While working on my dragon blanket, I needed a TV show for background that was interesting enough that I would want to see it while at the same time being something I didn't have to follow too closely. I found that in The Food that Built America on the History Channel.
For today's Thursday 13, I'm listing (in no particular order) some of the most surprising (to me) things I learned from the episodes I've seen.
1. Taco Bell was named for its founder, Glen Bell.
2. Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy's, was quite the fast food innovator. (The fast food drive thru was his idea.) He originally worked for Kentucky Fried Chicken, but when the owners of the company screwed him over, he went out and founded his own fast food empire. (The owners of KFC at that time were idiots.)
3. Oreo cookies were the copycat. Hydrox came first.
4. The McDonald brothers showed their innovative fast food kitchen assembly line to anyone who wanted to see it. Several future companies used this to help them with their restaurants (like Glen Bell). (I'm not sure which episode this was in, so no link.)
5. Pepperidge Farm was founded by a woman. She needed to bake a more nutritious bread for her sickly son.
6. Why are the major beer companies from Milwaukee? Because of the Great Chicago Fire.
7. Pizza was not a thing until two brothers from Kansas made it a thing (founding Pizza Hut).
8. Cheetos exist because the company got surplus powdered cheese from the War Department after WWII. (I don't remember which episode this was in, sadly, so no link.)
9. Pepsi became a thing because a businessman who owned soda shops had a snit fit when Coca-Cola wouldn't give him a discount. (Did he deserve the discount? Probably. But his reaction was a bit much.)
10. Frito-Lay became one company because the founders of both got together and decided to merge. (Most of the episodes are about how two companies fight for market supremacy. These two just decided... not to.)
11. Campbell's was a preserves company first. The whole condensed soup thing was a weird tangent the company went on.
12. Popsicle got its name because the guy's kids called it "Pop's sicle". He actually wanted to name it after himself.
13. The initial investors in Famous Amos... Yikes. That's a list. (Alas, without rewatching the episode, I can't recall names off the top of my head. I was just impressed while watching the show.)
That's really interesting. Now I want to watch it. I watched a few episodes of some show about how alcohol shaped our country. It was so interesting and eye popping.
ReplyDeleteDo you remember the name of the show? I'm sure I would find that interesting as well. This show is on the History Channel, and they seem to be showing them on Sundays right now, so...
DeleteI knew some of this but not all.
ReplyDeleteBack in the day, Jewish kids ate Hydrox not Oreos, because Hydrox was kosher and Nabisco products weren’t
And my grandmother baked Hydrox when she worked at Sunshine Biscuits in the 1920’s
DeleteI didn't know Oreos growing up in CA. My mother only bought Hydrox. Maybe because they were first, she was used to buying that kind.
DeleteI did not realize Hydrox was kosher. Makes sense.
DeleteLisa, we got Hydrox too until they kind of disappeared.
I am surprised by Taco Bell! I just assumed it was alluding to mission bells (since they use that and the California terra-cotta, mission adobe sort of look to them) and the faux-Mexican food! Excess powdered cheese...yum. Sounds like some school lunches. The kids always loved the "Cheese Zombies" which were just a chunk of baked bread with a little melted government surplus cheese inside.
ReplyDeleteI put Taco Bell first as that was the thing that floored me the most. And Taco Bell was like his third attempt. But yeah, his name was Bell. Obvious, but only if you know that factoid. (Arby's was named after its creators as well, but not how you'd expect.)
DeleteNeat. A lot of that info is new to me.
ReplyDeleteI know this and have watched a few episodes. It's quite interesting how foods got started
ReplyDeleteVery.
DeleteI've watched two episodes so far and am loving it. By the way, for #7, I worked for a fraternity brother of the Carney Brothers (founders of Pizza Hut) when I lived in Wichita in the late 1970's, which led me into a 45 year career (not in the restaurant business). White Castle also originated in Wichita.
ReplyDeleteI think there's a White Castle episode. Two, possibly.
DeleteI think I've watched a few of those! The one about Wendy's, for sure. I need to know on number 6! Gonna watch it! And I like Hydrox better than Oreo, so that's not surprising! BTW, since we're talking about food, I don't use Canola Oil anymore because of where it came from and how it's made. Ick!
ReplyDeleteThe episode on Pabst and Schlitz has so many interesting parts; definitely watch it.
DeleteHow interesting.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on, and stay safe.
I've watched some of those episodes. They're quite interesting. Thanks for sharing. I have never heard of Hydrox, must not have been sold around here. We have always had Oreos.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great list! You make me want to learn more about that mom who did what she could (bake) to care for her son. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOh, she was fascinating. There are so few female leaders. She wasn't even a baker when she started out, and in the end she made millions.
DeleteI love those fun facts type of shows.
ReplyDeleteIt's great. Definitely worth the watch.
DeleteThis is the sort of thing my husband, especially, finds fascinating. Thank you for sharing. While I knew some, others were a huge surprise, like popsicle. That's funny. Hydrox is just a weird name, isn't it? It sounds like a first aid wound cleanser. lol
ReplyDeleteI hope you can get to see these. They're currently airing a bunch on The History Channel on Sundays when they air a new episode. They also stream on Hulu. (You don't stream, do you?)
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