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FRIDAY - MARCH 15, 2013
TODAY’S FOOD QUOTE
“Beware the term 'local delicacy.' It's usually code for something revolting.”
Lillian Marsano
TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY
- The Ides of March
- National Pears Helene Day
- World Salt Awareness Week 2013 - March 11-17
(see also March 12, 1930)
Capistrano has their swallows, but Hinckley, Ohio has Turkey Buzzards. They return to the town each year on (or about) this same day each year, for the summer. They winter in Dade County, Florida.
44 BC Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of Roman senators. ("beware the Ides of March").
1858 Liberty Hyde Bailey was born. He was a world famous American botanist who studied cultivated plants. He was dean of Horticulture at Cornell University for 15 years.
1889 Melville Reuben Bissell died. Bissell invented the carpet sweeper in 1876. Almost every restaurant and hotel I have worked in that had carpet, also had Bissell or similar carpet sweepers.
1891 Sir Joseph William Bazalgette died. A British civil engineer, he designed the main sewer system for London.
1980 McDonald's test marketed Chicken McNuggets in Knoxville, Tennessee. They are so popular that they have to look for a second supplier.
DID YOU KNOW?
Lamb is a very ancient food, and sheep were probably domesticated about 12,000 years ago. There is positive evidence they were domesticated by 8900 B.C. in Iraq and Romania. Some of the oldest traditional recipes come from Greece and date back several thousand years.
Lamb is preferred by more men than women, and women are more likely to have never eaten lamb. The most familiar cuts of lamb are leg of lamb and lamb rib chops.
FEATURED ARTICLES:
Start Kids Growing Strawberries: You’ll find most kids enjoy helping in the garden, they’re allowed to get dirty, they get some good exercise, actually learn and understand, first hand, where their food comes from and they’ll gain a good sense of .... Read more
FOOD TRIVIA QUIZ (new on March 14, 2013)
1) This graceful, feathery leaved plant is related to the pea (a legume) and is native to the Middle East. It grows to about 3 feet tall, and has pealike blue flowers, sticky leaves, and seedpods resemble partly grown peapods. They have soft, long flexible taproots which are bright yellow inside.
The plant was used in Egypt 4,000 years ago and Assyrian, Chinese and Indian records indicate it's early use as a medicinal. It is mentioned also in the writings of Theophrastus, Dioscorides, Celsus, Scribonius Largus, and Pliny, usually in reference to medicinal uses. It has been cultivated in Germany since at least the 13th century, Italy since the 15th century, and in England since at least the 13th century. Europeans have used it for both its medicinal and flavoring properties since the Middle ages.
It is cultivated today mainly in Mediterranean countries, the United States importing most of its supply, although some is grown in Louisiana and California. (There is a wild species that is native to North America).
Flavoring extracts obtained from this plant are used in candy, beverages, baked goods, and ice cream. It is also used in shoe polish, beer, tobacco and fire extinguishers. In medicine it has been used to treat peptic ulcers and Addison's disease. In heavy doses it will deplete the body's store of potassium and raise blood pressure. In the U.S. most of its use in confectionary has been replaced with artificial flavors
Name this plant.
2) This plant is an herb, originating primarily in Malaysia and the neighboring archipelago about 4000 years ago. It's diversity developed over a very wide are from India to the Philippines and New Guinea. About 2000 years ago travelers carried it eastward through the Pacific and westward across the Indian Ocean to tropical Africa. It is frequently referred to in ancient Hindu, Chinese, Greek, and Roman literature. Mention of it is found in various sacred texts of Oriental cultures. Chief of these writings are two Hindu epics, the Mahabharata, the work of an unknown author, and the Ramayana of the poet Valmiki. There are also references to it in certain sacred Buddhist texts. These chronicles describe a beverage derived from it which Buddhist monks were allowed to drink. Yang Fu, a Chinese official in the second century A.D., wrote an Encyclopedia of Rare Things, in which he described this plant.
The Greek naturalist philosopher Theophrastus wrote a book on plants in the 4th century B.C. in which he described this plant. His book is considered the first scientific botanical work extant. Alexander the Great saw it growing in the Indus Valley (327 B.C.) three hundred years before Christ. Pliny the Elder described it in A.D. 77. Seven hundred years later, Arabs introduced it to Egypt, whence it moved west across the continent.
Portuguese explorers discovered it on Africa's Atlantic coast in the fifteenth century. Prince Henry the Navigator ordered specimens transplanted on the Portuguese island of Madeira where they flourish to this day. According to Spanish history, in 1516 Friar Tomas de Berlanga brought the first specimens and planted them in the rich fertile soil of the Caribbean. Still rare in the Renaissance it was introduced to France by the Portuguese, and became common from the 18th century onwards.
It first reached Britain from Bermuda in 1633, and was sold in the shop of the herbalist Thomas Johnson, but its name had been known to the British for forty years before that. It's present common name is apparently a word from one of the languages of the Congo area.
Today it is grown even in Iceland, and there are several hundred varieties of this plant grown commercially. In some countries its sprouts are covered with a pot and allowed to grow without sunlight until they mature into thick, long, white spikes that resemble huge white asparagus. It's sap causes an extremely serious stain that defies efforts for its removal, both to hands and to clothes!
Name This Plant.
Click here for the answers to this Culinary Quiz
Dedication
This website is dedicated to:
Gladys Ehler, my mother, who taught me patience and how to make Sauerbraten
(it is still my favorite)
Edward Ehler, my father, who taught me a love of books and history.
Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, my nephew. Died in action on Feb. 7, 2007 in Iraq.
He was 30 yrs. young.
Chef James
-
SATURDAY - MARCH 16, 2013
TODAY’S FOOD QUOTE
“Remind me to tell you about the time I looked into the heart of an artichoke.”
Bette Davis as Margo Channing in 'All About Eve' (1950)
TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY
- Bock Beer Day
- National Artichoke Hearts Day
- World Salt Awareness Week 2013 - March 11-17
1915 Absinthe is outlawed in France and several other countries. Absinthe was a licorice/anise flavored liqueur that contained wormwood, and was 132 proof. The high alcohol content, and the presence of the toxic oil thujone from the wormwood, seemed to cause hallucinations, convulsions, and severe mental problems amongst hard core absinthe drinkers. Henry-Louis Pernod, who manufactured Absinthe, came out with the lower alcohol, wormwood free liqueur 'Pernod', to replace Absinthe. See also: Absinthe Facts & Trivia
1975 T-Bone Walker, blues guitarist, died.
1978 The 'Amoco Cadiz' oil tanker ran aground on Portsall Rocks, 3 miles off the Coast of Brittany, France. It split in two and spilled its entire cargo of 220,000 tons of crude oil. This was the largest oil spill by a grounded tanker to date.
