Loriann's Blog: Excuse Me, but Your Mustache is Showing.

My dad always called it a “mustn’t touch it”, but I have heard it referred to as a crumb catcher, flavor savor, cookie duster, lip foliage and caterpillar. Actually here is a link for 55 different slang words for the common mustache from how to grow a mustasch.com. http://howtogrowamoustache.com/slang-words-for-moustache/

Not surprisingly much like bacon fever, mustache fever has taken our nation by storm. You can find insignia of mustaches on nearly everything, aprons, lunch boxes, even dog collars. They are coming back in real life too, well truly facial hair of any sort is making a comeback... remember ”Fear the Beard” guys? Oh and lets not forget There is “Movember” when men(and I suppose ladies??) grown out their facial hair for sport, competition, and to raise awareness of men’s health issues.

So you are probably thinking what the heck is this doing on a nutrition blog? Well, I was driving downtown in Healdsburg the yesterday when something caught my eye. A giant sign suspended from an overhead with a picture of a mustache on it. Immediately I am thinking it is a barber or maybe a men’s fashion or hat store, but the words on the sign said…”Mustache Baked Goods”. What??? Ok so of course I had to go inside and check it out. I had found heaven. They have a menu that includes a cupcake called “The Butcher” topped with maple spiced local bacon. Yup they did it, combined the nation’s two love affairs in one store, mustaches and bacon. http://moustachebakedgoods.com/pages/menu

We recently got invited to a mustache party, no seriously people throw entire parties to celebrate and honor facial hair lol. Here is a link for ideas on how to throw a “mustache party” if you are so inclined. http://jewelpie.com/17-amazing-ideas-for-a-moustache-party/. Also not surprisingly there are many websites and blogs dedicated to keeping your mustaches clean and debris free while dining. Apparently some of the worst offenders of leaving mustache leftovers include hotdogs with mustard and catsup, ice cream from the cone, jelly filled donuts, oh and for heaven sakes lets not forget Guiness! Seems like having a mustache can be risky business on a first date, you had better chose your foods wisely gentleman.

My favorite website I came across while researching this article was Jeff’s Beard Board, http://jefffsbeardboard.yuku.com/reply/214432#.VbA4mnjF_ww. I urge you to check it out, as the pictures and running commentary are hilarious! It’s no joke growing a mustache though, and these men take is seriously. Now thankfully I cannot speak from experience on that one.

Here is a list of 8 random facts about our furry friends, the mustaches:

1. The average man with a mustache touches it 760 times a day.

2. In many cultures growing one is considered a symbol of virility and power.

3. Average human hair grows at a rate of 0.014 inches a day, or about 5 or 6 inches a year.

4. Burt Reynolds’s iconic moustache has nearly 4,000 Facebook fans.

5. A fancy way to say shaving is pogonotomy.

6. In a deck of cards the King of Hearts is the only king without a mustache.

7. During the Victorian era, noblemen used mustache spoons to protect their mustaches when eating soup. It was made with a guard on its rim that acted as a barrier between mustache and soup.

8. Pogonophobia is an abnormal fear of beards, and can cause shortness of breath, nausea, an irregular heartbeat and general feelings of dread.

It would seem that the magnificent mustache has earned respect and the right to brand our local cupcake shops, tee shirts, and just about everything else. I hope you have enjoyed my slightly off topic and brief tour of the mustache.