TODAY’S FOOD QUOTE
“Garlic used as it should be used is the soul, the divine essence, of cookery. The cook who can employ it successfully will be found to possess the delicacy of perception, the accuracy of judgment, and the dexterity of hand which go to the formation of a great artist.”
Mrs. W. G. Waters, The Cook's Decameron (1920)
FEATURED ARTICLES:
Mark Vogel Weekly Column
Do The Twist
Pretzels. Can you even think of a more inane victual? I don’t think even condiments are taken as much for granted. Pretzels are practically an afterthought. A bag of something.....more
OTHER FEATURES
~ Valentine's Red Velvet Cake
~ Raw Food: Healthier Than Cooked?
~ Grilling Equipment Video Guides
~ Classic 1950s & ‘60s TV Food Commercials
~ Recipe Contests & Other Food Contests
TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY
~ National Bagels and Lox Day
~ St. Apollonia's Day, patron of dentists.
1854 Coffee County, Georgia was founded.
1870 The creation of the U.S. Weather Service (National Weather Service) was authorized by Congress
1883 Garnet Carter was born. He invented miniature golf in 1926.
1889 The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was established as a Cabinet level agency.
1899 Minnesota's all time record low temperature:
59 degrees F below zero at Leech Lake Dam.
1894 Hershey's Chocolate Company was founded as a subsidiary of Milton S. Hershey's Lancaster Caramel Company.
1895 Volleyball is invented by W.G. Morgan.
1901 Fred Harvey died in Leavenworth, Kansas. Born in 1835 in London, Frederick Henry Harvey, was an American restaurateur who operated a chain of restaurants called the 'Harvey House,' and a series of railroad dining cars and hotels. The restaurants were opened along the route of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, and were staffed by ‘Harvey Girls’, who over the years numbered in the thousands. Will Rogers said Harvey "kept the West in food and wives."
1909 Carmen Miranda was born. Brazilian singer and actress. Appeared in many Hollywood movies, she was known as "the Brazilian bombshell” and also "the lady in the tutti-frutti hat."
2001 The American submarine USS Greenville accidentally strikes and sinks a Japanese fishing & high school training ship, the Ehime-Maru. Nine crew members of the Ehime Maru and 4 high school students were drowned. The submarine was practicing an emergency rapid surfacing maneuver at the time.
View: Today in Food History Calendar for the year
View: Food Timeline 50,000 BC to 2009
View: Extensive Food Festival Listings
DID YOU KNOW?
Honey Intoxication
There is a rare type of poisoning caused by consumption of honey produced from the nectar of rhododendrons, which contain grayanotoxin. Also called rhododendron poisoning and mad honey intoxication. It lasts for no more than 24 hours, and symptoms are dizziness, weakness, excessive perspiration, low blood pressure, nausea and vomiting shortly after the toxic honey is ingested. The symptoms can occur within a few minutes to several hours after eating the honey.
Not a problem with commercially produced honey as the pooling of massive quantities of honey during commercial processing generally dilutes any toxic substance.
CULINARY TRIVIA QUIZ
1) Mike Ilitch was born in Yugoslavia in 1929, immigrated to the U.S., played baseball for the Detroit Tigers farm team, worked in several jobs including as a door to door salesman. He began cooking in the back kitchen of a Detroit nightclub, saved up his money and opened his own restaurant in 1959 in Garden City, Michigan. His company was very successful - in 1982 he was able to buy the Detroit Red Wings hockey team and in 1992 he purchased the Detroit Tigers baseball team.
What is the name of this still family owned fast food business?
2) What cookie did Nabisco introduce in 1912 to compete with Hydrox Biscuit Bonbons?
3) What popular candy bar was named for a horse?
4) All of the following events took place in the same year. Can you guess what year?
• The shopping cart was introduced in an Oklahoma City supermarket.
• Spinach growers in the U.S. erected a statue in honor of Popeye the comic strip sailor.
• Pepperidge Farm Bread was introduced.
• Kix corn puff cereal was introduced.
• Spam was introduced by George A. Hormel Co.
• Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner was introduced.
• Wallace Smith, founder of La Choy Food Products was killed by a bolt of lightning.
• Good n' Plenty candies were introduced.
5) This vegetable oil comes from the seeds of a thistle-like plant. Since it does not yellow with age it is useful in making paints, cosmetics and soaps, but it is mainly used in food products. Its flowers are also used to produce a red dye.
Can you name this plant?
6) What do grapes, blueberries, tomatoes, bananas and green peppers have in common?
7) Name this vegetable.
This member of the Mustard Family was developed in Germany sometime around the 16th century. (Although one source claims that Charlemagne ordered it planted throughout his domain during the 9th century). It matures in about 2 months when started from seeds, and about 40 days from transplants. Available from May to December, there are green and purple/ red varieties.
Although not widely grown commercially in the U.S. it is popular in Israel, Germany, Austria, Russia, Italy, and Hungary. It is frequently grown as a kitchen garden vegetable in some U.S. regions, and is also grown for livestock feed in Europe. In Asia it is popular in northern China (where it is called gai laarn tau), India (ganth gobhi or knol-khol) and Nepal.
It can be eaten raw in salads, or cooked. Its leaves can be used much like spinach. Although traditional dishes are usually quite elaborate, stuffed, creamed, etc., it stands up excellent on its own.
Food writers tend to disparage it, although many people become obsessed with its taste, which has been described as combining that of cucumber, radish and broccoli. You either love it or hate it.
Click here for the answers to this Culinary Quiz
Explore the NEW Food Trivia Quizzes
Dedication
This website is dedicated to:
Gladys Ehler, my mother, who taught me patience and how to make Sauerbraten (it is still my favorite)
Edward Ehler, my father, who taught me a love of books and history.
Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, my nephew. Died in action on Feb. 7, 2007 in Iraq. He was 30 yrs. young
Chef James
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