A list of curious facts
One: We start with a real beauty. Did you know that North India is home to the Picasso moth—aka Baorisa hieroglyphica—which was first discovered in 1882:
The colours are reminiscent of a Mondrian painting, and the dashing modern style reminds the viewer of Joan Miró or Vassily Kandinsky. However, the moth has been colloquially named for Pablo Picasso due to his fame, colourful works, and position within the canon of Modern Art.
You can see its stunning colour in the lead image before. That said, we also have the Picasso bug—which is teeny tiny, only 6.3 mm long. It too is a masterpiece—as you can see below. (MyModernMet)
Two: The Red Hot Chili Peppers obsession with California is well-documented thanks to ‘Californication’. But the band has actually mentioned the Golden State 160 times. But as this brilliant map created by a Reddit user reveals, their love for geography is truly global. FYI: India has received 10 mentions to date. (Rock Cellar Magazine)
Three: In the mood for some Chinese? How about a delicious stir fry…made of stones?! Suodiu is a street food fave made with pebbles on a teppanyaki-style grill—with a healthy dash of garlic, chilli oil and diced peppers. No, you don’t swallow the stones—but suck and spit (which is exactly what ‘suodiu’ means). This isn’t a new fad but a traditional dish—that dates back hundreds of years:
It was passed down for generations by boatmen through their oral history, according to a local media report. Back in the old days, boatmen could become stranded in the middle of a river and run out of food while delivering goods.To “find happiness in the bitterness”... they would find stones to cook with other condiments to make a dish.
FYI: River pebbles apparently have a natural fishy taste that is enhanced when they are fried—and they pair well with wine. Also: You get to keep the pebbles as a souvenir. (CNN)
