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Chef James

“The duty of a good Cuisinier is to transmit to the next generation everything he has learned and experienced.”
 
Fernand Point, 1941

FEATURED FOR APRIL

Updated: Over 9,000 Food Festivals

Cinco de May Articles and Recipes

Mother’s Day Articles and Recipes

Fiddleheads: A New England Delicacy
 

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FEATURED RECIPES & TIPS

· Original Frank's Redhot Wings

· Ultimate Party Wings

· More Chicken Wing Recipes

· More Appetizer Recipes·

· French Onion Dip

· Jack's Screaming Red Sauce

· Potato Salad Recipes

· Cole Slaw Recipes

· Chicken Salad Recipes

· Kickoff Kabobs

· Banana Bread Recipes

· Mushroom Appetizer Recipes

· Crunchy Snack Mixes

· Mustard and Mustard Sauces

· Salsa Recipes

· Baked and Stuffed Potato Recipes

· Mac & Cheese Recipes
 

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April Food Holidays:

For Details, History and more DAY, WEEK and MONTH Food Holiday designations, including LINKS to Holiday Origins and Additional Information:
SEE Detailed APRIL Food Calendar

APRIL is:

• Alcohol Awareness Month (since 1987)

• Defeat Diabetes Month

• Fresh Florida Tomato Month - fresh tomatoes are harvested from every growing district in Florida in April.

• Global Child Nutrition Month

• Grain of the Month: Sprouted Grains

• National B.L.T. Month

• National Garden Month

• National Garlic Month

• National Grange Month - advocates for rural America and Agriculture

• Grilled Cheese Month

• National Pecan Month

• National Soft Pretzel Month

• National Soyfoods Month (Began in 1996 by the Soyfoods Assn of North America)

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DID YOU KNOW?

Dr Pepper was invented in Waco, Texas in 1885, at Morrison's Old Corner Drug Store, probably by Charles Alderton, a young pharmacist working there. It became known nationally, along with hamburgers and hot dogs on buns, and ice cream cones, at the 1904 World's Fair Exposition in St. Louis.

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Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Daily Trivia Questions are below

TODAY’S FOOD QUOTE

“Carve a ham as if you were shaving the face of a friend.”
Henri Charpentier, cook to J.D. Rockefeller in U.S.
 

FOOD HOLIDAYS - TODAY IS:

• National Glazed Ham Day  (Ham Recipes)
  (Ham Trivia   ---  Ham Quotes)

• National Banana Day  (April 15, 2026 - 3rd Wed)
  (Banana Trivia and Facts)

• Fordicidia Festival - One of a series of Roman spring festivals, on behalf of the fertility of crops and the increase of cattle.
 

TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY

1452 Leonardi da Vinci was born (died May 2, 1519). Italian artist, etc, etc, etc.

1710 Marie-Anne de Cupis de Camargo was born. Born in Belgium, this ballerina danced with the Paris Opera.  Escoffier named many gourmet dishes in her honor.

1819 Oliver Evans died (born Sept 13, 1755).  An American inventor, he designed the first automatic flour mill.  The grain moved automatically through a series of five machines to deliver flour packed in barrels at the end. (Flour Trivia & Facts)

1850 The city of San Francisco was incorporated.

1854 New York became the first state to fund a study of insects harmful to plants.

1874 George Harrison Shull was born. An American botanist, frequently called the 'father of hybrid corn.'
(Corn Trivia, Facts & Statistics)

1878 Ivory Soap was developed by Harley Proctor. Air was whipped into the soap during production, which made it float. First sold in 1879, it was a huge success.

