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Here are today’s five thing to know about Peaches:

  1. Did you know?  Peaches were once known as Persian apples.
  2. “You’re a real peach” originated from the tradition of giving a peach to the friend you liked.
  3. Peaches were mentioned as early as 79 A.D. in literature.
  4. Most peaches are cultivated by grafting different combinations of rootstocks to scions; not raised from seed
  5. There are over 700 varieties of peaches-some Chinese varieties are even flat like hockey pucks.

Today’s Food History

  • 79 R.I.P. Pliny The Elder. A Roman scholar and naturalist, he was the author of the 37 volume ‘Historia Naturalis’ (Natural History). This was a compilation of thousands of ancient books by hundreds of authors. It is an invaluable record of ancient theories on countless scientific subjects.
  • 1853 The month and day are uncertain, but the year is correct. Native American Chef George Crum invented potato chips at Moon’s Lake House in Saratoga Springs, New York.
  • 1869 Cornelius Swarthout received the first U.S. patent for a waffle iron.
  • 1918 Ray McIntire was born. A chemical engineer who worked for Dow Chemical Company, he invented Styrofoam.
  • 1969 The movie version of Arlo Guthrie’s ‘Alice’s Restaurant’ premiered in New York and Los Angeles.