And they also gave me a little fake tree for in the house decoration.....
Today, Fig Newtons are one of America’s most beloved, and uniquely named, snack foods. The "fig" part, of course, is pretty straightforward; figs are used to make the filling in these sumptuous cookies. But where did the "Newton” come from?
Until the late 19th century, many physicians believed that most illnesses were related to digestion problems, and recommended a daily intake of biscuits and fruit. Fig rolls were the ideal solution to this advice. They were a locally produced and handmade product until a Philadelphia baker and fig lover, Charles Roser, invented and then patented a machine in 1891 which inserted fig paste into a thick pastry dough.
Legend has it that the cookies were named after Sir Isaac Newton (of the legendary falling apple and the theory of gravity), but the real explanation lies in the location of the Kennedy Biscuit company, which purchased the cookie recipe from Roser in 1891. The Boston-based company customarily named its products after nearby towns, and they chose Newton, located seven miles west of downtown Boston, for the new cookie.
Fig Newtons were one of the earliest products to be commercially baked in the United States; today they are produced by Nabisco. As of 2012, Nabisco made several varieties of the Newton, including versions filled with apple cinnamon, strawberry, raspberry, and mixed berries.
The fig bar is the company’s third best-selling product, with sales of more than 700 million bars a year as of 2018.
If you're a fan of rich and creamy soups that don't take a lot of work, you're in luck. Our Old-Fashioned Corn Chowder is so simple to make and tastes so good, your gang'll think you spent all day in the kitchen!
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 4 red potatoes, cubed
- 1 cup water
- 2 (14.75-ounce) cans cream-style corn
- 3 cups half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- In a soup pot over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, let cool, then crumble and set aside.
- Over medium heat, cook onion in bacon drippings 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender, stirring constantly. Add potatoes and water; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 18 to 20 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.
- Stir remaining ingredients into potato mixture; cook until thoroughly heated, stirring often. Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with bacon, and serve immediately.
1963 – Instant replay is used for the first time in an Army-Navy game by its inventor, director, Tony Verna.
1923 – Ted Knight, American actor (d. 1986)
1932 – Ellen Burstyn, American actress
1956 – Larry Bird, American basketball player
