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MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Grocery Stores Vs. Supermarkets

Ever wondered what separates a grocery store from a supermarket? Are there even any real differences? Well, actually…yes, there are!

Grocery stores have been around a lot longer than supermarkets. Back in the day, when most towns had a bakery, a butcher shop, and a grocery, the grocery store offered townsfolk an efficient way to shop for a variety of foods, all in one convenient place. Back then, your grocer would usually collect your goods for you, too, which you’ve probably seen portrayed in old movies or TV shows, where a customer hands over a shopping list to the person behind the counter & they go get the goods for him or her. Today’s grocery stores may not be quite as personal now, but modern grocery store selections are pretty much still the same: food, beverages, and some household products.

A supermarket, on the other hand, epitomizes the idea of a “one-stop shop”, with a much broader array of foodstuffs than grocery stores, as well as home goods, clothing, baby products, appliances, and more. Also, a supermarket is usually part of a large chain & orders its inventory in bulk, whereas a grocery store orders products as needed & is often independently owned.

Then, there are the superstores, which are much larger than either grocery stores or supermarkets & regularly look more like warehouses (think Costco or Sam’s Club). But, depending on what items you need to pick up on the way home, at least you now know whether you’d be better off shopping at your local grocery store or the nearest supermarket (since now you know which is which).

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].

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MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why People Drink Mint Juleps For The Kentucky Derby

Whether you enjoyed the race with us at Longshots, or you just put on an extravagant hat in the comfort of your own home, chances are that, if you watched the Kentucky Derby this year, you probably sipped a refreshing mint julep at some point. But, why is the mint julep the official Kentucky Derby race day beverage?

For the uninitiated, the mint julep cocktail is traditionally made up of bourbon, sugar, water, and mint. It’s been a favorite in Kentucky since long before Churchill Downs came into being. In fact, in 1816, silver julep cups were given as prizes at Kentucky county fairs. (The stuffed animals they offer today are a huge downgrade if you ask me). Before that, a “julep” was considered a medicinal tonic that was “prescribed” for stomach problems & sore throats.

It’s said that the Kentucky Derby’s founder, Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., planted mint for cocktails when he founded the track in 1875, so mint juleps have likely been enjoyed there since the beginning. But it wasn’t until 1938 that the cocktail was declared the “official” Derby drink. And, it was only a few years ago that the Derby actually switched to a more “authentic” version of the mint julep. For nearly twenty years, the mint juleps served at the races were made with Early Times alcohol. Because of the aging process, Early Times isn’t actually considered bourbon, just “Kentucky whisky”. So, they switched to Old Forester, (actual bourbon, by definition) in 2015.

Even with the switch to “genuine” bourbon, what most race-goers really get is the Old Forester Ready-to-Serve Cocktail mix, not a handcrafted mint julep. You only get the real thing if you’re willing to plop down $1000 for the special version of the drink, made with small batch Woodford Reserve bourbon. Sure, it may set you back a grand, but hey, at least you get to keep the pewter cup it comes in, right? Plus, proceeds benefit the Project to Protect African American Turf History, a nonprofit that preserves the history of Black jockeys & tells their stories. (Oh, and there’s also a $2500 version of the drink which comes in a gold cup with a silver sipping straw…but, if you’re like me, you’re just fine with the ol’ “ready-to-serve” cocktail in a plastic cup & thousands of bucks left safely in your pocket.)

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Airtron Heating & Air Conditioning

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Hit Movies Are Called “Blockbusters”

When you hear the word “blockbuster” mentioned, it’s usually about movies, (either a flick that was a huge box office success or a certain now-defunct chain of video rental stores). Yet, while the word’s meaning is pretty innocuous now, “blockbuster” actually used to describe something pretty dark.

Back in the 1940s, “blockbusters” were actually large, destructive World War 2 bombs. TIME magazine first printed the word “blockbuster” in 1942, in a November 29 article about an Allied bombing in Italy. That particular nickname was given because of the bomb’s ability to annihilate an entire city block. Then, as the bombs continued to drop throughout the war, the name “blockbuster” caught on & began being used to refer to anything particularly explosive or elaborate.

More recently, the 1975 movie Jaws is widely considered to be the first summer blockbuster. But Hollywood’s association with the word predates Jaws by a few decades. Before “blockbuster” meant a box office hit, it was used to describe any bold or noteworthy production. By the mid-50s, film producer Max E. Youngstein had defined a blockbuster to be any movie that earned over $2 million.

Nowadays, there’s no predetermined amount that a film needs to make before being considered a blockbuster. Overall, movies that earn big box office bucks fit the definition, even if their content isn’t particularly explosive.

But, now that you know this blockbuster Mundane Mystery, if you’ve got one you’d like solved, send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Airtron Heating & Air Conditioning

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