JULY 21 - Today in Food History• National Junk Food Day • Australia: National Lamington Day (Lamington is an Australian specialty consisting of a square of sponge cake coated in chocolate and shredded coconut. Named for Lord Lamington, the governor of Queensland from 1895 to 1901.) [Australian Lamington Appreciation Society]
On this day in:1694 Georg Brandt was born. A Swedish chemist, he discovered the element cobalt in 1730. Cobalt is used in steel making, and is an essential part of vitamin B12
(Vitamin Trivia & Facts) 1796 Robert Burns died (born Jan 25, 1759). Scottish poet, widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland. His poem 'Auld Lang Syne,' set to the tune of a traditional folk song, is traditionally sung at midnight to celebrate the start of the New Year. 1873 It rained ants in Nancy, France. (Ant Trivia) 1899 Benjamin F. Thomas and Joseph B. Whitehead of Chattanooga, Tennessee acquired the exclusive rights to bottle and sell Coca-Cola in most of the United States (not including the soda fountain business).
(Coca-Cola trivia) 1904 The Trans Siberian Railway was completed, linking European Russia with the Russian Pacific Coast. 1939 Joe Albertson opened a grocery store in Boise, Idaho. After numerous acquisitions, mergers and reorganizations, by 2016 Albertsons Companies was the 2nd largest supermarket chain in the U.S. with more than 2,200 stores. (Supermarket Trivia & Facts) 1954 Garnet Carter died (born Feb 9, 1883). He opened the first miniature golf course on Lookout Mountain in Tennessee in 1926. He patented it under the name 'Tom Thumb Golf. Within 5 years there were more than 25,000 miniature golf courses in the U.S. 1983 A new low record temperature was recorded at Vostok Station, Antartica, -128.6 F 1988 An Indian Airlines Boeing 737 was charged by a bull while landing at Baroda Airport in western India. The bull lost. 1994 A smoking ban in restaurants and bars in Maryland began today. 2008 Sidney Craig died (born March 22, 1932). Co-founder with his wife Jenny Craig, of the Jenny Craig chain of diet centers. 2016 A record temperature of 54°C (129.3° F) was recorded in Kuwait. It is the highest temperature ever recorded in the eastern hemisphere. (see also Sept 13, 1922 and July 10, 1913).
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