Food & drink takeaways – 30 September
England’s very first invitation to tea, a key vegetarian movement lays down its roots and two three-Michelin-star chefs enter the world.
Just some of the food and drink delights for which we give thanks to 30 September.
Click on the links for extra helpings.
A curated taster menu of every day’s food & drink associations
Food firsts
1658
Tea is advertised in the weekly newsbook Mercurius Politicus, published in England. It’s the first record in the country of the drink which is described as: “That excellent and by all Physitians approved China drink called by the Chineans Tcha, by other Nations Tay alias Tee.”
The advert announces that the Sultaness Head Coph-ee House in Sweetings Rents, by the Royal Exchange, London, is the place to go.
"While the beverage had already permeated the wealthiest of the upper class, it had not found its place yet as a widely consumed commodity. It wasn’t until the marriage of King Charles II, and Catherine of Braganza, a Portugese princess, that the beverage gained mass popularity in England. The then Queen of England was obsessed with the drink, making it widely popular amongst wealthy individuals. Popularity rose and eventually the East India Company made their first shipment to Britain in 1664.”
1847
The Vegetarian Society is formed at Northwood Villa hydrotherapy centre near Ramsgate, Kent.
"The Vegetarian Society was formed thanks to the efforts of a range of fascinating, reforming characters, engaged in women’s suffrage, anti-slavery and animal welfare."
Food birthdays
1861
American salesman and manufacturer whose chewing gum company became the largest of its kind in the world
1962
Italian three-Michelin-star chef, restaurateur and author, Never Trust a Skinny Italian Chef, Balsamic Vinegar, Pasta
Osteria Francescana, Bottura's three-Michelin-star restaurant based in Modena, Italy, has been ranked No.1 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list twice and is currently part of the Best of the Best list.
"Contemporary art is an inspiration, a guide and a muse. The artworks on the restaurant’s walls are not there for decoration. They are windows onto the landscape of ideas that widen horizons and open up possibilities. Art leaves clues to our creative process and animates the dialogue between the dining room and the kitchen."
Seafood salad with a bouillabaisse sauce {header photo}
1962
French three-Michelin-star chef, Restaurant la Cinq, Paris
"If we ask who are the chefs who reflect the Parisienne spirit in their cuisine with elegance, we will undoubtedly see Christian Le Squer at the top of the list. His love for French cuisine and creativity and his culinary talent, it turns into a career adventure full of sparkle."
1982
American chef, restaurateur and author
Food art of the day
The Marvelous Sauce by French academic painter, Jehan Georges Vibert – born on this day in 1840.
