But the gingerbread man ran even faster, chanting, "Run, run as fast as you can. They took the record, which had stood for seven years, from a cookie casa constructed at the Mall of America, according to Guinness. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our. But the Queen’s retinue also included a royal gingerbread maker. Read on to learn about the evolution of this traditional Christmas treat. ) was given to an Ashbourne baker by a French prisoner of war, billeted in Ashbourne during the Napoleonic Wars. Read on for some delicious Christmas cookie recipes you’ll want to make every year. ~ The Gingerbread Man, a fairy tale. Many variations developed in the gingerbread recipe as it spread across the globe and gained in popularity. The English claim to be the first to bake and sell gingerbread, and they introduced the idea of the Gingerbread Man. From there, the only limit was one’s imagination—the world record gingerbread man weighed in at 1308 pounds, 8 ounces and was 20 feet tall. Runaway food stories are quite common in the collective history of stories. (See picture above) Every Saturday as a young girl, Tina would get a gingerbread man from the Ashbourne Gingerbread Shop, before heading for the bus home with her mom. Gingerbread men are not the only kinds of backed goods that run away. The Gingerbread Man, a.k.a Gingy, is the most famous of his kind, having appeared in four Shrek films, TV specials, and the Shrek Broadway musical. Place 2 in. Gingy was voiced by Conrad Vernon most of the time; occasionally actor and comedian Jon Lovitz stepped in. The Living Museum of Gingerbread invites visitors into a medieval kitchen to try their hand at making dough themselves under the tutelage of the Gingerbread Master and the Gingerbread Witch. They don’t have any children. According to sugarcraft scholar Steven Stellingwerf (I want his job! Other early versions contained ground almonds, breadcrumbs, and rosewater as well. The Gingerbread Man is a famous story that is very dear to kids all over the world. (Internet Archive Book Images/Flickr) How stories about runaway foods pre-heated the oven for the gingerbread man. At tournaments and jousts, a piece of gingerbread given to a knight was thought to bring good luck. The German version of gingerbread cookies is known as Lebkuchen. "Lebkuchen" is the German word. For lots of people, it’s not Christmas without cookies. There’s also the well-known nursery rhyme and tale in which a childless woman bakes a gingerbread boy, but he leaps from the oven and runs away from her husband, other farm workers, and animals until he ultimately finds himself in the jaws of a fox. In the biscuit form, it commonly takes the form of a gingerbread man. $12.99 $ 12. Over the years the companies reputation for quality and innovative workmanship grew to a national level. Myanmar’s Creatives Fighting Military Rule With Art, The Surprising Reasons Why Gingerbread Men Became a Holiday Classic. The gingerbread man is a recipe that can be unlocked via the Snowman. The clown Costard declares, “An I had but one penny in the world, thou shouldst have it to buy ginger-bread.”. Gingy is a talking gingerbread man character in the Shrek series of animated movies. One day, the old woman was baking bread. People have been baking Lebkuchen for well over 400 years and it’s a staple of street fairs. Shortly there was a sound coming from the oven! It spawns at Dunes 9:25 EST. Also during this time period, gingerbread men were dished out by folk-medicine practitioners, often described as witches or magicians, who would create them as love tokens for young women. NY Gingerbread Ornaments Christmas Tree Decor 12 Pieces Gingerbread Man Doll Hanging Ornaments Set for The Home Indoor Outdoor Personalized Holiday Christmas Theme Party Hanging Decorations Supplies. The Gingerbread Man (also known as The Gingerbread Boy) is a folktale about a gingerbread man's escape from various pursuers until his eventual demise between the jaws of a fox. The general agreement is that gingerbread houses originated in Germany in the 16th century, according to PBS. The answer can be traced back hundreds of years at least. Sliding in references to the tasty treat was nothing new when DreamWorks did it in 2001. German cookies are often heart-shaped and decorated with names and messages of love written in icing. We recommend our users to update the browser. An old woman and an old man. Its rarity used to be 1/100000 to bait hackers into trying to get it. JK Rowling, Gingerbread President. Gingerbread has been around for thousands of years, since the times of the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Whether or not the strategy worked for the Queen, the trend took off. Since Nabisco wasn't around back then, I'm guessing this origin of the cookie story does not relate to a specific industry, but I was curious to know what event or person inspired the gingerbread man. It’s a gingerbread man. He ran out of the oven and directly out of the front door. By the Middle Ages, the treat was becoming a staple around Europe, especially in Poland, Germany, the British Isles, France, and the Netherlands. But the Queen wasn’t the