Thursday, August 20, 2026Daily Trivia Questions are below TODAY’S FOOD QUOTE“We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons.” Alfred E. Newman
FOOD HOLIDAYS - TODAY IS:• National Lemonade Day (Lemonade Recipes) • National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day
(Chocolate Pecan Pie Recipes) • National Bacon Lovers Day (Bacon Trivia & Facts) • National Hazy IPA Day (Aug 20, 2026 - 3rd Thurs) Known for their cloudy appearance, juicy flavor, low bitterness and citrusy kick. • St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Day, patron of beekeepers • Sweden: Surströmmingspremiären, Sour Herring Premiere (Aug 20, 2026 - 3rd Thursday) By ordinance, the year's supply of sour herring may begin to be sold
(Herring Trivia & Facts)
TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY1867 The British Parliament enacted the Merchant Shipping Act of 1867, which mandated that lemon or lime juice (or other anti-scorbutics) be provided to most ships crews daily to prevent illness (scurvy).
(Scurvy Facts & Trivia) 1908 Kingsley Davis was born (died Feb 27, 1997). World renowned American sociologist and demographer. An expert on population trends, he coined the terms 'population explosion' and 'zero population growth.' (Population and Food Facts) 1910 The Great Fire of 1910 (also called the Big Blowup or the Big Burn) was the largest forest fire in U.S. history. Burning for 2 days, August 20 & 21, it destroyed about 3 million acres across northeast Washington, northern Idaho and western Montana (an area about the size of Connecticut). 87 people were killed, including 78 firefighters. 1912 The U.S. Plant Quarantine Act of 1912 gives the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) authority to regulate the importation plants that may carry pests and diseases that are harmful to agriculture 1929 The trademark 'La Choy' was registered by La Choy Food Products. 1948 Robert Plant of the music group 'Led Zeppelin' was born. 1955 'The Popcorn Song' by Cliffie Stone hit number 14 on the charts. 1960 Sputnik 5 returned to earth.
See August 19, 1960 for details. 1966 The Beatles pelted with rotten fruit during a Memphis concert. 1968 A record giant sea bass caught with a fishing rod weighed in at over 563 pounds. It was caught off the coast of California.
(Sea Bass Trivia -- Sea Bass Recipes) 1989 George Adamson died (born Feb 3, 1906). British conservationist who pioneered the movement to preserve African wildlife together with his wife Joy. 1996 The U.S. minimum wage is raised by 90 cents to $5.15 an hour. 2007 Leona Helmsley died (born July 4, 1920). American hotelier famous for her tyrannical behavior, and known as The Queen of Mean.
(See also Dec 12 1989)
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** August 7-23, 2026 - Indiana State Fair
Indianapolis, Indiana August 15-22, 2026 Washington County Agricultural Fair - Washington, Pennsylvania August 18-22, 2026 180th Vermont State Fair
Rutland, Vermont August 19-22, 2026 149th Arkansas Valley Fair
Rocky Ford, Colorado August 20-23, 2026 Lexington Blueberry Festival
Lexington, Ohio August 21-September 7, 2026 Alaska State Fair
Palmer, Alaska August 22-23, 2026 Annual Banana Split Celebration
Latrobe, Pennsylvania (SEE ALL FOOD FESTIVALS and OTHER FOOD EVENTS)
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** FOOD TRIVIA QUIZ (new DAILY questions)1) All of the following events took place in the same year. What year is it?
· The navel orange introduced into California with trees secured from Brazil.
· Adolphus Busch developed a method of pasteurizing beer, which enabled national distribution.
· All of the Peking (Pekin) ducks in the U.S. are descended from 9 ducks imported to Long Island, New York.
· The beginning of a 4 year crop destroying locust (grasshopper) plague in Minnesota.
· The first issue of 'Field & Stream' was published. 2) The cultivation of this plant originated somewhere in Europe or the Middle East, relatively recently compared with other cereal crops. Its cultivation was probably encouraged by the increasing use of horses in farming, sometime before 2000 B.C. The Romans knew of it, but considered it a weed, and it was probably originally discovered growing as such with other cereal crops. Accidentally harvested with other crops, its value was eventually discovered and it was cultivated as a crop in its own right. By the 17th century it had become an important crop in northern Europe, but most other countries looked upon it as a weed, or an animal fodder crop. Until recently (19th century), it was still a basic food crop in certain European countries.
World production is over 50 million tons annually, with Russia growing almost one-half of the total. Only about 5% of world production is used for human food.
Because it contains a natural antioxidant, fatty foods, such as potato chips, nuts and coffee are processed with its flour or are dusted with it prior to packaging. Other foods such as chocolate, peanut butter and margarine have its flour as an ingredient for the same reason.
Name this crop. 3) This member of the family of Cruciferous vegetables (which includes cabbage and turnip), is a Eurasian plant, most likely a native of Asia. It was probably domesticated in China over 3,000 years ago, and possibly also the eastern Mediterranean area. The Egyptians pressed oil from their seeds (before the arrival of olive oil), and were part of the food rations of the workers who built the pyramids. They were also a popular snack food in ancient Rome. Although Pliny (in Historia Naturalis) thought it "a vulgar article of the diet" with a "remarkable power of causing flatulence and eructation."
Name this plant.
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** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** Read an article about Chef James and the FoodReference.com website published in the Winona Daily News, Minneapolis StarTribune, and numerous other newspapers: Click here for the Article
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** 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.
· Barbara Saba, my sister, who taught me how to dance.
· 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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