1990 A Third Michelin star was awarded to Restaurant Louis XV in the Hotel de Paris. Chef Alain Ducasse, 33, is the youngest chef ever to have his restaurant receive 3 stars.
DID YOU KNOW?
Artichokes are actually a flower bud - if allowed to flower, blossoms measure up to seven inches in diameter and are a violet-blue color. Artichokes are a close relative to the thistle.
Two compounds in artichokes, cynarin and chlorogenic acid, stimulate the sweetness receptors and make everything taste sweeter for a short period of time. Only some people (about 40-60%) experience this and sensitivity to these compounds is most likely genetically determined. The effect usually goes away after drinking some water, milk, wine, etc. (which will taste sweet).
FEATURED ARTICLES:
Start Kids Growing Strawberries: You’ll find most kids enjoy helping in the garden, they’re allowed to get dirty, they get some good exercise, actually learn and understand, first hand, where their food comes from and they’ll gain a good sense of .... Read more
FOOD TRIVIA QUIZ (new on March 14, 2013)
1) This graceful, feathery leaved plant is related to the pea (a legume) and is native to the Middle East. It grows to about 3 feet tall, and has pealike blue flowers, sticky leaves, and seedpods resemble partly grown peapods. They have soft, long flexible taproots which are bright yellow inside.
The plant was used in Egypt 4,000 years ago and Assyrian, Chinese and Indian records indicate it's early use as a medicinal. It is mentioned also in the writings of Theophrastus, Dioscorides, Celsus, Scribonius Largus, and Pliny, usually in reference to medicinal uses. It has been cultivated in Germany since at least the 13th century, Italy since the 15th century, and in England since at least the 13th century. Europeans have used it for both its medicinal and flavoring properties since the Middle ages.
It is cultivated today mainly in Mediterranean countries, the United States importing most of its supply, although some is grown in Louisiana and California. (There is a wild species that is native to North America).
Flavoring extracts obtained from this plant are used in candy, beverages, baked goods, and ice cream. It is also used in shoe polish, beer, tobacco and fire extinguishers. In medicine it has been used to treat peptic ulcers and Addison's disease. In heavy doses it will deplete the body's store of potassium and raise blood pressure. In the U.S. most of its use in confectionary has been replaced with artificial flavors
Name this plant.
2) This plant is an herb, originating primarily in Malaysia and the neighboring archipelago about 4000 years ago. It's diversity developed over a very wide are from India to the Philippines and New Guinea. About 2000 years ago travelers carried it eastward through the Pacific and westward across the Indian Ocean to tropical Africa. It is frequently referred to in ancient Hindu, Chinese, Greek, and Roman literature. Mention of it is found in various sacred texts of Oriental cultures. Chief of these writings are two Hindu epics, the Mahabharata, the work of an unknown author, and the Ramayana of the poet Valmiki. There are also references to it in certain sacred Buddhist texts. These chronicles describe a beverage derived from it which Buddhist monks were allowed to drink. Yang Fu, a Chinese official in the second century A.D., wrote an Encyclopedia of Rare Things, in which he described this plant.
The Greek naturalist philosopher Theophrastus wrote a book on plants in the 4th century B.C. in which he described this plant. His book is considered the first scientific botanical work extant. Alexander the Great saw it growing in the Indus Valley (327 B.C.) three hundred years before Christ. Pliny the Elder described it in A.D. 77. Seven hundred years later, Arabs introduced it to Egypt, whence it moved west across the continent.
Portuguese explorers discovered it on Africa's Atlantic coast in the fifteenth century. Prince Henry the Navigator ordered specimens transplanted on the Portuguese island of Madeira where they flourish to this day. According to Spanish history, in 1516 Friar Tomas de Berlanga brought the first specimens and planted them in the rich fertile soil of the Caribbean. Still rare in the Renaissance it was introduced to France by the Portuguese, and became common from the 18th century onwards.
It first reached Britain from Bermuda in 1633, and was sold in the shop of the herbalist Thomas Johnson, but its name had been known to the British for forty years before that. It's present common name is apparently a word from one of the languages of the Congo area.
Today it is grown even in Iceland, and there are several hundred varieties of this plant grown commercially. In some countries its sprouts are covered with a pot and allowed to grow without sunlight until they mature into thick, long, white spikes that resemble huge white asparagus. It's sap causes an extremely serious stain that defies efforts for its removal, both to hands and to clothes!
Name This Plant.
Click here for the answers to this Culinary Quiz
Dedication
This website is dedicated to:
Gladys Ehler, my mother, who taught me patience and how to make Sauerbraten
(it is still my favorite)
Edward Ehler, my father, who taught me a love of books and history.
Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, my nephew. Died in action on Feb. 7, 2007 in Iraq.
He was 30 yrs. young.
Chef James
-
MONDAY - MARCH 18, 2013
TODAY’S FOOD QUOTE
“If you are not feeling well, if you have not slept, chocolate will revive you. But you have no chocolate! I think of that again and again! My dear, how will you ever manage?”
Marquise de Sevigne (French writer and lady of fashion) 2/11/1677
TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY
- National Oatmeal Cookie Day
- National Poison Prevention Week (March 17-23, 2013)
- American Chocolate Week (March 18-23, 2013)
On this day in:
1845 Most accepted date given for John Chapman’s, 'Johnny Appleseed' death. An American pioneer and legend, he planted apple seeds in the Ohio River valley area - Ohio, Indiana, Illinois. (Date is variously given as March 10, 11 or 18)
1863 Women rioted in Salisbury, North Carolina, to protest the lack of flour and salt in the Confederacy.
1925 'Tea for Two' was recorded by Binnie Hale & the Palace Theater Orchestra.
1946 The Andrews Sisters recorded 'Avocado' today.
1966 Gossip columnist Hedda Hopper died.
Quote: "Having only friends [and no enemies] would be dull....like eating eggs without salt."
DID YOU KNOW?
The Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa), also known as para nut and cream nut, grows in tropical South America inside a hard, woody coconut-sized 'pod' that weighs about 5 pounds and contains 15 to 25 nuts. Those who gather Brazil nuts are called 'castanheiros' and they often wear wooden hats as protection from falling 'pods.'
The trees are huge, growing up to 150 feet tall and 6 feet in diameter with a crown up to 100 feet in diameter. They begin to bear fruit at about 8 years and can produce up to 500 pounds of the coconut-sized pods each year. Botanically Brazil Nuts are technically seeds.
There are very few commercial plantations in South America - most of the nuts are still harvested from the wild. Attempts to cultivate the tree outside the Amazon area have failed. Brazil nuts have a high oil content and are susceptible to rancidity. Two nuts have as much fat as one egg.
