January 2nd is National Cream Puff Day!

Here are today’s five food finds about cream puffs:

The cream puff is also know as “profiterole.”

While the origin is obscure, the cream puff was introduced in France by Caterina de Medici, the wife of Henry II of France.

The “cream puff” first appeared on US restaurant menus since 1851.

The world’s largest cream puff weighed 125.5 pounds.

The Wisconsin State Fair is known for producing cream puffs since 1924.

Today’s Food History

1923 Secretary of the U.S. Dept of Interior, Albert Fall, resigns due to public outrage over the Teapot Dome scandal.
1975 Working with Canadian zoologist Freud Urquhart, amateur naturalist Kenneth C. Brugger discovered the winter home of the Monarch butterfly in the mountains of central Mexico. The refuge he found was only about 200 square meters and contained about 20 million butterflies.
1983 ‘Maneater’ by Daryl Hall & John Oates is #1 on the charts.
1990 Campbell’s Soup introduces Cream of Broccoli soup. It becomes their most successful new soup in 55 years.
2005 H. David Dalquist, the creator of the aluminum Bundt Pan in 1950, died in Minnesota at the age of 86.

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Categories: Food Holidays, January Food Holidays, Uncategorized

Tagged: National Cream Puff Day

January 2nd is National Buffet Day!

Here are today’s five things to know about Buffet:

Traditionally, the “Day to Feast” before the great diet begins

The concept of eating a buffet arose in mid 17th century France, when gentleman callers would arrive at the homes of ladies they wanted to woo unexpectedly. The word simply applied to the piece of furniture known as the “buffet table.”

2. The buffet was popularized in 18th century France and quickly spread throughout Europe.

marriage-c3a0-la-mode-the-countesss-morning-levee1

3. The all-you-can-eat buffet made its restaurant debut in 1946, when it was introduced by Vegas hotel manager Herb MacDonald.

4. By the mid-1960s, virtually every casino in Las Vegas sported its own variation.

5. Today the casino buffet costs a bit more than the average $1.50 price of the 1960s, but the buffets continue to be one of the best deals in Vegas as well as all over the United States.

Today’s Food History

1923 Secretary of the U.S. Dept of Interior, Albert Fall, resigns due to public outrage over the Teapot Dome scandal.
1975 Working with Canadian zoologist Freud Urquhart, amateur naturalist Kenneth C. Brugger discovered the winter home of the Monarch butterfly in the mountains of central Mexico. The refuge he found was only about 200 square meters and contained about 20 million butterflies.
1983 ‘Maneater’ by Daryl Hall & John Oates is #1 on the charts.
1990 Campbell’s Soup introduces Cream of Broccoli soup. It becomes their most successful new soup in 55 years.
2005 H. David Dalquist, the creator of the aluminum Bundt Pan in 1950, died in Minnesota at the age of 86.

Today’s Pinterest Board at : Foodimentary

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Categories: Food Holidays, January Food Holidays, Uncategorized

Tagged: national buffet day

January 1st is National Bloody Mary Day!

Here are today’s five things to know about the Bloody Mary:

The drink’s namesake is Mary of England, whose 16th-century persecution of Protestants earned her the nickname.

Some drink aficionados believe the inspiration for the name was Hollywood star Mary Pickford.

The Bloody Mary is sometimes mistakenly believed to alleviate hangovers when it is served in the morning. While it will temporarily alleviate some of the symptoms, it will also further dehydrate the drinker, causing the symptoms to worsen later.

The Bloody Mary is the US’s most popular alcoholic drink for brunch.

This drink has been called “The world’s most complex cocktail.”

Today’s Food History

45 BC New Year’s Day was celebrated for the first time on January 1 when the Julian calendar took effect.
1449 Lorenzo de Medici (The Magnificent) of Florence was born. Many in this Italian noble family were patrons of learning and the arts. Lorenzo’s great granddaughter, Catherine, is known as the ‘mother of French haute cuisine’ because when she married the French king Henry II, she brought the finest Italian chefs, and her passion for fine food, with her to France. (With apologies to my French readers. Reasonable rebuttals accepted for future publication).
1735 Paul Revere was born. A silversmith and American Revolutionary folk hero, he also made surgical instruments and false teeth.
1772 The London Credit Exchange Company issued the first traveler’s checks.
1800 Louis-Jean-Marie Daubenton died. A French naturalist, he was a pioneer in several fields including plant physiology. He conducted many agricultural experiments and introduced Merino sheep to France. First director of the Museum of Natural History in Paris.
1863 Daniel Freeman is the first to submit a claim under the new Homestead Act, for 160 acres near Beatrice, Nebraska.
1876 The first world’s oldest trademark is the red triangle registered for Bass Pale Ale. (Some sources say 1883 or 1890)
1876 The first agricultural experiment station was established at Middleton, Connecticut.
1895 C.W. Post of Battle Creek, Michigan introduced Postum Food Coffee, a coffee substitute made from wheat, bran and molasses.
1896 Alfred Ely Beach died. American inventor and publisher of Scientific American magazine.
1898 Post Grape Nuts are introduced by C. W. Post of Battle Creek, Michigan. (There are no grapes or nuts in Grape Nuts).
1905 The New York Times builds the Times Tower at Long Acre Square, has the name changed to Times Square and celebrated the event with a New Year’s Eve Fireworks show. The beginning of an American tradition at Times Square.
1907 The Times introduced the New Years Eve Ball on their building at Times Square in New York. Descending to mark the end of the old and the beginning of the New Year ever since.
1909 Marcel Proust had a flashback. On January 1, 1909, he ate a piece of tea-soaked toast whose taste caused a flood of childhood memories. In his 7 volume allegorical novel ‘Remembrance of Things Past,’ the character named Swann has a similar experience when he bites into a lemon cookie (a ‘Madeleine’) which brings on a similar flood of memories.
1935 In Miami, the first Orange Bowl was played on this day in 1935. Bucknell University wins over the University of Miami, 26-0.
1935 The first Sugar Bowl football game was played on this day in 1935 in New Orleans.
1935 B. (Barnard) Kliban was born. A satirical cartoonist, best known for his cat cartoons. A few of his cartoon book titles: ‘Never Eat Anything Larger Than Your Head’, ‘The Biggest Tongue in Tunisia’.
1942 Country Joe McDonald of ‘Country Joe and the Fish’ was born.
1958 The agreements establishing the European Economic Community (EEC or Common Market) went into effect.
1994 The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went into effect between the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
1996 The last Polynesian tree snail, species Partula turgida, died at the London Zoo. They lived on the South Pacific island of Raiatea, where the residents imported predatory snails from Florida to eat a pest snail, originally imported from Africa. Instead they ate the native Tree Snail to extinction. We never seem to learn about the consequences of introducing nonnative species.
1998 Smoking is banned in California restaurants and bars.
2002 The ‘euro’ was introduced, the new monetary unit of the European Union.

