Culture & Tradition

Kombucha is a type of fermented tea which originated hundreds of years ago but has only recently become a global phenomenon. It is difficult to confirm exactly where kombucha first became popular, and there is much debate surrounding the question. Most people cite China as the probable homeland, possibly around 200 AD, although it’s believed to have gained its name from a Japanese doctor who lived around 400 AD.

Differing from typical Egyptian mummies from around 4000 BC – which would have had their organs stored separately in canopic jars— the mummified remains of a man were discovered in a prehistoric tomb and found with his digestive system intact. Luckily for the researchers, they could even see what his last meal was:  a simple soup of barley, green onions, and tilapia.

Pitcairn Island is a place so remote, and with a history so bizarre, that until recently it was viewed almost as myth rather than reality. But the events that took place on this tiny island in the Pacific Ocean were very real.

Murky, elusive and undefined, the religion of the pre-Christian Vikings has long been subject to debate. Contemporary texts of their spiritual worship do not survive, and the later records that do survive stem from Christian authors. Thus, they are tainted with a Christian worldview and anti-pagan opinions. The magic of the Vikings, however, is somewhat a secondary field of interest.

Doomsday prophecies are as old as recorded time.  For as long as humans have existed, there has been a fear of an apocalypse or ‘end of times’, when the gods wish vengeance upon their people, when humans pay for the sins of their forefathers, and when the demons of the world rise up and devour all that is good.  Prophecies of the end of times stem from the mythologies of civilizations past: the Norse story of Ragnarök, the tale of Noah and the Flood, and the Bib

Australia Day is celebrated on 26th of January because it is the day that Captain Arthur Phillip and the First Fleet, made up of eleven convict ships, landed at Sydney Cove in Australia and raised the British Flag, marking the beginning of British sovereignty over Australia. Phillip took possession of the land in the name of King George III, declaring it terra nullius (uninhabited by humans).

Fresh, dried, pickled, preserved, crystallized, candied, powdered, or ground, ginger is used in many forms. In Ayurvedic traditions, it is used for its taste (rasa), energy (virya), and post-digestive effects (vipāka). But most importantly, its potent medicinal properties have earned it the name vishwabheshaja, “the universal medicine”.

This recipe is taken from ‘Le Ménagier de Paris’ (The Good Wife’s Guide), a guidebook from 1393 discussing the “proper behavior” for a woman in her marriage and while running a household. The text is not only a cookbook; it also includes advice from a fictional elderly husband telling his younger wife how to go about life in the garden, kitchen, and bedroom.

In today’s society, chocolate is commonly available and comes in many forms, including in recipes, bars, blocks, paste, and powder. Many households have chocolate as a dessert staple, and young and old, rich and poor can and do indulge. But several centuries ago, chocolate was for certain people ONLY and was a luxury that came in just one form – as a drink.