FEATURED ARTICLES:
Start Kids Growing Strawberries: You’ll find most kids enjoy helping in the garden, they’re allowed to get dirty, they get some good exercise, actually learn and understand, first hand, where their food comes from and they’ll gain a good sense of .... Read more
FOOD TRIVIA QUIZ (new on March 17, 2013)
1) This plant can be found as an ingredient in more than 3,000 items in the grocery store. It is also used in the manufacture of synthetic fibers such as rayon and nylon, acetone, certain plastics, wood resin, lubricating oils, synthetic rubber, abrasives, pipes, shoe polish, paper, saccharin, paints, soaps, and linoleum.
It has been domesticated for about 10,000 years, and some biologists believe it evolved from a wild plant called teosinte. Today there are more than 1,000 named varieties. Some varieties take 2 months to mature, while others take as long as 11 months to mature. The United States produces more than 40% of the world output. Other major producers are China, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, France, Hungary, and Italy. The disease pellagra is strongly associated with eating this plant. Traditional ancient processing methods with ashes or other alkaline substance such as lime, helped to avoid this problem.
Confusion can arise when American and British acquaintences discuss this plant.
2) Touted as a new 'super-grain' it really is a very old crop, being native to the Andes and used by the Incas (who called it the 'mother grain'). It really is a super-grain, containing all essential amino acids (other grains lack at least one amino acid), as much protein as meat, and many other essential nutrients. It is prepared like rice.
What is the name of this grain?
3) These are the product of a southeast Asian evergreen shrub or tree with a rough bark, cup-shaped flowers and dark, glossy leaves with or without serrated edges (from 2 to 10 inches in length), and in the wild the plant can reach a height of over 60 feet. The fruit is a smooth, flat, rounded, three-celled capsule with one seed in each cell, the size of a small nut. The seeds contain a volatile oil.
Some believe the holy Buddhist saint Daruma grew the first plant in the 6th century. He cut his eyelids out to stay awake while meditating (for 5 years) and where he threw his eyelids, the plant grew. Others believe that they were first discovered in 2737 B.C. due to sloppy housekeeping. Parts of this plant were used as a medicine in China for 4,000 years and the ancient Greeks used them for asthma, colds and bronchitis. In 1560 Father Jasper de Cruz, a Portuguese Jesuit, was the first European to personally encounter and write about this plant. In France, Louis XIV's doctor prescribed a tisane of the leaves for his royal headaches. Russian scientists were partial to them. Introduced to Dutch society in 1610, they soon became popular (initially they cost $100 per pound), and were the rage in Paris in the mid 1630s.
What are they?
4) What family of plants includes: anise, caraway, chervil, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, celery, parsnip, and goutweed, as well as the poisonous species poison hemlock, water hemlock and fool's parsley, and ornamentals sea holly, masterwort and blue lace flower.
5) This tree is native to tropical areas of South America. It has an edible root, small edible black fruit (olive sized), sugar is produced from the sap, and a wax is collected from the lower surfaces of its leaves. This wax is used in carbon paper, polishes, plastics, floor wax, lubricants and as a food additive. The pith is also used as a cork substitute, fiber from the leaves is used to make rope, and the wood is used for building and to produce excellent veneers.
Name this useful plant.
Click here for the answers to this Culinary Quiz
Dedication
This website is dedicated to:
Gladys Ehler, my mother, who taught me patience and how to make Sauerbraten
(it is still my favorite)
Edward Ehler, my father, who taught me a love of books and history.
Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, my nephew. Died in action on Feb. 7, 2007 in Iraq.
He was 30 yrs. young.
Chef James
-
TUESDAY - MARCH 19, 2013
TODAY’S FOOD QUOTE
“If you don't eat yer meat, you can't have any pudding. How can you have any pudding if you don't eat yer meat?”
Pink Floyd, 'Another Brick in the Wall, Part II’ (1979)
TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY
- National Agriculture Day 2013
- Poultry Day
- National Chocolate Carmel Day
- Feast of St. Joseph, patron of confectioners
- The swallows return to Mission San Juan Capistrano, California.
- National Poison Prevention Week (March 17-23, 2013)
- American Chocolate Week (March 18-23, 2013)
On this day in:
1936 Canned beer is sold to the public in Britain for the first time, by Felinfoel Brewery in Wales.
1942 Clinton Hart Merriam died. A biologist, he studied the effects of using birds to control agricultural pests. He also helped found the National Geographic Society, and what is now known as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
DID YOU KNOW?
Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) also known as Saracen corn, is native to Central Asia, and is used to make flour and beer, but most of it is used for livestock and poultry feed. It is most popular in Russia, Poland, parts of China, Korea and Nepal. About 90% of world production is in countries of the former Soviet Union.
Buckwheat is not related to wheat, it is not a cereal grain nor a grass. It is is a relative of rhubarb and sorrel and its 'grain' is actually the dried fruit of the plant. However when ground it behaves much like wheat and other cereal grains.
FEATURED ARTICLES:
Start Kids Growing Strawberries: You’ll find most kids enjoy helping in the garden, they’re allowed to get dirty, they get some good exercise, actually learn and understand, first hand, where their food comes from and they’ll gain a good sense of .... Read more
FOOD TRIVIA QUIZ (new on March 17, 2013)
1) This plant can be found as an ingredient in more than 3,000 items in the grocery store. It is also used in the manufacture of synthetic fibers such as rayon and nylon, acetone, certain plastics, wood resin, lubricating oils, synthetic rubber, abrasives, pipes, shoe polish, paper, saccharin, paints, soaps, and linoleum.
It has been domesticated for about 10,000 years, and some biologists believe it evolved from a wild plant called teosinte. Today there are more than 1,000 named varieties. Some varieties take 2 months to mature, while others take as long as 11 months to mature. The United States produces more than 40% of the world output. Other major producers are China, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, France, Hungary, and Italy. The disease pellagra is strongly associated with eating this plant. Traditional ancient processing methods with ashes or other alkaline substance such as lime, helped to avoid this problem.
Confusion can arise when American and British acquaintences discuss this plant.
2) Touted as a new 'super-grain' it really is a very old crop, being native to the Andes and used by the Incas (who called it the 'mother grain'). It really is a super-grain, containing all essential amino acids (other grains lack at least one amino acid), as much protein as meat, and many other essential nutrients. It is prepared like rice.
What is the name of this grain?
3) These are the product of a southeast Asian evergreen shrub or tree with a rough bark, cup-shaped flowers and dark, glossy leaves with or without serrated edges (from 2 to 10 inches in length), and in the wild the plant can reach a height of over 60 feet. The fruit is a smooth, flat, rounded, three-celled capsule with one seed in each cell, the size of a small nut. The seeds contain a volatile oil.
