Business
10 Curious Origins of Your Favorite Foods
Have you ever wondered what the origins of your favorite food items are? Some of you may be surprised to learn that some of the foods you like to eat the most have an odd story behind them. It’s time to shock and surprise with 10 Curious Origins of Your Favorite Foods.
10. Guacamole
Where would we be without guacamole? You would never be able to go to Chipotle ever again. How can you scarf down one of their burrito bowls without a healthy dollop of guacamole on it? Your taste buds know that’s a trick question since it’s not possible to eat anything at Chipotle without their world-famous guacamole. When you’re sitting at home enjoying some BabbleTop videos, what do you reach for? You reach for some guacamole and a few corn chips of course. Guacamole is even good eaten off your finger. Admit it, if you have nothing to dip in guacamole, then you use your finger and lick it right off. The Aztecs are the ones who are responsible for inventing guacamole a few hundred years ago. Their guacamole recipe was a little different than the ones we use today, but it still seems quite tasty. The Aztecs made their guacamole out of avocados, salt, chili peppers, tomatoes, and onions. The next time you eat a healthy serving of guacamole, think back to those people who changed the culinary world without knowing it. People all over the world enjoy guacamole, and they all have those hungry Aztecs to thank for taking what they had on hand and whipping up something as addictive as it is delicious.
9. Nutella
There is no wrong way to eat Nutella. You can spread it on bread, crackers, or just about anything you can think of. What wouldn’t be good with a little Nutella on it? Try to think of some odd combinations with Nutella and then try them. What about a bit of Nutella on your pizza crust? Have you ever thought about dipping a few fries in your Nutella? It’s almost unthinkable that anything couldn’t be made even more delicious with a little Nutella smeared on it. The origins of Nutella come out of a stark time. It was invented during World War II when things such as chocolate were rationed. Everyone had to do their part to win the war and that meant many of the foods people loved were reserved for those on the front line. A quick-thinking person realized that it would be possible to make their chocolate last longer if they combined it with hazelnuts. There was an overabundance of hazelnuts, and they were the perfect ingredient to stretch out their precious chocolate. Nutella was born out of necessity, but it’s enjoyed all over the world today by those who enjoy its decadent creamy chocolatey taste.
8. Eggnog
You can’t celebrate the winter holidays without a big tall glass of eggnog. It doesn’t matter if you like your eggnog with booze or not; you can’t go through Christmas and New Year’s without someone offering you a glass. Do you buy your eggnog in a carton or make it yourself? Some of you might tell a little white lie and say you made your eggnog from scratch but really just opened up one of those cardboard containers. It doesn’t feel like lying since you added your personal touch – a little nutmeg and a heavy dose of rum. Don’t worry; we’re not going to spill the beans on your little holiday secret. The origins of eggnog are still hotly debated after all of these years. Some say that eggnog was invented back in the 13th century by the British. Back in the day in Britain, they had a hot ale-like drink they called posset. Later on, monks would add eggs and figs to their posset. A little sherry wine is what gave the drink the kick that the monks were after. The ingredients of posset ensured that only the wealthy could afford to drink it since sherry was an alcoholic beverage only the rich enjoyed. Don’t feel so bad the next time you have a little too much eggnog and end up with a lampshade on your head, after all, you can just blame it on the monks.
7. 7 Up
You reach for a 7 Up when you want something that isn’t a cola. 7 Up is a light, crisp, and incredibly refreshing soda. The first sip of a 7 Up is full of the citrus excitement that only a lemon-lime soda pop can deliver. Pouring a can of 7 Up into a glass is a unique experience since it’s as clear as water. It’s a whole lot of fun to watch the little bubbles float to the top after you’ve poured the soda into a glass. Some of you may even like to put your ear near the rim of the glass so you can hear the fizzle of 7 Up. This soda is highly carbonated, and that means there is a constant stream of bubbles always trying to make their way to the top. 7 Up has a cult following, and the diehard drinkers of it won’t ever think about turning their backs on the brand they love. The history of 7 Up’s origin is quite shocking. Did you know that 7 Up once had lithium in it? Yes, that lithium, the stuff people take for all sorts of mental illnesses. It seems that the makers of 7 Up learned in the 1950s that lithium wasn’t good for the average person to consume regularly. So, eventually, the lithium was removed, and that’s when the public was introduced to the 7 Up we all know today. Oh, and 7 Up wasn’t the original name of this fizzy citrusy sugar water. Are you ready to have your mind blown? At one time, 7 Up was called Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda. You’d need a healthy dose of lithium floating through your system if you had to say that several times a day.
6. The Sandwich
How would your life be different if the sandwich didn’t exist? Many of you live off of sandwiches every day. If they aren’t of the fast-food variety, then they’re sandwiches you make at home. The sandwich may be one of the most versatile foods in the world. You can put anything in between two slices of bread and bingo… you have a sandwich! It’s said that the Earl of Sandwich in England invented the sandwich. The Earl enjoyed playing cards, and by the sounds of things, he was a big-time gambler who didn’t like to leave the table. How does a guy get enough nutrition in his body to keep on wagering through a long game of cards? He does so by eating a meal that can be held with one hand while his cards were held in the other. Today people would call him a gambling addict and say give up the sandwiches and get yourself some help. If that gambler only knew what effect his gambling addiction would have on the world when he invented a food item that spurred many industries since. Ronald McDonald owes his livelihood to someone who would’ve bet his last sandwich on a pair of pocket aces.
