Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?

Well that really depends on whether you are a chef or a botanist. As defined by science, a fruit is classified as the ovary and seeds of a flowering plant. The tomato with its seedy interior and juicy red fruit that develops from a flowering plant fits this description.

However, the tomato is not like other fruits because it isn't sweet, nor is it typically served for dessert (unless you are on Iron Chef) so the culinary community classifies the tomato as a vegetable.


Where do I stand on the issue? While I am not a professional chef, I know my way around a kitchen, and my kitchen has never produced a dish where the tomato was used as a fruit. On the other hand, while I am no botanist (though I do appreciate good greenery haha) the tomato does fit quite snugly into the fruit category. Final answer? I'll side with science. It's a fruit.

Now that we have figured out what a tomato is, lets learn how to make one grow. I was purchasing salad items today (note, the tomatoes at Shop Rite have their OWN kiosk/section placed conveniently in between the fruit and vegetables) and thought, wouldn't it be nice if I could grow my own tomatoes? So after the store I drove down to Metropolitan plant where a very nice man helped me pick some basil and tomato plants. Then, he potted them for me. And carried the pot to my car (if only he had paid too).

The end result...

My balcony tomato/basil garden.

I asked a friend of mine who happens to be a plant farmer what I need to do to keep a plant alive...

Encyclopedia Branigan: I'm buying plants. Any suggestions on how to not kill them?
Farmer Friend: Hmm water and sun help out. What kind of plants?
Encyclopedia Branigan: Tomato and basil
Farmer Friend: Ohh nice. Tomato will need fertilizer.
Encyclopedia Branigan: What. Why?
Farmer Friend: Because they get hungry.
Encyclopedia Branigan: Ok what do I feed them?
Farmer Friend: Tomato food, what else?
Encyclopedia Branigan: Ketchup?
Farmer Friend: That's like feeding your dog ground dog meat dude.

So what should you do to help tomatoes grow into delicious caprice salad? Here are some tips...

1. Don't crowd them - as you can see there is only one tomato in that GIANT pot. The basil's roots won't grow as deep
2. Go deep - tomato plants can grow roots out of their stems, so plant them far down into the soil
3. Give them lots of sun (something mine will not get as the balcony is covered)
4. Water them a lot (another problem mine might have. I remember to water the dog, that's enough) if they are too dry the fruit can crack and become yucky.
5. Be a stalker - tomatoes are vines, and need something to keep them upright as they grow. A nice stick and some twine should do the trick. Garden stores also sell wire cones if you feel like being fancy.

That's it. Cross your fingers, it will take more than silver bells and cockle shells to make my garden grow.

How to build a snow sculpture

The Northeast was hit with a lot of snow last week. For some people, that means shoveling, digging out cars and walking to CVS during a blizzard because your dog ate her tail (sigh). For others, mainly children and unemployed adults, snow provides an opportunity to go skiing, snowboarding or just to play outside.

This particular snow accumulation is wet, perfect for packing and sculpting. So take a break from deicing the driveway and use the piles of white stuff as an opportunity to exercise your creativity.

Here's how to do it...

Step 1: Dress warmly. Gloves would be a good idea as you will be handling snow.

Step 2: Go outside (if not already there).

Step 3: Locate a GIANT pile of snow that has been firmly packed - think plow piles.

Step 4: If GIANT pile cannot be found, fill a trashcan with snow, pack firmly and turn over onto the ground. The bigger the better. Your sculpture will only be as big as your base.

Step 5: Decide what you want to make and add additional piles accordingly (for example, if you were making a giant snow turtle, you would need one big lump for the shell and little lumps for the appendages.

Step 6: Start sculpting from the top down. Use garden tools for large areas, and spoons and spatulas to create details.

Step 7: If you are really creative, use water dyed with food coloring to add color to your sculpture.

