JANUARY 4
Today in Food History• National Spaghetti Day (Spaghetti Recipes)
(Spaghetti Quotes --- Pasta Trivia) • Diet Resolution Week (Jan 1-7)
(Healthy Diets & Dieting Articles)
On this day in:1493 Columbus returned from his first voyage to the New World. 1846 Edward H. Johnson was born (died Sept 9, 1917). Johnson, vice-president of Thomas Edison's electric company, created the first electric Christmas tree lights which he displayed on a Christmas tree at his New York home on December 22, 1882. 1863 James Plimpton of New York patented 4 wheeled roller skates. 1903 Thomas Edison electrocutes an elephant to publicly demonstrate the supposed danger of alternating current (AC). Edison was advocating direct current (DC) be adopted as a standard. 1905 Actor Sterling Holloway was born. He was also the voice of Winnie The Pooh, the honey loving bear in Disney's animated version. 1909 J.R. Simplot was born (died May 25, 2008). Founder of J.R. Simplot Company in 1929 in Idaho. specializing in potato products (in 2005 it supplied more tha 50% of McDonald's french fries).
(French Fry Trivia & Facts --- French Fry Quotes) 1909 Australia: Bourke, New South Wales recorded Australia's hottest day ever at 125°F. (51.7°C).
[This record has been disputed). 1932 'The Carnation Contented Hour' sponsored by Carnation ("Milk from contented cows") went national on NBC radio. It had premiered on the regional NBC West Coast network April 26, 1931.
(Carnation Evaporated Milk Facts] 1958 Sputnik I fell to Earth (see also Oct 4, 1957). 1997 Billionaire Harry Helmsley died. Husband of the infamous Leona (‘Queen of Mean,’ ‘Queen of Greed’), his real estate holdings included the Empire State Building. 2002 An Italian shepherd, the world's oldest man died at the age of 112. Quote: "....love your brother and drink a good glass of red wine every day." 2007 Vincent Sardi Jr. died (born July 23, 1915)). Owner, Sardi's Restaurant, New York, N.Y. 2011 U.S. President Barack Obama signs a bill overhauling the nation’s food safety system. It emphasizes prevention of foodborne illness, requiring more government inspections and allowing federal regulators to order the recall of unsafe products.
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