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Categories: Food Holidays, January Food Holidays, Uncategorized

Tagged: Bloody Mary origins, Bloody May History, food holiday book, national bloody mary day

2018’s January Food Holiday List is Here!

John-Bryan Hopkins

National Hot Tea Month
National Oatmeal Month
National Slow Cooking Month
National Soup Month
National Baking Month
National Fat Free Living Month
Fat Free Living Month

Daily Holidays

January 1
National Bloody Mary Day

National Black Eyed Pea Day

January 2
National Buffet Day
National Cream Puff Day

January 3
National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day

January 4
National Spaghetti Day

January 5
National Whipped Cream Day

January 6
National Shortbread Day
National Bean Day

January 7
National Tempura Day

January 8
National English Toffee Day

January 9
National Apricot Day

January 10
National Bittersweet Chocolate Day

January 11
National Hot Toddy Day

National Milk Day

January 12
National Marzipan Day
National Curried Chicken Day
National Glazed Doughnut Day

January 13

National Gluten-Free Day
National Peach Melba Day

January 14
National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day

January 15

National Fresh Squeezed Juice Day
National Strawberry Ice Cream Day

January 16
National Fig Newton Day
International Hot and Spicy Food Day

January 17
National Hot Buttered Rum Day

January 18
National Gourmet Coffee Day

Peking Duck Day

January 19
National Popcorn Day

January 20
National Buttercrunch Day
National Cheese Lover’s Day

January 21
National Granola Bar Day
National New England Clam Chowder Day

January 22
National Blonde Brownie Day
National Southern Food Day

January 23
National Pie Day

National Rhubarb Pie Day

January 24
National Peanut Butter Day

Lobster Thermidor Day

January 25
National Irish Coffee Day

January 26
National Peanut Brittle Day

January 27
National Chocolate Cake Day

January 28
National Blueberry Pancake Day

January 29
National Corn Chip Day

January 30
National Croissant Day

January 31
National Hot Chocolate Day**

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Categories: Food Holidays, January Food Holidays, Uncategorized

Tagged: january food holidays

January 31st is National Hot Chocolate Day!

Here are today’s five things to know about hot chocolate:

What’s the difference between Hot Chocolate and Hot Cocoa? Hot Chcolate uses milk or milk chocolate while hot cocoa uses only powdered cocoa.

The first hot chocolate was Mayan, and it was served with chili peppers!

In Spain, hot chocolate with churros is considered a working man’s breakfast.

Hot chocolate has antioxidants and flavonols, very healthy nutrients. Just skip the sugar.

Chocolate is the 3rd most traded commodity in the world. 1st is oils, 2nd is coffee.

Today’s Food History

1893 The Coca-Cola trademark was recorded.

1930 Scotch tape was developed by Richard Drew of the 3M Company.

1980 Due to record high sugar prices, Coca Cola begins substituting high fructose corn syrup for half of the sucrose (sugar) used in Coca Cola.

1990 The first McDonald’s restaurant in Moscow, Russia opens.

2001 Germany announced plans to destroy 400k cattle due to the mad cow crises. We know it now as Mad Cow Disease

Categories: Food Holidays, January Food Holidays, Uncategorized

January 30th is National Croissant Day

Here are today’s five things to know about the croissant:

Each croissant rolls are made of 50 or more thin layers of pastry & butter.

According to legend, it was Marie Antoinette (Austrian Princess who married Louis XVI), introduced the croissant to France.

The French newspaper Le Figaro named the croissant from bakery Pierre Hermé the best in Paris in 2013. It also won in 2006.

Since Starbucks bought French baker Pascal Rigo’s San Francisco-based La Boulange, the chocolate croissant has become the coffee chain’s bestselling pastry.

In 2013, chef Dominque Ansel came up with the cronut — a deep-fried croissant/doughnut combination that became all the rage at his New York bakery.

Today’s Food History

1649 Charles I, king of England, Scotland and Ireland Died. Ice cream is said to have come from France when he married Henrietta Maria, daughter of Henri IV, and sister of Louis XIII.
1868 Charles Darwin’s ‘Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication.’ was published.
1969 The Beatles perform for the last time in public, on the roof of Apple Studios.
2009 RIP Restaurateur Milton; age of 90. Owner of New York’s famous Carnegie Deli from 1976 until his retirement in 2002.

Categories: Food Holidays, January Food Holidays, Uncategorized

January 29th is National Corn Chip Day!

Here are today’s five thing to know about Corn Chip:

The “original” corn chip is the Fritos Corn Chip, first sold in the 1930’s.

“Frito Chili Pie” was invented in the 1960’s by Teresa Hernández, a cook at Woolworth’s lunch counter in Santa Fe.

A corn chip is a snack food made from cornmeal fried in oil or baked, usually in the shape of a small noodle or scoop.

Charles Elmer Doolin bought the patent for “Fritos” from a Mexican man for $100.

In some areas, it is popular to pour the chili into a bag of corn chips and eat the mixture directly from the bag.

Famous Last Words: “I just wish I had time for one more bowl of chili.”~Kit Carson(American frontiersman)

Today’s Food History

1878 The 1st patent for a glass milk container was issued to George Lester.
1924 Carl R. Taylor patented the 1st ice cream cone rolling machine.
1978 Sweden banned aerosol cans. (Think Redi-Whip or Cheez-Whiz)

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Tagged: Corn Chip History, national corn chip day

January 27th is National Chocolate Cake Day!

Here are today’s five things to know about Chocolate:

The first French word for chocolate mousse translates in English to“chocolate mayonnaise”.

The “blood” that you see in the infamous “shower scene” in Psycho is actually chocolate syrup.

The history of chocolate cake goes back to 1764, when Dr. James Baker discovered how to make chocolate by grinding cocoa beans between two massive circular millstones.

