Here are today’s five things to know about rice cakes:

Soft forms of rice cakes have been popular in Japan for hundreds of years.

The rice cake, called mochi ,Twas a sweet confection eaten by the nobility during the Nara Period from 710-794 A.D. when the Chinese greatly influenced Japanese culture.

The first rice cakes were developed in Southeast Asia where rice has been grown for nearly 5,000 years.

20% of the world’s calories come from rice.

An acre of rice contributes three times more protein to the worlds food supply than an acre of wheat or dairy farms.

Today’s Food History

• 1627 John Ray (Wray) was born. A leading 17th century English naturalist and botanist. He contributed to the advancement of taxonomy, and established the species as the basic unit of taxonomy.
• 1968 The Who release ‘The Who Sell Out.’ One of my favorite Who albums, with commercials for some real and some fictitious products, including Heinz Baked Beans.
• 1997 Plastic bags are a serious danger to marine mammals. A 65 foot, 70 ton finback whale died off the coast of Spain. Its digestive tract had been blocked by 30 plastic bags, and several hard plastic objects.
• 1997 Reports from Chile about giant rats, that had been feeding on the droppings of hormone fattened poultry, were attacking farm animals near Santiago.

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