Five Food Finds about Chocolate & Peanut Candies

1. The original  chocolate covered peanut candy are Goobers first sold in 1925. The word “Goober” was a common slang word for peanut.

2. Peanut M & M’s were not introduced until 1954. They were tan until 1960 when colors were first introduced.(yellow, green, & red)

3 Rapper, Eminem’s original stage name was M & M, his name was eventually changed for obvious trademark issues.

4. The initials M & M stand for the Forrest Mars from Mars Candies and Bruce Murrie from Hershey Chocolates.

5. In 1976 red M & M’s were replaced with orange. The red dye(red #2) was ruled to be a potential carcinogen. Red did not return until 1987.

Daily Quote:

“M & M’s, the chocolates that melt in your mouth nor in your hand” first used in 1954

Extra: It is said that M & M’s were tan in color for decades because if they DID melt in your hand it would not show

Events of February 25

Today’s Food History

on this day in…

• 1904 Adelle Davis was born.  Nutritionist, and author of ‘Let’s Eat Right to Keep Fit.’ She promoted many theories that have been labeled as unfounded and dangerous by the medical community.

• 1918 Wartime food rationing began in parts of England

• 1922 Donald McLean was born. McLean was a Scottish potato expert who supposedly discovered the world’s largest private collection of potatoes, with 367 varieties.

• 1934 RIP Elizabeth Gertrude Knight Britton, an American botanist, she helped establish the New York Botanical Gardens.

• 1950 RIP George Richard Minot, American physician, Minot was one of the developers of the ” raw-liver diet ” used to treat pernicious anemia.

Five Facts about Tortilla Chips

1. Most tortilla chips are triangular shaped because they are cut from round tortilla.

2. In Mexico, Tortilla Chips are called tostados, toasted chips. Outside of North America they are called “corn chips”

3. Doritos brand is the first toasted tortilla chip launched nationally in the U.S.(1966)

4. Tortilla chips are considered the most fattening item sold in Mexican restaurants with as much as 2 grams of fat per chip.

5. Nachos, chips topped with a variation of shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, etc., are said to be created by Ignacia Anaya in 1943, account for 30% of all restaurant tortilla chips

Daily Quote:

“Why is it so hard to find an exercise bike with a basket for my tortilla chips?“~Roseanne Barr

Events of February 24

Today’s Food History

on this day in…

• 1874 RIP John Bachman, A Naturalist who wrote some of the text for John James Audubon’s albums of birds and mammals of North America.

• 1938 DuPont begins production of nylon toothbrush bristles. A patent had been granted in 1937. The nylon bristles replaced hog bristles. Yes, toothbrushes used to be made with hog bristles.

• 1955 Steven Jobs was born, co-founder of Apple computer company. According to the company, he “grew up in the apricot orchards which later became known as Silicon Valley.”

• 1989 A fossil egg was found in Utah that was 150 million years old.

Five Food Facts about Bananas

1. Banana trees are considered  giant herbs, not ‘trees’ at all

2. A cluster of bananas is known as a hand, each banana are fingers.

3. Rubbing the inside of a banana peel on bug bites are said to relieve itching and inflammation.

4. Over 95% of American households purchase banana at least once a month.

5. Bananas are one of the only fruits harvested every day of the year. They do not grow in regions that have dramatic seasonal changes.

 Daily Quote:

“I’m getting so old, I don’t even buy green bananas anymore.”~George Burns

Events of February 23

Today’s Food History

on this day in…

• 1884 Casimir Funk was born. Funk was a Polish-American biochemist who came up with the word ‘vitamine’ later changed to ‘vitamin.’

• 1896 Leo Hirshfield introduced the Tootsie Roll at his small store in New York City. It was supposedly named after his 5 year old daughter, whose nickname was ‘Tootsie.’

• 1931 RIP Helen Porter Mitchel, her stage name, Nellie Melba was a world famous operatic soprano born in Australia.  Melba Toast and Peach Melba were named for her.

• 1944 Leo Hendrik Baekeland was born. He was a chemist who invented Bakelite, the first plastic that did not soften when heated. Those black plastic knobs on stoves were made of bakelite.

• 1997 Scientists in Scotland announced the first successful cloning of an adult mammal, Dolly, a sheep.

 The 5 Things that seem to work

1. Eating bananas the morning after a night of heavy drinking provides lost electrolytes like any food would, but it also specifically replenishes the body with lost potassium.

2. Avoid caffeine. A weak cup of coffee may be fine but too much caffeine can dehydrate your body even more.

3. Sports drinks like Gatorade or Powerade actually will help.

4. Taking a cold shower switching from hot to cold will help balance your body temperature.

5. Next time try to drink equal amounts of water with every drink.

Five Food Facts about Sweet Potatoes

1. Sweet potatoes are the 6th most important food crop in the world.

2. Asia accounts for 90% of the world consumption of sweet potatoes.

3. George Washington Carver helped to develop the primary adhesive used for postage stamps from the mucilage(sticky film) of  sweet potatoes.

4. Sweet potatoes are actually tuberous roots which are considered one of the worlds most nutritious foods in the vegetable kingdom.

5. Despite the physical similarities of yams and sweet potatoes. They actually are not even closely related. Yams are actually closely related to grasses and lilies.

Daily Quote:

“A man who can cook a baked sweet potato is the kind of man you should keep around“~Maya Angelou

Events of February 22

Today’s Food History

on this day in…

• 1630 Supposedly, Quadequina, an American Indian, introduced English colonists to popcorn.

• 1879 Woolworths, the first chain store, opened in 1879 in Utica, New York. Woolworth’s diners were the first to introduce the Frito Chili Pies and helped to popularize grilled cheese sandwiches and BLT’s,bacon ,lettuce, and tomato sandwiches.

• 1920 The first artificial rabbit is used at a dog racing trace in Emeryville, California.

• 1925 RIP Sir Thomas Clifford Allbutt, English physician, he invented the short (6 inch) clinical thermometer, before then they averaged over 18″ in length.

• 1987 RIP Andy Warhol,American painter of the pop art movement. In the  1960s he made paintings of Campbell’s Soup cans.