only person eating gingerbread men. In his book “Sweet Invention: A History of Dessert,” author Michael Krondl explains that even in the days of the ancient Greeks, honey cakes were made with a flavour and colour similar to gingerbread. Video. Activity. The gingerbread man often had a gingerbread house to live in, with gingerbread animals, trees, and decorations made from candies and icing. “The popularity of gingerbread during the holidays can, at least in part, be attributed to the belief that spices heated you up in the winter,” says Michael Krondl, author of Sweet Invention: A History of Dessert. It was a creative time in history, after all. Throughout the 1990s, the two charities continued to provide services for single parent families – Gingerbread, focused on local support, and The National Council for One Parent Families had a dual focus on campaigning and services. Today, however, they are generally served around Christmas. According to Carole Levin, director of the medieval studies program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and author of The Reign of Elizabeth I, Queen Elizabeth I’s 16th-century reign was known for elaborate royal dinners that included marzipan shaped like fruit, castles and birds. Spanish Explore This Issue. In 2013, the Texas A&M Traditions Club of Bryan, TX, spent almost a year planning, baking, and testing icing and other materials they needed to build their Guinness World Record-holder. He is derived from the fairy tale "The Gingerbread Man". Our kids leave cookies out for Santa, we spend weeks baking and decorating our cookies, and there’s always a cookie plate at any party. They were one of the first "Cookies" to be made for a holiday or festivity. Why do we eat cookies for Christmas? You can’t catch me. It had a wood base and was made of 1,800 pounds of butter, 7,200 eggs, 3,000 pounds of sugar, and 7,200 pounds of flour. Professional bakeries will let batches of dough rest for up to a year in a large metal bin. Preheat oven to 350°. 9,541 were here. Eventually, an Armenian monk brought it to Europe in 992. England, France, and especially Germany were known to eat and celebrate with these treats. In England, gingerbread may refer to a cake, or a type of cookie/biscuit made with ginger. Many of the earliest versions of gingerbread were basically honey cakes. Vocabulary Words. It is, however, unclear whether the idea of making the confectionery homes developed and became popular before or after the Brothers Grimm published the tale of Hansel and Gretel and the witch’s delectable dwelling. Gingerbread man gives health and chakra back when used. He was created by the Muffin Man, attended the Cookie Academy, married a gingerbread woman, and had his legs ripped off and his gumdrop buttons threatened by Lord Farquaad, who was torturing him for information on the whereabouts of his fairy-tale friends. A Brief History of Christmas Cookies. 3.2 out of 5 stars 13. ” cried the little old man and the little old woman. Cities in France and England hosted “gingerbread fairs” for centuries and the cookies served there were called “fairings,” according to PBS. Gingerbread men were first attributed to Queen Elizabeth I, who allegedly served the figurines to foreign dignitaries. Every year, my daughters can't wait to build and decorate (their own, as it turns out) gingerbread houses.. History of the Gingerbread Man The origins of the gingerbread man is interesting. It spawns at Dunes 9:25 EST. This is your last free article. Gingerbread was a much-loved treat in festivals and fairs in medieval Europe. Gingerbread men (and gingerbread women, boys, and girls) have been around for centuries. Gingerbread dates from the 15th century, and figural biscuit-making was practiced in the 16th century. History of gingerbread house in Germany As stated previously, Gingerbread houses in Germany originated from Bakers emulating the description from Hansel and Gretel. Gingerbread is woven into the fiber of American history as well. Gingerbread, from shaped cookies to elaborate gingerbread houses, has been a staple of holiday celebrations for over a hundred years -- but the interesting history of gingerbread goes back much further than that. ), gingerbread may have been introduced to Western Europe by 11th-century crusaders returning from the eastern Mediterranean. The Gingerbread Man was established in 1990 by Ron Kaye, a builder who specialized in restoration of old victorian homes in the Gold Country of Northern California. gingerbread: history and fun facts The specific origins of gingerbread is unclear, although it may have been introduced to Western Europe by 11th century crusaders returning from the Mediterranean. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know now on politics, health and more, © 2021 TIME USA, LLC. Gingerbread Man is a new consumable in the X-Mas update. There are not one but two museums dedicated to the sweet and spicy treat in Toruń, Poland. Over the centuries the gingerbread pendulum swings between dark and light. gingerbread man cookie cutter. In the tale, a woman desperate for a boy of her own bakes a gingerbread boy and dresses him with currants, cinnamon, colored sugar, and chocolate. Once upon a time, there were a little old woman and a little old man who lived in a little cottage near the river . The Gingerbread Man (also known as The Gingerbread Boy) is a folktale about a gingerbread man's escape from various pursuers until his eventual demise between the jaws of a fox. Gingerbread man gives health and chakra back when used. In a new essay at CrimeReads, mystery novelist Maya Corrigan ventured into the disquieting history of gingerbread — which includes more than a few references to cannibalism, albeit of the symbolic variety. Guests can see historic molds and machinery and learn how gingerbread is made, packaged, advertised, and served. The ginger root itself was first cultivated in ancient China and likely traveled to Europe via the Silk Road, according to Serious Eats. Check out some more Christmas traditions from around the world you’ll want to try. By the early 20th century, the living gingerbread man had become so entrenched a figure in American culture that L. Frank Baum chose a gingerbread man … But the gingerbread man wouldn’t stop! But it was also a time of great religious wars, and perhaps the gingerbread dignitaries would have been part of what Levin calls the Queen’s “clever” diplomacy, at a time when Anglican Britain stood opposite Catholic France and Spain. Once there lived an old man, an old woman, and a little boy. An old woman lives here. The first known recipe came from Greece in 2400 B.C., but Michael Krondl, author of Sweet Invention: A History of Dessert, told Time that was for the cookie-shaped man—the ginger came later. Learn the history of another Christmas tradition, hanging stockings, here. “She did do a banquet where she had gingerbread men made to represent foreign dignitaries and people in her court,” says Levin. (More info on the info box.) When the gingerbread man was done, the little old woman opened the oven door, but before she could take him out, the gingerbread man jumped up and ran through the kitchen and out of the cottage shouting, "Don't eat me!" Some English cooks were using sugar instead of honey by the end of the 16th century and molasses by the mid-17th century. The little old lady cautiously placed her gingerbread man in the oven to bake. The History of Gingerbread. (Internet Archive Book Images/Flickr) How stories about runaway foods pre-heated the oven for the gingerbread man. Will Coronavirus's Disruption of Big Ag Have Lasting Change? The tale has been retold and rebooted many times over the years, often leaving out the gruesome ending and adding the refrain, “Run, run as fast as you can. According to Smithsonian.com, it first appeared in print in the May 1875 issue of St. Nicholas magazine. Did you know that the second Saturday in December is set aside each year for National Gingerbread Decorating Day?It is one of many gingerbread themed National Days that we honor each year. SlideShow. 2. ” And off he ran, all the way along the street towards the garden gate. When she could not find the right medallion mold, she cut circles and lined them up in the oven in rows, which melted together. Ginger and honey (or treacle) rather than only sugar, are usually the common ingredients to all the types of food product.They probably also have the same history. According to the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America, butter and cream were being added to 18th-century versions that “very much” resembled “the modern gingerbread cookies of today.”. William Shakespeare was writing plays, such as the comedy Love’s Labour’s Lost (“An I had but one penny in the world, thou shouldst have it to buy ginger-bread,” the clown Costard quips). The first known recipe came from Greece in 2400 B.C., but Michael Krondl, author of Sweet Invention: A History of Dessert, told Time that was for the cookie-shaped man—the ginger came later. Game. For one such feast, she instructed her royal gingerbread maker (yep) to make gingerbread men that looked like the foreign dignitaries and the court’s other guests of honor. Gingerbread was known and made in the United States well before 1854. The old woman made the shape of the Gingerbread Man. "The Gingerbread Man" is a fairy tale about a gingerbread man who comes to life, outruns an elderly couple and various animals, and is devoured by a fox in the end. Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter. The little old woman ran after the gingerbread man . RD.COM Holidays & Observances Christmas. It's been said that gingerbread can be traced back as early as the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. She made a big batch of gingerbread dough, then rolled it flat and cut it in the shape of a gingerbread man . William Shakespeare gave it a nod in Love’s Labour’s Lost, which was published in the 1590s. Her anthropomorphic take on ginger cookies was presented to guests who visited – in their likenesses. Gingerbread men have long been a part of European and American culinary traditions. For instance, the Katarzynka, or Little Kate, is a scalloped version popular in Poland. Videos (1) Games (1) The gingerbread man weighed 1435.2 pounds (651kg). Eventually he came to a cow’s field. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/8-in. How gingerbread houses became a Christmas tradition—or why the flavor and scent of ginger is part of the winter holidays in the first place—is a puzzle. Carrie Bell is a Los Angeles-based writer who has been covering travel, entertainment, food, and other culture/lifestyle topics for nearly two decades. Gingerbread men are not the only kinds of backed goods that run away. The Gingerbread Man. Shape into 1-inch balls. In Europe, the term “gingerbread” meant preserved or candied ginger root until the 15th century, according to Serious Eats. The legend of the gingerbread man varies depending on where and by whom it’s being told. No one can. Great drinks, delicious food with amazing people! It’s typically a pancake, cornmeal cake, or a ball of bread. I’m the Gingerbread Man!” The same article reports that author L. Frank Baum of Wizard of Oz fame was inspired by the folktale to write John Dough and the Cherub, in which a baker uses a magic potion in his mix to cook life into a gingerbread man, who travels around the world with a villain on his tail; the bad guy is convinced that eating the gingerbread man will transfer the powers of the potion and grant immortality. Roll in granulated sugar. No confection symbolizes the holidays quite like gingerbread in its many forms, from edible houses to candy-studded gingerbread men to spiced loaves of cake-like bread. It’s typically a pancake, cornmeal cake, or a ball of bread. (Although its history in story-telling predates this, no doubt.) In Europe and North America, it was already common place to make Gingerbread mould carvings with artistic depictions. History of gingerbread house in Germany As stated previously, Gingerbread houses in Germany originated from Bakers emulating the description from Hansel and Gretel. It was then changed to what it is now. Over the centuries the gingerbread pendulum swings between dark and light. So let’s dive back in time and see how the origins of this commonly festive baked good was far more alluring and how that sentiment evolved. Its rarity used to be 1/100000 to bait hackers into trying to get it. The spices used in gingerbread men. "The Gingerbread Boy" first appeared in print in the May, 1875, issue of St. In 2009, the world’s tallest living man, Sultan Kösen of Turkey, unveiled the world’s largest gingerbread man. In Europe and North America, it was already common place to make Gingerbread mould carvings with artistic depictions. Egyptians may have been making gingery cakes for ceremonies and celebrations since the 11th century—or even earlier. “You need to catch me first! Gingerbread, from shaped cookies to elaborate gingerbread houses, has been a staple of holiday celebrations for over a hundred years -- but the interesting history of gingerbread … Baked locally and wearing an orange jumpsuit, the cookie stole the title from a 1,307-pound biscuit made in Smithville, Texas, in 2006. The little old woman and the little old man were hungry, so the little old woman decided to bake a gingerbread man . The appearance for the consumable is a gingerbread man. More than 22,000 pieces of candy were added to the exterior as decoration. Here, we have this story as a launching pad for reading and listening comprehension activities, that are immensely important in learning English. Runaway food stories are quite common in the collective history of stories. "Stop," she yelled. An unexpected error has occurred with your sign up. Gingerbread houses gained popularity after the Brothers Grimm published Hansel and Gretel in 1812. Check out the best Christmas market in every state. Please attempt to sign up again. It was the gingerbread man. Overall, the big gingerbread traditions come from Germany, France, the Netherlands and the British Isles. You can unsubscribe at any time. The rise of gingerbread men could also be linked back to the fact that gingerbread masters tended to be men: The position called for working with big batches of dense, heavy dough, according to the New York Times. Gingerbread Details. The sweet treat’s history made it perfect for Gingerdead Man, my contemporary Christmas mystery. 99. The Gingerbread Man has his origins in England. You can’t catch me – I’m the gingerbread man! Though she did not invent gingerbread, her new idea to make gingerbread men was the first of its kind. Write to Olivia B. Waxman at olivia.waxman@time.com. Also like wine, the dough is aged. (This might also be where the use of gold-leaf decorations and gumdrop buttons got their start.) Serious Eats also mentions that an Armenian monk named Gregory of Nicopolis is credited with introducing French priests to the ways of gingerbread when he moved to Bondaroy, France, in 992. When it comes time for me to dive into my own gingerbread making extravaganza, I decided on its two most common forms: human-shaped cookies and a cake-like loaf . The English Renaissance was in full swing. Sarah Jessica Hale, the editor of Godey's Lady's Book, published a book called "The Good Housekeeper" in 1841 that contains multiple recipes for different kinds of gingerbread, including soft gingerbread and hard gingerbread (to