Friday, May 1, 2026Daily Trivia Questions are below TODAY’S FOOD QUOTE“Avoid restaurants with names that are improbable descriptions, such as the Purple Goose, the Blue Kangaroo or the Quilted Orangutan.”
Calvin Trillin, American writer (New Yorker magazine)
FOOD HOLIDAYS - TODAY IS:• May Day (an ancient spring festival day) • [Mother Goose Day] (since 1987) • [International Sauvignon Blanc Day]
(May 1, 2026 - 1st Fri in May) • National Chocolate Parfait Day • School Lunch Hero Day (May 1, 2026)
[School Nutrition Association] The day aims to showcase the ways in which school nutrition professionals make a difference for every child who comes through the cafeteria. • Stewardship Week - April 26-May 3, 2026 (last Sun in April to 1st Sun in May) [Nat’l Assoc. of Conservation Districts] To encourage conserving natural resources for our future. • UK: National Gardening Week: April 27 - May 3, 2026 [Royal Horticultural Society] Encouraging gardners to share their love of gardening.
TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY1683 Supposedly, a patent for a system of extracting salt from sea water was granted in England.
(Salt Trivia and Facts) 1759 Josiah Wedgwood founded the Wedgwood Pottery that transformed the rough pottery of the time into the smooth, durable crockery we know today. 1792 Rufus Porter was born (died Aug 13, 1884). American editor and inventor. On August 28, 1845 he put out the first issue of Scientific American, but sold the magazine after 10 months. He held over 100 patents, including a fire alarm, signal telegraph, fog whistle, and a washing machine. 1841 John Bartleson and John Bidwell led the first wagon train to California, leaving from Independence, Missouri with 69 adults and several children, They arrived in California on November 4, 1841.
(History of the Chuck Wagon) 1851 London's Great Exhibition opened in Hyde Park. It was the first international exhibition ever to be held. The Exhibition was housed in the Crystal Palace. 1859 John Walker died (born May 29, 1781). English chemist who invented the friction match (strike anywhere) in 1826. 1864 Anna Jarvis was born (died Nov 24, 1948). Successfully campaigned from 1908 to 1914 to have Mother's Day recognized as national holiday. 1886 Angelo Del Monte and 'Papa' Marianetti opened Ristorante Fior d' Italia, America's oldest Italian restaurant in the heart of San Francisco's North Beach. The restaurant is now located at 2237 Mason Street in San Francisco. (Restaurant website: fior.com) 1893 The World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago World's Fair) opened in Chicago, Illinois. It was held to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus' arrival in the New World in 1492 (the Fair was dedicated on October 21, 1892 but did not open to the public until May 1, 1893). 1899 In Germany, Bayer introduced aspirin in powder form. (see also Feb 27, 1900) 1924 The first Iodized table salt in the U.S. went on sale in at grocers in Michigan. Adequate intake of iodine helps prevent goiter (swelling of the thyroid gland). (Salt History) 1927 Imperial Airways became the first British airline to serve hot meals. 1931 Empire State Building opens. It was built on the site of the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. (see also Oct 1, 1931) 1941 General Mills introduced 'Cheerioats.' The name was changed to 'Cheerios' in 1945. [Some sources list June 19, 1941] (Breakfast Cereal Trivia) 1971 'Brown Sugar' by the Rolling Stones is released. 1982 A record setting 8,000 foot long banana split was created in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.
(See also April 30, 1988) 1991 Charles Elton died. An English biologist who first developed the idea of a 'food chain.' 2001 Hindus in Seattle filled suit against McDonald's restaurant chain for not disclosing the use of beef flavoring in its French Fries. 2005 A 9 foot, 640 pound freshwater catfish was caught by fishermen in northern Thailand on the Mekong River. According to many, this is the largest freshwater fish ever caught. (Catfish Trivia and Facts) 2020 Coronavirus: The university city of Lund in Sweden spread chicken manure in its central park to discourage residents from gathering in the park for traditional April 30 celebrations; Little League baseball cancels its World Series.
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** April 23-May 3, 2026 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival - New Orleans, Louisiana April 23-June 21, 2026 Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival - Williamsburg, Virginia April 24-May 3, 2026 Spring Georgia State Fair
Metro Atlanta, Hampton, Georgia May 1-3, 2026 Annual Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival - Fernandina Beach, Florida May 1-9, 2026 131st Sequim Irrigation Festival
Sequim, Washington May 2-3, 2026 Bodega Bay Fisherman's Festival
Bodega Bay, California May 2-3, 2026 - 53rd Annual Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival - West Friendship, Maryland (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?
· General Mills Inc. came into existence with the merger of 5 milling companies.
· Sliced bread was born when Otto Frederick Rohwedder perfected his bread slicing machine.
· The Green Giant became the mascot of the Minnesota Valley Canning Company.
· Rice Krispies are introduced by Kellogg.
· Butterfinger candy bar is introduced by Curtiss Candy Co. 2) This long lived subtropical evergreen tree has been cultivated for at least 5,000 years, and recently some seeds have been uncovered in Spain that have been carbon-dated to be 8,000 years old. The tree is usually medium in height, about 25 feet, but some trees may grow to 60 feet. The are very long-lived, with some living more than 500 years. They are also very tenacious, sprouting back even if chopped right to ground level.
In order to produce flowers and fruit, the tree must undergo temperatures of 45 degrees F. for 2 to 3 months. The trees grow beautifully luxuriant in tropical climates, but produce no fruit. The small fruits can be round or oblong, dark purple and very bitter at maturity. The fruit is classified as a drupe, similar to the peach or plum. Today the tree is grown in South America, the Mediterranean area, the United States, Australia and South Africa.
The product obtained by the of processing the fruits was highly prized for soaps and perfumes. Cato tells us it was used as a weed killer and insecticide. Other uses have been as a lubricant for axles, a salve on chapped skin and on wounds, and a remedy for upset stomach.
One final clue from Lawrence Durrell: "A taste older than meat, older than wine. A taste as old as cold water." 3) The ancient Greeks and Romans thought this annual herb would only grow if you screamed wild curses and shouted unintelligibly while sowing the seeds. They also believed if you left a leaf under a pot, it would turn into a scorpion. Many believed that even smelling the leaves would cause scorpions to grow in the brain. Salome hid John the Baptist's head in a pot of this herb to cover up the odor of it's decomposition. In Italy it is a token of love, in Romania if a girl gives a sprig to her boyfriend, they are engaged, and a good Hindu goes to rest with a leaf on his breast as a passport to Paradise.
What is this common herb?
a) mint. b) basil. c) thyme. d) tarragon. e) sage. Click Here for Today’s Quiz Answers
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** 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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