Some believe the holy Buddhist saint Daruma grew the first plant in the 6th century. He cut his eyelids out to stay awake while meditating (for 5 years) and where he threw his eyelids, the plant grew. Others believe that they were first discovered in 2737 B.C. due to sloppy housekeeping. Parts of this plant were used as a medicine in China for 4,000 years and the ancient Greeks used them for asthma, colds and bronchitis. In 1560 Father Jasper de Cruz, a Portuguese Jesuit, was the first European to personally encounter and write about this plant. In France, Louis XIV's doctor prescribed a tisane of the leaves for his royal headaches. Russian scientists were partial to them. Introduced to Dutch society in 1610, they soon became popular (initially they cost $100 per pound), and were the rage in Paris in the mid 1630s.
What are they?
4) What family of plants includes: anise, caraway, chervil, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, celery, parsnip, and goutweed, as well as the poisonous species poison hemlock, water hemlock and fool's parsley, and ornamentals sea holly, masterwort and blue lace flower.
5) This tree is native to tropical areas of South America. It has an edible root, small edible black fruit (olive sized), sugar is produced from the sap, and a wax is collected from the lower surfaces of its leaves. This wax is used in carbon paper, polishes, plastics, floor wax, lubricants and as a food additive. The pith is also used as a cork substitute, fiber from the leaves is used to make rope, and the wood is used for building and to produce excellent veneers.
Name this useful plant.
Click here for the answers to this Culinary Quiz
Dedication
This website is dedicated to:
Gladys Ehler, my mother, who taught me patience and how to make Sauerbraten
(it is still my favorite)
Edward Ehler, my father, who taught me a love of books and history.
Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, my nephew. Died in action on Feb. 7, 2007 in Iraq.
He was 30 yrs. young.
Chef James
-
WEDNESDAY - MARCH 20, 2013
TODAY’S FOOD QUOTE
“The fool in a hurry drinks his tea with the fork.”
Charlie Chan (Earl Derr Biggers)
TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY
- First Day of Spring
- Great American Meatout (2013) - Don’t eat meat today
- National Poison Prevention Week (March 17-23, 2013)
- American Chocolate Week (March 18-23, 2013)
- National Ravioli Day
- St. Cuthbert's Day, patron of shepherds.
On this day in:
1602 The Dutch East India Company was established and the Netherlands granted it a monopoly on trade with Asia.
1727 Sir Isaac Newton died. The story is that an apple falling on his head inspired his theory of universal gravitation. The apple is thought to have been the green skinned 'Flower of Kent' variety.
1932 Ilya Ivanovich Ivanov Died. Ivanov was a Soviet biologist. Others had previously shown it was possible to artificially inseminate domestic animals, Ivanov developed the practical procedures in 1901. Initially working with horses, by the early 1930s the procedure was being used on other farm animals.
1941 'All That Meat And No Potatoes' was recorded by jazz musician Fats Waller.
DID YOU KNOW?
The term ‘New Potatoes’ most frequently used to describe those freshly harvested and marketed during the late winter or early spring. The name is also widely used in later crop producing areas to designate freshly dug potatoes which are not quite fully matured. Best used for boiling or creaming. They vary widely in size and shape, depending upon variety, but are likely to be affected by 'skinning' or 'feathering' of the outer layer of skin. This skinning usually affects only their appearance.
FEATURED ARTICLES:
Start Kids Growing Strawberries: You’ll find most kids enjoy helping in the garden, they’re allowed to get dirty, they get some good exercise, actually learn and understand, first hand, where their food comes from and they’ll gain a good sense of .... Read more
FOOD TRIVIA QUIZ (new on March 20, 2013)
1) All of the following events took place during the same year.
• General Mills introduced Hamburger Helper, created to stretch a pound of hamburger into a family meal.
• Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn was introduced.
• General Mills acquired the 2 year old Red Lobster restaurant chain.
• Classic French Cooking by Craig Claiborne and Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vol II by Julia Child & Simone Beck were published.
• Food shortages in Poland result in high food prices which trigger a riot at the Gadansk shipyard, which in turn brings down the government.
• The Soviet Union acknowledges that food supplies are inadequate. Continental Grain in the U.S. receives an order from Moscow for 500,000 tons of corn.
• The Indian-Pacific Express begins service in Australia on the Trans-Australian Railway between Sydney on the East Coast and Perth on the West Coast, a 2400 mile trip.
During what year did all of the above events take place?
a) 1965 b) 1970 c) 1975 d) 1980 e) 1985
2) What do these words have in common?
Baseball, Club, Flatiron, Hanger, Shell.
3) This tree is the only living member or its family, which dates back 286 million years. There are both male and female plants and the female fruits have a very disagreeable odor, so male trees are preferred for gardening. The roasted seeds of this tree are a delicacy in China and Japan. They are available fresh or canned (shelled, skinned and parboiled) and are used in stir fries, soups and stews.
Name this tree.
4) What were the original 3 flavors of the breakfast cereal 'Fruit Loops'?
5) This cheese is named after a village that was once outside of Milan, but is now really a suburb of the city. The cheese dates back to the 9th century, with the blue/green mold (more green than blue) developing accidentally sometime around the 11th century. Before then it was similar to a cheese called Panerone made in Lombardy. It is considered one of the best in the world of its kind. The London Stock Exchange is nicknamed after this cheese due to the greenish marble used in its interior.
Name this cheese.
6) This moist, cake-like fragrant Swedish rye bread is made with molasses (or brown sugar), and flavored with orange zest and fennel, caraway or anise. Frequently it is made with a combination of several types of rye flour from dark to light. Its sweet flavor and moist texture is sometimes enhanced with the addition of golden raisins.
Name this Swedish bread.
7) This small annual herb, a member of the carrot family, is second in popularity only to black pepper throughout the world. It has dark green leaves and tiny white or pink flowers. The fruit, when green, has an unpleasant taste, but when ripe is aromatic and is used as a spice.
Can you name this plant whose fruit is used as a spice?
8) What percentage of the total world fish catch is caught in the northern hemisphere?
a) 10% b) 30% c) 60% d) 90%
9) 'Moxie' is the Official State Soft Drink of which state?
10) The Mule is the Official State Animal of which state?
11) What popular 18th century beverage was named after a village in Germany, and is still popular today?
12) This 19th century English physician claimed that bread and vegetables were bad for us. He claimed that starch ferments in the stomach and produces acid, vinegar, alcohol and yeast, all of which poison bodily tissues and cause disease and mental derangement.
