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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 AUGUST

Updated: Over 9,000 Food Festivals

Summer & Picnic Food, Tips & Recipes

Grilling & Barbecue Articles & Recipes

Sports & Tailgating Articles & Recipes

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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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August Food Holidays:

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

AUGUST is:

• Air Conditioning Appreciation Days
  (July 3 to Aug 15)

• Get Acquainted with Kiwifruit Month

• Grains of the Month: Rye and Triticale

• Maine Lobster Month: Maine Governor Paul LePage issued a proclamation declaring August 'Maine Lobster Month' in July 2012.

• National Catfish Month (1984, President Ronald Reagan)

• National Goat Cheese Month

• National Panini Month

• National Peach Month

• National Sandwich Month

• National Water Quality Month

• Canada: National Blueberry Month
  (July in U.S.)

• UK: National Fishing Month]
(July 25-Aug 30, 2026)

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DID YOU KNOW?

The Marsh Marigold, sometimes incorrectly called Cowslip, is a member of the buttercup family native to marshes and wetlands of Europe and North America. The leaves may be cooked and eaten as a vegetable (although the fresh raw plant is poisonous). The flower buds are cooked and pickled in vinegar and used as a substitute for capers.

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Friday, August 21, 2026

Daily Trivia Questions are below

TODAY’S FOOD QUOTE

“A man must swallow a toad every morning if he wishes to be sure of finding nothing still more disgusting before the day is over.”
Nicolas Chamfort, French writer (1741-1794)
 

FOOD HOLIDAYS - TODAY IS:

• National Spumoni Day (Cherry Spumoni Recipe)

• St. Bernard Tolomeo's Day, patron of olive growers.
  (Olives & Olive Tree Trivia & Facts)
 

TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY

1814 Benjamin Thompson, Count von Rumford died.  American physician who invented the percolator, a pressure cooker and a kitchen stove.  He is frequently credited with creating baked Alaska.
(Origin, Description & Recipes for Baked Alaska)

1888 William Seward Burroughs of St. Louis, Missouri, received the first U.S. patent for an adding machine. Actually four patents, U.S. No. 388,116 to 388,119).

1906 Isadore 'Friz' Freleng was born (died May 26, 1995).  Cartoon animator, he created or developed cartoon characters Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Sylvester the Cat, and Tweety Bird.

1910 Second day of the Great Fire of 1910 in the North Western U.S.  (see  August 20, 1910).

1959 Hawaii officially became the 50th state of the U.S..  (Voters in the Hawaii Territory had ratified a state constitution on November 7, 1950).
(Hawaii Food Trivia)

1962 McDonald's franchisee Edwin Traisman of Madison, Wisconsin received U.S. patent No. 3,050,404 for a "Method For Preparing Frozen French Fried Potatoes".  (McDonald’s Trivia & Facts)

1988 Pubs are now allowed to stay open 12 hours each day (except Sunday) in the U.K.

1997 The largest meat recall in U.S. history.  Hudson Foods closed its Nebraska plant and recalled 25 million pounds of ground beef that were potentially contaminated with E. coli 01557:H7

2012 Boston Market restaurants announced that salt shakers have been removed from tables at all 476 locations, as part of an overall initiative to provide healthier options for guests.

2014 Governor Jerry Brown of California signed legislation that overturned a ban on pets at bars and restaurants. The new law allows dogs at outside patios effective January 1, 2015.
 

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

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)
 

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FOOD TRIVIA QUIZ    (new DAILY questions)

1) All of the following events took place in the same year.  What year is it?
· Almost half of the continental U.S. is experiencing drought.
· Coca-Cola announced that it is discontinuing its diet soda, TaB.
· New York State prohibits the distribution of plastic carryout bags by anyone who collects New York State sales tax.
· Waffle House and Oconee Brewing Co. of Georgia released Bacon & Kegs, a bacon infused red ale.
· A pedigree Texel ram lamb sold at auction in Scotland for the equivalent of about $490,000, becoming the world's most expensive sheep.

2) What is another name for Queen Anne's Lace?

3) This olive oil, garlic and anchovy sauce is served in a heated terracotta container, usually with bread and raw vegetables to dip. It is a specialty of Piedmont, Italy.
  a) anchoiade.   b) pan bagna.   c) aioli.
  d) bagna cauda.   e) crudite.

4) Nameko is native to Japan. What is it?
  a) a mushroom.   b) a type of sushi.   c) seaweed.
  d) a fish.   e) an herb.

5) This baked bread item was first made in Vienna, supposedly made in honor of Emperor Franz Josef. Can you name it?
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 term 'kippers' refers to herring that is split, dressed, salted and smoked.
 

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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?

Bark from various species of the Cinchona is the source of quinine, used to treat malaria. Cinchona bark extracts are also used in tonic water, bitters, aperitifs, soft drinks, and even ice cream.

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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?

Over 90% of world olive production is used to make oil, and almost 98% of the acreage is in the Mediterranean region

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Website last updated on Friday, August 21, 2026