Saturday, February 17, 2018

They walk among us !!

When I arrived at a car dealership to pick up our car after a service, Iwas told the keys had been locked in it. I went to the service department and found a mechanic working feverishly to unlock the driver’s side door. As I watched from the passenger side, I instinctively tried the door handle and discovered that it was unlocked. ‘Hey,' I announced to the technician, 'its open!' His reply, 'I know. I already did that side.'

Friday, September 15, 2017

It’s a gin den

Thanks to British rule during much of the 18th century, gin has become a big part of life in Menorca. More specifically a drink consisting of gin mixed with bitter lemon, known as Pomada. Visit the Xoriguer Gin distillery and factory shop just by Mahon harbour for a closer look (and taste).

Monday, September 11, 2017

Menorca Mayonnaise The origins of mayonnaise were in 1756, when Duke de Richelieu landed on the isle with 20,000 cFrench troops. During his stay, his chef invented a sauce based on the local allioli recipe. When it was served at the victory banquet in Paris, the French quickly popularised it. Some even still call the sauce mahonesa to stress its Menorcan origins.

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Why Are Prison Officers Called Screws?

Prison warders, wardens, officers and guards are nicknamed screws, usually by the prisoners. The slang word screw originated in the Victorian era when a prison warder or officer would give a prisoner a pointless task as a punishment. Crank Machines One of these punishments was a crank machine used as hard labour. This crank machine would involve the inmate having to turn a handle on a drum which would be filled with sand or water to make it heavier. The prison guard could tighten a screw in the drum to make turning the handle harder. Prisoners would have to turn the handle a number of times as their punishment. Thus began the slang word screw to mean a prison officer.