Greatest Food Inventions of the Last Century

[whatsup1]

eGullet

[SBonner]

I nominate the fridge. Where else could I have access to ice cubes, chilled bottles of wine, ice cold vodka, along with frozen and fresh meats, ice cream, and temperature intolerent foods. Ours is a six year old stainless steel model that looks nice, is virtually silent, and has never broke down.

Stephen

Vancouver

[Soup]

Food was entertainment for the ancient Roman patricians, too, and I would think, the ancient Chinese court, etc., etc.

←

I don't disagree. However, at least in many western culture and in the USA, the food has become less of means of survival and a basic neccessity and more of a diversion/entertainment. I believe Andrew hit it right on with his statement.

We seemed to have made a shift. Yes we still have special meal but look at the way we make choices about buying and eating food. Look at the explosion of food culture and impact of mass marketing.

I think may good things have come out of the shift. However, I believe one of the sad by-product has been a loss of preciousness of food. I myself throw away almost a fifth of my food (its a guess).

Soup

[Andrew Fenton]

I think may good things have come out of the shift.  However, I believe one of the sad by-product has been a loss of preciousness of food.  I myself throw away almost a fifth of my food (its a guess). 

A few years back, I read a comparison of garbage at dumps in the US and Mexico. The study discovered that the Mexican dumps had a lot more food refuse than the American dumps; that is, improved packaging, refrigeration and transportation meant that less food went to waste in the US. (It won't be any surprise, however, that the American dumps had a lot more packaging waste.)

[rjwong]

I place my vote for the refrigerator (Frigidaire back in 1922 or 1923).

I live in an apartment building that was built before the days of refrigeration. When I first moved in, I noticed the flour bin drawers (that was interesting), as well as the slotted pantry shelves so that air can circulate and keep canned goods somewhat cool since there were no refrigerators (or air conditioning!).

If it weren't for refrigerators, there wouldn't be ... leftovers. We would have to eat our meal right then and there or else throw the food away (unless we want food poisoning). We would have to shop almost every day for our food. We would have to do more canning of our fruits and vegetables while produce is still fresh and available.

So, I reiterate, I place my vote for the refrigerator as the greatest [influential] food invention of the 20th century.

[rosebud]

My vote goes to airplanes. Yes, refrigeration; however, to transport all kinds of food around the world in a relatively short amount of time takes an airplane.

Think about all those who are eating Maine lobsters tonight who couldn't have DREAMED of such a thing before flight.

This from someone who just flew half way across the country and back and had to endure the mostly USELESS "food" offered on the way and back. At least I was able to get some bottled water to drink.

[maggiethecat]

How about hot running water on demand? My grandmother lived in a very civilized, cultured home, but it was a 200 year old farmhouse. Into the 50's, she had a pump at her sink, and had to heat water on her stove, for cooking and dishwashing.

Saturday night was hot bath night (as opposed to the daily cold shower.) There was a huge tin bathtub, which required gallons of hand-heated water. Women girls and babies first, followed by boys, husband and the hired man.

Hot water. When Gammy was widowed and moved into town she told me her effortless dishwashing and bubblebaths were simply amazing luxuries.

[SWISS_CHEF]

To learn at the end of that century that the most simple and yet greatest food is not the result of an technological/anaylytical process. It's still the result of maybe only gently manipulated nature in the hand of skilled craftsmen.

←

I have to agree with this one!

Are you guys paying attention?

[godito]

if you're just looking for one, it has to be refrigeration. Think about life without it. No fridge or freezer at home, no refrigerated cars... your markets would sure look a lot different.

Without it, there wouldn't even be a need for a microwave, as there would be nothing that needs to be heated quickly. Even your visits to restaurants wouldn't be the same. I'm also sure that we would be getting sick because of what we are eating more often, and we wouldn't live as long.

Hands down, refrigeration wins. Now, I didn't even check, but is refrigeration from this past century? Or from the late 1900s, the first days of cinema and many other amazing inventions

[JanMcBaker]

IQF shrimp. It's soooo handy being able to take out just a few shrimp, instead of thawing some off a 5 lb. block!

[Ben Hong]

Cholestoral medicine.

[rich]

Foam! Could you imagine where we would all be without the invention of foam, escpecially foam of beet or foam of celeriac? I shudder from the thought.

[mstillman]

My vote goes to airplanes.  Yes, refrigeration; however, to transport all kinds of food around the world in a relatively short amount of time takes an airplane.

Think about all those who are eating Maine lobsters tonight who couldn't have DREAMED of such a thing before flight.

This from someone who just flew half way across the country and back and had to endure the mostly USELESS "food" offered on the way and back.  At least I was able to get some bottled water to drink.

←

Yup. Airplanes. Planes have fed the hungry. brought ingredients that we never knew existed to our doorsteps. airplanes created the potential for super variety at our supermarkets.

[saskanuck]

Refrigeration, hands down, for all of the reasons already mentioned here. We also have refrigerated trucks that move goods all over the nation. Without refrigeration, this would not happen.

And eGullet, of course!

[Wayne]

Refridgeration: for many of the reasons already cited.

One thing I'm surprised has not been mentioned is reliable electric or gas

stoves. Think what it would be like to have to cook on a wood stove as my

grandmother did.

[ohmyganache]

For the bakers out there in eGullet-land... can you imagine life with mixers? Without Kitchenaids and Hobarts, there's no way we could get by with the quality and variety of stuff we bake!

[alexw]

I do agree with refrigeration, but glad it couldn't be discovered until after humanity had figured other ways of preserving foods, as I don't beleive life would be worth living without confit.

Personally though in my proffesional world it has to be vacuum packaging and the pacojet.

Alex.

[jgarner53]

For the bakers out there in eGullet-land... can you imagine life with mixers?

I read somewhere recently (can't remember where), but French bakers of old used to spend HOURS whipping up egg whites into meringues. They must have had huge Popeye arms. No, thanks. I'll take my mixer, thanks.

[Pam R]

How about farm equipment? I'm not even going to pretend to know the difference between a tractor and a combine but I'd say these items and many more have had a huge impact on what's available for us to eat.