High-res version

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

• The oldest fast food restaurant in the world is the White Castle franchise, which opened in 1921.
• The people of America eat more burgers out at restaurants or on the go than they do at home.
• The largest hamburger ever created was over 8,000 pounds and was cooked for a burger festival in Wisconsin.
• However, the hamburger in its current form, with ground beef and a bun, is a decidedly American creation.
• Hamburgers are made of beef, not ham, and there is much debate over whether they actually originated in Hamburg.

Today’s Food History

• 1709 Samuel Johnson, dictionary author, was born. I have read somewhere that he served his cat fresh shucked oysters.
• 1851 The first edition of the New York Times was published.
• 1883 Elmer Maytag was born. Founder of the Maytag Co., washing machine manufacturer. One of his descendants was Fred Maytag II, whose Maytag Dairy Farms manufactures Maytag Blue Cheese.
• 1990 A 500 pound, 6 foot high Hershey Chocolate Kiss was put on display at Times Square in New York City.