A process for making silkier and smoother chocolate called conching was developed in 1879 by Swiss Rodolphe and made it easier to bake with chocolate as it amalgamates smoothly and completely with cake batters.

In the U.S.A, “chocolate decadence” cakes were popular in the 1980s; in the 1990s, single-serving molten chocolate cakes with liquid chocolate centers and infused chocolates with exotic flavors such as tea, curry, red pepper, passion fruit, and champagne were popular.

Today’s Quote: “All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”~Charles M. Schulz

Today’s Food History

1521 The Diet of Worms begins; an assembly of the Holy Roman Empire where Martin Luther made his famous appearance.
1851 RIP John James Audubon: Ornithologist, naturalist & artist, known for his paintings & prints of North American birds.
1910 RIP Thomas Crapper: Said to have invented the flush toilet. Many believe he simply “improved” the device invented by others.
1984 Michael Jackson’s hair catches fire while filming a Pepsi commercial.

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Tagged: national chocolate cake day

January 26th is National Peanut Brittle Day!

Here are today’s five thing to know about Peanut Brittle:

“Brittle” is a type of confection consisting of flat, broken pieces of hard sugar candy.

Peanut brittle made with corn syrups & nuts began appearing in cookbooks around the 19th century.

Because we find peanut brittle recipes most commonly in American cookbooks, it is generally recognized as an American recipe.

The history of peanut brittle is tied to Tony Beaver, a lumberjack folk hero. In the story, Tony Beaver creates peanut brittle when he stops a flood using peanuts and molasses.

According to the history of peanut brittle candy, brittle was probably the first candy ever made.

Today’s Food History

1838 The first state temperance law was passed in Tennessee.
1875 The first battery-powered dentist’s drill was patented by George F Green of Kalamazoo, Michigan.
1932 RIP William Wrigley, Jr. He started Juicy Fruit chewing gum in 1893, & later Wrigley’s Spearmint. Wrigley’s boson became the largest chewing gum manufacturer in the world.
2007 RIP Sharon Tyler Herbst Author of ‘ The Food Lover’s Companion,’ ‘The Joy of Cookies,’ & many more food related books.

Today’s Pinterest Board at : Foodimentary

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January 25th is National Irish Coffee Day!

Here are today’s five things to know about Irish Coffee:

Irish coffee typically consists of black coffee, sugar, whipped cream, and Irish whiskey.

Some say it was invented in Ireland and was intended to help travelers keep warm while traveling the Atlantic Ocean.

It is said that Stanton Delaplane brought the drink to the United States and convinced the Buena Vista bar in San Francisco to put it on their drink menu.

Tom Bergin’s Tavern in Los Angeles, also claims to have been the originator and has had a large sign in place reading “House of Irish Coffee” since the early 1950s.

A similar hot Irish drink is called the Hot Irish Monk – cocoa, Frangelica (available kosher in select places) and whiskey.

Today’s Food History

1799 The first US patent for a seeding machine was issued to Eliakim Spooner of Vermont
1858 Mendelssohn’s “The Wedding March” was first played at Queen Victoria’s daughter’s wedding
1945 Grand Rapids, Michigan became the 1st U.S. city to fluoridate its drinking water an effort to reduce tooth deca

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January 24th is National Peanut Butter Day!

Here are today’s five things to know about peanut butter:

60% of people like creamy peanut butter over crunchy.

Women & children prefer creamy, while most men like crunchy.

Peanut butter is a source of incomplete protein.

A common combination to provide a complete protein is pairing peanut butter with whole wheat bread.

The two foods need only be consumed within 24 hours of each other to complete the protein.

Today’s Food History

1920 Eskimo Pie Patent Date. The Eskimo Pie was patented by Christian K. Nelson, first sold in 1922 as “I-Scream Bars”
1935 The first beer can was introduced by the Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company
1939 Maximilian Bircher-Benner died. He was a Swiss doctor who developed the granola-like cereal product ‘Muesli’
1959 Coors launched the 7 ounce seamless, recyclable aluminum beer can.
1988 RIP Charles Glen King,a biochemist who discovered vitamin C in 1932. He first extracted & isolated it from lemon juice.

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Tagged: national peanut butter day, peanut butter facts

January 23rd is National Pie Day!

Here are today’s five things to know about pie:

In 1986 National Pie Day was first celebrated by the American Pie Council to commemorate Crisco’s 75th anniversary of “serving foods to families everywhere.”

The first pies appeared around 9500 BC.

Meat pies with fillings such as steak, cheese, steak and kidney, minced beef, or chicken and mushroom are popular in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

Pot pies with a flaky crust and bottom are also a popular American dish, typically with a filling of meat (particularly beef, chicken or turkey), gravy, and mixed vegetables (potatoes, carrots and peas).

Fruit pies may be served with a scoop of ice cream, a style known in North America as pie à la mode.

Today’s Food History

1862 Agoston Haraszthy de Mokcsa brought 1,400 varieties of grapevines from Europe to California in 1862, and planted the first large vineyard in California in the Sonoma Valley. After the phyloxera blight destroyed much of Europe’s vineyards, some of these same vines, now on resistant American root stock, helped save the European wine industries.
1931 Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova died. A “Povlova”, a meringue with whipped cream and fruit, was named after her.
1961 Wilhelm Koppers died. This cultural anthropologist developed theories on the origins of society based on studies of hunter-gatherer tribes.
1963 Three million gallons of soybean oil flooded streets in Mankato, Minnesota when a storage tank ruptured. Eventually the oil ended up in the Mississippi River. In the spring, more than 10,000 ducks were found dead in the wetlands along the river.

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Tagged: national pie day

January 22nd is National Southern Food Day!

John-Bryan Hopkins

Here are today’s five thing to know about Southern Food

The most notable influences on southern cooking come from English, Scottish, Irish, German, French, Native American, and African American cuisines.

Many items such as squash, tomatoes, corn (and its derivatives, including grits), as well as the practice of deep pit barbecuing were inherited from the southeastern American Indian tribes such as the Caddo, Choctaw, and Seminole.

The South’s propensity for a full breakfast is derived from the English fry up, although it was altered substantially.

A traditional Southern meal is pan-fried chicken, field peas (such as black-eyed peas), greens (such as collard greens or mustard), mashed potatoes, cornbread or corn pone, sweet tea, and a dessert that is usually a pie (sweet potato, chess, shoofly, pecan, and peach are traditional southern pies), or a cobbler (peach, blackberry, or mixed berry are traditional cobblers).

