John-Bryan Hopkins's Blog, page 5

February 5, 2019

February 5th is World Nutella Day! / #WorldNutellaDay #NutellaDay

Happy #WorldNutellaDay!

Here are today’s five things to know about Nutella:
Nutella, a chocolate & hazelnut spread, outsells ALL brands of peanut butter worldwide.
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Hazelnuts were originally used as an inexpensive filler. sales increased and soon became it’s trademark flavor.


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In the aftermath of World War 2 Italian stores offered a service called “smearing”, which allowed local children to bring in a slice of bread on which they could have some Nutella spread.

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In Europe the Nutella jar is usually made of glass, whereas in North America it is made of plastic.

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One jar of Nutella is sold every 2.5 seconds worldwide.

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Today’s Food History

1872 Lafayette Benedict Mendel was born. An American biochemist who published various papers on nutrition. His work on vitamins and proteins helped establish modern concepts about nutrition.


1884 Willis Johnson of Cincinnati, Ohio, received a patent for an egg beater.


1914 William Burroughs, novelist, was born. He wrote ‘Naked Lunch.’


1967 Tom Smothers fell into a vat of chocolate today. (The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour premiered).


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Published on February 05, 2019 01:25

February 4, 2019

February 4th is National Homemade Soup Day!

Here are today’s five things to know about homemade soup:
Women are more than twice as likely to eat soup as men, 9.67% vs. 4.0%
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The Middle English word soupen meant “to drink in sips”, which is how most soups were consumed. The words “soup,” “supper,” “sip,” and “sop” are derived from  this term.

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Andy Warhol(who’s real name was Andrew Warhola) is famous for his Campbell ‘s soup can art of the 1960’s. Did you know his first works sold for around 100 dollars?  Today they sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

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We ‘eat’ and don’t drink soup. In most cultures, soup is had as a part of the meal. According to etiquette experts, since we consume soup with a spoon as opposed to sipping it from a bowl, we ‘eat’ it.

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The word soup is of Sanskrit origin! It is derived from the su and po, which means good nutrition.

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Today’s Food History

1906 Clyde W. Tombaugh was born. An American astronomer who discovered the planet Pluto in 1930. His first telescopes were  made from old farm equipment parts


1930 Candy maker Frank C. Mars of Minnesota introduced the Snickers bar in 1930. Did you know? Snickers was the name of his prized race horse.


1941 Roy J. Plunkett received a U.S. patent for Teflon. He accidentally discovered it in 1938.


1983 RIP Karen Carpenter from complications associated with anorexia nervosa.


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Published on February 04, 2019 04:23

February 3, 2019

February 3rd is National Carrot Cake Day! / #NationalCarrotCakeDay

Here are today’s five things to know about carrot cake:

 


Carrots were first cultivated in north Africa & the Mediterranean. They originally were purple or grey in color. Introduced to Europe around 1000 years ago.

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The weed/flower Queen Anne’s Lace is actually a wild carrot.
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Jello in the 1930’s offered ‘carrot pie’ flavored gelatin.

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People first grew carrots as medicine, not food, for a variety of ailments.

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Carrots are one of the rare vegetables which are more nutritious cooked than raw.

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Today’s Food History

1468 RIP Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of moveable type printing. Inspired by the screw presses used in winemaking.


1815 The world’s 1st commercial cheese factory was established in Switzerland.


1913 The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. It gave Congress the power to levy taxes on income.  In 1913 less than 1% of the population paid income tax at the rate of 1%. Before this taxes were acquired primarily on food, merchandise sales, etc.


1916 The Cafe Voltaire opened in Zurich, Switzerland, a meeting place for members of what was to be known as the Dada movement.


1959 The day the music died. Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens & J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper) are killed in a plane crash near Mason City, Iowa.
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Published on February 03, 2019 01:03

February 2, 2019

February 2nd is National Tater Tot Day! / #NationalTaterTotDay

Here are today’s five food finds about tater tots: 

 


Tater Tots literally mean “baby potatoes”; tatter for potato & tots “meaning little one.”
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Americans consume over 70 million pounds or Tots per year.

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Tater Tots were first invented in 1953 at the Ore-Ida Labs

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Tater is slang for potato (origin: 1750–60; America; by Apheresis, tato, and substitution of -er for final -o, tater).

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In Australia, tater tots are known as “potato gems.”