What was his name and what food did he recommended we eat 3 times a day?
Click here for the answers to this Culinary Quiz
Dedication
This website is dedicated to:
Gladys Ehler, my mother, who taught me patience and how to make Sauerbraten
(it is still my favorite)
Edward Ehler, my father, who taught me a love of books and history.
Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, my nephew. Died in action on Feb. 7, 2007 in Iraq.
He was 30 yrs. young.
Chef James
-
THURSDAY - MARCH 21, 2013
TODAY’S FOOD QUOTE
“The frying-pan has awful sins to answer for. What untold horrors of dyspepsia have arisen from its smoky depths, like the ghosts from witches' caldrons!”
Christopher Crowfield (Harriet Beecher Stowe), 'House and Home Papers' (1865)
TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY
- National French Bread Day
- California Strawberry Day
- National Poison Prevention Week (March 17-23, 2013)
- American Chocolate Week (March 18-23, 2013)
On this day in:
1925 Teaching the theory of evolution became illegal in Tennessee.
1984 A section of Central Park is renamed 'Strawberry Fields' to honor John Lennon.
1994 Due to bad harvests, there is a shortage of Japanese grown rice. Japan's Imperial Palace begins serving royal meals to the Emperor & Empress with rice grown in the U.S., China and Thailand.
1999 Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones landed in the Egyptian desert, having completed the 1st 'Around the World' hot air balloon flight. According to the BBC, they carried fresh food, including bread, cheese and pre-cooked steaks to last for 6 or 7 days, after which they made due with dried foods such as cereals and powdered milk. The flight began in the Swiss Alps, took 19 days, 21 hours and 55 minutes, and covered 29,056 non-stop miles.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Passaic County Historical Society has the World's Largest Spoon Collection at the Lambert Castle Museum in Paterson, NJ. The Bertha Schaefer Koempel Spoon Collection consists of over 5,400 spoons. Included are spoons from every state and most countries of the world.
FEATURED ARTICLES:
Start Kids Growing Strawberries: You’ll find most kids enjoy helping in the garden, they’re allowed to get dirty, they get some good exercise, actually learn and understand, first hand, where their food comes from and they’ll gain a good sense of .... Read more
FOOD TRIVIA QUIZ (new on March 20, 2013)
1) All of the following events took place during the same year.
• General Mills introduced Hamburger Helper, created to stretch a pound of hamburger into a family meal.
• Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn was introduced.
• General Mills acquired the 2 year old Red Lobster restaurant chain.
• Classic French Cooking by Craig Claiborne and Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vol II by Julia Child & Simone Beck were published.
• Food shortages in Poland result in high food prices which trigger a riot at the Gadansk shipyard, which in turn brings down the government.
• The Soviet Union acknowledges that food supplies are inadequate. Continental Grain in the U.S. receives an order from Moscow for 500,000 tons of corn.
• The Indian-Pacific Express begins service in Australia on the Trans-Australian Railway between Sydney on the East Coast and Perth on the West Coast, a 2400 mile trip.
During what year did all of the above events take place?
a) 1965 b) 1970 c) 1975 d) 1980 e) 1985
2) What do these words have in common?
Baseball, Club, Flatiron, Hanger, Shell.
3) This tree is the only living member or its family, which dates back 286 million years. There are both male and female plants and the female fruits have a very disagreeable odor, so male trees are preferred for gardening. The roasted seeds of this tree are a delicacy in China and Japan. They are available fresh or canned (shelled, skinned and parboiled) and are used in stir fries, soups and stews.
Name this tree.
4) What were the original 3 flavors of the breakfast cereal 'Fruit Loops'?
5) This cheese is named after a village that was once outside of Milan, but is now really a suburb of the city. The cheese dates back to the 9th century, with the blue/green mold (more green than blue) developing accidentally sometime around the 11th century. Before then it was similar to a cheese called Panerone made in Lombardy. It is considered one of the best in the world of its kind. The London Stock Exchange is nicknamed after this cheese due to the greenish marble used in its interior.
Name this cheese.
6) This moist, cake-like fragrant Swedish rye bread is made with molasses (or brown sugar), and flavored with orange zest and fennel, caraway or anise. Frequently it is made with a combination of several types of rye flour from dark to light. Its sweet flavor and moist texture is sometimes enhanced with the addition of golden raisins.
Name this Swedish bread.
7) This small annual herb, a member of the carrot family, is second in popularity only to black pepper throughout the world. It has dark green leaves and tiny white or pink flowers. The fruit, when green, has an unpleasant taste, but when ripe is aromatic and is used as a spice.
Can you name this plant whose fruit is used as a spice?
8) What percentage of the total world fish catch is caught in the northern hemisphere?
a) 10% b) 30% c) 60% d) 90%
9) 'Moxie' is the Official State Soft Drink of which state?
10) The Mule is the Official State Animal of which state?
11) What popular 18th century beverage was named after a village in Germany, and is still popular today?
12) This 19th century English physician claimed that bread and vegetables were bad for us. He claimed that starch ferments in the stomach and produces acid, vinegar, alcohol and yeast, all of which poison bodily tissues and cause disease and mental derangement.
What was his name and what food did he recommended we eat 3 times a day?
Click here for the answers to this Culinary Quiz
Dedication
This website is dedicated to:
Gladys Ehler, my mother, who taught me patience and how to make Sauerbraten
(it is still my favorite)
Edward Ehler, my father, who taught me a love of books and history.
Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, my nephew. Died in action on Feb. 7, 2007 in Iraq.
He was 30 yrs. young.
Chef James
-
FRIDAY - MARCH 22, 2013
TODAY’S FOOD QUOTE
“The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly flowing water, is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight.”
M. F. K. Fisher (1908-1992) ‘The Art of Eating’
TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY
- National Bavarian Crepes Day
- The earliest day on which Easter Sunday may occur.
- National Poison Prevention Week (March 17-23, 2013)
- United Nations World Water Day
- American Chocolate Week (March 18-23, 2013)
On this day in:
1841 Cornstarch method patented. Englishman Orlando Jones patented a method for making cornstarch in 1841.
1947 Musician Patrick Olive of 'Hot Chocolate' was born today.
1960 Agnes Arber died. Arber was a British botanist, who wrote 'Herbals: Their Origin and Evolution' (1912) and 'The Gramineae: A Study of Cereal, Bamboo and Grass' (1934).
1975 'Lady Marmalade' by LaBelle is #1 on the charts.
DID YOU KNOW?
Loofah, Luffa Gourd, Dishcloth Gourd: These edible gourds are native to the Old World tropics. There are several species, generally about a foot long, and the mature fruits contain a spongy material known as loofah. Loofahs can be used as sponges, and before World War II, most of the U.S. production was used as filters in ships boilers. They are also used for insulation, to stuff pillows and safety helmets.
