Research Ideas
Posted by matijs 15/09/2004 at 22h52
I sometimes think of fun things that should be researched. These are typically topics for things like term papers. At least, I think they are. Usually I forget about them after half a day or so, and then I'm annoyed that I didn't write this wonderful idea down. These days, I'm trying to remember to write things down before I forget them.
The first item on my list of things that should be researched that I have actually remembered long enough to write down is: The history of french fries and their sauces.
Some background information on this subject: I was having dinner with some people from different western cultures recently (Dutch, German, American), and one of the Americans (my stepfather, in fact) wanted ketchup with his fries. A friendly discussion ensued, as it had previously, where we Europeans condemned the tendency of these Americans (and, by gross generalization, all Americans) to put ketchup on everything. It then turned to the subject of french fries, and who had first thought of — as the Americans put it — putting mayonnaise instead of ketchup on their fries. Hence the present research subject.
Of course, you can just google for it, and find this: The Secret History of French Fries. It still leaves the sauces, though.
On a related note, in discussions there will often be a point where someone says: We'll look it up, and somehow, the looking-up never happens, and we forget about the whole discussion. This is of course one way to end discussions.