1912 The British luxury liner Titanic sank at 2:20 a.m. The ship had struck an iceberg shortly before midnight on April 14.  (Authentic Titanic Recipes)

1912 John Jacob Astor IV died. Great grandson of John Jacob Astor, who founded the family fortune. John Jacob IV built the Astoria section of what would become the Waldorf Astoria Hotel (1897) in New York city (this was on the site that were the Empire State building would be built in 1929). He also built the Knickerbocker and the St. Regis hotels. He died on the Titanic. (St. Regis Hotel History)

1951 Household hints columnist, Heloise, was born in Waco, Texas.

1955 The first franchised McDonald's was opened in Des Plaines, Illinois, by Ray Kroc, who bought the hamburger restaurant owned by the McDonald brothers. On opening day a 2 patty hamburger was 15 cents and French Fries were 10 cents.
(McDonald’s Trivia & Facts)

1964 The 17.6 mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel opened to traffic. "One of the Seven Engineering Wonders of the Modern World."

1992 Leona Helmsley of Helmsley Hotels began serving time in federal prison in Lexington, Kentucky, for tax evasion. She served 18 months in prison.
(see also Dec 12, 1989).
 

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A FEW FEATURED FOOD FESTIVALS
(See All 9,000 Food, Wine & Beer Festivals)

April 10-19, 2026  Sourdough Bread Festival
Cherry Valley, California

April 13-19, 2026  21st Annual City Restaurant Week
Wilmington, Delaware

April 17-18, 2026  Annual California Antique Farm Equipment Show - Tulare, California

April 18, 2026 - Maryland Chicken Wing Festival
Crownsville, Maryland

April 18-19, 2026  Michigan Alpaca Fest
Allegan, Michigan

April 18-19 & 22-26, 2026 - 79th Annual Pennsylvania Maple Festival - Meyersdale, Pennsylvania

(SEE ALL FOOD FESTIVALS and OTHER FOOD EVENTS)
 

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FOOD TRIVIA QUIZ    (new DAILY questions)

1) The following events took place in the same year.
What year is it?
· Hooters Restaurants agreed to pay $3.8 million in damages because they would not hire males to wait tables.
· Boxer Mike Tyson bites a big chunk off Evander Holyfield's ear in the 3rd round of a boxing match.
· Fear of the 'bird flu' led Hong Kong to kill its entire population of chickens, over 1 million birds.

2) How many flower visits do honey bees have to make to produce 1 kilo (2.2 pounds) of honey?
  a) 4,000.  b) 40,000.  c) 400,000.
  d) 4 million.  e) 40 million.

3) What food is named for Maria Ann Smith, a late 19th century Australian grandmother and gardener?

Click Here for Today’s Quiz Answers
 

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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
 

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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
 

TOP

DID YOU KNOW

The Hormel Company of Austin, Minnesota sold its first canned ham in 1926.  Hormel introduced the world to Spam in 1937.

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A FOOD LIFE

"There are those who say that a life devoted to food -- cooking it, eating it, writing about it, even dreaming about it -- is a frivolous life, an indulgent life.  I would disagree.  If we do not care what we eat, we do not care for ourselves, and if we do not care for ourselves, how can we care for others?"
Fictional cookery writer Hilary Small, in episode 6, series 2 of 'Pie In the Sky'

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Click Here for
Food Emergency
Websites, Phone #s, E-mails, etc.

 

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Classic Fish and Seafood Recipes
 

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DID YOU KNOW?

A ham hock is the lower portion of a hog's hind leg. It consists of the bone, flesh, fat and connective tissue. Usually smoked or cured, but also fresh, they are mainly used to flavor soups, beans, cooked vegetables, etc.

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IN SEASON FOR SPRING

VEGETABLES
(Recipes  --  Tips)
Asparagus
Avocados
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Celery
Collard Greens
Kale
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Onions
Peas
Plantains
Radishes
Rhubarb
Spinach
Swiss Chard
Turnips

FRUITS (Tips)
Apples
Apricots
Bananas
Blackberries
Kiwifruit
Lemons
Limes
Pineapples
Strawberries

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DID YOU KNOW?

Kraft introduced Cheez Whiz in 1952.

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Website last updated on Wednesday, April 15, 2026