At least a dozen soups also have their origins in the American South.

Today’s Food History

1521 Emperor Charles V opens the Diet of Worms.
1892 Coca-Cola was incorporated.
1939 Chef, Jeff Smith,The Frugal Gourmet was born
1985 A cold wave damaged 90 percent of the Florida citrus crop.
1997 A weekend freeze cost Florida farmers at least 100 million dollars in crop losses. Winter vegetables in south Dade County and southwest Florida were hardest hit
2008 The Jewish Holiday, Tu B’Shevat, celebrated by planting trees that bears fruits, is permitted work

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Tagged: National Southern Food Day, southern food

January 22nd is National Blonde Brownie Day!

John-Bryan Hopkins

Here are today’s five things to know about the brownie:

A blonde brownie is a baked square or bar containing light brown sugar instead of dark brown cocoa.

The brownie was developed in the United States at the end of the 19th century and popularized in both the U.S. and Canada during the first half of the 20th century.

The blondie came into being long before the brownie due to the availability of light brown sugar over cocoa.

The earliest published recipes for a brownie like those of today appeared in the Home Cookery (1904, Laconia, NH), Service Club Cook Book (1904, Chicago, IL), The Boston Globe (April 2, 1905 p. 34), and the 1906 edition of The Boston Cooking School Cook Book by Fannie Merritt Farmer.

The first brownie ever made was a treat sweetened with molasses.

Today’s Food History

1521 Emperor Charles V opens the Diet of Worms.
1892 Coca-Cola was incorporated.
1939 Chef, Jeff Smith,The Frugal Gourmet was born
1985 A cold wave damaged 90 percent of the Florida citrus crop.
1997 A weekend freeze cost Florida farmers at least 100 million dollars in crop losses. Winter vegetables in south Dade County and southwest Florida were hardest hit
2008 The Jewish Holiday, Tu B’Shevat, celebrated by planting trees that bears fruits, is permitted work

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Categories: Food Holidays, January Food Holidays, Uncategorized

Tagged: National Blonde Brownie

January 21st is National Granola Bar Day!

John-Bryan Hopkins

Here are today’s five food finds about granola:

Granola was invented in Dansville, New York.

Dr. James Caleb Jackson at the Jackson Sanitarium created granola in 1863.

The first granola bars were sold by Edward Thayer Sr. in Chico, California.

Eating granola may help prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer.

Granola is a great digestive aid because it contains both soluble and insoluble fiber.

On This Day in Food History…

1338 Charles V of France was born. He commissioned Taillevent to write what is considered the first professional “cookery” book in French, ‘Le Viandier’.

1937 BBC first aired the Cook’s Night Out with Marcel Boulestin, the first television cook

1908 New York City NY regulation makes it illegal for a woman to smoke or drink in public

1912 Konrad (Emil) Bloch was born. Nobel prize winner for his work on cholesterol & fatty acids. Discovering that high levels of cholesterol may lead to an increased risk of heart attacks.

1942 Bronx magistrate rules all pinball machines in bars and eating establishments illegal

1985 James Beard, American culinary expert & cookbook author, died at age 81.

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Tagged: National Granola Bar Day

January 21st is National Clam Chowder Day!

John-Bryan Hopkins

Five Food Finds about Clam Chowder

An old French word “chaudière,” pronounced “chowda”, is a large pot for cooking. This is the likely origin of the word.

fnm_110112-new-england-clam-chowder-recipe_s4x3-jpg-rend-sniipadlarge

New England clam chowder is a milk- or cream-based chowder, commonly made with potatoes, onion, and clams.

In 1939 a bill making tomatoes in clam chowder illegal was introduced in the Maine legislature.

New England clam chowder is usually accompanied with oyster crackers.

Clam chowder is often served in restaurants on Fridays in order to provide a seafood option for those who abstain from meat every Friday, which used to be a requirement for Catholics before liturgical changes in Vatican II.

Though the period of strict abstinence from meat on Fridays was reduced to Lent, the year-round tradition of serving clam chowder on Fridays remains.

On This Day in Food History…

1338 Charles V of France was born. He commissioned Taillevent to write what is considered the first professional “cookery” book in French, ‘Le Viandier’.

1937 BBC first aired the Cook’s Night Out with Marcel Boulestin, the first television cook

1908 New York City NY regulation makes it illegal for a woman to smoke or drink in public

1912 Konrad (Emil) Bloch was born. Nobel prize winner for his work on cholesterol & fatty acids. Discovering that high levels of cholesterol may lead to an increased risk of heart attacks.

1942 Bronx magistrate rules all pinball machines in bars and eating establishments illegal

1985 James Beard, American culinary expert & cookbook author, died at age 81.

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Categories: Food Holidays, January Food Holidays, Uncategorized

January 20th is National Cheese Lover’s Day!

John-Bryan Hopkins

Here are Five Food Finds about Cheese:

Cheeses are more flavorful at room temperature. Let them stand for a half hour before serving.

Cheese is an ancient food whose origins predate recorded history.

Artisan cheese, made in small batches from local sources, is growing at a pace that exceeds even the growth rate of general cheese consumption in America.

Some studies claim that cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss and American cheeses can help to prevent tooth decay.

A study by the British Cheese Board in 2005 showed cheese has positive effects on sleep, not nightmares as Ebeneser Scrooge seemed to think.

On This Day in Food History…

1785 Samuel Ellis advertised to sell his Oyster Island with no takers. Later renamed Ellis Island

1920 The 50-50 Club opened, considered the 1st ‘speakeasy.’

1964 The world’s largest cheese was presented at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, weighing in at over 34,000 pounds. It was presented by the Wisconsin Cheese Foundation, using over 170,000 qts of milk from over 16,000 cows.

1988 Famed vineyard manager Philippe de Rothschild dies.

1998 Researchers in America announced they had cloned calves for use in producing medicinal milk.

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January 19th is National Popcorn Day!!

John-Bryan Hopkins

Here are today’s five things to know about popcorn:

Popcorn is the world’s most popular snack food.

Popcorn is also the most profitable snack food, with over 1 thousand percent mark up.

Evidence of popcorn from 3600 BCE was found in New Mexico and even earlier evidence dating to perhaps as early as 4700 BCE was found in Peru.

Some popcorn has been found in early 1900s to be a purple color.

