Meat pies have been a part of almost every culinary culture across the world. Some could even argue that the meat pie is the world's number one comfort food. Variations of this filling pastry can be found on every continent from Peru to Jamaica to Iraq to China, societies everywhere have taken this dish and applied their own cultural aspects to the meat pie. This just so happens to include the state of Michigan who received their rendition of the pie, known as the pasty, from the Cornish copper mining immigrants.
Since the introduction of the pasty to the settlers in Michigan from the Cornish, the pastry has added and taken on different elements making the food item specific to the region. The pasty is traditionally known for its ingredients consisting of beef, potato, onions, and rutabagas and can now be found in several different options including garden vegetable mixes for the health-conscious. The pasty is such a Michigan institution now, the state holds an annual festival and parade for the pastry on the Keweenaw Peninsula.
Over the years, weve seen so many food trends come and go, such as ramen burgers, matcha, and spiked ice-cream. Nowadays, were seeing another trend making waves in the food industry. How many times today have you seen an Instagram photo of a scoop of black ice cream, or a cup of black yogurt, or hamburgers with black buns? Indeed, the charcoal trend has taken the world by storm.
So, what gives your latte that deep black shade? Activated charcoal, or coconut ash, is produced by heating coconut shells to insanely high temperatures until theyre burnt to a crisp. The ashes are then increased in size by steaming at high temperatures. Through this process, the ashes become a strong detoxifier, mostly because they become extra absorbent. This product may be purchased in pill form, and promises to alleviate hangovers, minimize the effects of food poisoning, and fight the visible signs of aging.
Activated charcoal is said to boost ones energy as a result of decreasing toxins in the body. However, no evidence proves that detoxifying can lead to increased energy. Also, while it can help cure a hangover, it doesnt necessarily remove alcohol from your blood. It is also said to aid in debloating your stomach because it cleanses your colon but again, this all anecdotal and isnt supported by scientific evidence as of yet. All we can say for sure is that it is a proven detoxifier.