FEATURED ARTICLES:
Start Kids Growing Strawberries: You’ll find most kids enjoy helping in the garden, they’re allowed to get dirty, they get some good exercise, actually learn and understand, first hand, where their food comes from and they’ll gain a good sense of .... Read more
FOOD TRIVIA QUIZ (new on March 20, 2013)
1) All of the following events took place during the same year.
• General Mills introduced Hamburger Helper, created to stretch a pound of hamburger into a family meal.
• Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn was introduced.
• General Mills acquired the 2 year old Red Lobster restaurant chain.
• Classic French Cooking by Craig Claiborne and Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vol II by Julia Child & Simone Beck were published.
• Food shortages in Poland result in high food prices which trigger a riot at the Gadansk shipyard, which in turn brings down the government.
• The Soviet Union acknowledges that food supplies are inadequate. Continental Grain in the U.S. receives an order from Moscow for 500,000 tons of corn.
• The Indian-Pacific Express begins service in Australia on the Trans-Australian Railway between Sydney on the East Coast and Perth on the West Coast, a 2400 mile trip.
During what year did all of the above events take place?
a) 1965 b) 1970 c) 1975 d) 1980 e) 1985
2) What do these words have in common?
Baseball, Club, Flatiron, Hanger, Shell.
3) This tree is the only living member or its family, which dates back 286 million years. There are both male and female plants and the female fruits have a very disagreeable odor, so male trees are preferred for gardening. The roasted seeds of this tree are a delicacy in China and Japan. They are available fresh or canned (shelled, skinned and parboiled) and are used in stir fries, soups and stews.
Name this tree.
4) What were the original 3 flavors of the breakfast cereal 'Fruit Loops'?
5) This cheese is named after a village that was once outside of Milan, but is now really a suburb of the city. The cheese dates back to the 9th century, with the blue/green mold (more green than blue) developing accidentally sometime around the 11th century. Before then it was similar to a cheese called Panerone made in Lombardy. It is considered one of the best in the world of its kind. The London Stock Exchange is nicknamed after this cheese due to the greenish marble used in its interior.
Name this cheese.
6) This moist, cake-like fragrant Swedish rye bread is made with molasses (or brown sugar), and flavored with orange zest and fennel, caraway or anise. Frequently it is made with a combination of several types of rye flour from dark to light. Its sweet flavor and moist texture is sometimes enhanced with the addition of golden raisins.
Name this Swedish bread.
7) This small annual herb, a member of the carrot family, is second in popularity only to black pepper throughout the world. It has dark green leaves and tiny white or pink flowers. The fruit, when green, has an unpleasant taste, but when ripe is aromatic and is used as a spice.
Can you name this plant whose fruit is used as a spice?
8) What percentage of the total world fish catch is caught in the northern hemisphere?
a) 10% b) 30% c) 60% d) 90%
9) 'Moxie' is the Official State Soft Drink of which state?
10) The Mule is the Official State Animal of which state?
11) What popular 18th century beverage was named after a village in Germany, and is still popular today?
12) This 19th century English physician claimed that bread and vegetables were bad for us. He claimed that starch ferments in the stomach and produces acid, vinegar, alcohol and yeast, all of which poison bodily tissues and cause disease and mental derangement.
What was his name and what food did he recommended we eat 3 times a day?
Click here for the answers to this Culinary Quiz
Dedication
This website is dedicated to:
Gladys Ehler, my mother, who taught me patience and how to make Sauerbraten
(it is still my favorite)
Edward Ehler, my father, who taught me a love of books and history.
Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, my nephew. Died in action on Feb. 7, 2007 in Iraq.
He was 30 yrs. young.
Chef James
-
SATURDAY - MARCH 23, 2013
TODAY’S FOOD QUOTE
“The strands of spaghetti were vital, almost alive in my mouth, and the olive oil was singing with flavor. It was hard to imagine that four simple ingredients [olive oil, pasta, garlic and cheese] could marry so perfectly.”
Ruth Reichl, 'Tender at the Bone' (1998)
TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY
- National Chip and Dip Day
- National Corn Dog Day (2013)
- National Poison Prevention Week (March 17-23, 2013)
- American Chocolate Week (March 18-23, 2013)
On this day in:
1699 John Bartram was born. American naturalist and explorer, considered 'father of American botany'; established a world renowned botanical garden in Philadelphia in 1728.
1857 Fannie Merritt Farmer was born. American culinary authority, and author of the 1896 edition of 'The Boston Cooking School Cook Book' which became known in future editions as the 'Fannie Farmer Cook Book.' Director of the Boston Cooking School, and founder of Miss Farmer's School of Cookery. She is often cited as the first cookbook author to introduce standard measurements.
1880 A patent for a glass milk bottle was issued to Warren Glass Works.
1912 The Dixie Cup was developed by Lawrence Luellen and Hugh Moore. Its original name was the 'Health Kup,' changed to 'Dixie Cup' in 1919. The name came from a line of dolls made by the Dixie Doll Company.
1923 'Yes, We Have No Bananas' was written by Frank Silver and Irving Cohn. It was one of the most popular songs of the 1920s.
2008 Al Copeland, the founder of Popeye's restaurant chain, died.
DID YOU KNOW?
HIGH TEA: This British tradition consists of a quite substantial meal taken in the late afternoon or early evening that includes tea. It originated as a workingman's meal in the 19th century. Usually includes meat and fish dishes, buns, biscuits and jams, cakes pastries and or course, tea.
FEATURED ARTICLES:
Start Kids Growing Strawberries: You’ll find most kids enjoy helping in the garden, they’re allowed to get dirty, they get some good exercise, actually learn and understand, first hand, where their food comes from and they’ll gain a good sense of .... Read more
FOOD TRIVIA QUIZ (new on March 20, 2013)
1) All of the following events took place during the same year.
• General Mills introduced Hamburger Helper, created to stretch a pound of hamburger into a family meal.
• Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn was introduced.
• General Mills acquired the 2 year old Red Lobster restaurant chain.
• Classic French Cooking by Craig Claiborne and Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vol II by Julia Child & Simone Beck were published.
• Food shortages in Poland result in high food prices which trigger a riot at the Gadansk shipyard, which in turn brings down the government.
• The Soviet Union acknowledges that food supplies are inadequate. Continental Grain in the U.S. receives an order from Moscow for 500,000 tons of corn.
• The Indian-Pacific Express begins service in Australia on the Trans-Australian Railway between Sydney on the East Coast and Perth on the West Coast, a 2400 mile trip.
