Monday, October 12, 2026Daily Trivia Questions are below TODAY’S FOOD QUOTE“Farmers are the only indispensable people on the face of the earth.” Li Zhaoxing
FOOD HOLIDAYS - TODAY IS: Columbus Day Observed {Indigenous Peoples’ Day} (U.S. October 12, 2026 - 2nd Mon) Actual day of Columbus arrival to the Americas was October 12, 1492 National Gumbo Day (Gumbo Origin & History) National Farmers Day (Old Farmers Day)
(Farms & Farmers Trivia & Facts --- Farm Quotes) [National Pulled Pork Day]
(Pork Trivia --- Pork Recipes --- Pork Quotes) Canada: Thanksgiving Day (October 12, 2026)
(Canadian Thanksgiving Trivia) St. Edwin, patron of tramps and parents of large families. National School Lunch Week (Oct 12-16, 2026)
[School Nutrition Association] Canada: National Family Week (week before Thanksgiving Day - Oct 12-18, 2026) UK: Seed Gathering Season (Sept 21-Oct 21, 2026)
[The Tree Council] Gather seeds, fruits and nuts which can be nurtured to grow the trees of the future.
TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY1492 Columbus Day. Christopher Columbus arrived at the Bahamas. (Celebrated in U.S. on 2nd Mon in Oct) 1609 The English nursery rhyme 'Three Blind Mice' was first published in the folk music compilation 'Deuteromelia' by Thomas Ravenscroft. 1810 The first Oktoberfest is celebrated in Munich. Oktoberfest originated as a horse race to celebrate the marriage of the crown prince of Bavaria (later King Louis I) to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. Today it is a 2 week festival ending on the 1st Sunday in October, during which more than 1 million gallons of beer are consumed at the Munich festival. (Beer Trivia --- Beer Quotes) 1823 Charles Macintosh, of Scotland, began selling 'Macintosh' raincoats (Macs) composed of two sheets of fabric with rubber latex sandwiched between them. 1849 In Great Britain, Charles Rowley patented a safety pin. (However, safety pins existed prior to his patent). 1914 Margaret E. Knight died. American inventor, she invented an improved paper bag machine to make bags with flat bottoms. 1920 Construction of the Holland Tunnel began. The first Hudson River automobile tunnel, linking New York City and Jersey City, New Jersey. It opened to traffic on Nov 13, 1927. 1923 Jean Nidetch was born. founder of ‘Weight Watchers’, offering dieting products and services. It began as a discussion group for weight loss.
(Healthy Diets & Dieting Articles) 1950 Takeshi Kaga was born. A Japanese actor, he is best known as the host of the very successful TV show, 'Iron Chef.' It has been shown around the world dubbed or subtitled. There is an American version of the show on the Food Network, hosted by Kaga's nephew, Mark Dacascos. 1963 'Sugar Shack' by Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs, hits number 1 on the charts. 1965 Paul Hermann Muller died. A Swiss chemist who discovered that DDT was a potent insecticide. It was the most widely used insecticide for more than 20 years, and helped to increase food production around the world. Due mainly to its accumulation in animals that eat insects, and its toxic effects on them and those further up the food chain, it has been banned in the U.S. since 1972. However its residue is still found in some foods grown in the U.S. in 2002!
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** October 1-November 1, 2026 Arizona State Fair
Phoenix, Arizona October 8-18, 2026 Mississippi State Fair
Jackson, Mississippi October 13-17, 2026 Annual Bradford Pumpkin Show
Bradford, Ohio October 14-17, 2026 La Fκte du Champagne
New York, New York October 15-17, 2026 81st Annual Peanut Festival
Grapeland, Texas October 15-18, 2026 World Food Championships
Indianapolis, Indiana October 15-18, 2026 89th Annual International Rice Festival - Crowley, Louisiana (SEE ALL FOOD FESTIVALS and OTHER FOOD EVENTS)
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** FOOD TRIVIA QUIZ (new DAILY questions)1) All of the following events took place in the same year. What year is it?
· George W. Brown of Galesburg, Illinois, received a patent for the first successful mechanical corn planter
· The Waseca County Horse Thief Detectives are organized in Wilton, Minnesota.
· Work began on a 2 mile long, 5 foot diameter, water supply tunnel for Chicago.
· The first reported camel race in the U.S. was held at Agricultural Park in Sacramento, California.
· Nevada became the 36th State.
· Montana becomes a U.S. territory. 2) London Broil is not a cut of meat. What is it? 3) Cumin 'seeds' are not seeds, what are they? 4) How many cans of pork and beans does Campbell Soup Company sell each year? 5) This state is the top pecan and peanut producing state. The State Fruit is the peach; the State Vegetable is the Vidalia Onion and Grits is the State Prepared Food. Name this state. 6) What protein is formed when water and wheat flour is mixed?
Click Here for Today’s Quiz Answers
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** Read an article about Chef James and the FoodReference.com website published in the Winona Daily News, Minneapolis StarTribune, and numerous other newspapers: Click here for the Article
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** 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.
· Barbara Saba, my sister, who taught me how to dance.
· 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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