5. Gatorade
What’s the first thing that you reach for when it’s the slightest bit hot outside? Do you quench your thirst with a bottle of Gatorade? If so, you’re not alone. Some people think that Gatorade is only helpful to those who are on the playing field or the court, but that’s not true at all. It’s not unheard of for people to drink Gatorade when they’re sick as a means of rehydrating themselves. Gatorade comes in a wide variety of flavors, and you can even buy packets of the stuff to make at home. Though, you probably get your Gatorade at a convenience store along with a couple of bags of chips and a candy bar or two. It seems you can never walk out of those places with only the receipt for the gas that you paid for. Gatorade was invited for the University of Florida football players to drink. It took them several attempts to come up with a drink that was palatable and also quenched the thirst while revitalizing the players. Keep in mind that it’s hotter than blazes in Florida, and football players are losing all kinds of vital nutrients when they’re sweating big time on the field. The university’s football team is called the Gators, so it’s probably no surprise that the drink was called Gatorade. The purpose of Gatorade was to aid in helping the team win by giving them an edge over other teams. And here we thought it was invented just to pour over the coach’s head after winning the game. Who knew?
4. Ice cream cones
What would summer be without the ice cream cone? Did you know that cones weren’t always a thing? Nope, for the longest time people had to walk around with a dish as they ate their ice cream. The cone came along later, and it was an invention out of necessity like so many others are. Summer isn’t the same without several visits to an ice cream shop. It doesn’t matter if you’re the plain Jane who orders vanilla or if you’re the type who likes the wildest craziest flavors on the menu, the one thing that rings true, is that you love ice cream in the summer. Nothing beats the heat like a cold treat that chills you to your very core. Sitting inside with the air conditioner on full blast isn’t nearly as much fun as licking ice cream cones with all of your friends. The story behind the ice cream cone is hotly debated, but it kind of goes like this: Back in 1904 at the World’s Fair, a man named Ernest Hamwi was selling a waffle-like pastry. The vendor next to him was selling ice cream, and he faced a dilemma that knocked him for a loop. The popularity of the fair brought him far more customers than he thought it would, and he ran out of bowls to put ice cream in. Hamwi overheard the situation, and he came up with the idea that changed the world of ice cream forever. Hamwi rolled up one of his waffles and told the guy to put ice cream in it. Customers loved eating ice cream from the rolled-up waffles that we now call cones. Hamwi later patented his cones and eventually opened up the Missouri Cone Company. Think of him the next time you enjoy an ice cream cone when the sun is blistering down on you in the middle of summer.
3. Pizza
Some think that pizza should be considered a food group all of its own. We wouldn’t disagree with that in the slightest. Pizza is one of the most versatile foods in the world. It’s almost impossible for anyone to hate pizza since you can put anything you can imagine on it. What would the big game be without pizza? How many pizza parties have you attended where the party sucked, but the pizza was great? By far, pizza is one of the world’s most perfect foods. Pizza is also a great go-to food when you’re too tired to cook since restaurants will deliver it right to your door. Pizza as we know it was created a little over a hundred years ago. Raffaele Esposito came up with a special flatbread for the Queen consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy, who was visiting his city of Naples. Little did he know at the time that he was creating something that would change the culinary world forever. Sure, flatbreads existed since time began, but this one was different. He added garnishing such as tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil. So the first person to ever put a slice of pizza pie in their mouth was none other than royalty. That goes to show that pizza is both fit for a queen and the lazy bum who can’t get off of the couch to cook dinner.
2. Buffalo Wings
What’s the other game day favorite that can tear people away from a pizza? That would be Buffalo wings. How spicy do you like your wings? Do you like your wings so hot they make you cry like a baby? If anyone sees you crying, all you have to do is tell them that your favorite team is down. It’s okay; you’re not getting emotional or anything like that. Some of you may like a little zing when it comes to your wings, and that’s it. Ranch dressing is the savior of many who can’t take the heat but still love the flavor of Buffalo sauce. Teressa Bellissimo is the genius behind the Buffalo wing. As you might have guessed, Buffalo wings originated in Buffalo, New York. Teressa’s son was home visiting from college when he stopped by her restaurant late one night. He was hungry, and she whipped up a batch of wings and sauced them with plenty of saucy heat. It wouldn’t be long after that Buffalo wings would spread across the entire USA and then the world.
1. Coffee
Are you a bear in the morning without your coffee? Do people know not to even look at you if you haven’t had at least half a pot of coffee? Can you imagine that there was once a time when coffee didn’t exist? What did those people do for an all-natural pick me up? If you think life before Facebook must have been terrible, think about how life would’ve been without coffee. There was indeed such a time, and thankfully those days are well behind us. Believe it or not, a goat discovered the coffee none of us can live without. Yes, a goat. An Ethiopian shepherd realized that his goat seemed extremely energetic after eating coffee berries. The shepherd ate a few berries himself, and he too felt euphoric. He took his discovery to a monk who realized that after eating coffee, he could pray for extended periods. It wasn’t long before coffee spread to other monks who were thankful for the bean’s energetic properties, and they too were able to devote more time to prayer. From there, coffee spread to every corner of the world, and now it’s one of the most popular drinks – period. Starbucks, McCafe, and the rest of the companies who are making out like bandits selling coffee all have one inquisitive goat to thank for their success.