During what year did all of the above events take place?
a) 1965 b) 1970 c) 1975 d) 1980 e) 1985
2) What do these words have in common?
Baseball, Club, Flatiron, Hanger, Shell.
3) This tree is the only living member or its family, which dates back 286 million years. There are both male and female plants and the female fruits have a very disagreeable odor, so male trees are preferred for gardening. The roasted seeds of this tree are a delicacy in China and Japan. They are available fresh or canned (shelled, skinned and parboiled) and are used in stir fries, soups and stews.
Name this tree.
4) What were the original 3 flavors of the breakfast cereal 'Fruit Loops'?
5) This cheese is named after a village that was once outside of Milan, but is now really a suburb of the city. The cheese dates back to the 9th century, with the blue/green mold (more green than blue) developing accidentally sometime around the 11th century. Before then it was similar to a cheese called Panerone made in Lombardy. It is considered one of the best in the world of its kind. The London Stock Exchange is nicknamed after this cheese due to the greenish marble used in its interior.
Name this cheese.
6) This moist, cake-like fragrant Swedish rye bread is made with molasses (or brown sugar), and flavored with orange zest and fennel, caraway or anise. Frequently it is made with a combination of several types of rye flour from dark to light. Its sweet flavor and moist texture is sometimes enhanced with the addition of golden raisins.
Name this Swedish bread.
7) This small annual herb, a member of the carrot family, is second in popularity only to black pepper throughout the world. It has dark green leaves and tiny white or pink flowers. The fruit, when green, has an unpleasant taste, but when ripe is aromatic and is used as a spice.
Can you name this plant whose fruit is used as a spice?
8) What percentage of the total world fish catch is caught in the northern hemisphere?
a) 10% b) 30% c) 60% d) 90%
9) 'Moxie' is the Official State Soft Drink of which state?
10) The Mule is the Official State Animal of which state?
11) What popular 18th century beverage was named after a village in Germany, and is still popular today?
12) This 19th century English physician claimed that bread and vegetables were bad for us. He claimed that starch ferments in the stomach and produces acid, vinegar, alcohol and yeast, all of which poison bodily tissues and cause disease and mental derangement.
What was his name and what food did he recommended we eat 3 times a day?
Click here for the answers to this Culinary Quiz
Dedication
This website is dedicated to:
Gladys Ehler, my mother, who taught me patience and how to make Sauerbraten
(it is still my favorite)
Edward Ehler, my father, who taught me a love of books and history.
Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, my nephew. Died in action on Feb. 7, 2007 in Iraq.
He was 30 yrs. young.
Chef James
-
SUNDAY - MARCH 24, 2013
TODAY’S FOOD QUOTE
“The University of Illinois has hired 15 women to smell pig manure all day so that researchers can find out what makes pig manure smell so bad. You know who I feel sorry for? The woman who applied for this job and got turned down.”
Jay Leno
TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY
- National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day
On this day in:
1765 The British Parliament passed the Quartering Act, which required American colonists to provide temporary quarters, food, drink, etc. to British troops stationed in their towns.
1896 Clement Hardy received a patent for the rotary disk plow.
1989 The worst oil spill in U.S. history occurred as the Exxon Valdez ran aground in Alaska's Prince William Sound, and eventually leaked 11 million gallons of crude oil. The effects on wildlife and fish was devastating.
1990 Cookery book author Jane Grigson died at age 61.
DID YOU KNOW?
Turmeric is the root of a tropical plant that has been used in cooking since 600 B.C. It is native to the Orient and now can be found in India and the Caribbean. It has a bitter, pungent almost woodsy flavor, is yellowish-orange in color.
The turmeric root has light brown skin and bright reddish-orange flesh. Turmeric was used in biblical times as a perfume but now it is most commonly used to flavor and color food. Ground turmeric is widely used in East Indian cooking particularly in curries as well as other soups and stews.
Fresh tumeric roots should have a spicy fragrance and stubby fingers protruding from the sides of the root. Refrigerate unpeeled tumeric, tightly wrapped, for 3 weeks.
Tumeric is typically boiled or steamed and then dried and ground into powder. Use ground tumeric in fish or rice dishes. Be careful with fresh turmeric, it will stain your hands and clothing.
FEATURED ARTICLES:
Start Kids Growing Strawberries: You’ll find most kids enjoy helping in the garden, they’re allowed to get dirty, they get some good exercise, actually learn and understand, first hand, where their food comes from and they’ll gain a good sense of .... Read more
FOOD TRIVIA QUIZ (new on March 20, 2013)
1) All of the following events took place during the same year.
• General Mills introduced Hamburger Helper, created to stretch a pound of hamburger into a family meal.
• Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn was introduced.
• General Mills acquired the 2 year old Red Lobster restaurant chain.
• Classic French Cooking by Craig Claiborne and Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vol II by Julia Child & Simone Beck were published.
• Food shortages in Poland result in high food prices which trigger a riot at the Gadansk shipyard, which in turn brings down the government.
• The Soviet Union acknowledges that food supplies are inadequate. Continental Grain in the U.S. receives an order from Moscow for 500,000 tons of corn.
• The Indian-Pacific Express begins service in Australia on the Trans-Australian Railway between Sydney on the East Coast and Perth on the West Coast, a 2400 mile trip.
During what year did all of the above events take place?
a) 1965 b) 1970 c) 1975 d) 1980 e) 1985
2) What do these words have in common?
Baseball, Club, Flatiron, Hanger, Shell.
3) This tree is the only living member or its family, which dates back 286 million years. There are both male and female plants and the female fruits have a very disagreeable odor, so male trees are preferred for gardening. The roasted seeds of this tree are a delicacy in China and Japan. They are available fresh or canned (shelled, skinned and parboiled) and are used in stir fries, soups and stews.
Name this tree.
4) What were the original 3 flavors of the breakfast cereal 'Fruit Loops'?
5) This cheese is named after a village that was once outside of Milan, but is now really a suburb of the city. The cheese dates back to the 9th century, with the blue/green mold (more green than blue) developing accidentally sometime around the 11th century. Before then it was similar to a cheese called Panerone made in Lombardy. It is considered one of the best in the world of its kind. The London Stock Exchange is nicknamed after this cheese due to the greenish marble used in its interior.
Name this cheese.
6) This moist, cake-like fragrant Swedish rye bread is made with molasses (or brown sugar), and flavored with orange zest and fennel, caraway or anise. Frequently it is made with a combination of several types of rye flour from dark to light. Its sweet flavor and moist texture is sometimes enhanced with the addition of golden raisins.
Name this Swedish bread.
7) This small annual herb, a member of the carrot family, is second in popularity only to black pepper throughout the world. It has dark green leaves and tiny white or pink flowers. The fruit, when green, has an unpleasant taste, but when ripe is aromatic and is used as a spice.
