COUGAR PRIDE AVL
  • Featured @ AMS
  • Cougar Community
  • City of Asheville
  • State & National
  • Around the World
  • Culture
  • Interest & Opinion
  • Cougar News
  • Featured @ AMS
  • Cougar Community
  • City of Asheville
  • State & National
  • Around the World
  • Culture
  • Interest & Opinion
  • Cougar News
Search

Why Food Art Is Egg-cellent

2/28/2019

 
Picture
Growing up, a classic dinner-table manor has been, “don’t play with your food.” But recently, that has become a new trend. Food art amazes viewers from small children to elderly citizens. According to smithsonianmagazine, food art was first demonstrated by chefs when they wanted to make food dishes look presentable. It then evolved to making everyday images in food. There are many types of food art from carving intricate designs into avocados to making Marilyn Monroe’s face with spaghetti and meatballs.

A favorite of everyone’s is avocado art. People make designs you would see on an old Italian cathedral. Other famous pictures make roses out of avocado slices. Many people wonder how this is done because after a while, the avocados turn brown. Many say, avocado art is the most iconic type of food art. It is certainly very creative.

Some people do food art for fun and some others like to compete. According to vegetablefruitcraving, many competitions are more around craving than anything else. This includes pumpkins, watermelons, squash. A famous food art competition is the Ohio State Fair Fruit Carving Competition. In Asheville, we have our own food art competition known as Grove Park Inn Gingerbread Competition.

If you can’t end up showing off your work by competing than you instagram is a great place to show off your creativity. According to, instagram The hashtag, “food art” 6,100,000 posts featured and many users are always coming up with new creative ways to make food look more than just presentable. One of my favorites is making pacman characters out eggs.

Whether your just bored in your kitchen or your ready for some competition, food art is way to go. I personally think food art is a killer way to pass time and I think everyone should try scrolling your feed to try it too. :)

Story by Liv Suydam

Avocado picture site: picture site 1

Top 10 Weirdest foods

2/26/2019

 
Picture

  1. Cherimoya:  Outer coated with a scaly skin that you cannot eat but once it's ripe it turns into a brown shade. Inside of the skin is a creamy custard that gives it its name ¨the custard apple¨.  This fruit is between a banana and pineapple. It holds more fiber than an apple and has 60 percent of your daily recommended vitamin C intake.
  2. Huitlacoche: Corn smut is a fungus that turns into normal corn kernels turn into tumour-like growths covered in black spores. To Mexicans, this is a flavored specialty. They call it huitlacoche and says it tastes like a mix of woody and earthy flavor.
  3. Buddha's hand: Finger-like fruit with a lemony taste. That packs even more flavor than traditional citrus. Plus, it's loaded with Vitamin C. With only one tablespoon it provides 13 percent of your daily Vitamin C intake.
  4. Jackfruit-The largest fruit that can grow on a tree, that can grow up to 80 pounds. This fruit is somewhat starchy but you can make delicious chips out of this. Also a good source of Vitamin C and Manganese, which is a mineral found in the bones that are needed for brain and nerve functions.
  5. Crispy tarantulas-Eaten by Cambodians as a specialty snack. Became popular and now served as a fried snack throughout the country. Apparently, they taste kinda like a crab. Even though this doesn't sound appealing to most especially since arachnophobia (the phobia of spiders) is the top phobia this isn't that uncommon to eat spiders, with tarantulas being the top spider to eat.
  6. White ant eggs soup-Gaeng Kai Mot Daeng combines a mixture of ant eggs and partial Embryos from the white ant, with baby ants to add sourness. Some people who have tried this soup say that when you bite into the eggs they pop in your mouth and release a sourness flavor in the pop. Escomoles (ant eggs) is a traditional Mexican snack.
  7. Airag-Glass of fermented horse milk. In Mongolia they make a kind of beer called Airag by taking a mares milk and letting it ferment into a frizzy, sour and slightly alcoholic liquid. Traditionally served cold in a bowl-shaped cup.
  8. Mangosteen-With the tough outer shell that makes this fruit extra fresh. Inside of this hard shell is a sweet, tangy, citrusy and peachy taste of the fruit. This helps with your fiber, vitamin C, folate, and B vitamin intake. Even though this is a great and very beneficial health fruit,  it can hold a big price tag. You can also get these canned but they are stored in the can with syrup to make it not so healthy.
  9. Muktuk-A traditional Inuit meal of frozen whale skin and blubber. It is served normally raw or pickled. It has several layers in the skin which apparently tastes like hazelnuts and the fatness of the meat is very chewy and rough guides says you shouldn't eat it with dentures.
  10. Hakarl-¨The single worst, most disgusting, and terrible tasting food ever¨ Anthony Bourdain says. This horrible food starts by beheading and gutting a dead shark. Then the body of the shark gets dropped into a shallow hole in the sand after they add stones, sand, dirt, and gravel they do this so that the weight presses out all of the liquids out of the body. They leave it there for 6-12 weeks. All of the ammonia and uric acid make it toxic. also found in cleaning supplies, and of course, human waste. In short, the meat ferments in what is essentially bleach urine.

