following.
3. Tim Hortons: While primarily known for its coffee, Tim Hortons is a major player in the donut market, especially in Canada and other countries where it has expanded.
4. J.CO Donuts & Coffee: An Indonesian chain that has expanded to multiple countries, J.CO is known for its unique flavors and coffee offerings.
5. Mister Donut: Popular in Japan and other parts of Asia, Mister Donut offers a variety of donut flavors and other pastries.

These chains have expanded significantly beyond their countries of origin, establishing a strong international footprint.

Ice cream was invented in China

Many of us might assume that ice cream originated in Italy, due to the reputable richness of proper Italian gelato. In fact, ice cream made specifically with milk, the concept that we know of today, was a Chinese concoction from around 200 CE. It was brought to Europe (via Italy) over 1,000 years later by explorer Marco Polo.

July is National Ice Cream Month

In 1984, in recognition of the American people’s penchant for the dessert, US president Ronald Reagan declared July National Ice Cream Month, with National Ice Cream Day to be celebrated on the third Sunday. Interestingly, Sunday is also the day of the week on which people consume the most ice cream, which by some extension, is believed to be the etymology of the word ‘sundae’.

Iran makes noodle ice cream

Faloodeh is a unique Iranian dessert with its origins way back in the Persian Empire, consisting of starch vermicelli noodles semi-frozen in a mixture of rose water and syrup. It sounds pretty Middle Eastern — the flavor combination not being too far off that of baklava and Turkish delight — and to top it off, this sorbet-like treat is garnished with lime juice, saffron, or naturally, chopped nuts.

It takes a weighty 12 pounds of milk to make one gallon of ice cream

(Or, if you’re imperial-illiterate, 5.4 kilograms to make 4.5 liters.) Not a particularly worldly fact, but just for fun, consider this… A single cow can produce 64 pounds of milk in one day. This means that, if you had just one cow, you could open up a small ice cream shop and sell up to 5.3 gallons of goodness each day.

A Norwegian company made the biggest ice cream cone ever

They love their ice cream in Norway, and in 2015, ice cream company Hennig-Olsen set a new record for the biggest ice cream cone. The 110-kilogram cone topped with 1,080 liters of ice cream was three meters and eight centimeters in height, and could have provided 10,800 two-scoop servings. What flavor was it? Vanilla with strawberry and chocolate toppings, which seems — let’s be honest — inconsistently ordinary.

Vanilla ice cream is, statistically, the most Instagrammable

It’s unsurprising that classic vanilla is the most popular ice cream flavor around the world, and it probably will be forever. But last year, some indulgent research found that despite its plain appearance, it even goes so far as being the most Instagrammed flavor. Hashtags containing the words ‘vanilla ice cream’ totaled 439,108 at the time of the research. Bright green matcha (that’s more like it) came in second with 315,714 hashtags, only just overtaking chocolate with 301,979.

You’ll find some of the weirdest ice cream flavors in Japan

While vanilla is universally inoffensive, the Namjatown indoor amusement park in Tokyo features a joint called Ice Cream City, where you can sample some bizarre and some downright stomach-churning flavors of ice cream. Don’t be fooled by the adorable presentation — wrap your taste buds around basil, eggplant, oyster, eel, beef tongue, or even “coal” and “Indian curry” ice cream. In all fairness, this is exactly the kind of thing you’d expect in Japan, the place of the possible.

A follow up to my previous post where I blogged about the different ways to best enjoy eggs. Here I am writing about sunny side up eggs. Or Bullseye as I grew up calling them. Sunny side up eggs have to be one of the simplest foods to cook. In most of India’s English-speaking middle classes and mid-level restaurants, “single-fried” refers to sunny side up (also known as a “bullseye”). I think I prefer calling it bullseye to sunny-side up.

Although eggs are my favourite breakfast to have, I rarely do make them bullseye style. For many years it as either scrambled or mostly omelet style that I have for breakfast. At work for lunch sometimes I get bread and omelet or scrambled with some noodles/pasta. And for the most part of the last 2 years I have mostly had egg whites in omelet, whether at home or at work. It’s difficult to do egg whites as scrambled, or so I think, but yes in omelet style it’s perfectly fine.

