FASCINATING STUFF

The term “white lie,” meaning a harmless fib, turns out to be older than we realized.  Until recently, the earliest documented use of the term was in 1741, but some smart detective work earlier this year by a team of volunteer transcribers working with the Folger Shakespeare Library Washington, D.C. , and the Oxford English Dictionary in the U.K. found it in a letter dated April 10, 1567.  The letter-writer used the expression to describe his brother-in-law’s habit of not telling the truth, a habit as old as time.

From the “everything has a name” department: a bobeche is the ring-shaped collar — usually glass or metal, but sometimes ceramic or other flame-resistant material — placed to catch wax drips where a taper candle meets a candlestick  The word is French, but how it came to mean what it means is unclear.  Also unclear is its relation to Bobeche, a dapper, irreverent clown character in 18th-century French comic theater.

Here’s a story … about Mike Brady:  Before Robert Reed was cast as the dad in “The Brady Bunch,” producer Sherwood Schwartz had Gene Hackman in mind for the role.  The network vetoed the choice, reportedly because Hackman wasn’t well-known enough.  “The Brady Bunch” premiered on ABC in 1969.  Two years later, Gene Hackman won an Oscar for his role in “The French Connection,” at which point everyone knew his name.

When they conceived the idea for the Oxford English Dictionary, editors figured it would take about 10 years to compile.  They figured incorrectly.  Starting work in earnest in 1879, they made it as far as the word “ant” by 1884 when the first volume of of the dictionary was published.  They reached Z in 1928.  Then it was time to revise and to add the thousands of more words that had risen over the course of the previous 44 years.  Even now, the OED remains in progress, adding hundreds of new words and definitions with each periodic update.

Honorificabilitudinitatibus, meaning “capable of being honorable,” is the longest word in the works of William Shakespeare.  It’s spoken (not without difficulty) by Costard, a not too-intelligent character in “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” and was Shakespeare’s way of mocking pompous people who use long, complicated words because they think it makes them sound more intelligent.  Shakespeare didn’t coin the word, however  It derives from Latin and was in use hundreds of years before he put it in Costard’s mouth.

~ COPYRIGHT 2025 LESLIE ELMAN
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PEPPERONI PIZZA BURGERS

Forget the frozen pizza from the freezer and make an awesome twist on the #1 favorite pizza — burger style!

HERE’S HOW WE MAKE THEM
INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 pounds lean Ground Beef

3/4 pound spicy, ground Italian Sausage

1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

8 slices good quality Mozzarella or Provolone Cheese

Pepperoni Slices (you be the judge on how many slices you want on each burger)

1/2 cup Jarred Marinara Sauce

Grated Parmesan

4 whole Kaiser Rolls or Good Quality Hamburger Buns

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine ground beef, ground Italian Sausage and Italian seasoning in a bowl.
Knead it together with clean, dry hands.

Form into four large/semi thick patties.

Fry or grill burgers on one side for several minutes, then turn the burgers and cook several additional minutes.  (Until your desired burger doneness is achieved)

Lay 2 slices of cheese on each patty, followed by several slices of pepperoni.

Allow burgers to continue to cook all the way through while the cheese melts and pepperoni warms.

WHILE THE BURGER COOKING ACTION IS HAPPENING

Split the buns in half and toast them in butter in a skillet until nice and golden and crisp.

Remove buns and spread both halves with marinara sauce with Parmesan.

Lay cooked patties on the bottom buns, then top with other half of buns.

Serve immediately with chips, small side salad or chunks of fresh watermelon.

Hearty appetites are recommended!