library - Pinedale Public Library in Pinedale, Arizona

Monday’s Question: Goulash is the national dish of which country? Answer: Hungary There’s one distinctive aroma that wafts through the air in any Hungarian town or city meat stewing in a broth laced with spicy paprika. Goulash, a hearty and warming cross between a soup and a stew, is the official national dish of Hungary. The key ingredient in goulash is paprika dried and ground hot peppers. Paprika became Hungary's favorite spice, after the Ottomans imported chilies from... the New World. Cattle herders working on the Hungarian plains discovered that adding paprika to their meat and vegetable stews warmed their hearts and stomachs a remedy for the harsh winters in eastern Europe. Travelers began to sing praises of the dish and before long, goulash was crowned as Hungary's finest culinary offering. Today, many restaurants in Hungary claim to have the most authentic goulash, but you'll just have to eat it at every restaurant to compare the many delicious recipes. See more

Monday’s Question: What country is the world's leading producer of olives? Answer: Spain Olives and olive oil are strongly associated with Mediterranean cooking, so it’s no surprise that the world’s top producer of olives is Spain. Olive plants were first harvested more than 7,000 years ago in the Mediterranean region, and today Spain produces more than 5.8 million tons of the fruit each year. About 75% of that is concentrated in the southern Andalusian region with its favora...ble growing climate. Spain’s top export markets for olives include the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia. Nearby Italy another country with a cuisine closely tied to olives comes in second for global olive production with more than 3.5 million tons each per year. Next on the list is Greece, with 2.4 million tons, and Turkey, with 1.4 million tons. See more

Monday’s Question: In what country do people practice shrimp fishing on horseback? Answer: Belgium There is only one place left in the world where people fish for shrimp on horseback: Oostduinkerke, in southwest Belgium. There, fishermen from about a dozen households take huge draft horses chest-deep into the surf, pulling nets as well as chains that create vibrations on the sand. The vibrations cause the shrimp to jump right into the nets, and the seafood is then stored in b...askets on the horse’s side. The horses don’t naturally enjoy the water, and must be trained over about a year to work with the fishermen. This unique method of fishing has been practiced for about 700 years, and it’s an important part of the local culture. So much so, in fact, that in 2013 UNESCO inscribed it on their Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. See more

Photos from Santa’s visit.