Events of August 9

Today’s Food History

on this day in…

1593 Isaak Walton was born. He is mainly known for ‘The Compleat Angler, or, the Contemplative Man’s Recreation,’ which is one of the most frequently published books in English literature. It is a literary discourse on the pleasures of fishing.

1762 Mary Randolph was born. She was a Southern U.S. cookbook author, whose ‘The Virginia Housewife’ (1824) is considered the first cookbook of the American South, and one of the most influential cookbooks of the 19th century. It contains hints of the influence of African cooking on the cooking of the American South. Mrs. Randolph was also one of the first to use measurements in her recipes, rather than just a list of ingredients.

1910 Alva J. Fisher of Chicago, Illinois patented the electric washing machine.

1911 John Gates died. Gates was an inventor, promoter and barbed wire manufacturer.