Posts by FoodimentaryGuy

April 5 is National Raisin and Spice Bar Day

Raisin spice bars are typically made with cinnamon, allspice, chopped pecans or walnuts, and raisins.
The the creator and origin of National Raisin and Spice Bar Day is not clear.
Raisin – comes from the Latin racemus and means “a cluster of grapes or berries”.
Raisin grapes were grown as early as 2000 bc in Persia and Egypt, and dried grapes are mentioned in the Bible (Numbers 6:3) during the time of Moses. David (Israel’s future king) was presented with “a hundred clusters of raisins” (1 Samuel 25:18), probably sometime during the period 1110–1070 bc.
Raisin colors vary by drying process. For example, a dark purplish/black raisin is sun-dried. A light to medium brown raisin is mechanically dehydrated in special drying tunnels.

1764 The Sugar Act passed in Britain, placing new restrictions on the import of molasses to America.
1806 Isaac Quintard patented the apple cider mill.
1858 W. Atlee Burpee was born. Founder of the world’s largest mail-order seed company in 1876.
1881 Edwing Houston and Elihu Thomson patented a centrifugal separator, which could be used in separating milk.
1981 Bob Hite died. Singer with Canned Heat.
1994 Andre Tchelistcheff died. Tchelistcheff was a Russian-born U.S. enologist, was a pivotal figure in the revitalization of the California wine industry following Prohibition (1919-33) and used his Paris training in viticulture and wine making to pioneer such techniques as cold fermentation and the use of American oak barrels for aging. He was also an authority on the types of soil suitable for growing various grape varieties.
Encyclopedia Brittanica (CD-2002)
1998 The Spice Girls first U.K. concert in Glasgow

The USA produce about 6% of the world’s crop of peanuts: by comparison India and China, together, produce about 70%

West Coast people prefer chunky peanut butter, whereas those in the East Coast people like creamy

96% of people, when making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, put the peanut butter on before the jelly

Two presidents of the USA, Jimmy Carter and Thomas Jefferson, were peanut farmers

Food related Events of March 1

also: National Fruit Compote Day

on this day in…

1927 Harry Belafonte, singer, actor, was born. His biggest hit was “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song” in 1956.

1989 Jack Dietz holds the world’s record for watermelon seed spitting, 66 feet 11 inches.

1990 The British Royal Navy began issuing rum rations to sailors as early as 1655. The Royal New Zealand Navy was the last navy in the world to end daily rum rations for sailors in 1990.

2002 McDonald’s announced in a press release that it has agreed to pay 10 million dollars to Hindu and vegetarian groups to settle lawsuits over its use of beef flavoring in its French Fries.

The original chocolate covered peanut candy are Goobers first sold in 1925. The word “Goober” was a common slang word for peanut.
Peanut M & M’s were not introduced until 1954. They were tan until 1960 when colors were first introduced.(yellow, green, & red)
Rapper, Eminem’s original stage name was M & M, his name was eventually changed for obvious trademark issues.
The initials M & M stand for the Forrest Mars from Mars Candies and Bruce Murrie from Hershey Chocolates.
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

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.

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.