Step 8: Once complete take a photo of your sculpture and send to EVERYONE and post on every social media community you belong to, even if it looks terrible

Step 9: Hope no one comes along and destroys your masterpiece i.e. high school students or the sun
Step 10: Repeat steps 1 - 9 over and over

Step 11: Compete in the U.S. National Snow Sculpting Competition

Step 12: Win competition, thank Encyclopedia Branigan for the instructions.

I was walking my dog tonight and came across a GIANT Tiger and Dragon...made of snow. This guy was carving them (on Valley Rd. in Montclair, right after Claremont) to promote his Web site Bubbalon.com. I was able to snap a few pitcures...check them out...

The Tiger was dyed orange, and had actual lights for eyes.

LOOK at its teeth! It even has wings...and he wasn't done yet.

If you live in the area, I would recommend checking them out before they melt away, which according to Phil will be in about 6 weeks.

Happy sculpting!

The English serve their omelets with an extra dash of T and E

The English serve their omelets with an extra dash of T and E - the letter T and E that is. Just this morning, my co-worker called me and said "Lila, don't think I'm stupid, but how do you spell 'omelette?' I am looking at this menu, and I think it is spelled wrong." Which started a cube-wide debate on the proper spelling of the word (as publicists, sometimes it is imperative that we answer random questions before we can go on with our day, such as Can you eat only pizza for seven days?...What was the best line on last night's Jersey Shore?...Where's Johnny?... Is it a man or a woman?... or How many coats a person wear at once?).

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, "beaten eggs cooked without stirring until set and served folded in half" are defined as an O-M-E-L-E-T. WHAT? Nooo, that looks wrong. Omelette is spelled with two Ts and an E, right?

Wrong. If you enter O-M-E-L-E-T-T-E into the good ol' Merriam-Webster, it automatically redirects you to omelet. Need more proof? When typed into a BlackBerry, spell check calls out omelette as incorrect. Even spell checking this post, every omelette is highlighted as misspelled.

Ok, so where did we go wrong? The word omelet comes from the latin word lamina which means "a thin plate," which the fancy Romans decided to beef up into lamella, which means "a small thin metal plate." Then, the French decided it needed to be fancier, and created la lemelle, which translates into "the blade of a sword or knife." Somehow, a word referring to a knife transformed within the French language to l'alemelle, then alumelle and then alemette, which means "beaten eggs fried until set without stirring." Sometime around the 17th century the British borrowed the term, translating it as omelette. This was well before the American trend to make everything GIANT and flashy and flossy. So when they got hold of omelette, they downsized, dropped the T and E and turned it into omelet.

If you didn't know this, don't feel bad, you're not the only one...

No worries IHOP, I still love you...

Turns out there are a variety of everyday words in the English language where the British, Canadian and American spelling differ. Linguistic Issues specialist Karen Bond has created a handy-dandy chart of them, just in case you ever need to go on a spelling bee road tour of the US, GB and Canada. Everyone knows color/colour and favor/favour, or that we canceled out the second L in cancelled, but did you know that in Britain, tire is spelled tyre? Or that they put a Y in pyjamas?

Now you know.

New Year's resolutions are for farmers

New Year's resolutions are for farmers - a little over 4,000 years ago, ancient Babylonians made the first New Year's resolutions when they pledged to return borrowed farming equipment in time for the new year. Back then, the start of the new year coincided with the start of the agricultural season on March 23.

Early Romans adopted this start time as well, making the start of their year March 1. Then along came Julius Caesar, who changed the first day of the year to January 1 in honor of the god Janus, thus creating our modern New Year's day. The Roman god Janus had two faces, so he was able to look back (on the old year) while looking forward (on the new year).



So now, in 2009, it is once again time to make New Year's resolutions. More than a new year, we are also on the brink of a new decade (hence in influx of 'best of the 2000's list - click here, and here, here, here and here for some of my favs), so its a good time to think about what you might like to resolve to do in the next 10 years. Unfortunately, according to some individuals (who decided to leave me a voicemail message sharing their perspective, no lie) the world is going to end in 2012, so if you have a resolution for the new decade, you better get on that.

