Food
The taste of food in dark isolation
Beatrice Finkelstein, a nutrition researcher at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, conducted a series of "dark-isolation studies" during the 1950s. Subjects were placed for periods of 6 to 72 hours in a totally dark, sound proof chamber furnished with a bed, chair, refrigerator, and chemical toilet.
The purpose of this was to find out how astronauts might react to being confined in a small, dark space for a prolonged period of time. And in particular how their responses to food might change.
Some of her results:
But the stranger result was how the lack of visual input completely changed the flavor of the food:
More info: "Feeding crews in air vehicles of the future"
Beatrice Finkelstein (source)
Posted By: Alex - Mon Jan 30, 2023 -
Comments (4)
Category: Food, Spaceflight, Astronautics, and Astronomy, Experiments, Psychology
Kicking the pickle
1949: Ruth Brand "kicked off" National Pickle Week. And apparently that's a genuine giant pickle in the photos, not a fake one.
"Harry Conley of the Green Bay Food company, who is president of the National Pickle Packers association, officiates in Chicago at the 'kickoff' of the national pickle week campaign. Pickle week will be held May 20 to 28. Kicking the world's largest pickle is Ruth Brand, Chicago."
Lancaster Intelligencer Journal - Feb 11, 1949
But what is this about Amerigo Vespucci being a pickle dealer? I'd never heard this before.
Some research reveals that the claim traces back to a remark made by Ralph Waldo Emerson in his book English Traits:
Smithsonian magazine investigated the claim and doesn't think it's very likely. Vespucci did work for a while as a ship chandler, and in this capacity it's possible he may have supplied some ships with pickled foods. But to go from this to calling him a pickle dealer is a bit of a stretch.
Posted By: Alex - Sun Jan 29, 2023 -
Comments (6)
Category: Food, Pickles, 1940s
Coconuts: Production, Processing, Products
Every now and then, WU strives to find a video or book or practice so boring that it merges into true weirdness. I think 311 pages on the humble coconut might qualify. Learn about the ten different cuts of coconut meat, and so much more!
Posted By: Paul - Tue Jan 24, 2023 -
Comments (3)
Category: Boredom, Food, Industry, Factories and Manufacturing, Books
Stange Seasoning
The name isn't as bad as Hurff Canned Goods, but even so, Stange Seasoning doesn't sound very appetizing.Stange was acquired by McCormick and Co. in 1980.
Food Technology - Sep 1958
Posted By: Alex - Sun Jan 15, 2023 -
Comments (0)
Category: Food, Odd Names
The Prima Diner
Dinner ain't over till the fat lady bakes!Read it here.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Jan 15, 2023 -
Comments (0)
Category: Food, Cookbooks, Music, 1980s
Treasure Chest
It occurs to me that these Jam Handy PSA's, with just a little inflection, could become episodes of TWILIGHT ZONE.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Jan 07, 2023 -
Comments (4)
Category: Domestic, Food, PSA’s, Industry, Factories and Manufacturing, 1950s
Merck satisfies your growing appetite for MSG
A full plate of MSG, but you already need more... MORE!Never fear, "You can depend on Merck for unlimited quantities of MSG." In Crystal or Fine Crystal form.
Food Technology - Sep 1958
Posted By: Alex - Fri Jan 06, 2023 -
Comments (1)
Category: Drugs, Food, Advertising, 1950s
Quickle Queen
Despite the explanation below, I'm not at all sure how a "quickle" differed from a pickle. I suspect that the pickle industry quickly dropped the 'quickle' name and just referred to pasteurized pickles as pickles. Some googling reveals that the majority of the pickles you can find in supermarkets are, in fact, pasteurized. So I guess that, technically, they would be quickles.
Lyman Leader - Aug 7, 1947
"Pickle packers picked pert Pat Varner." Try saying that three times quickly!
Des Moines Tribune - June 23, 1947
Some better quality images of the Quickle Queen, via akg-images.
Posted By: Alex - Mon Dec 19, 2022 -
Comments (2)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Food, 1940s
Fun in a Bakery Shop
The last head sculpted in the video below is plainly that of a comic Irishman, supreme butt of all ethnic humorists.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Dec 17, 2022 -
Comments (1)
Category: Ethnic Groupings, Food, Movies, Stereotypes and Cliches, Ridiculousness, Foolishness, Public Ridicule, Silliness, Goofiness and Dumb-looking, 1900s
The Cherry Tree Carol
This song establishes that the folklore about pregnant women demanding weird foodstuffs--pickles with ice cream, for instance--goes way back. Also, it has Embryo Jesus speaking from the womb.The Cherry Tree Carol is a bit darker than most Christmas related songs. It is identified as a Kentucky mountain ballad on the record. In fact it is a much older song from the early 15th century. The song is quite lovely and presents an unusual variation on the story of Mary and Joseph.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Dec 07, 2022 -
Comments (1)
Category: Food, Holidays, Music, Religion, Pregnancy
| Who We Are |
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |