Category: 1950s

Whistling for Kool-Aid

Edwin Elijah Perkins (January 8, 1889 – July 3, 1961), born in Lewis, Iowa, United States, invented the powdered drink mix Kool-Aid in 1927 in Hastings, Nebraska, after his family had moved to Hendley, Nebraska from Iowa in 1893. By 1927 he had developed a powdered soft drink mix called Kool-Ade, which he packaged in envelopes and sold in grocery stores, promising 10 glasses of beverage for 10 cents.

Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food.

Kool-aid dies protein (animal) fibers such as wool, silk, and fur (hair). It is popular with knitters for dyeing wool yarn. As it’s food-safe, it doesn’t require special utensils reserved for this purpose as other dyes do. Tamarindo (brown), Switchin’ Secret (light green/tan), and Grape (purple) are popular flavors, because they can be used to tone down the otherwise day-glo colors. A typical formula is one packet of Kool-aid per ounce of fiber, combined with 1/2 cup of water and optionally, a tablespoon of vinegar. Heat is used to set the color, usually by steaming or boiling.

The Kraft Heinz Company (KHC), commonly known as Kraft Heinz, is an American multinational food company formed by the merger of Kraft Foods and Heinz co-headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Flaminco Gitanes Cigarettes

Gitanes is a brand of French cigarettes. It is currently owned by Altadis. Originally rolled with darker or brun tobacco, in contrast to USA ‘blondes’. Available with or without filter. The name Gitanes means “gypsy women”, and as such, a silhouette of a Spanish gypsy woman with tambourine appears as the box-art.

Current research indicates that the factor with the greatest impact on risk of lung cancer is long-term exposure to inhaled carcinogens. The most common means of such exposure is tobacco smoke.

Flamenco is one of the great European non-academic musical genres. More than simply a type of folk music, flamenco embodies a complex musical and cultural tradition. Although considered part of the culture of Spain in general, flamenco actually originates from one region —Andalusia. However, other areas, mainly Extremadura and Murcia, have contributed to the development of several flamenco musical forms, and a great number of outstanding flamenco artists have been born in other territories of the state. There are many questions remaining about the roots of flamenco, but it is generally acknowledged that flamenco grew out of the unique interplay of native Andalusian, Islamic, Sephardic, and Gypsy cultures that existed in Andalusia prior to and after the Reconquest.