At least six localities (all in the Midwestern United States) claim to be the “Popcorn Capital of the World”: Ridgway, Illinois; Valparaiso, Indiana; Van Buren, Indiana; Schaller, Iowa; Marion, Ohio; and North Loup, Nebraska.

Today’s Food History

1825 The first U.S. patent for food storage in cans was granted to Ezra Daggett & Thomas Kensett of New York City, after developing the process in 1819.(it took over 30 years to invent the can open. Before then they were opened with knives or rods)
1915 George Claude of Paris was issued a U.S. patent for a neon tube advertising sign.(The first neon sign in Time Square was of a Heinz pickle)
1919 A huge wave of molasses kills dozens, Boston. Said to have been 45 ft high and 100ft wide.
1939 On this day in history, Wisconsin native Ernest Hausen sets the world chicken-plucking record at 4.4 seconds
1973 Iceland’s Cod War begins. Britain sends a Super Tug “The Statesman” to defend British fishermen against tactics such as wire cutting by the Icelandic Fishermen & Patrol Boats
2010 Kraft attempted a hostile bid for Cadbury’s.

Many thanks to Little Kernel Popcorn for supporting National Popcorn Day!

Categories: Food Holidays, January Food Holidays, Uncategorized

Tagged: national popcorn day

January 18th is National Gourmet Coffee Day!

John-Bryan Hopkins

Here are today’s five things to know about Gourmet Coffee:

Until the invention of vacuum packed coffee tins in 1900 by Hill Bros. Coffee, almost every city or large town in America had their own local coffee roasters.

In East Africa and Yemen, coffee was used in native religious ceremonies that were in competition with the Christian Church. As a result, the Ethiopian Church banned its secular consumption until the reign of Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia.

Coffee berries, which contain the coffee seeds, are produced by several species of small evergreen bush of the genus Coffea. The two most commonly grown are also the most highly regarded Coffea arabica, and the “robusta” form of the hardier Coffea canephora.

An important export commodity, coffee was the top agricultural export for twelve countries in 2004.

Preparing coffee in a French press leaves more oils in the drink compared with coffee prepared with a paper coffee filter.

Today’s Food History

1778 Captain Cook discovered the Hawaiian Islands. He named them the Sandwich Islands, after Lord Sandwich, who was then first Lord of the Admiralty.
1799 Joseph Dixon was born. An American inventor and manufacturer. Among his many accomplishments, he produced the first pencil made in the U.S.
1813 Joseph Farwell Glidden was born. Glidden, an Illinois farmer, received a patent for the first commercial barbed wire on November 24, 1874. The beginning of the end to open range and the cowboy. Glidden formed the Barb Fence Company with his partner Isaac L. Ellwood, and became one of the wealthiest men in the country.
1818 George Palmer was born. Palmer, of Huntley and Palmer biscuit manufacturers, introduced the first biscuit tins.
1882 Alan Alexander Milne was born. Creator of Winnie the Pooh, the honey loving bear.
1943 Pre-sliced bread was banned in the U.S. for the duration of World War II, to conserve metal from spare parts that might be needed.
1990 The first McDonald’s in Moscow opened.

Today’s Pinterest Board at : Foodimentary

Categories: Food Holidays, January Food Holidays, Uncategorized

Tagged: national gourmet coffee day

January 17th is National Hot Buttered Rum Day!

John-Bryan Hopkins

Here are today’s five things to know about Hot Buttered Rum:

Hot Buttered Rum is a mixed drink containing rum, butter, hot cider, sugar, & spice (usually cinnamon).

It’s considered one of the oldest “mixed drinks” in American History.

Mention of this drink dates as far back as the 1600’s.

A notable variation is the so-called “Jay’s Famous Hot Buttered Rum,” in which the hot drink is “creamed together with vanilla ice cream and chilled into a paste.”

After molasses began being imported to Colonial America from Jamaica, and distilleries opened in New England in the 1650’s, colonists began adding distilled rum to hot beverages such as toddies and nogs.

Today’s Food History

1501 Leonhard Fuchs was born. A German botanist who compiled the first modern glossary of botanical terms. From which the flowering plant & color fuchsia were named.
1706 Benjamin Franklin was born. American publisher,diplomat & inventor. Penned the name for male turkeys, Tom, as a dig to Thomas Jefferson, who helped appoint the Bald Eagle, NOT the turkey, as the National Bird.
1775 Nine women in Kalisk, Poland were burned as “witches” for causing a series of bad harvests.
1890 Scottish-American scientist Peter Henderson died, considered the “Father of America Horticulture.”
1893 Hawaii’s Queen Liliuokalana, the last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii, leaves the throne, bowing to pressure from sugar planters .
1904 Anton Chekov’s The Cherry Orchard premiered at the Moscow Art Theatre.
1944 WWII’s first “Tin Can Day” was held. One of the largest recycling efforts in American history
2001 Norway lifted a ban on whale meat exports.

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Categories: Food Holidays, January Food Holidays, Uncategorized

January 16th is National Fig Newton Day!

John-Bryan Hopkins

Here are today’s five food finds about fig newtons:

1. Fig Newtons were created in 1851.

2. They were almost called “Fig Shrewsbury” before the name “Fig Newton” caught on.

3. According to Nabisco, Fig Newtons were either named after Sir Isaac Newton or the town of Newton, Massachusetts.

4. Fig Newtons are the 3rd most popular cookie in the United States.

5. An alternate origin story for fig newtons involves Charles Roser from Kenton, Ohio who sold his cookie recipe to Nabisco in 1910.

On This Day in Food History…

1868 William Davis, received a patent for a refrigerated railway car. First used to ship fish. Later ushering in the age of portable cold produced & foods.

1920 Prohibition began in the U.S., banning the sale of all alcoholic beverages. Allowances were made to produce wine for “religious purposes.”

1965 Searchers’ “Love Potion #9” peaks at #3

1958 A grasshopper plague causes serious damage across the state of Colorado & neighboring states. This “plagued” farmer’s crops; costing millions of dollars in damage.

some content is courtesy of FoodReference.com, used with permission.

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Tagged: National Fig Newton Day

Janaury 16th is International Hot & Spicy Day!

John-Bryan Hopkins

Here are today’s five food finds about spicy food:

People who regularly eat spicy food are considered pyro-gourmaniacs.

People have been using hot and spicy seasonings in their food for more than 6,000 years according to archaeologists.

