by Diana Filer
1. The Irish first recognized Hallowe’en. The celebration then was called Samhain, which in Gaelic means November — the end of October, indicating the beginning of winter. It was a time to give offerings to the spirits to help guide the people through the upcoming dark times.
2. Spain was the first European country to get the potato, in 1570, imported from Peru by the Spanish conquistadores. Britain was next in 1590.
3. A Buck’s Fizz is 2 parts sparkling wine, like champagne, and one part orange juice…essentially the same drink as a Mimosa.
4. The first Golden Disc awarded to a popular song in recognition of a million sales was to Glenn Miller’s Chattanooga Choo Choo, which appeared in the 1941 movie Sun Valley Serenade.
5. A ziggurat is a high Mesopotamian pyramidal structure built with outside staircases and a shrine at the top.
