Seventy-nine years ago today, James Dewar, a bakery manager for Hostess, invented Twinkies (1930). Dewar didn't like the idea that the bakery's shortcake pans were only used during strawberry shortcake season. He decided to to use the pans year 'round and developed a banana-filled Twinkie cake. In the World War II banana shortage/rationing, a vanilla-ish filling replaced the banana. Now, 500 million Twinkies are produced each year. I haven't tasted one in 30 some years, but I can still remember exactly how they taste (and the textures).
"The Twinkie defense" became famous when Dan White, who assassinated San Francisco mayor George Moscone and city supervisor Harvey Milk, said that he snapped due to heavy consumption of candy and Twinkies.
There is an often repeated urban legend that Twinkies are so nuclear they last forever. In one small classroom experiment at George Stevens Academy, a single Twinkie, removed from all packaging, did not spoil for 30 years, although it became "rather brittle". In an episode of Family Guy, Peter claims that the only things to survive nuclear attacks are cockroaches and Twinkies.
According to the Hostess website, Christopher Sell invented the "fried Twinkie" at the Chip Shop, his restaurant in Brooklyn, New York. It was described by the New York Times: "Something magical occurs when the pastry hits the hot oil. The creamy white vegetable shortening filling liquefies, impregnating the sponge cake with its luscious vanilla flavor. . . The cake itself softens and warms, nearly melting, contrasting with the crisp, deep-fried crust in a buttery and suave way. The shop adds its own ruby-hued berry sauce, which provides a bit of tart sophistication."
"The Twinkie defense" became famous when Dan White, who assassinated San Francisco mayor George Moscone and city supervisor Harvey Milk, said that he snapped due to heavy consumption of candy and Twinkies.
There is an often repeated urban legend that Twinkies are so nuclear they last forever. In one small classroom experiment at George Stevens Academy, a single Twinkie, removed from all packaging, did not spoil for 30 years, although it became "rather brittle". In an episode of Family Guy, Peter claims that the only things to survive nuclear attacks are cockroaches and Twinkies.
According to the Hostess website, Christopher Sell invented the "fried Twinkie" at the Chip Shop, his restaurant in Brooklyn, New York. It was described by the New York Times: "Something magical occurs when the pastry hits the hot oil. The creamy white vegetable shortening filling liquefies, impregnating the sponge cake with its luscious vanilla flavor. . . The cake itself softens and warms, nearly melting, contrasting with the crisp, deep-fried crust in a buttery and suave way. The shop adds its own ruby-hued berry sauce, which provides a bit of tart sophistication."
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