Why are Catfish Nuggets cheaper than fillets? Nuggets are actually the catfish belly meat.

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U.S. Food Production Tidbits

170,063 million pounds or about 21 million gallons of milk was produced in 2002
Over 24 billion pounds of Oranges were produced in 2002.

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How did SPAM get its' name. In 1937 Hormel Spiced Ham was introduced in Austin, Minnesota, and, needed a catchy name. Hormel had a contest and offered $100 for a suitable name. The winning name was, of course, ''SPAM'', [SPiced hAM] and a legend was born.

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Of all food groups the most consumed is fruits and vegetables at 707 pounds per person followed by 593 pounds of dairy products per person.

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It takes about 10,000 pounds of potatoes to make 3,500 pounds of potato chips. A typical factory can make 7,000 plus pounds of potato chips in two hours. The potato chip was invented in 1853 and has been America's number one snack food for over 50 years. 

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An estimated 25 million pounds of chicken was consumed in the U.S. in 2002., or 90 lbs. per person.

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Cooking meats properly is of great importance.  The most important guideline is; Cook all meats to the proper internal temperature. For Beef and Pork cuts, an internal (center of the thickest part) temperature of no less than 145°F (medium rare), 160°F (medium) and 170°F (well done). All ground meats should be cooked to 160°F. (71.1 C) for 15 continuous seconds. 

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The process of canning was first developed in France in the 1790s to preserve food.
Food canning in a metal container was originated in England in 1810. The ridges on the side of a tin can give the can added strength.

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If you've seen a king cake in person you've noticed those pretty colors on top. Certainly you already know it's sugar, but, it's not plain sugar. It's large sugar crystals colored with a vegetable die known as "Sanding Sugar".

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In 1997 over 60 million gallons of salad dressing was sold. Ranch is now the most popular dressing.

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Corned beef is usually a cheap cut of beef that is cured with salt, corn has nothing to do with the process. Read more about it here. 

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Cured (smoked and salted) meat (such as smoked ham) sometimes has a pink color when sliced. Don't worry, it IS safe to eat.  The pink color is caused by Nitrite which is used in the curing process. The Nitrite actually makes  the color of the meat permanent.

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Sir Walter Raleigh  first brought the potato to Ireland and planted them. Legend has it that he made a gift of the potato plant to Queen Elizabeth I. The upper class were invited to a royal banquet featuring the potato.  Unfortunately, the cooks were uneducated about cooking potatoes, tossed them out and brought to the royal table a dish of boiled potato plant stems and leaves. The stems and leaves of the potato plant are poisonous, which made everyone deathly ill. The potatoes were then banned.

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Dried bay leaves are used in Turkey and Italy to wrap licorice for shipping, and in China for packaging rice to ward off insects. Bay leaf is a natural insect repellent.

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Garlic was first cultivated in the United States in New Orleans by French Settlers.

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Okra, Hibiscus esculentus, is a relative of the Hibiscus, and, there's a town in Texas named "Okra".

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McDonalds will prepare your order without their seasonings and without salt upon your request. I wouldn't pull this at the drive up window but at least they give you the choice!

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In 2001, according to the United States Department of Commerce, for the first time ever, Americans ate more shrimp than canned tuna. They ate a record 3.4 pounds of shrimp per person.

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Over 450 million lbs of Bush's Baked Beans were sold in 2002.

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In 2000 over 183 million pounds of blue crabs were caught in the U.S.

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Tomatoes go to the Supreme Court!

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The ladies of Louis XIV's court used lemons to redden their lips.

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Oysters were first served to the public in the U.S. in 1763 when a primitive saloon was opened in New York City in a Broad Street cellar.

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Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce began to be commercially produced in 1837 and bears the name of it's founders John Wheeley Lea and William Henry Perrins.

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Karo corn syrup came into being in 1902 in New York.

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Boy, now you smart huh?

Page Updated - Monday, April 20, 2009