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International Cooking: Starting with Simple Dishes
Trivia: What species is the world’s largest living reptile?
RetireHub
June 28, 2025
Rise and shine, RetireHub community! ☀️ Your Saturday newsletter is here!
Today we’re sharing fun tips on international cooking: starting with simple dishes, along with the best deals, fun trivia, and more!
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What We’re Reading
Get these e-book deals before they’re gone.
 | By: Sylvia Nobel Feisty reporter Kendall O'Dell plunges into a perilous mystery as she attempts to uncover the sinister secret hidden in a remote gold mining town in Southern Arizona. Is Angela the genuine heiress or a clever impostor? Was her father's recent death an accident or murder? Why was she never told of her deranged half-sister's mysterious death? |
On this day, June 28, 1951, the very first color television broadcast aired in the United States! CBS aired a one-hour special titled Premiere, shown to a small number of viewers in select cities who had access to prototype color TV sets. While it took years for color TV to become mainstream, this dazzling debut marked the start of a whole new era of home entertainment—ushering in vibrant technicolor dreams, right in our living rooms.
International Cooking: Starting with Simple Dishes
Trying international cuisine at home can be a wonderful way to expand your palate, explore global traditions, and make mealtime feel like an adventure. And the best part? You don’t need to be a gourmet chef to get started. With a few pantry staples and easy-to-follow recipes, anyone can begin their journey into international cooking—one simple dish at a time.
Start by picking one country or region that piques your interest. Are you drawn to the bold spices of Indian cuisine? Try making a comforting bowl of red lentil dal—it’s nutritious, budget-friendly, and comes together in one pot. Curious about Italian food beyond spaghetti and meatballs? Whip up a classic caprese salad or pasta aglio e olio (garlic and olive oil), both of which require only a handful of ingredients but deliver a ton of flavor.
One of the most approachable aspects of international cooking is that many traditional dishes are rooted in home cooking—meals passed down through generations, meant to be made with love, not perfection. Think: Japanese miso soup, Middle Eastern hummus, or Chinese egg fried rice. Each one is deeply flavorful, simple to prepare, and customizable based on what you have in your kitchen.
As you explore, don’t stress about getting everything exactly right. Authenticity is wonderful, but what matters most is enjoying the process and opening yourself up to new flavors. Many ingredients, like soy sauce, ginger, coconut milk, and cumin, are now widely available at local grocery stores. And if you’re missing something, there’s almost always a substitute or workaround.
Cooking from different cultures is also a great way to connect with others—whether you're preparing a special dish with family, sharing a new recipe with friends, or learning about the story behind a beloved meal. You might even find yourself building weekly traditions: “Taco Tuesday,” “Mediterranean Mondays,” or “Stir-Fry Saturdays.”
In the end, international cooking is about curiosity and joy. You don’t need to master the art of sushi rolling or bake your own naan from scratch (unless you want to!). Just start with a simple recipe, stir in some enthusiasm, and savor every bite.
🌍 Have you ever tried cooking a dish from another country at home? |
Yesterday’s Poll Results: How much have you adjusted your eating habits after turning 50?
It looks like many readers are tuning in to their health as they age—over 76% have made either significant or small changes to their eating habits after turning 50. While a handful still eat as they always have or haven’t made the leap just yet, the trend shows a clear lean toward mindful, nourishing choices. A heartening sign that wellness isn’t just a trend—it’s a lifestyle shift!
TOP COMMENTS
“We eat less! My husband and I now share entrees when going out and still are unable to finish. American portions are much too large to maintain healthy weights and a fit body. We also take a lot of nutritional vitamins that are processed correctly. They may cost a bit more, but well worth it for the clean absorption.”
“Since retiring, my husband and I view taking care of our health as our "job" so we are having fun experimenting with new recipes and flavors to incorporate the various foods that are beneficial for us.”
“We use cauliflower in place of potatoes , zucchini and yellow squash instead of pasta to cut on carb intake. We also take daily supplements of ginger and turmeric for joint health.”
The Gentle Art of Friendship: Showing Up, Reaching Out, and Letting Go
As we age, friendships can become even more meaningful—and sometimes more complicated. This heartful reflection explores how to be a better friend by balancing honesty with compassion, staying open to connection, and knowing when to step back. With warmth and wisdom, it reminds us that friendship isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence, patience, and giving each other room to grow.
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Slang Phrase of the Day
Phrase: Hard Launch
Meaning: A hard launch is when someone very clearly and publicly introduces something (or someone) new in their life—often a romantic partner—on social media or in conversation, leaving no mystery or ambiguity.
In a sentence: “When Gloria brought her new boyfriend to bridge night and introduced him as ‘the love of my life,’ that was a hard launch if I’ve ever seen one!”
Good News of the Day
Community Heroics: Dozens of Whales Rescued from Iceland Beach
In a small town on Iceland’s northern coast, over 60 long-finned pilot whales became stranded along the shoreline—exhausted and in danger. But thanks to the swift action of locals, emergency responders, and volunteers, a massive rescue effort unfolded just in time. Forming human chains and using tarps and teamwork, the community managed to guide every single whale back into deeper water as the tide rose.
It was an extraordinary show of compassion and coordination. In the face of urgency, people came together not as bystanders, but as everyday heroes—proving that with unity and heart, even the wildest of challenges can have a happy ending.
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RetireHub Trivia
Want more trivia? Play our “Nostalgia Trivia Game” on our site! We add fresh questions daily, so there’s always something new to test your knowledge.
Not into trivia? No worries! We’ve got plenty of other fun games to enjoy, like:
The ozone layer depletion issue led to an international treaty signed in 1987 called the...? |
What species is the world’s largest living reptile? |
Who was the first female Prime Minister of the UK? |
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