But this morning, a nice cold and crispy morning, I woke up at 6am and by 8 am I was really hungry. I made some coffee and then thought about ordering in some breaky but then decided to make myself some bullseye and mopped it up with some toasted bread. Nice breakfast to hold me till lunch time.

Eggs are an incredibly nutritious food and probably the world’s favourite breakfast item. They contain relatively few calories, but they’re packed with proteins, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats & various trace nutrients. That said, the way you prepare your eggs can affect their nutrient profile. This article explores the healthiest ways to cook and eat eggs.

Boiled

Hard-boiled eggs are cooked in their shells in a pot of boiling water for 6–10 minutes, depending on how well cooked you want the yolk to be. The longer you cook them, the firmer the yolk will become.

Poached

Poached eggs are cooked in slightly cooler water. They’re cracked into a pot of simmering water between 160–180°F (71–82°C) and cooked for 2.5–3 minutes.

Fried

Fried eggs are cracked into a hot pan that contains a thin layer of cooking fat. You can then cook them “sunny side up,” which means the egg is fried on one side, or “over easy,” which means the egg is fried on both sides.

Baked

Baked eggs are cooked in a hot oven in a flat-bottomed dish until the egg is set.

Scrambled

Scrambled eggs are beaten in a bowl, poured into a hot pan, and stirred over low heat until they set.

Omelet

To make an omelet, eggs are beaten, poured into a hot pan, and cooked slowly over low heat until they’re solid. Unlike scrambled eggs, an omelet isn’t stirred once it’s in the pan.

Biting into a candy bar can be a transportive experience — a strong hit of nostalgia right back to childhood. For many Canadians, that cherished throwback is the Coffee Crisp. Reminiscent of a Kit Kat — in fact, they’re produced by the same brand outside the United States — this tasty chocolate bar is an easy-going delight.

It consists of two vanilla wafers, sandwiching an approachable coffee-flavored cream, all covered in a delectable chocolate exterior. A few variations of the sweet exist, including in ice cream and nibble form, but the classic yellow packaging is the most iconic. A staple of Northern Halloweens and convenience store snacks.

So with over 150 million bars in annual production, why aren’t Coffee Crisps more noted abroad? It’s all due to the bar’s regional production and distribution. To this day, all exemplars are made in a single Toronto factory. So, in turn, it’s a candy interlinked only to the Great White North.

Although so beloved in Canada, the chocolate candy bar was actually invented in the United Kingdom in the 1930s. Originally called Rowntree’s Wafer Crisp, the confection went through a few iterations before hitting the Canadian market. Coffee was added as a component in 1938, and the bar started production in Toronto after a year. A decade later, Coffee Crisps had already established itself as a Canadian hit.

Originator Rowntree also created a similar sweet, more recognizable stateside — the Kit Kat. Today, both of their international productions are overseen by heavyweight Nestle. And despite consumer outcries, the Coffee Crisp never achieved accessibility in the U.S. It had a limited run from 2006 to 2009, with only a few outlets selling the delectable creation. As a result, its associations with Canada only strengthened — it’s the only marketplace the bar can be conveniently purchased. Factor in a memorable Canadian marketing campaign, and it’s not hard to understand the bar’s iconic nature.

The Coffee Crisp contains three prominent components — foam coffee flavoring, vanilla wafers, and a chocolate exterior. The coffee extract utilized does contain essence from a real cup of joe, so the bar does contain caffeine. However, it’s a small amount, approximately ten milligrams, which is nearly one-tenth the amount in an 8-ounce coffee.

Of course, the easiest place to obtain a Coffee Crisp is in Canada. It won’t take much searching — simply venture to a grocery or convenience store. If living near the border with the US, Canadian stores will even offer an extra supply for a hit of nostalgia. While Nestle allows for distribution stateside, it’s not promoted, meaning stock is low. Purchasing online is the easiest method, orders can be placed via Nestle’s website. Alternatively, head to a Canadian-spun grocer or a boutique candy marketplace.