    Story by Olivia Crosson
Sources:
https://www.roughguides.com/gallery/weird-food/
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/strange-looking-healthy-foods-superfoods-weird_n_3423388
https://www.bookmundi.com/t/20-weirdest-foods-around-the-world
​

Donuts Life Story

2/26/2019

 
Picture
Almost everyone enjoys donuts. The U.S. bought half a million dollars worth of donuts in 2014 alone. What is this treats history, and what is the secret to making it?

No one is sure when donuts were invented but it may have been by Dutch settlers in the 1800s. The first donut recipe was found in 1800 calling them dow nuts. Dow nuts are their second name because they were originally called Olykoeks, oily cakes. Donut phrase was first used in 1800 and donut and was written in a news article of 1809. Donuts didn't always have a hole in them in 1847 Hanson Gregory poked a hole in them. Donuts were not brought up in history again until they became popular in world war one. In 1920 Adam Levit invented the automatic donut machine, which made 87 donuts per hour. Donuts where pronounced the food hit of the century at the Chicago world fair in 1934. If you would like to learn how to make this treat, read below!

How to make baked donuts
Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons of oil
  • ¾ cup of milk
  • ½ cup of granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon of salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
 
  1. Preheat oven for 350 degrees
  2. Add flour, salt, and baking powder into a mixing bowl and whisk together, set aside
  3. Whisk in the egg into sugar
  4. While whisking add in vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and milk
  5. Add the two mixtures together
  6. Spoon into donut pan until each spot is ⅔ full
  7. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown
  8. Enjoy oven baked donuts

How to make fried donuts
Ingredients
  • Pre-made dough
  • Donut whole cutter
  • Small rolling pin
 
  1. Open up the dough and stick two things together, make sure they aren't too flat, just press the edges together
  2. Roll out the donuts until they are about half a centimeter thick
  3. Poke a hole in the donuts
  4. Heat up oil in a pan
  5. Put donut into the hot oil for about 45-60 seconds
  6. Flip it over and fry for 45-60 seconds
  7. Take out the donut and place it on a paper towel to remove excess oil

How to make donut glaze
Ingredients
  • ½ cup of melted butter
  • ¼ cup of milk
  • 2 ½ cups of confection sugar (icing sugar)
  • 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon of light corn syrup
 
  1. Add all of the ingredients into a bowl while mixing
  2. If your glaze is to thick add more milk if it is to thin, add more icing sugar.
  3. Dip your donuts into your glaze by holding the bottom and sticking the top in.

Donuts are one of America's favorite treats. There are many ways to make them and they have an interesting history. I know what I will be doing on the first Friday of June, national donut day!

Story by Anabel Kehoe

Sources: 
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-history-of-the-doughnut-150405177/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeiNNZ8tfT8&t=292s&pbjreload=10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y3gtcf_yH0
https://www.cnbc.com/2015/06/03/dollars-to-doughnuts-us-eats-half-a-billion-worth.html

Things to Expect from 2019

2/25/2019

 
Picture
Let's be honest 2018 was a pretty good year, but I’m pretty sure 2019 will top it off.
There is going to be a lot of history, fun and so much more.  

  1. Solar Eclipse - If you remember the solar eclipse in 2017, there was only one. July 2, South American and South Asia will have their fare-share of it. Not just one eclipse and not just two, there is planned to be about five solar eclipses happening across Argentina and Chile, the South Pacific can also expect the lights out those days. Then in December, the Arabian Peninsula will also be expecting a Solar Eclipse.
  2. Historic Milestones - June 6, 1994. That was the day the allied forces had invaded the Northern part of France, landing on the beaches. That was the biggest terrestrial invasion during WWII.
  3. Anniversary of Apollo 11 - 1969 to 2019, 50 years ago that two men Commander Neil Armstrong and Pilot Buzz Aldrin. They have movies, documentaries and most important of it, they have people who look up to them as role models. They are people who are very important to us, that made the impossible - possible;
  4. Game of Thrones - Good binge watching show, most watched TV show, whats not to love about this 7 series show, except for the fact it is going off-air. The last season of GoT will come out soon after the premiere in April If you like Fantasy and Serial type shows, you might be into: Once Upon A Time,  Angel from Hell,  Merlin, Hatim, Heroes,

​Story by Sydney Edwards

National Dog Day

2/22/2019

 
Picture
August 26 is National Dog Day! National dog day was founded in 2004, by Pet & Family Lifestyle Expert and Animal Advocate, Colleen Paige. Colleen Paige is the founder of many other National pet days such as: National Puppy Day, National Mutt Day, National Cat day, etc. August 26 was picked to be National Dog day because Colleen’s family had adopted her first dog Sheltie on August 26, when she was 10 years old. All dogs, mixed and pure breeds are celebrated on this day. One main reason for National dog day is to help the public recognize how many dogs that need a home.