Christopher Columbus discovered chili peppers when he ‘discovered’ the Americas in 1493.

Capsaicin, the chemical in peppers that makes them hot, isn’t found in any other plant and is potent enough that people can identify it even when the concentration is as little as one part per million.

The best way to ease the burn of flaming hot peppers or overly-spicy mustard of horseradish is with cold milk or yogurt. Avoid water as it won’t mix with the oil and will only result in moving the heat to other parts of your mouth.

On This Day in Food History…

1868 William Davis, received a patent for a refrigerated railway car. First used to ship fish. Later ushering in the age of portable cold produced & foods.

1920 Prohibition began in the U.S., banning the sale of all alcoholic beverages. Allowances were made to produce wine for “religious purposes.”

1965 Searchers’ “Love Potion #9” peaks at #3

1958 A grasshopper plague causes serious damage across the state of Colorado & neighboring states. This “plagued” farmer’s crops; costing millions of dollars in damage.

some content is courtesy of FoodReference.com, used with permission.

Categories: Food Holidays, January Food Holidays, Uncategorized

Tagged: International hot and spicy day

January 15th is National Strawberry Ice Cream Day!

John-Bryan Hopkins

Here are today’s five things to know about Strawberry Ice Cream:

It is thought that “iced” cream was first served in the White House in the early 1800’s.

Huge chunks of frozen river ice were stored in basements vaults covered in hay to keep them from melting.

Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside.

Strawberries are a member of the rose family.

Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.) is known to have loved snow flavored strawberries with nectar and honey.

Today’s Food History

1785 William Prout was born. An English chemist, he was the first to classify food components into 3 main divisions – carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
1799 John Hetheringoton, a London haberdasher, created the “stove top” hat. A large crowd gathered to see this new hat, and was charged with disturbing the peace (charges later dropped). The “top” hat was an immediate success.
1889 A patent was issued to Daniel Johnson of Kansas City, K ansas, for a ‘Rotary Dining Table’ for use on ships. The table and attached chairs rotated so that everyone could be served from one spot, making it unnecessary to carry food around the table to serve everyone.
1919 The Great Molasses Flood. On January 15, 1919, a large 50 foot high storage tank in Boston burst and sent a tidal wave of over 2 million gallons of molasses traveling at over 30 miles per hour. Houses, buildings and parts of the elevated rail system were crushed in its path. Twenty-one people died, and over 150 were injured. It took over 6 months to clean up the mess. The damage was in the millions of dollars.
1945 Joan Johnson of the vocal group the ‘Dixie Cups’ was born.
1964 Jack Teagarden, jazz trombonist died.
1986 Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn was introduced by General Mills.
1990 Campbell’s Soup produces its 20 billionth can of tomato soup.
2008 After six years of study, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled that meat and milk from cloned pigs, cattle and goats and their offspring is safe and does not need to be labelled as derived from cloned animals.

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January 14th is Pastrami Sandwich Day!

John-Bryan Hopkins

Here are today’s five things to know about the Hot Pastrami Sandwich:

Pastrami was originally created as a way to preserve meat before modern refrigeration.

For pastrami raw meat is brined, dried, and seasoned with various herbs & spices, then smoked or steamed.

Pastrami is a technology for preserving meat that our ancestors used before refrigerators.

To make pastrami, you start by making corned beef.

By smoking corned beef, you turn it into pastrami! Smoking adds flavor to the meat.

Today’s Food History

1814 The last London Frost Fair on the frozen Thames River. Entertainment, and a large selection of food vendors on ice.
1841 Juliet Corson was born. A cookery teacher and writer, founder of the New York Cooking School in 1876. She wrote many articles and several cookery books, including ‘Cooking Manual’ (1877), ‘Twenty-five Cent Dinners for Families of Six’ (1878) and ‘Miss Corson’s Practical American Cookery’ (1886).
1861 David Wesson was born. Wesson was an American chemist and in 1900 he developed a method to make pure cotton seed oil palatable, and formed the Southern Oil Company. Wesson Oil was the first vegetable oil used in the U.S. Cotton seed oil is noted for its lack of taste, which allows the flavors of foods to come through. It is used in margarine, salad dressings, and in commercially fried foods.
1890 Rolla N. Harger was born. A biochemist, he invented the first successful test machine for blood alcohol content, the Drunkometer, in 1931.
1948 T-Bone Burnett, record producer and artist was born.
1984 Ray Kroc died in San Diego, California. Ray Kroc sold blenders for milkshakes, and one of his customers was a restaurant in San Bernardino, California owned by Maurice and Richard McDonald. Kroc set up a chain of drive-in restaurants based on their efficient assembly line production kitchen. He opened his first restaurant on April 15, 1955 in Des Plaines, Illinois. By 1961 he had 228 restaurants and he bought out the McDonald brothers. When he died in 1984 there were over 7,500 McDonald’s restaurants

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January 13th is National Gluten-Free Day!

John-Bryan Hopkins

Here are today’s five food finds about gluten:

Gluten is a naturally occurring protein composite found primarily in wheat, rye and barley, as well as some types of oats.

Corn, rice and certain types of oats do not contain gluten.

Celiac disease is an allergy to gluten.

Gluten is a common cause of vitamin B12 deficiency.

Excessive gluten consumption can cause both excessive weight gain or loss.

On This Day in Food History…

1808 Salmon Portland Chase was born. He was Secretary of the Treasury under Abraham Lincoln, and later Chief Justice.

1921 Pierre Franey was born. A French chef who became famous as the chef of ‘Le Pavillon’ restaurant in New York City from 1945 to 1960. He published several cookbooks and collaborated with Craig Claiborne on the New York Times food column, ‘The 60 Minute Gourmet’.

1957 The Frisbee was invented. The pie tins of the Frisbee Pie Company of Connecticut were the inspiration for the creation of the Frisbee. A Wham-O employee supposedly saw drivers for the pie company showing Yale students how to throw the pie tins.

1962 Ernie Kovacs, innovative comedian, died. One of Kovacs’ first TV appearances was in Philadelphia in 1950 with a chef, Albert Mathis from the Gulph Mills Country Club, in a live unrehearsed cooking show titled ‘Deadline for Dinner.’

1968 “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” by Gladys Knight & Pips is #1 on the charts.

2002 U.S. President George W. Bush fainted after choking on a pretzel while watching a football game on TV in the White House.

