Jest a Moment: Great Unheralded Moments in Food History

November isn’t just about turkeys. According to various websites that compile lists of national food celebrations, it’s also Banana Pudding Lovers Month. Recipes for the sweet, fruity, and creamy dessert began appearing in the late 1800s, and it soon became a favorite treat easily prepared at home or served in restaurants, especially in the South. Its creation could be described as a “notable” moment in food history. Here are some others that somehow escaped the food history books:

A.D. 79: Lone survivor of Mt. Vesuvius eruption relocates to find work in an Italian bakery, and the Lava Cake is born.

1195: British royal cook meets with King Richard, recovering from a severe bout of acne, to discuss new menu items for an upcoming commemorative banquet. Creates Spotted Dick.

1453: Personal chef of brutal Romanian ruler Vlad the Impaler invents the shish kabob.

1805: Admiral Lord Nelson inadvertently creates a name for a popular breakfast meal when asked to predict the outcome of England’s naval campaign with France in the Battle of Trafalgar.  “French? Toast!”  he quips.

1894: Podiatrist brother of John Harvey Kellogg suggests use for growing collection of small calluses scraped from patients’ feet and the name “Corn Flakes” created.

1909: Absent-minded Idaho chef prepares the first twice-baked potato.

1912: Rotund US President William Howard Taft stops by White House kitchen for an evening snack and inadvertently sits on meat, cheese, and tomato pot pie left on a chair. Observant staff chef immediately resigns to form the first American pizza franchise.

1915: After visiting Fort Yukon on the hottest day (100 °F) in the state’s history, Anchorage dessert chef conceives Baked Alaska.

1919: Airline company serves first meal to passengers during London to Paris route, creating what would become universally known as plain food.

1924: Italian-American restaurateur notices wife mixing romaine lettuce with parmesan cheese, croutons, anchovies, and Worcestershire sauce. Creates new leafy greens dish after he ….. sees-her salad.

1837: A group of US senators talks endlessly on the Senate floor during the first filibuster, and the waffle is invented.

1942: Moe, Larry, and Curly perfect the fastest known pie delivery service.

1940s: Nabisco first publishes banana pudding recipe on Vanilla Wafer box. Potluck cooks soon learn to prepare large quantities to prevent brawls breaking out at delivery destinations.

1953: Swanson markets the first TV dinner, ensuring the proliferation of couch potatoes for generations.

1971: Post cereal corporation introduces Fruity Pebbles. Despite high mineral content, the product was largely unpopular with consumers until the company replaced the small fruit-infused rocks with flavored crisp rice bits.

2001: U.S. attempts to win support from Afghan population by airdropping humanitarian provisions during the former war. The food packages for civilians included more than 2 million Pop-Tarts, but the program was not universally applauded by locals. No explanation necessary.

Nick Thomas has written features, columns, and interviews for numerous magazines and newspapers. See www.getnickt.org. Original royalty-free image generated by Meta.