Here are my possible resolutions for 2010...

1. Take better care of myself i.e. sleep more, worry less, buy good foods, refrain from mixing beer and liquor, work it out
2. Keep a neater apartment (no, its not a huge mess, but the dishes to have a tendency to pile up when I'm busy)
3. Help my dog get unfat - she's getting a little Spunkyish

When it comes to New Years resolutions, try to choose things you will actually be able to accomplish. To quote What About Bob?, take baby steps. The majority of people forget their resolutions by the beginning of February. Lets take my resolutions and break each one down into a smaller obtainable goal:

1. Stop eating truffles
2. Buy paper plates
3. Switch to diet dog food

See! Three very easy-to-accomplish resolutions! Now you try. First, list the stereotypical "lose weight" and "be a better person" resolutions. Then, take a closer look and find one aspect of reaching that goal and resolve to do that one thing. Next, enjoy success! Need some extra help achiving your goals? Check out the Count on Yourself program by Risa Olinsky.

HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

People who play dreidel like winning free stuff

People who play dreidel like winning free stuff. What is dreidel you ask? It is a game played by children (or gambling adict adults) during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (the festival of lights). The dreidel is significant because the Hebrew letters written on each side are an acronym for the miracle of Hanukkah, "A Great Miracle Happened There" or if you are playing in Israel, "A Great Miracle Happened Here."



The game consists of a special four-sided top called a dreidel and gold foil covered coins called gelt (can be substituted for other counters such as coins, peanuts or Benjamin's if that's how you roll). The object of the game is to win all the tokens. Here is how you play:

1. Split the gelt evenly among all players

2. Everyone puts one in the middle

3. Player 1 spins the dreidel

4. If the dreidel lands on:
NUN - do nothing
GIMMEL - take everything in the pot
HEY - take half the pot
SHIN/PEH - add to the pot

5. Spin and repeat 2-5 until one player has everything

Still don't get it? Check out this video tutorial:

How To Play Dreidel
by Howcast

Since it is December, and has snowed, I believe it is time for a holiday contest. As I celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas, I felt it was best to incorporate both into my contest. Here is how it works. Below there is a picture of my Hanukkah setup. All you have to do is guess how many coins are in my Hanukkah cup (yes, there are coins that are NOT visible).



Guess correctly and you win....

A CHRISTMAS SUPER AWESOME FUN PACK! Inside you will find everything you need to have a Holly Jolly Christmas this year including...

* Giant Ho! Ho! Ho! pen
* "You've Been Naughty" coal
* "I Heart Santa" socks
* Reindeer Antlers
* A horrific pet costume
And more!

You will also win the Hanukkah gelt and a dreidel of your own (if I can find one, apparently no one is capitalizing on Hanukkah this year, because I went to TWO stores and there was NO Hanukkah merchandise). Runner ups will also receive goodies for their participation.



To enter, post your guess in the comments section below with your name and e-mail address by 11:59 PM on Friday, December 11 - the first night of Hanukkah! The winner will be announced on Saturday. One guess per person. Please no duplicate guesses.

Good luck!!!

Utah had the highest rate of volunteerism in 2008

Utah had the highest rate of volunteeriam in 2008, with more than 43% of the state participating in some kind of giving back activity. Disappointingly, the Garden State was ranked #46 out of the the WHOLE country, with only 21.1% participation.

Come on Jersey! Well...at least we beat New York, who came in LAST with only 18.7% of people volunteering. As a matter of fact, none of the Tri-states made it into the top 10. Lets change that. "But How," you ask?

One day at a time - one Disney day.


The Mouse has teamed up with HandsOn Network - the largest volunteer network in the country - to encourage volunteerism in 2010 with the "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" program. While volunteering is rewarding on its own, Disney Parks has sweetened the deal and is giving away 1 MILLION park tickets to people who give back next year. Just go to www.disneyparks.com to find out more.