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January 12th is National Glazed Doughnut Day!

John-Bryan Hopkins

Here are today’s five food find about doughnuts:

The word “doughnut” comes from the Dutch origin of olykoeck or “oily cake”.

The two most common types of doughnuts are the flattened sphere (you know…the ones that are injected with jelly or custard) and the ring donut.

Internationally, Dunkin’ Donuts has over 1700 locations in 29 countries and over 6,000 stores in 30 countries world-wide! In the U.S. there are over 4,400 locations across 36 states.

Krispy Kreme is probably best known for their fresh, hot, glazed, yeast-raised doughnuts. The company’s “Hot Doughnuts Now” flashing sign is an integral part of the brands appeal and fame.

Jelly-filled and Chocolate frosted also rank as their top sellers.

Americans consume 10 billion doughnuts annually.

On This Day in Food History…

1833 Marie-Antoine Carême died in Paris at the young age of 48. Carême was known as “the cook of kings and the king of cooks”. He is the founder and architect of French haute cuisine.

1885 John Bloomfield Jarvis died. A civil engineer, he designed and built the Boston Aqueduct and the 41 mile long Croton Aqueduct (New York City’s water supply for over 50 years from 1842).

1899 Paul Hermann Muller was born. A Swiss chemist who discovered that DDT was a potent insecticide. It was the most widely used insecticide for more than 20 years, and helped to increase food production around the world. Due mainly to its accumulation in animals that eat insects, and its toxic effects on them and those further up the food chain, it has been banned in the U.S. since 1972. DDT residue is still found in some foods grown in the U.S. in 2002.

1916 Ruth Rogan Benerito was born. American chemist who was a pioneer in the development of wash and wear fabrics. She also helped develop cotton fabrics that are stain resistant.

1948 The opening of Britain’s first supermarket, at Manor Park, run by the London Co-Op.

2001 William Hewlett died. Founder with David Packard of Hewlett Packard Company. Before they became famous for computers and printers etc., one early invention; a weight loss shock machine.

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January 12th is National Chicken Curry Day!

John-Bryan Hopkins

Five Food Finds about Chicken Curry:

The chief spices found in most curry powders are turmeric, coriander, and cumin.

The word curry is derived from a South-Asian word Kori ;a sauce with cooked meat or fish.

A hen can lay about 300 eggs each year.

So that the yoke does not stick to the egg shell, a mother hen turns her egg around about 50 times each day.

There are more chickens on Earth than there are humans.

On This Day in Food History…

1833 Marie-Antoine Carême died in Paris at the young age of 48. Carême was known as “the cook of kings and the king of cooks”. He is the founder and architect of French haute cuisine.

1885 John Bloomfield Jarvis died. A civil engineer, he designed and built the Boston Aqueduct and the 41 mile long Croton Aqueduct (New York City’s water supply for over 50 years from 1842).

1899 Paul Hermann Muller was born. A Swiss chemist who discovered that DDT was a potent insecticide. It was the most widely used insecticide for more than 20 years, and helped to increase food production around the world. Due mainly to its accumulation in animals that eat insects, and its toxic effects on them and those further up the food chain, it has been banned in the U.S. since 1972. DDT residue is still found in some foods grown in the U.S. in 2002.

1916 Ruth Rogan Benerito was born. American chemist who was a pioneer in the development of wash and wear fabrics. She also helped develop cotton fabrics that are stain resistant.

1948 The opening of Britain’s first supermarket, at Manor Park, run by the London Co-Op.

2001 William Hewlett died. Founder with David Packard of Hewlett Packard Company. Before they became famous for computers and printers etc., one early invention; a weight loss shock machine.

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January 12th is National Marzipan Day!

John-Bryan Hopkins

Here are today’s five food finds about marzipan:

Marzipan is a confection consisting primarily of sugar and almond meal.

Some marzipan is flavored with rosewater.

Persipan is a similar, yet less expensive product, for which the almonds are replaced by apricot or peach kernels.

In Goa (formerly Portuguese India) almonds are replaced by cashews.

Many confectionery products sold as marzipan are made from less expensive materials, such as Soy paste and almond essence. German marzipan is made by grinding whole almonds with sugar and partially drying the paste, and French marzipan is made by combining ground almonds with sugar syrup. Spanish marzipan is made without bitter almonds.

On This Day in Food History…

1833 Marie-Antoine Carême died in Paris at the young age of 48. Carême was known as “the cook of kings and the king of cooks”. He is the founder and architect of French haute cuisine.

1885 John Bloomfield Jarvis died. A civil engineer, he designed and built the Boston Aqueduct and the 41 mile long Croton Aqueduct (New York City’s water supply for over 50 years from 1842).

1916 Ruth Rogan Benerito was born. American chemist who was a pioneer in the development of wash and wear fabrics. She also helped develop cotton fabrics that are stain resistant.

1948 The opening of Britain’s first supermarket, at Manor Park, run by the London Co-Op.

2001 William Hewlett died. Founder with David Packard of Hewlett Packard Company. Before they became famous for computers and printers etc., one early invention; a weight loss shock machine.

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Categories: Food Holidays, January Food Holidays, Uncategorized

Tagged: National Marzipan Day

January 11th is National Hot Toddy Day!

John-Bryan Hopkins

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

The first cocktail party was held for 50 house guests in St. Louis in 1917. The house still stands today….as the residence of the Archbishop.

While Prohibition resulted in a decline in alcohol it also resulted in a dramatic increase in crime as money flowed to the bad guys. Crime rose as high as 500%.

Calling an illegal bar a ‘speakeasy’ came from a lady barkeep who would warn her customers to “speak easy, boy, speak easy” whenever they became loud enough to attract police.

Prior to Prohibition, America was enjoying its first golden age of mixology. Once liquor became illegal, ‘rum runners” brought it in by boat but watered down their blends so they could ship less and make more.

At the same time, gin and vodka replaced rum and whiskey as cocktail ingredients because they didn’t require as much aging and were easier to make illegally.

Today’s Food History

1874 Gail Borden died. Borden was the Inventor of the process for making condensed milk, and founder of New York Condensed Milk Co., later to become the Borden Co. (
1917 The French government regulated the price of Gruyere cheese as a war rationing method.
1949 The first recorded snowfall in Los Angeles, California.
1963 The ‘Whisky A Go-Go’ opens in Los Angeles – the first disco in the U.S.

