MAY 20 – Today in Food History

Today is National Quiche Lorraine Day and the day of  St. Bernadine of Siena, patron of advertisers.  (Mauro and Dawn met in Siena)

This week (May 16th to the 27th)  is also International Pickle Week and National Vegetarian Week  in the UK

Some food related happenings on this day in:

• 1506 Christopher Columbus, an explorer from Genoa Italy, died. Not food related, but definately Italian!!!!!!
• 1799 Honore de Balzac Born.  French author. Balzac would lock himself away during creative bursts, drinking coffee and eating only fruit and eggs.  When he finally took a break, he was known to consume huge quantities of food.  One report recalls that at the Véry restaurant he ate “a hundred Ostend oysters, twelve cutlets of salt-meadow mutton, a duck with turnips, two partridges and a Normandy sole,” not to mention the desserts, fruit and liqueurs he also consumed.
• 1810 On this day Dolly Madison, wife of president James Madison, supposedly served the first ice cream at the White House, for a reception.
• 1874 Jeans with copper rivets are patented by Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis. (just had to add this because its soooo cool)
• 1884 L. Blue patented a hand corn sheller.
• 2005 Governor Jeb Bush signed a bill making the orange the official State Fruit of Florida.  The orange blossom and orange juice have been previously declared the official state flower and official state beverage.
• 2009 Hot Dog Wars: Sara Lee (Ball Park Franks) sued Kraft Foods (Oscar Mayer Jumbo Beef Franks) over claims that Oscar Mayer franks are better than Ball Park Franks.