You heard the man!

There are more than 250 HandsOn Network affiliates around the country, all with great opportunities to get involved, give back to your community and make this world a better place.

Tri-State area, I officially challenge you to become one of the top 10 volunteering states in 2010. Ready, set, GO!

There are more than 200 places to eat in Walt Disney World

There are more than 200 places to eat in Walt Disney World ranging from Asian-fusion to African to American cuisines. There are also over 150 attractions. With so much to do, and eat, how does one choose what to fit into a four day vacation?



I am currently planning a December Disney weekend getaway for me, my mom and my sister. While guidebooks and Web sites are a help, as an influencer I like to get my advice in first person, and what better place to get park-savvy perspective than from the Walt Disney World Moms Panel. The panel provides thousands of answers to Walt Disney World questions - a great resource for anyone planning a trip to see the Mouse. There are also helpful videos including one on how to enjoy the park as an adult (like enjoying a touch of the bubbly in France).



Do you have some advice for planning the perfect Walt Disney World vacation? Have you been there more times than you have fingers? Guess what! Walt Disney World is now looking for 10 new moms/dads/grandparents to join the panel - to find out more visit www.disneyworldmoms.com/2010.

Olive oil can be used for baking

Olive oil can be used for baking instead of butter or shortening. Olive oil is free of cholesterol, and is significantly lower in fat making your favorite baked goods a little bit healthier without losing any delicious taste.

When swapping your butter or shortening for olive oil amounts must be changed - check out the handy conversion chart below:




I know what your thinking...and no, it will not make your crownies taste like olives as long as you use extra light olive oil.

I sampled a brownie made with olive oil from the Bertolli booth at the Feast of San Gennaro in New York City, and it tasted nothing like olives and everything like a delicious chocolaty brownie.



The Feast of San Gennaro is the longest running and largest religious festival in the United States. This year it will take place from September 10 through September 20. I would definitely recommend taking a trip to Little Italy and checking it out.

A cold or the flu is contagious a day or so before symptoms occur

A cold or the flu is contagious a day or so before symptoms occur, however, contagiousness reaches its peak about three days after contracting the virus. Let me take this opportunity to apologize in advance if anyone I have seen Thursday through today gets sick - I'll bring you some sympathy soup.

So, how does one know if they have a cold or the flu?

Being the responsible adult that I am, I took a trip to the local Minute Clinic to find out, and to make sure I didn't have the, dare I say it... dun dun dahhhh... swine flu.

Upon my arrival to the clinic the nurse-lady gave me a handout which clearly explained the difference between cold and the flu:



Had I had this chart ahead of time, I would have probably stayed on my couch... but the trip did give me the chance to pick-up some medicines and the BEST tissues in the world (be careful, they are addictive).

But its always better to be safe than sorry - and since I believe everything I see on TV, you should be really careful this year, wash your hands ALL the time, carry sanitizer and don't talk to ANYBODY (kidding).

For some tips on avoiding sickness this fall, click here.

Tomato juice does not remove the smell of a skunk

Tomato juice does not remove the smell of a skunk, it just masks it. The only way to really remove a skunk's spray is through oxidation - basically removing the odor from the skin though the chemical process of removing one compound (skunk stink) from another (your skin).

But if you're not keen on conducting science experiments on you or your pet, you can try the tomato sauce method - and here's how to do it.

1. Remove stinky clothes (assuming that you were wearing them) - you could try to bleach them, but your best bet is throwing them away, far far away
2. Fill a bathtub with water and enter it
3. Wash yourself off with soap (carbolic is best) to remove dirt and maybe some smell
4. Next wash yourself with equal parts vinegar and water
5. Get a large amount of tomato juice, like you might have to Costco it, and pour it all over your body
6. If you still smell, rinse and repeat

Generally I avoid skunks when I can, I saw one while walking along the Hudson in Edgewater last night, and I contemplated jumping into the river. I had never seen one so close (alive) and it was kinda cute. Some people think they are really cute and even turn them into pets.