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January 9th is National Apricot Day!

John-Bryan Hopkins

Here are today’s five things to know about the apricot:

In Latin, apricot means ‘precious’.

apricot-prevent-prostate-cancer-cure-foundation

2. The apricot, discovered about 4,000 years ago in China, was introduced to the United States in the 18th century.

3. Brought to California by Spanish explorers, the apricot quickly became a popular crop.

4. Today, apricot farmers in California produce more than 95 percent of the apricots grown in the United States.

5. Choose an apricot that’s plump and that responds to the slight pressure of your thumb. It should be slightly soft.

Today’s Food History

1838 The first Flea Circus in the U.S. opened at 187 Broadway in New York City.
1858 Elizabeth Gertrude Knight Britton was born. An American botanist, her efforts were a major factor in the establishment of the New York Botanical Gardens.
1956 The first ‘Dear Abby’ column was published.
1969 “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye is #1 on the charts.
1980 “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes is #1 on the charts.
1995 Peter Cook, British actor and comedian died.

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Tagged: Apricot trivia, national apricot day

January 8th is National Toffee Day!

John-Bryan Hopkins

Here are today’s five thing to know about English Toffee:

Toffee and Caramel are sometimes interchangeable.

Toffees consist of mainly sugar and water, while caramels use dairy products in their production, making them softer

Almond butter treats are toffee from England.

Michigan toffee comes in varies styles, some hard and some chewy, some chocolate covered with nut sprinkles.

Tafia, a West Indian rum of molasses or sugarcane juice, is theorized to be the source of the word “toffee.”

Today’s Food History

1676 Charles II of England revoked his previous proclamation suppressing Coffee Houses due to public response.
1800 The first soup kitchens in London were opened to serve the poor.
1823 Alfred Russel Wallace was born. Wallace was a British naturalist who developed a theory of natural selection independently of Charles Darwin. He sent his conclusions to Darwin, and their findings were both presented to the Linnaean Society in 1858.
1825 Eli Whitney died. Inventor of the cotton gin, but more important he developed the concept of mass producing interchangeable parts.
1872 African American inventor Thomas Elkins received his second patent. It was for a ‘Chamber Commode’ – a combination “bureau, mirror, book-rack, washstand, table, easy chair, and earth-closet or chamber-stool.”
1894 Pierre Joseph van Beneden died. A Belgian parasitologist, he discovered the life cycle of tapeworms.
1926 Comedian ‘Soupy Sales’ was born. Most of his routines ended with Soupy receiving a pie in the face.
1992 President George H.W. Bush becomes ill on a trip to Japan and vomits on Japanese Prime Minister Miyazawa Kiichi.
1998 Walter E. Diemer died. While working for the Fleer Chewing Gum Company, he experimented with recipes for chewing gum as a hobby. (He really liked his gum!). He invented bubble gum in 1928.
2002 Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s Hamburger chain, died.

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Tagged: national toffee day

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Posts from the “January Food Holidays” Category

Here are today’s five food finds about cream puffs:

Today’s Food History

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Here are today’s five things to know about Buffet:

Today’s Food History

Today’s Pinterest Board at : Foodimentary

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Here are today’s five things to know about the Bloody Mary:

The drink’s namesake is Mary of England, whose 16th-century persecution of Protestants earned her the nickname.

Some drink aficionados believe the inspiration for the name was Hollywood star Mary Pickford.

The Bloody Mary is sometimes mistakenly believed to alleviate hangovers when it is served in the morning. While it will temporarily alleviate some of the symptoms, it will also further dehydrate the drinker, causing the symptoms to worsen later.

The Bloody Mary is the US’s most popular alcoholic drink for brunch.

This drink has been called “The world’s most complex cocktail.”

Today’s Food History

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Here are today’s five things to know about hot chocolate:

What’s the difference between Hot Chocolate and Hot Cocoa? Hot Chcolate uses milk or milk chocolate while hot cocoa uses only powdered cocoa.

The first hot chocolate was Mayan, and it was served with chili peppers!

In Spain, hot chocolate with churros is considered a working man’s breakfast.

Hot chocolate has antioxidants and flavonols, very healthy nutrients. Just skip the sugar.

Chocolate is the 3rd most traded commodity in the world. 1st is oils, 2nd is coffee.

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Here are today’s five things to know about the croissant:

Today’s Food History

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Here are today’s five thing to know about Corn Chip:

The “original” corn chip is the Fritos Corn Chip, first sold in the 1930’s.

“Frito Chili Pie” was invented in the 1960’s by Teresa Hernández, a cook at Woolworth’s lunch counter in Santa Fe.

A corn chip is a snack food made from cornmeal fried in oil or baked, usually in the shape of a small noodle or scoop.

Charles Elmer Doolin bought the patent for “Fritos” from a Mexican man for $100.

In some areas, it is popular to pour the chili into a bag of corn chips and eat the mixture directly from the bag.

Famous Last Words: “I just wish I had time for one more bowl of chili.”~Kit Carson(American frontiersman)

Today’s Food History

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Here are today’s five things to know about Chocolate:

The first French word for chocolate mousse translates in English to“chocolate mayonnaise”.

The “blood” that you see in the infamous “shower scene” in Psycho is actually chocolate syrup.

The history of chocolate cake goes back to 1764, when Dr. James Baker discovered how to make chocolate by grinding cocoa beans between two massive circular millstones.

A process for making silkier and smoother chocolate called conching was developed in 1879 by Swiss Rodolphe and made it easier to bake with chocolate as it amalgamates smoothly and completely with cake batters.

In the U.S.A, “chocolate decadence” cakes were popular in the 1980s; in the 1990s, single-serving molten chocolate cakes with liquid chocolate centers and infused chocolates with exotic flavors such as tea, curry, red pepper, passion fruit, and champagne were popular.

Today’s Quote: “All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”~Charles M. Schulz

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Here are today’s five thing to know about Peanut Brittle:

“Brittle” is a type of confection consisting of flat, broken pieces of hard sugar candy.

Peanut brittle made with corn syrups & nuts began appearing in cookbooks around the 19th century.

Because we find peanut brittle recipes most commonly in American cookbooks, it is generally recognized as an American recipe.

The history of peanut brittle is tied to Tony Beaver, a lumberjack folk hero. In the story, Tony Beaver creates peanut brittle when he stops a flood using peanuts and molasses.