When Loretta Lynn sang 'Coal Miner's Daughter,' she was living every word of the lyrics. Lynn, born in Kentucky's Butcher Hollow in 1932, grew up as the poorest of the poor. The community around her was completely dependent on the local coal mining industry, and her whole family lived in a tiny cabin. Singing and music became her route to escapism. It started with singing in front of the local congregation in her church. It ended with over 50 million records sold.
Such is the extent of Lynn's stardom that a biographical movie about her - also titled 'Coal Miner's Daughter' - was released in 1980. Among her other claims to fame are being the only country music artist to chart in six different decades, and receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013. Even now, in her late 80s, you can still sometimes find her performing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
For the past few years, we've been seeing more and more food halls dominate the retail industry. The craze has swept Los Angeles and New York by storm and is now making its way to Miami. In Magic City alone, ten of these food parks have opened just recently. The mania is even set to triple in size by the year 2020.
Now more than ever, more people have been adopting a vegan lifestyle. A survey in the United Kingdom reveals that 3.5 million residents have turned vegan, while 20 percent have at least tried the concept. People are now wanting to cut down on meat, and the food industry is giving in to the demand. Even wineries have started stocking up on vegan wines.
Due to increased awareness and desire to help the environment, companies have become more committed to eco-friendly food packaging. Previously, companies didnt care much about producing a ton of waste; but now, efforts to reuse, reduce, and recycle are much more apparent. For instance, PepsiCo has committed to creating completely recyclable packaging by the year 2025.
Who would have thought that young millennials would be into rum? These barrel-aged, small-batch rums are the latest trend in booze, and now even British companies such as Essexs English Spirit are joining in. The spirit is one of the most popular and versatile forms of alcohol, whether it be sweet or strong, dark or white, neat with ice or served with coke.
Nowadays, people have become more accepting of imperfection; when it comes to fresh produce that is. Imperfect Produce is just one of the grocery delivery companies that serve physically flawed fruits and vegetables. This effort is geared toward reducing waste, and the disfigured foods are often turned into hummus, crisps, and juices.
Various Asian restaurants have been popping up recently, and Sri Lankan cuisine is slowly making its way to the western palate. Sri Lankan dishes such as kottu roti, pol sambol, coconut relish, and hoppers, are being introduced to the market, and people are loving it. Unlike before, the Sri Lankan flavor is finally being recognized as an individual cuisine, separate from Indian food.