Scintillating chandeliers, crimson draperies, hundreds of table settings arranged for local and global elite: the Egyptian Hall of the Mansion House was a grandeur entertaining space in Victorian London. Despite its name, the hall was not Egyptian-inspired, but rather it “was built upon Lord Burlington’s plans, who gathered his ideas of such Hall from a description by Vitruvius.” The pillars of the Roman architecture stood amongst myriad banquets throughout the century, displaying food from kitchens with a fireplace so extensive it could roast a huge ox or “fifty or sixty fowls or ducks” simultaneously. At the centrepiece of this grandiose, glittery space of consumption was, of course, food.

It sort of feels like a dream sometimes, doesn't it? When you picture the wrapper of a chocolate from memories past, and almost taste the cocoa on the tip of your tongue? Once you're engulfed in those old school flavours – you stop to question the origins of the product, only to realise that it actually hasn't been around for a while, and the chances of acquiring one are near impossible.

I absolutely did NOT eat this traditional St. Patrick's Day meal growing up. I was a picky eater and went through a couple years as a vegetarian. My grandmother and grandfather frequently ate out and ordered this. After I learned to drive, my grandmother and I went out to eat and she indulged in Irish coffee with her lunch, but I did not fully appreciate this food until my late teen years. Now I love it! My son's birthday falls a couple days before this favorite Irish Holiday of mine and I have always tried to buy all the cool Irish things I could! Between his birthday and until the end of May, I love my Irish and Mardi Gras themed party stuff! I actually have my birthday and my other sons birthday in May, so I just spend a lot of time between March first and May planning, buying, and eating! I can be totally honest about myself...I'm a foodie! In the worst sense. This love includes anything Mediterranean, South American, French, Italian, desserts from anywhere in the world, American Chinese is one of our favorites and they keep coming up with new dishes all the time! I don't think I could handle the traditional Chinese or Japanese foods. I tried Sushi as a child, since one of my babysitters was Japanese, and I still like to try new foods. But if something new is too unusual, I will try anything vegan, stick with rice, and I won't try anything with fish or meat...I'm picky still. But of course, then there is this traditional Irish meal I love every year!

The mystery of the egg

While growing up, I was the kid that chose to be a shut-in. Instead of going outside to embark on new pretend adventures or dabble in childish mischief, I wanted to sit indoors and listen to my grandparents stories.

It is amazing how many popular foods and drinks are available for consumption today that were created by accident. Little do most people know that many of those items were not invented by deliberate design but by an accident that caught the inventor by surprise.

I love coffee almost as much as I love chocolate. Now, I drink about two cups of coffee a day, whereas chocolate is more of holiday thing. I buy chocolate for Valentine's, Easter, Halloween, and Christmas. Then again, when it's on sale after the holidays, too. I know I can't survive without either of my favorite vices for any length of time.

Tea is the most consumed beverage in the world after water. In Britain, it’s a part of our daily lives and has played an essential role in shaping British society as it exists today. That being said, tea is a very personal experience. How do you take your tea? With milk? Sugar? Which one comes first? Some say milk while others say tea. Each cuppa is designed to meet the specifications of the person who’ll be enjoying it. While tea is a staple in our culture and various other cultures around the world, one question remains prominent: Do you prefer bagged tea or loose leaf tea?

To some, coffee is an essential drug, a dark liquid used to jolt the brain and scare away headaches and fatigue, while others are drawn to the fragrant soothing of tinted teas which offer a decent fix for exhaustion. Both coffee and tea have strong social standings in our world today, but if put up against each other, which would reign supreme and which would be left steaming? Whether you enjoy the drinks cold and sweet, or hot and traditional, here are some pros and cons to help you choose between these addictive beverages, including diverse histories, health benefits and distinctly different flavours.

It’s a Monday. You stayed up until two o’clock last night finishing your homework. You roll out of bed fifteen minutes before class starts, throw on some decent clothes and groggily make a stop at the silver lining for all college students: Starbucks, or The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, or Einstein’s… The distributor is not necessarily important — it’s what they sell. And it has left a mark on your car seats, your favorite t-shirt and Western culture.