Don’t get me wrong, National Dog day is to celebrate the amazing animals we have been blessed with, but it is another way to help Dogs get adopted and given the attention they need. Many dogs have put their lives on the line every day to protect and keep their families, humans, owners, etc. safe. We celebrate NDD, to recognize the importance of dogs and to honor how they impact our lives and theirs on a daily basis. Another reason we celebrate is to pull more  attention towards the amount of abused and abandoned dogs, says Why We Celebrate NDD!

The National Dog Foundation’s motto for NDD is “ Saving 10,000 Dogs- One at a time.” says:NDD! George W. Bush owns a dog as well, and sent a letter to the foundation to show his support towards National Dog day.

You can celebrate National  Dog day by adopting a dog, giving a family dog, neighbor’s dog, or any dog T.L.C. Having a safety check around your home, to make sure it is a safe environment for your 4 legged family members. By donating blankets, food, toys, water, bowls, etc. to a local animal shelter you have helped many dogs lives and or families who need help caring for their dog(s). Having a party to celebrate National Dog day and honoring the amazing animals that have made life even more amazing. Taking a photoshoot with your dog(s) is another good way to show your dog how much you love and care for them. Assisting an elderly, handicap, or injured family with their dog(s) is an amazing way to celebrate National Dog day. To find more ways to celebrate National Dog day check out this site: How To Celebrate NDD!

The definition of National Dog day is “The sultry part of the summer, supposed to occur during the period that Sirius, the Dog Star, rises at the same as the sun: now often reckoned from July 3 to August 11.” or “A period marked by lethargy, inactivity, or indolence.” cited from :Dog Day Definition

If you would like to learn more about National Dog Day visit: National Dog Day!

​Story by Amelia O'Halloran 

Maternal And parental leave in U.S. Vs. Europe

2/4/2019

 
Picture
Parents need to have paid leave so that they can spend time and connect with their children and get paid. But if you live in America, you most likely won't be able to take time off to take care of your child.

NPR and New York Times  talk about how out of 193 countries, only a small handful do not have a national paid parental leave law: New Guinea, Suriname, a few South Pacific island nations and the United States. In other words, America is the only developed country In the world that doesn't have paid leave.

This means a lot of men & women have to go back to work much sooner than they expected after the birth of a baby than they would prefer since they can't afford much unpaid time off.  If you live in Europe this is probably not as much of a problem if not a problem at all. E.U. employers must offer at least 4 months (16 weeks) of parental leave during the first 8 years of a child's life.

Unfair For Men
The ACLU filed charges with the EEOC against J.P. Morgan Chase for discrimination because it wouldn’t consider Derek Rotondo, to be his newborn child’s primary caregiver.

According to the complaint, the bank told him he could get only two weeks of leave, not the 16 weeks it usually provides to mothers. To qualify, he would have had to show that the mother had returned to work or was medically incapable to care for the baby. But his wife was in good health and couldn’t return to work because she was a teacher on summer break. The bank declined to comment on the complaint.

Story by Sophia Planicka ​

​SOURCE FOR PICTURE:  CNN

Beauty Standards for Young Girls

2/1/2019

 
Picture
Growing up at a time where social media and advertising is influenced heavily it is easy to compare yourself to the pictures portrayed as the “perfect body”. Often ads use models that are skinny, tall, and beautiful to make you want the product even more. When girls compare themselves to advertisements and magazines they will most likely start a “diet”  diets that are too harsh can lead to anorexia. According to Dictionary.com  anorexia is the loss of appetite and inability to eat.  HUFFPOST states that 1.3 million adolescent girls have anorexia, and that If negative body image alone caused eating disorders then every woman on the planet would develop them. Anorexia is one of the bigger causes of suicide as well. So this means that these standards can actually cause depression and disorders.

The models
According to
PBS  83 percent of advertisements that featured women portrayed them as sexual objects. This is a major problem as well. Treating women like objects is not uncommon in today’s society. Models are as young as young as 10 YEARS OLD in some fashion magazines and are posing likes grown models wearing loads of makeup. This leads me to the next subjects; artificial beauty in ways like plastic surgery and makeup. 89.2 percent of models get some type of plastic surgery either on their face or body to make themselves look better. Inclusivity and using models that are different ethnicities and different body shapes.


Some brands are trying to make a change and start incorporating inclusivity into their brand.  By using plus-sized models with all skin tones and body shapes. Brands like Arie, Nyx, Old Navy are making a change by influencing other brands to use different sized models to end up influencing young girls to be happy with their bodies.  Doing things like this is also proving wrong that you cannot be beautiful without being skinny.  In conclusion, beauty standards can do many things for young girls and women.

​Story by VZ Menzies

    Picture

    Archives

    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017

© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Featured @ AMS
  • Cougar Community
  • City of Asheville
  • State & National
  • Around the World
  • Culture
  • Interest & Opinion
  • Cougar News