Can you name this plant whose fruit is used as a spice?
8) What percentage of the total world fish catch is caught in the northern hemisphere?
a) 10% b) 30% c) 60% d) 90%
9) 'Moxie' is the Official State Soft Drink of which state?
10) The Mule is the Official State Animal of which state?
11) What popular 18th century beverage was named after a village in Germany, and is still popular today?
12) This 19th century English physician claimed that bread and vegetables were bad for us. He claimed that starch ferments in the stomach and produces acid, vinegar, alcohol and yeast, all of which poison bodily tissues and cause disease and mental derangement.
What was his name and what food did he recommended we eat 3 times a day?
Click here for the answers to this Culinary Quiz
Dedication
This website is dedicated to:
Gladys Ehler, my mother, who taught me patience and how to make Sauerbraten
(it is still my favorite)
Edward Ehler, my father, who taught me a love of books and history.
Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, my nephew. Died in action on Feb. 7, 2007 in Iraq.
He was 30 yrs. young.
Chef James
-
MONDAY - MARCH 25, 2013
TODAY’S FOOD QUOTE
“At a dinner party one should eat wisely but not too well, and talk well but not too wisely.”
W. Somerset Maugham, ‘A Writer's Notebook’ (1949)
TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY
- National Lobster Newburg Day
- Pecan Day (see 1775 below)
- Sweden: Våffeldagen (Waffle Day)
- England: Tichborne Dole Day. (A gallon of flour is given to residents of Alresford, Hampshire, England. The tradition dates to 1150. Lady Mabella Tichborne put a curse on any ancestors who failed to distribute her charitable dole.)
On this day in:
1775 Pecan Day. George Washington planted pecan trees (some of which still survive) at Mount Vernon. The trees were supposedly a gift to Washington from Thomas Jefferson. (Some sources date this planting at 1799).
1848 William Keith Brooks was born. An American zoologist, he was a champion for the conservation of the Chesapeake Bay oyster. Author of 'The Oyster' (1891).
1867 Friedlieb Ferdinand Runge died. A German chemist who developed a method for obtaining sugar from beet juice.
1867 The 2 mile long, 5 foot diameter Chicago Lake Tunnel was activated. It was the first water supply tunnel for a U.S. city.
1914 Norman Ernest Borlaug was born. American agronomist, Nobel Peace Prize winner for efforts to overcome world hunger. Developed the wheat/rye hybrid called 'triticale' with higher yield and protein content.
1995 Pizza Hut introduced its Stuffed Crust Pizza.
2008 Herb Peterson, creator of McDonald's Egg McMuffin breakfast sandwich, died.
DID YOU KNOW?
Pecans are native to the Mississippi valley of the U.S.
The U.S. produces roughly 90% of the world's pecans, with an annual production of about 200 million pounds.
Pecan trees produce 25 to 45 pounds per tree in alternate years. They are an alternate-bearing tree, producing nuts every 2nd year. Researchers are working on developing a tree that will produce a large crop annually.
FEATURED ARTICLES:
Start Kids Growing Strawberries: You’ll find most kids enjoy helping in the garden, they’re allowed to get dirty, they get some good exercise, actually learn and understand, first hand, where their food comes from and they’ll gain a good sense of .... Read more
FOOD TRIVIA QUIZ (new on March 20, 2013)
1) All of the following events took place during the same year.
• General Mills introduced Hamburger Helper, created to stretch a pound of hamburger into a family meal.
• Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn was introduced.
• General Mills acquired the 2 year old Red Lobster restaurant chain.
• Classic French Cooking by Craig Claiborne and Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vol II by Julia Child & Simone Beck were published.
• Food shortages in Poland result in high food prices which trigger a riot at the Gadansk shipyard, which in turn brings down the government.
• The Soviet Union acknowledges that food supplies are inadequate. Continental Grain in the U.S. receives an order from Moscow for 500,000 tons of corn.
• The Indian-Pacific Express begins service in Australia on the Trans-Australian Railway between Sydney on the East Coast and Perth on the West Coast, a 2400 mile trip.
During what year did all of the above events take place?
a) 1965 b) 1970 c) 1975 d) 1980 e) 1985
2) What do these words have in common?
Baseball, Club, Flatiron, Hanger, Shell.
3) This tree is the only living member or its family, which dates back 286 million years. There are both male and female plants and the female fruits have a very disagreeable odor, so male trees are preferred for gardening. The roasted seeds of this tree are a delicacy in China and Japan. They are available fresh or canned (shelled, skinned and parboiled) and are used in stir fries, soups and stews.
Name this tree.
4) What were the original 3 flavors of the breakfast cereal 'Fruit Loops'?
5) This cheese is named after a village that was once outside of Milan, but is now really a suburb of the city. The cheese dates back to the 9th century, with the blue/green mold (more green than blue) developing accidentally sometime around the 11th century. Before then it was similar to a cheese called Panerone made in Lombardy. It is considered one of the best in the world of its kind. The London Stock Exchange is nicknamed after this cheese due to the greenish marble used in its interior.
Name this cheese.
6) This moist, cake-like fragrant Swedish rye bread is made with molasses (or brown sugar), and flavored with orange zest and fennel, caraway or anise. Frequently it is made with a combination of several types of rye flour from dark to light. Its sweet flavor and moist texture is sometimes enhanced with the addition of golden raisins.
Name this Swedish bread.
7) This small annual herb, a member of the carrot family, is second in popularity only to black pepper throughout the world. It has dark green leaves and tiny white or pink flowers. The fruit, when green, has an unpleasant taste, but when ripe is aromatic and is used as a spice.
Can you name this plant whose fruit is used as a spice?
8) What percentage of the total world fish catch is caught in the northern hemisphere?
a) 10% b) 30% c) 60% d) 90%
9) 'Moxie' is the Official State Soft Drink of which state?
10) The Mule is the Official State Animal of which state?
11) What popular 18th century beverage was named after a village in Germany, and is still popular today?
12) This 19th century English physician claimed that bread and vegetables were bad for us. He claimed that starch ferments in the stomach and produces acid, vinegar, alcohol and yeast, all of which poison bodily tissues and cause disease and mental derangement.
What was his name and what food did he recommended we eat 3 times a day?
Click here for the answers to this Culinary Quiz
Dedication
This website is dedicated to:
Gladys Ehler, my mother, who taught me patience and how to make Sauerbraten
(it is still my favorite)
Edward Ehler, my father, who taught me a love of books and history.
Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, my nephew. Died in action on Feb. 7, 2007 in Iraq.
He was 30 yrs. young.
Chef James
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