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Why Does Popcorn Pop?: And 201 Other Fascinating Facts about Food

Why does popcorn pop? When was the first time you asked that question? Probably the first time you went to the movies. And how often have you wondered why doughnuts have holes? Or why dark meat is dark? Or if it's "ketchup" or "catsup?" Or how many different animals are in a box of Animal Crackers? Now you can find out! In Why Does Popcorn Pop?, Don Voorhees invites you to a banquet of flavorful food facts. From soup to nuts, apples to oranges, junk food to gourmet treats, it's all here.

Try these free samples: Doughnuts with holes were popularized by the Salvation Army during World War I, when they were served to American troops in France who carried them on their gun barrels, leaving their hands free. Dark meat comes from active muscles (such as a turkey's legs) that store a lot of oxygen; white meat comes from less active muscles (such as a turkey's breast). H. J. Heinz used "ketchup" and "catsup" interchangeably until the early 1900s, when he settled on "ketchup," but some brands still use "catsup." Finally, there are seventeen different animals in Animal Crackers.

You'll also learn about "food people." Was there ever really a Chef Boyardee? Or Uncle Ben? Or Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines, Aunt Jemima, or Colonel Sanders? Who is Beef Stroganoff named for? And Lobster Newburg? And Eggs Benedict? And Melba Toast? And Lorna Doones? You'll find facts about famous brands and brand names. Who were Anheuser and Busch? What's the true story behind Pez? What's in Spam — and why do so many people eat it? What are Grape-Nuts, anyway? Who was Dr. Pepper? And does the drink named for him really contain prune juice? (O.K., we'll give this one away, too. The company says it doesn't. But 7-Up really did contain lithium until the 1940s!)

You'll also discover everything you ever wanted to know about chocolate. Well, almost everything. You won't learn how to eat it without gaining weight. But you will discover how it's made, what white chocolate is, how Hershey Kisses got their name, and the bitter truth about M&Ms. (Sorry, Virginia, there may be a Santa Claus, but there's no taste difference between their different colors.) You'll even learn what "cheese food" is. (No, it's not something you feed to your pet Brie.)

  • Format
  • hardcover
  • Pages
  • 250
  • Language
  • english
  • ISBN
  • 9781567314908
  • Genres
  • reference, trivia, food
  • Release date
  • 2002