2 . In ancient Egypt , onions were an object of worship . They symbolised eternity for those who grew them in the garden . The anatomy of the onion suggested a circle within another circle ad this structure symbolised eternal life .
3 . Beethoven , who was a coffee lover , was extremely particular about his coffee . He always counted 60 beans in each cup when he prepared his brew .
4 . The ancient Egyptians recommended mixing half an onion with beer foam as a way of warding off death .
5 . Louis Pasteur , whose work on wine , vinegar and beer led to pasteurisation , had an obsessive fear of dirt and infection . He refused to shake hands and carefully wiped plate and glass before dining.
6 . In the French court of Louis XI , the fine ladies lived mainly on soup because they believed that excessive chewing would cause them to develop premature facial wrinkles .
7 . Tablecloths were originally meant to serve as towels with which guests could wipe tier hands and faces after dinner .
8 . In ancient Greece , tossing an apple to a girl was the traditional proposal for marriage. Catching it meant she accepted .
9 . In 1945 , Percy Spencer discovered that when popcorn was placed under microwave energy , it popped . This led to many experiments with other foods , and ultimately , the birth of the microwave oven .
10 . Chocolate syrup was used as blood in the famous 45 second shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's movie PSYCHO.
11 . Chocolate contains phenylethylamine ( PEA ) , a natural substance that is reputed to stimulate the very same reaction in the body as falling in love does .
12 . It has been proved that apples are more effective than caffeine at keeping people awake at night . This fruit contains a chemical that's stronger than caffeine .
13 . An apple , potato and onion all taste the same if you eat them with your nose plugged .
14 . One has to eat 11 pounds of potatoes to put on one pound of weight - a potato has no more calories than an apple .
15 . Jelly fish are considered a delicacy by many cultures . After they have been dried and de-salted , they reportedly are not only delicious , but low in fat , calories and salt and rich in nutrients .
16 . When potatoes first appeared in Europe in the 17 th century , it was thought that they were disgusting , and they blamed for starting outbreaks of leprosy and syphilis . As late as 1720 in America , eating potato was believed to shorten a person's life .
17 . Some farmers in Japan have learnt to grow their watermelons into a square shape . They did this to conserve shelf space .
18 . The first vending machine in the United States were installed on New York City train platforms in 1888 and dispensed chewing gum .
19 . In Japan , it is considered extremely impolite to pour one's own drink when eating with others - you pour your companion's drink and your companion pours yours . On the other hand , it is considered ok to make loud slurping sounds when eating noodles .
20 . Fried chicken is the most popular meal ordered in sit - down restaurants in the US . The next in popularity are roast beef , spaghetti , turkey , baked ham and fried shrimp .
21 . If you put a raisin in a glass of champagne , it will keep floating to the top and sinking to the bottom .
22. The English word " soup " comes from the word " sop " , which means a slice of bread over which roast drippings are poured . The first evidence of soup being consumed dates back to 6000 BC , the main ingredient being hippopotamus bones .
23 . Beer was not sold in bottles until 1850 . Before then , if you wanted beer , you had to bring it home from the local tavern in a bucket made especially for it .
