3 Crazy History Facts Your Textbooks Failed to Mention
TAKE A BREAK
Did your high school history class bore you to death? If so, don’t blame the past — blame your textbooks. Here are three crazy historical moments we wish made it into their pages!
USPS once mailed babies! During the early years
of the U.S. Postal Service, the rules and regulations of what you could and couldn’t mail were vague. People started testing its limits by sending eggs, bricks, snakes, and babies. In 1913, an Ohio couple took
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
advantage of USPS’s new parcel services to mail a special package — their infant son. The family paid 15 cents for the
stamps plus an unknown amount to insure the baby for $50 and shipped him to his grandmother’s house (about a mile away). And this isn’t the only instance of someone mailing their child. From 1913–1915, seven families used the USPS to ship their infants to a relative. People rented pineapples to appear wealthy. In the Georgian era, pineapples were rare in Europe — you could only acquire this fruit by importing them from the Caribbean. Due to their exotic appearance and rarity in Europe, pineapples quickly became a luxury and high-class symbol. Many would carry a pineapple with them to give off the impression of holding wealth. However, lots of people couldn’t afford pineapples, so they began renting them! If you wanted to rent this luxurious fruit, it would cost you $8,000 in today’s money. Austrian vs. Austrian? Seven months into the Austro-Turkish War, the infamous Battle of Karánsebes caused hundreds of injuries and casualties to the Austrian army. Because their military force consisted of people from several cultures and ethnicities, confusion ensued on the battlefield. One Austrian group accidentally fired at another Austrian group, and because both groups spoke different languages and wore different uniforms, they didn’t realize they were fighting a full-out battle with their own army!
Inspired by FeastingAtHome.com
Ingredients
• 1/2 tsp salt • 1/4 tsp black pepper • 1/2 tsp nutmeg • 5 cups veggie or chicken stock • 2 to 3 handfuls spinach • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
• 2 cups butternut squash, cubed • 4 tbsp olive oil, divided • 2 cups sliced leeks • 4 garlic cloves, chopped • 8 sage leaves • 1 cup Arborio rice
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 400 F. On a parchment-lined sheet pan, toss squash with 2 tbsp olive oil. Roast until tender (30 minutes) and set aside 2. In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat and add leeks. Sauté until tender, then add garlic and sage. Sauté for 2 more minutes. 3. Add rice and sauté for 1 minute, stirring. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add 1–2 cups of stock to cover the rice and bring to a simmer. Cook until the liquid is absorbed. Continue to add broth 1 cup at a time, stirring occasionally until rice is plump (20 minutes). Stir in spinach, roasted squash, and Parmesan cheese.
Who knew history had so many strange twists?
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