What do Toll House and Ruth Wakefield have in common? They were both formally introduced to Nestle for one. Ruth, wife, mother, former dietitian, author, baker and tourist lodge owner, made a boo boo in Whitman, Massachusetts on a cold winter’s day in her kitchen at the “Toll House Inn” in 1937—so she’s the first…
Category: Fun Facts
What Are Your Fondest Mother’s Day Memories? Celebrating All Around the Globe
Wherever in the world they may be, “Mothers” are the main focus of today’s family celebrations and traditions. Mother’s day is a day to honor mothers and other mother figures in varying forms. Families make a special effort to visit, take cards and gifts to her and may treat her to brunch, lunch or high…
Scones, Biscuits & Crumpets: For the Love of Muffins
Blueberry, corn, cranberry, or oatmeal raisin, just to name a few. We fill our much-loved, portable breakfast indulgences with sweet fruits, grains and creams. Often times making them healthy, often times not. Yet, our satisfying breakfast delicacies possess an origin and a past… The word muffin comes from the French word moufflet which is often…
Peppers–Ring a Bell?
There are many crunchy, flavorful varieties of peppers filled with an assortment of flavors and ready for your culinary creations—from Mexican, Asian to American fare. They are often named by the region in which they were grown. Peppers are of the nightshade family and their genus (kind) are normally capsicum or Solanaceae aka chili or…
The British Afternoon Tea; Where Did it All Begin & What is Served?
There is no more quintessential British ritual than the ceremony and serving of Afternoon tea. It is believed that credit for the custom goes to Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford in the early 19th century. The usual habit of serving dinner between 8 and 9 pm left the Duchess hungry and with a ‘sinking…
The Historical Cupcake—aka Fairy Cake…Get the Skinny!
The term “cupcake” was first revealed in 1828 in Eliza Leslie’s Receipts cookbook. In the early 19th century, there were two different uses for the name “cup cake” or “cupcake”. In previous centuries, before muffin tins were widely available, the cakes were often baked in individual pottery cups, ramekins, or molds and took their name…
Cool Lunchbox Lunches Aren’t Just for Kiddies!
As many of us remember from our childhood days, one of the best parts of our day was opening our lunchbox and diving into the array of goodies mom and or dad had packed for us that morning; Fast forward to current day and busy parents struggling to invent nutritious and delicious daily lunches for…
What Did You Put in Your Lunch Box? We’re About to Explore Many New Options!
Historic lunchboxes from the 1880s. In the center photo you can see a tobacco box recycled as a lunch box. Around the 1880s, school children, who wanted to try to be like their daddies, fashioned similar boxes out of empty cookie or tobacco tins. According to the timeline, the first commercial lunch boxes, similar to the…
What Does Easter Represent To You?
Massive Chocolate eggs, filled with treasures and sweet secrets… Source: washingtonian.com “Torta Pasqualina” Source: trendalert.it Torta Pasqualina was originally produced as an Easter pie around 1400 in Genova, Italy. The name itself comes from “Pasqua”, the Italian word for Easter. Traditionally, the pie was prepared using 33 thin layers of phyllo dough–in honor of Jesus’ age when he was…
Italy’s Easter Eggs and Italia’s Easter Friday
In Italy, there are no Easter egg hunts, no marshmallow Peeps and definitely no jelly beans. Instead, there are chocolate eggs — massive, elaborately decorated, beautifully wrapped chocolate Easter eggs that fill shop windows across the country. The sweet treats are considered Italians’ food gift of choice at this time of year; each one…
Once Upon a Spice 