Ask Joe Henderson any question and odds are he’ll give you a very thorough answer. But ask him how to save one of the most endangered breeds in the world, the Randall Lineback, he’ll give you a very short retort: You have to eat it.

Henderson, a Washington, D.C. real estate executive and farmer, raises around 250 Randall Linebacks on the rolling hills of his Chapel Hill Farm in Berryville, VA. And what exactly is a Randall Lineback?

“Well, we don’t know what to call it,” says Henderson.
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Today would have been Julia Child's 100th birthday, and Eatocracy is celebrating her legacy. Here are some lesser-known facts about the beloved TV chef and cookbook author.

- At 6 feet, 2 inches tall, Julia was no stranger to standing out. But her height wasn’t always welcomed. Child moved from California to Washington D.C. at the start of World War II to join the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). She’d previously been rejected for active duty by the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service and the Women’s Army Corps. The OSS eventually became the CIA.

- Her maiden name is McWilliams.

- Julia had high hopes of distinguishing herself in college basketball, but the administration of Smith College, her alma mater, changed the game rules (they did away with the jump ball) to ensure she didn't receive an unfair advantage due to her height. "I was not good at the rest of the game," said Child in her only authorized biography, "Appetite for Life" by Noel Riley Fitch.
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For most veterans of the Korean War, "SOS" has nothing to do with saving a ship.

I've heard the stories from my grandparents about eating "S*** On a Shingle" during their military service. I don't recall whether my Grandma Mouton, an Air Force veteran, ever made it for me as a kid. If she did, I've blocked it out with fond memories of snickerdoodles, fried egg sandwiches, and late-night french toast.

I don't think my Grandpa Mouton can do the same. As a Korean War Army vet, SOS probably haunts him in his dreams.
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Larry Shaughnessy is CNN's Pentagon Producer

WASHINGTON (CNN) - France's reputation for fine cuisine is well established. So when one of France's top government officials came to visit Washington, you'd think he'd be treated to dinner at one of Washington's most trendy, elite restaurants - the kind that get mentioned on food blogs or in glossy magazines.

Instead, Defense Secretary Robert Gates took his counterpart, the French Minister of Defense, Alain Juppe, to Gadsby's, an Arlington, Va tavern that serves down-to-earth fare like meatloaf and pork chops.

When Gates mentioned the dinner to reporters Tuesday, it wasn't Gadsby's food he mentioned; it was the restaurant's more than 225 years of history.

"Last evening, I had the pleasure of hosting Minister Juppé along with other French and U.S. officials for dinner at a tavern where Secretary of State John Quincy Adams played host to General Lafayette in 1824. Two centuries later, France remains our strong and valued partner on the global stage."

General Lafayette was one of the French generals who served in the American Continental Army under George Washington during the Revolutionary war. Being treated to dinner at a tavern that once played host to the French hero seemed to delight Minister Juppe.

"I appreciate very much, Mr. Secretary, our wonderful dinner yesterday evening in a very elegant place. And we served prestigious predecessors; I am here after Lafayette. And for me, it's a very great honor."
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(Mental Floss) - There's a good chance you'll either drink too much eggnog this holiday season or spend time around someone who has. Here's a look at the background of this December staple.

Eggnog can trace its roots back as far as the 14th century, when medieval Englishmen enjoyed a hot cocktail known as posset. Posset didn't contain eggs - the Oxford English Dictionary describes it as "a drink made of hot milk curdled with ale, wine, or the like, often sweeten ed and spiced' - but over the years eggs joined in on the festive fun.

While the egg-laden version of posset was popular with the English, it became less common as time went by. Milk and eggs were both scarce and expensive, and the sherry and Madeira used to spike the mixture was pricey, too. Over time, the concoction became a drink that only aristocrats could really afford.

All of that changed in the American colonies, though. What we lacked in parliamentary representation we made up for in easy access to dairy products and liquor. Since many Americans had their own chickens and dairy cattle, tossing together a glass of eggnog was no problem, and the drink's popularity soared among the colonists even as it sagged back home.

Read the rest of "Eggnog: Everything you need to know" on CNN Living

When President Obama commented that the Republicans were standing around drinking Slurpees while the Democrats were busy creating real change in Washington, it caused quite a storm. Now that he's sitting down with the new Republican leadership this week, the so-called "Slurpee Summit" is the talk of the nation.

While most of us have had one of 7-Eleven's frozen concoctions, there's plenty more you probably don't know about this too cool drink.

Read the entire COOL HISTORY OF THE SLURPEE from Mental Floss.

From America's oldest brewery to the origins of Oktoberfest, think you are well versed in the field of cold ones? Tap into today's featured CNN Challenge all about brewskis.

To get started, pick your favorite host – whether it be Jane Velez-Mitchell, Sanjay Gupta or John King – and get ready to chug down a little boozy trivia.

Take the quiz HERE.

From presidential peanut farmers to the Whiskey Rebellion, think you know a thing or two about tilling the soil? Plow into today's featured CNN Challenge: the Farming Quiz.

It's easy: pick your favorite host - whether it be Rick Sanchez, Anderson Cooper or Soledad O'Brien - and get ready to sow the seeds of knowledge.

Take the quiz HERE.

You voted. We tallied. The USA is a beer-drinkin', medium burger-chomping, watermelon-munching kind of country on July 4th, and we're totally cool with that.

Grab expert burger and steak grilling tips from our editors and readers and have a delicious Independence Day!

(Oh – and we learned we were dopes for not offering brats and brownies as main dish and dessert option. Apologies. What the heck were we thinking? We'll make it up to you by next Memorial Day.)

Favorite Picnic Main Dish:

Burgers 43%
Ribs 23%
Steak 12%
Hot dogs 10%
Chicken 7%
Veggies 3%
Other 2%
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Steven Stern, a former fact checker and a full time food fiend, is here to complicate things help.

Q: What's up with that green plastic leaf thing that comes with my sushi? Am I supposed to do something with it?

A: You mean you don't eat yours?

Just kidding. Those leaves are definitely not edible. They're called baran (sometimes spelled haran), and they're mostly used for decoration. Presentation is really important in Japanese food, even when you're dealing with cheap supermarket sushi. The plastic leaves also serve as dividers in a bento box (a single-portion lunch combo container), keeping your eel nigiri away from your tuna rolls.

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