Most people would probably assume that Charles Schulz named Peppermint Patty after the candy. It would make sense. After all, Peppermint Pattie candies predate the character by 22 years. Peppermint Patty’s full name was Patricia Reichardt, and Schulz introduced her to the Peanuts strip on August 22, 1966. Meanwhile, Henry C. Keesler invented the candy … Read more
Why are elbows on the table considered bad manners? What is the origin of this etiquette rule? Is it about formality or something more practical? Well, the rule may be a little of both: Formal and practical. First, in a “stately” society, any appearance of being overly indulged in your food might be seen as … Read more
Most of us don’t stop to think about why we call a bag or container used to bring home leftover food from a restaurant a “doggie bag.” We rarely intend to actually give the food to our dog! But, is this the origin of the doggie bag? Was it invented as a way to bring … Read more
Before knowing when chocolate was first used, it is useful to understand how it was used, as its original use had no resemblance to how we consume it today. Chocolate began as a Native American drink. The first known use of chocolate was by the Maya between 500 to 600 C.E. in the south Yucatan. European explorers … Read more
For decades, the restaurant industry relied on gender-marked titles: waiter for men and waitress for women. Today, that distinction has largely collapsed. While many modern establishments have defaulted to the term server to avoid gender bias, we’ve inadvertently created a linguistic puzzle. Does “waiter” still imply a man, or has it returned to its original … Read more
Dating the origins of America’s confectionery industrial complex requires separating local folklore from documented manufacturing history. While municipal records are filled with quiet, short-lived nineteenth-century sweet shops, identifying the absolute oldest candy still in production boils down to a precise milestone in industrial food science. The title of America’s oldest continuously produced mass-market candy belongs … Read more