The Tragedy of Nicolas Appert

Innovating does not always ensure success or prosperity. Some ended up in dire financial stress for the rest of their lives. Just as the case for the father of modern food industry and thinker behind canning or rather bottling, Nicolas Appert.

From War to Tables: The Times and Innovation of Nicolas Appert

Nuclear energy and GPS all began with military use before creating a massive impact for its civilian use. Joining these example: the canned and packed foods bought from the groceries or markets. 

Industrialized Canning, 1917

Yes, apparently like nuclear energy, our packed goodies traced its development from war. A war that raged during the turn of the 18th and 19th century. The time when Europe plunged into the chaos of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars.

Gustavus Swift: A Revolution in the American Meat Industry

Gustavus Swift

The industrial revolution in the United States became home of some of the greatest innovation that made the modern world. From electricity to automobile, Americans used their curious mind to solve challenges and create solutions that make the world better. The food industry also got a share of some of innovations. Among the men that profited from it was the founder of one of the most famous food meat processing companies in the United States – Gustavus Swift.

Henry Heinz: Man Behind the Famous Ketchup

Henry Heinz

Condiments help us to enjoy our food more. It allows us to personalize our food, suiting our snacks to our personal taste.  Mayonnaise, mustard, and Ketchup, give color and presentation. Ketchup is the most popular. One company made a name for this product, Heinz. But who was behind this very established company?

Surprises and The Unintended Invention of Potato Chips

George Crum

Cornelius Vanderbilt was a famous tycoon. First made his name well-known in the ferry industry. He was renowned to be given the title “Commodore” for his good quality of service and his vast ferry business. But when the steam engine dawned, he moved from the sea to land. He invested a lot of his wealth in creating a huge railroad empire. He made a lot of money as well as enemies as a result of his aggressive business tactics. He contributed on the rise of the railroad industry as well as capitalism in America. However, besides business and industry, Vanderbilt was said to have made another surprising contribution. According to legends, he had been instrumental for the creation of one of the most eaten snack in the world – Potato Chips.

Stories of Ice Cream: Italians

Remorse of Emperor Nero by John William Waterhouse

Every summer, the scorching is always a torture. Sweat pouring down in your head and in your body. Thirst unquenched. People do drastic things to remain cool, facing air conditioner, fanning oneself vigorously, etc. But one thing that people would search is a treat that help to ease the heat. And there noting more than ice cream. A dairy product with mixed with different flavors that cools the body. However, it is such a surprise that this summer time treat has a shrouded history. In stories the Italians were widely credited for its creation.

Conrad Van Houten: Start of a Chocolate revolution

Conrad van Houten

Ever since, the time of that Hernan Cortez brought back cacao beans from the Americas, it became a luxury across Europe. From Spain it spread across to France and into the court of the extravagant court of Louis XIV. It then spread to other countries, to the Swiss, the Dutch, and later, the British. More and more ways of processing chocolate developed. Among the most pioneering was a Dutch chocolatier and engineer, Conrad van Houten.

Patience Is a Virtue: Worcestershire Sauce

Lea and Perrins ad
for the Worcestershire Sauce

In 1830’s a new sauce was produced in Great Britain. It became a popular condiment to various recipes. From steak, to salads, and to soups, the Worcestershire sauce gave a unique taste to it. But the background of how Worcestershire sauce came to be was shrouded with mystery along with its recipe.

Graham Cracker: An Ironic Beginning

Sylvester Graham

Graham crackers are used for wide varieties of deserts. In the Philippines, it can be used to make different kinds of frozen treats, from cheesecake to sansrival. But from looking at the start of the graham crackers, the man who invented it would not just disapproved but appalled to how his invention used for making sweet goods.

Who was Sandwich?

John Montagu, Earl of Sandwich

Anyone who would see two or more bread piled together with something in between will call it a sandwich. Sandwiches has a simple concept. It simplicity made it even a stone age man could do. By why would it be called a sandwich? In fact, it was named after a person. Then, from whom did sandwich took its name?

