Friday, December 12, 2025Daily Trivia Questions are below TODAY’S FOOD QUOTEOn fruitcake: "A geological homemade cake."
Charles Dickens, ‘Martin Chuzzlewit’
FOOD HOLIDAYS - TODAY IS:• National Ambrosia Day
(Ambrosia Fruit Salad Recipe) • National Poinsettia Day
[Congressional Resolution, 2002] • Gingerbread House Day (Gingerbread Recipes) • Vietnam: National Pho Day [Day of Pho]. A Vietnamese soup made with broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat. • [National Handwashing Awareness Week]
(Dec 7-13, 2025)
TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY1787 Pennsylvania became the 2nd state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. It is the only one of the original 13 states that does not border the Atlantic Ocean. (Pennsylvania Food Trivia) 1900 Maria Telkes was born. A Hungarian born American biophysicist & chemist, she was a pioneer in using solar energy in heating applications. Among other things, she developed a solar heated sea water distillation system and a solar powdered stove. 1921 Father Edward J. Flanagan opened his first Boys’ Home in Omaha, Nebraska. Later moved to a farm outside Omaha which became known as Boys Town. 1922 Peter Paul Candy Mfg. Co., Inc. registered 'Mounds' trademark (candy bar). 1922 John Wanamaker died (born July 11, 1838). American innovative businessman, founder of Wanamaker's department store. Wanamaker's was first store in U.S. with electric arc lamps, first with a telephone, first to offer money back guarantee. He also financed Anna Jarvis's successful campaign to recognize Mother's Day as an official holiday. 1925 The first motel opens, the Milestone Mo-Tel Inn, in San Luis Obispo, California, built by architect Arthur Hienemen. A hotel designed specifically for drivers, the name is a shortened term for 'motor hotel.' 1929 Charles Goodnight died. He is said to have devised the first 'chuck wagon' from an Army wagon in the 1850s or 1860s, with various shelves and compartments for food, equipment, utensils, medical supplies, etc. (Chuck Wagon Trivia) 1945 Alan Ward of the music group 'The Honeycombs' was born. 1948 Richard and Maurice McDonald open a quick service drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California. Hamburgers are 15 cents and French fries 10 cents. (McDonald’s Restaurant Trivia & Facts) 1967 Gorton Corporation registered 'Gorton's of Gloucester' trademark (for frozen seafood). 1967 The movie 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner' premiered, starring Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier and Katharine Hepburn. 1983 Allen Products Company is renamed ALPO Petfoods Inc. 1984 Ontario, Canada bans mixed pricing and cut rate drinks, effectively ending Happy Hours in bars. 1989 Leona Helmsley of Helmsley Hotels, was fined $7 million and sentenced to 4 years in jail for mail fraud and tax evasion. Frequently known as 'The Queen of Mean' and 'The Queen of Greed.'
Quote: "Only little people pay taxes." 1998 Florida Governor Lawton Chiles died (born April 3, 1930). Chiles was also one of the original investors in the Red Lobster restaurant chain. 2001 A Nestle subsidiary acquires Ralston Purina, The new company will be called 'Nestle Purina PetCare Company'.
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** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** Nov 18, 2025-Jan 4, 2026 National Gingerbread House Competition & Display - Asheville, N. Carolina December 1-31, 2025 55th Annual Christmas in Newport - Newport, Rhode Island December 10-22, 2025 The Bracebridge Dinner
Yosemite National Park, California December 12-14, 2025 Annual Woodstock Winter Wassail Weekend - Woodstock, Vermont December 13, 2025 Hudson Valley Pizza Festival
Poughkeepsie, New York December 13-14, 2025 28th Annual Inn to Inn Holiday Cookie & Candy Tour
Mt. Washington Valley, New Hampshire (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?
· Otto Frederick Rohwedder received a patent for the first whole loaf bread-slicing machine
· First plastic coated paper milk cartons introduced commercially.
· The Mars Bar, candy bar, was introduced.
· Skippy Peanut Butter is introduced.
· 3 Musketeers, 3 candy bars in one, is introduced. 2) In the 18th and 19th century this was a generic term used for various sauces whose only common ingredient was vinegar. 3) The zest of this pear shaped, wrinkled green Southeast Asian fruit is used in cooking, as are the unusually formed leaves. The leaves have a unique double shape that looks like two leaves joined end to end. Name this fruit. 4) The first Dunkin Donuts and the first Howard Johnson's were both in what city?
a) New York City
b) Quincy, Massachusetts
c) Detroit, Michigan
d) Hartford, Connecticut
e) Topeka, Kansas 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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