Wednesday, August 5, 2026Daily Trivia Questions are below TODAY’S FOOD QUOTE“This is not that, and that is certainly not this, and at the same time an oyster stew is not stewed, and although they are made of the same things and even cooked almost the same way, an oyster soup should never be called a stew, nor stew soup.” M.F.K. Fisher (1908-1992) FOOD HOLIDAYS - TODAY IS:• National Oyster Day (Oyster Trivia & Facts) • National Couscous Day (Couscous Facts & Trivia) • Tutti Frutti Hat Day (see 1955 below) • [National Farmers Market Week] (Aug 2-8, 2026 1st full week in August) • [World Breastfeeding Week] (Aug 1-7) TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY1850 Henry-Rene-Albert-Guy de Maupassant was born. Among the subjects of his short stories are many about the fashionable life of Paris. 1858 Alexis Benoit Soyer died. French chef and author. Chef of the London Reform Club. He opened kitchens in Ireland during the famine to sell food at 1/2 price and was an advisor on food to the British army during the Crimean War. Invented several stoves and kitchen utensils. Wrote 'The Pantropheon; or, History of Food' (1853), 'A Shilling Cookery Book for the People' (1854), ‘Soyer's Charitable Cookery’ (1847). 1891 Leipzig, Germany: The Hotel Hauffe honored the first American Express Travelers Cheque. 1909 The first corporation tax was passed by the U.S. Congress. 1914 The first electric traffic lights were installed in Cleveland, Ohio at Euclid Ave and East 105th Street. 1916 R. J. Lechmere Guppy died (born Aug 15, 1836). English geologist and paleontologist; the Guppy fish was named for him. 1955 Carmen Miranda died. Brazilian singer and actress. Miranda appeared in many Hollywood movies, and was known as “the Brazilian bombshell” and also "the lady in the tutti-frutti hat." 1962 Marilyn Monroe died. American actress, she was crowned Artichoke Queen of 1948 in Castroville, California. 2008 IBM is granted a patent for storing a customers preference for 'paper or plastic bags' on the stores customer loyalty card. Does this really deserve a patent? ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** July 29-August 9, 2026 171st Ohio State Fair Columbus, Ohio August 4-8, 2026 54th Annual Alcona County Fair Lincoln, Michigan August 4-9, 2026 68th Cobb Corn Roast Cobb, Wisconsin August 5-9, 2026 - 29th Annual Key West Lobsterfest Key West, Florida August 5-9, 2026 171st Northern Maine Fair Presque Isle, Maine August 6-8, 2026 - The Great American Ribfest Lincoln, Nebraska August 6-9, 2026 - 79th Annual Mendota Sweet Corn Festival - Mendota, Illinois (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? · Mary Mallon (Typhoid Mary) was arrested and quarantined in New York City, until her death. · The familiar round Quaker Oats package is introduced. · There were an estimated 6.5 million farms in the U.S. Total population was 100 million. · A gallon of milk cost 36 cents. · Absinthe is outlawed in France and several other countries. 2) According to the Code of Hammurabi of ancient Babylonia (c.1750 B.C.) what was the punishment for a merchant found diluting his beer? 3) Who brought the first eggplants to the United States? 4) How much chocolate can prove lethal to a small dog? 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 TOP |