Dinning with King Louis XIV

King Louis XIV dinning with Moliere

King Louis XIV was the ruler of France.  An egocentric King, he wanted to make his everyday life a show for every aristocrat to watch in his beautiful and magnificent palace of Versailles. From the time he wakes up in the morning, towards his every meal, and until the time of his sleep in the night, all of daily activities were ritualized to become small shows for the nobility. Even when it was time for his meals, all of it was turned into a show. Aristocrats gather around the King, waiting a chance to be notice and spoken to. Among of these ritualized meals was the Grand Couvert.

Creation of Margarine

Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès

In the period prior to the 20th century, butter was a luxury commodity. Only the wealthy and the aristocracy could only afford. The main reason was it’s made of pure dairy. And dairy was too expensive for the common people. And so in the 1860’s, a leader would present a prize that would led to the creation of a butter substitute – margarine.

Burger's Mongolian Connection

Mongols besieging Baghdad

In modern day fast food chains, one of the most popular main dishes is hamburger. This dishes made of a bun and a beef patty in the middle gave a good meal to many. The burger was popularized in the United States during the 19th century. Further back, hamburger was said to be brought by German immigrant from the German city of Hamburg. But a deeper search to the beginnings, the main idea for hamburger came from one of the greatest conquerors - the Mongols.

De Medici and French Cuisine

Catherine de Medici

The French Cuisine is characterize by many as classy and full of finest. The story of Francois Vatel exemplified the dedication of the men of the past for their profession. But the high quality of the French cuisine was, according from many, began during the 16th century. It was said that an Italian girl brought the characteristic of fine dining and new ingredients to the French Kingdom.

Aztecs Love for Chocolate

Aztec Woman mixing Chocolate

Chocolate is hunted by many sweet lovers. Beneath the dark color of this sweet, it gives color to many children, lovers, and anyone from all walks of life. Chocolate came from a bean known as a cacao. Today, the largest producer of cocoa bean is the country of Cote D’Ivoire in Western Africa. Although the largest producer came from the African continent, its roots of chocolate that popularized cacao are not in the continent. The beginnings of chocolate is across the Atlantic Ocean, to America.

Tragic Death of Francois Vatel

Louis de Bourbon, Prince de Conde

The story of Francois Vatel is, said to be, a display of French honor for their culinary careers. Efficiency and perfection is the standard for hard work. It began as a grand feast to impress the nobles and King Louis XIV himself in 1672 in a town of Chantilly. Francois Vatel served as the maître d’hôtel for the auspicious visit. However, with some minor problems and misunderstanding that unfolded during the festivities, the event turned out to be final for Vatel.

Dark Gift from Spain to France - Louis XIV and Chocolate

Louis XIV

Chocolate began during the 1500’s. But it didn’t began to be well-known in Europe until more than a hundred years later. One of the royals of Europe that took notice chocolate was the French monarchy. From the arrival of two Spanish wives in France, chocolate began to receive the limelight from the aristocracy and the well off.

Salt Through the Desert: Tuareg Salt Caravan

Timbuktu (1858)

Salt is an important seasoning in our daily food. It gives saltiness to match our own taste. From the Americas to Asia, every culture use salt in their cuisine. For many, it becomes a life saver as it can preserve food, from meat to vegetable. Mostly came from sea, salt is taken for granted today. But back then it was a source of livelihood and wealth to a group of people from northern Africa, the Tuaregs. They became merchants giving taste to the food in the past.

Turks and Croissant?

Siege of Vienna, 1683

Victory, Triumph - achievements that leaders and various cultures celebrated with great fanfare erecting arches and obelisk. But according to legend, besides monuments, an iconic popular pastry known globally, the croissant, with its flaky and buttery texture expressed a Viennese bakers commemoration of a success in a siege.