National Carrot Cake Day

Also: African Heritage & Health Week

Carrot Facts:

  1. Carrots were first cultivated in north Africa & the Mediterranean. They originally were purple or grey in color. Introduced to Europe around 1000 years ago.
  2. The weed/flower Queen Anne’s Lace is actually a wild carrot. Many say carrots were planted in colonial gardens; went to seed & soon spread across North America.
  3. Jello in the 1930′s offered ‘carrot pie’ flavored gelatin.
Daily Quote:  “I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.”

Today’s Food History

on this day in…

  • 1468 RIP Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of moveable type printing. Inspired by the screw presses used in winemaking.
  • 1815 The world’s 1st commercial cheese factory was established in Switzerland.
  • 1913 The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. It gave Congress the power to levy taxes on income.  In 1913 less than 1% of the population paid income tax at the rate of 1%. Before this taxes were acquired primarily on food, merchandise sales, etc.
  • 1916 The Cafe Voltaire opened in Zurich, Switzerland, a meeting place for members of what was to be known as the Dada movement.
  • 1959 The day the music died. Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens & J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper) are killed in a plane crash near Mason City, Iowa.