Food - Bites from History
In the Bible, the fruit that Eve ate in the Garden of Eden was not specifically an apple. In the Koran, the sacred book of Islam, it is called a banana. Some scientists believe the fruit may have been a lemon, because edible apples did not yet exist in the time and place of Eden. Bibliography -22
The word salary came from the word salt in Roman times. Salt was used as a trading medium - money. Bibliography -60
It's hard to imagine that until about four hundred years ago, European people ate everything with their fingers. When a few people started using forks in England, everyone else thought the idea of using tools to eat was totally ridiculous. Bibliography -1
The original reason for tablecloths was as a towel to wipe one's fingers and hands on after eating.
In the eighteenth century, John Montagu, the Earl of Sandwich invented a small meal that could be eaten with one hand while he continued his nonstop gambling. Bibliography -49
John Pemberton, the inventor of Coca-Cola referred to it as, "Esteemed Brain Tonic and Intellectual Beverage." Bibliography -51 (page 132), Bibliography -50
7-Up was originally called Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda when it was invented in 1929. The 7 is for the original size - 7 ounces - and the Up was for "bottoms up." The first advertising slogan for 7-Up was, "It takes the ouch out of grouch." Bibliography -51 (page 42, 381, 449)
Pepsi spent millions of dollars on an advertising campaign in China with a translation of the slogan, "Pepsi gives you life." Only problem was, they got the translation wrong: "Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave."
When popsicles first appeared in 1905, they were called Epsicles, after Frank Epperson, their inventor. Bibliography -50
Ketchup was originally made from fish broth and mushrooms. Tomatoes were added later. Today, ketchup must contain sugar, otherwise it must be called imitation ketchup. Bibliography -50 (i)
A hundred years ago, the average American worked about thirteen minutes to earn enough money for a quart of milk. Now, it takes about four minutes.
An English king used to like eating rotten oysters. Bibliography -60
When a pineapple was first shown to the infamous glutton King Louis XIV, he immediately grabbed it and took a giant bite. He cut his lips. After that, he outlawed pineapples in France. Bibliography -60
Professor William Buckland acquired the dried out heart of King Louis XIV, provided by grave robbers. He ate it! Bibliography -69
In the early part of this century, Fletcherism was popular. It was an inexpensive diet of milk, potatoes, cereals and maple sugar, among other things. Most unusual about Fletcherism, however, was that you were supposed to chew each bite of food for a very long time before swallowing. Furthermore, you were to swish milk and other liquids around in your mouth for at least fifteen seconds before swallowing. The leader of this fad, Horace Fletcher, was quite healthy. In 1899, when he was fifty years old, he could outperform athletes less than half his age. For instance, he could ride a bicycle two hundred miles in a single day. And not a sleek ten-speed bike, but the machine of the day, a single-speed machine. Bibliography -94 (page 222)
Perhaps the most exotic annual culinary affair was hosted by Clodius, a rich Roman actor who had one hundred birds given voice lessons at a cost of approximately $250 per bird. He then had these birds made into a pie for his guests. He then offered a drink which contained a dissolved pearl worth about one-half million dollars. Bibliography -22
Historians tell us that a sweet onion was the favorite dessert of the Romans. Bibliography -22
Just before a game, Babe Ruth was taken to a hospital due to extreme stomach pain. He had eaten twelve hot dogs in a row! Bibliography -62
All members of the Roman empire were vegetarians until Julias Caesar. Bibliography -69
In Old England, people drank beer at breakfast. Bibliography -69
In the old days, people did not buy beer in bottles or cans at the 7-11 store. They went to the tavern and carried the beer home in a bucket. Bibliography -69
Chop suey was invented in America. Bibliography -69
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