Moments From Food History That Changed The Way We Cook And Eat Today
While you might not think it at first, there’s lots of food items on grocery store shelves today that boast a remarkable history. The time has to come for us to reflect on some of the more significant — and downright weird — moments in food history. So we hope you're hungry for strange facts and important culinary moments, because we’ve got a full plate for you! We'd have never guessed that our favorite foods had such humble beginnings...
40. The first mechanical dough mixer
Back in the first century BC, a former slave changed the way that bread was made forever. Marcus Vergilius Eurysaces created a mechanical dough mixer — the first of its kind. Using animals such as donkeys and horses, they’d tug wooden spades in a circular motion to stir the paste inside a stone bowl. Who knew that donkeys were partly to thank for our morning toast?!
39. Spain made tomato sauces first
If we were to ask you point-blank which country made the earliest tomato sauces, what would you say? It’s Italy, right? Well, we’ve got some news for you — you’d be wrong! As it turns out, Spain was responsible. Their European neighbors just followed their lead. That’s one to remember for your next trivia night.
38. Chilies and bell peppers
Did you know that bell peppers are from the same plant family as chilies? No joke! The latter started to make its way across Europe thanks to the Columbian exchange. But due to the peppers’ scorchingly hot taste, farmers began to alter them during the growing process in order to remove the spiciness. And thus, the bell pepper was born.
37. Inventing the popsicle
Frank Epperson is the man behind the popsicle, yet the story of its creation in 1905 is still a bit of a mystery. You see, Epperson said that he took some water and juice outside his house one day and mixed them together in a glass. He forgot about it as the evening drew in, though, and claimed that the concoction froze overnight, accidentally creating our favorite icy treat. Is that true? No one knows.