No worries - that one is descented. Interested? To find your own black and white buddy visit OOPS, or Owners of Pet Skunks.

Are you a mosquito magnet? Blame your mother...

Are you a mosquito magnet? Blame your mother...(or father) 85% of what attracts mosquitoes to you is hereditary. One of the hereditary traits that will make you more attractive to the flying bloodsuckers is your cholesterol, not necessarily high cholesterol, but the amount in the top layer of your skin.



Gross.


They are also attracted to people who omit high levels of certain acids, carbon dioxide - the bigger you are, the more you omit - and steroids (so maybe lay off the juice). When it comes to their dinner, mosquito taste is only skin deep, and they will track their specific victim from up to 50 meters (164 ft) away.

Mosquitoes have been on the planet for over 170 MILLION years, and have evolved into over 175 versions, each more terrible than the last. Clearly, they are not going anywhere.


They even look stupid.


SO. What can you do?

To prevent bites...
*Stop running around. The more you move, the more you breathe, the more carbon dioxide you omit. Sweating doesn't help either.

*Use bug spray with DEET in it. Yeah it's a poison, but how else do you expect to get rid of something that survived DINOSAURS.

*Invest in an electric tennis racket. I have one, and its quite fun (I hope PETA doesn't count insects as animals).



*Eliminate standing water around your home - that's where the demons multiply.

*Cover yourself. The more you wear, the less skin to bite (sorry prostatots)

I heard that keeping a dryer sheet in your pocket keeps insects away. It doesn't, I tried.

Once you have been bitten...
*To treat topically, try using some cortisone cream

*To treat orally, try taking an antihistamine.


Note, do not actually blame your mother or father. They are probably being bitten too.

Doggy paddle was the first swimming stroke

Doggy paddle was the first swimming stroke, thought to have originated by early beings mimicking the technique of animals. It is one of the easiest strokes, and is the first style taught to children when learning to swim.

In case you never learned, or forgot, here is how it goes.

1. Get in water
2. Lay belly down with head out of the water (great for keeping hair pretty)
3. Cup hands and move (frantically) in a circular motion
4. Kick legs
5. Move forward in water (if sinking occurs, acquire swimmies and return to step 2 )

And now, a demonstration:



Note that Encyclopedia Branigan videos are now housed on YouTube - Check them out on the TheLBranigan channel

Alcohol should never be used for fire breathing

Alcohol should never be used for fire breathing because it is explosive and in some cases may cause poisoning or drunkenness (as demonstrated below).



If one was to attempt to breathe fire, the recommended fuel would be kerosene (or paraffin if your fire breathing internationally) because it has a relatively low flash point (the temperature at which the fuel ignites). Personally, I would not attempt to breathe fire myself - the thought of swallowing flammable liquid and spitting it into a flame a few feet from my face doesn't seem enjoyable.

However, if you are interested in possibly burning your face off and/or dying, here's how they do it. I am in NO way suggesting you try.

For a "safer" way to breathe fire, cornstarch can be used, as seen here.

Regardless of how you do it, I believe fire breathing is something best left to the professionals.

Merengue is a dance of sympathy

Merengue is a dance of sympathy, well according to one version of the story. There was a great hero who was injured in one of the many revolutionary wars of the Dominican Republic. When the hero returned to home, the villagers threw a great celebration where they danced dragging one foot, out of sympathy for the limping soldier.

Another version of the origin of Merengue is that chained sugar field workers were forced to drag their feet while harvesting to the beat of a drum, thus creating the dance.

Merengue is the official dance of the Dominican Republic, where it is regularly seen in bars and discotheques (especially ones with tourists who have a tendency towards the "drinky drinky").

El diablo bila berecha! haha

Would you like to dance Merengue too? Here's a little video to get you started.