 


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Today’s Food History

on this day in…



1795 The French government offers a prize of 12,000 francs for a method of preserving food for transport to the French army. It was eventually won by Nicholas Appert who invented a successful method to can food.

1820 Jean Etienne Bore, died. Inventor of the sugar granulating process, founder of the sugar industry in Louisiana.


1869 The removable steel plow blade is invented by James Oliver.


1887 The first Groundhog day is observed in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.


1892 William Painter received a patent for the crown-cork bottle cap with a cork seal. It was used up until the 1970s, when the cork liner was replaced with a plastic liner.


1897 Alfred L. Cralle of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, patented an ice cream scooper. His basic design is still used today.


1913 Carl Gustaf Patrik de Laval died. A Swedish scientist and inventor. Among his inventions was the centrifugal cream separator and a vacu
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Published on February 02, 2019 01:13

January 31, 2019

January 31st is National Hot Chocolate Day! / #HotChocolateDay

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.

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

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

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

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

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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


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Published on January 31, 2019 05:15

January 30, 2019

January 30th is National Croissant Day / #NationalCroissantDay

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.


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


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


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


 


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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.


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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.

 

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Published on January 30, 2019 01:52

January 28, 2019

It’s Official! 2019’s February Food Holidays

[image error] [image error]Canned Food Month

National Chocolate Lovers Month

National Cherry Month 

National Grapefruit Month

National Snack Food Month

National Potato Lovers Month

Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month

National Hot Breakfast Month

!st week of Feb- African Heritage & Health Week

3rd Weekend of February: National Margarita Weekend
“Superbowl Sunday” : National Pork Rind Day (aka National Pork Rind Appreciation Day)

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Daily Holidays

February 1

National Cake Pops Day

National Baked Alaska Day

National Dark Chocolate Day

February 2

National Tater Tot Day

February 3

National Carrot Cake Day

February 4 

National Homemade Soup Day

National Stuffed Mushroom Day
Pork Rind Appreciation Day*

February 5

World Nutella Day


National Frozen Yogurt Day

February 6

National Chopsticks Day

February 7

National Fettuccine Alfredo Day

February 8
National Molasses Bar Day
National Potato Lover’s Day

February 9

National Bagels and Lox Day
National Pizza Day



February 10

National Cream Cheese Brownie Day
National “Have a Brownie” Day

February 11

National Peppermint Patty Day

February 12

National Plum Pudding Day

(National PB&J Day)
National Biscotti Day

February 13

National Tortellini Day
National “Italian Food” Day

February 14 

National Cream-Filled Chocolates Day

February 15 

National Gumdrop Day
National Chewing Gum Day

February 16 

National Almond Day

February 17 

National Cafe’ Au Lait Day

February 18 

National “Drink Wine” Day

February 19 

National Chocolate Mint Day

February 20 
National Cherry Pie Day
National Muffin Day
 –

February 21 
National Pancake Day
National Sticky Bun Day



February 22
National Margarita Day  

National Cook a Sweet Potato Day



February 23 
National Chili Day

National Banana Bread Day


February 24 

National Tortilla Chip Day

February 25 

National Chocolate-Covered Peanuts Day
National Clam Chowder Day

February 26

National Pistachio Day

February 27 
National Strawberry Day
National Kahlua Day

February 28 

National Chocolate Souffle Day

February 29

National Frog Legs Day

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Published on January 28, 2019 05:53

January 27, 2019

Let’s Eat Cake! January 27th is National Chocolate Cake Day! #NationalChocolateCakeDay

Here are today’s five things to know about Chocolate:
The first French word for chocolate mousse translates in English to“chocolate mayonnaise”.

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

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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.

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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.

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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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Published on January 27, 2019 01:50

January 25, 2019

Here Here! January 25th is National Irish Coffee Day! #NationalIrishCoffeeDay

 Here are today’s five things to know about Irish Coffee:
Irish coffee typically consists of black coffee, sugar, whipped cream, and Irish whiskey.

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

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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.

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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.

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

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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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Published on January 25, 2019 01:48

January 24, 2019

Celebrate! January 24th is National Peanut Butter Day! / #NationalPeanutButterDay

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Here are today’s five thing 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.

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Today’s Pinterest Board  Foodimentary

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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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Published on January 24, 2019 01:46

John-Bryan Hopkins's Blog

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