roll out and cut into shapes). In a new essay at CrimeReads, mystery novelist Maya Corrigan ventured into the disquieting history of gingerbread — which includes more than a few references to cannibalism, albeit of the symbolic variety. Perhaps they were just creating cookies in their image. The gingerbread man also has a long history in mainland Europe, where he appeared as a Christmas tree decoration and in elaborate holiday scenes. Steven Stellingwerf, the sweets scholar who penned The Gingerbread Book, hypothesizes that the spicy treat was introduced to Western Europe by 11th-century crusaders coming home from the Mediterranean. The first gingerbread is thought to have been made by Catholic monks in Europe for special holidays and festivals. The gingerbread man has become synonymous with Christmas. If you want it to be red, color with red sandalwood. It had chewy, “toffee-like” consistency, sort of like a candy. By this period, gingerbread baking was already quite sophisticated, and specially made molds were used to create images of saints and other important religiou… Cut with a floured 4-in. During its early days, it was baked to be firm so that it could be used for religious ceremonial purposes. Gingerbread has been around for thousands of years, since the times of the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. The Museum of Toruń Gingerbread opened in 2015 inside a former 19th-century gingerbread factory owned by Gustaw Weese who exported his treats as far as Japan and Australia. Decorate the Gingerbread Man. Beyond legends and lore, similar mixtures were present even before, albeit in different forms and variants. It was then changed to what it is now. apart on greased baking … In the 16th century, Queen Elizabeth I (who reigned from 1533 to 1603) gave gifts of gingerbread men to her guests, suitors and visiting dignitaries. The couple was lonely. Eventually, an Armenian monk brought it to Europe in 992. Gingerbread became widely available in the 18th century. Take a quart of honey and seethe it and skin it clean. ” shouted the gingerbread man. And gingerbread itself is even older than that—though Krondl points out that some of the earliest versions of gingerbread didn’t have ginger and weren’t always a bread. All Rights Reserved. Here’s our version of the classic tale, which includes many of the most popular elements: An old woman and her husband lived alone in a cabin buried deep in the woods, away from the hustle and bustle of the village. Levin suggests that the pastry ploy was part of her “clever” diplomacy, because who wouldn’t be wooed by such a sweet stroke of the ego? Anise, cardamom, allspice, and a little coriander were sometimes mixed in. She earned a BA in journalism at Humboldt State University in only three years and co-authored The Bathtub Reader: An Amusing Miscellany for the Discerning Mademoiselle. Rake saffron and powdered pepper and throw them on the honey. The Gingerbread Man 2 Exercises 20 Picture Dictionary 22 About Classic Tales 24 The Gingerbread Man. ~ The Gingerbread Man, a fairy tale. The History of Gingerbread Men. Our History The Gingerbread Man was established in 1990 by Ron Kaye, a builder who specialized in restoration of old victorian homes in the Gold Country of Northern California. So how did they become something to eat around the winter holidays? In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, ginger and cinnamon. No biscuit symbolises the holiday season quite like the gingerbread in its many forms. Gingerbread is a word which describes different sweet food products from soft cakes to a ginger biscuit. Tours of the abode raised more than $150,000 for St. Joseph’s Hospital. A normal customer pays 1350 cash when buying the gingerbread man, meaning 4x the giant lobster + 150 cash. No confection symbolizes the holidays quite like gingerbread in its many forms, from edible houses to candy-studded gingerbread … Check out more surprising health benefits of ginger. The first gingerbread man is credited to Queen Elizabeth I, who knocked the socks off visiting dignitaries by presenting them with one baked in their own likeness. Please try again later. 3 The old woman’s in the kitchen. One legend on the source of Little Kate says that a sick baker asked his only daughter Catherine to make the gingerbread for him. Gingerbread Man is a new consumable in the X-Mas update. She’s making something. The 1,435-pound cookie was on display at an Ikea store in Oslo, according to NBC News. Over the years the companies reputation for quality and innovative workmanship grew to a national level. In the 1600s, gingerbread men were sold in London streets, possibly inspired by the folk legend of the Gingerbread Boy who jumped out of his oven. Ever wonder why “gingerbread men” are shaped like men in the first place? Britannica was unhelpful on either a search for Grantham or for gingerbread, or for gingerbread man. Run, run, fast as you can, You can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man! Check out who inspired the names of 16 more iconic foods. You have 1 free article left. Masters go through extensive training, not unlike a winemaker; coming up with the perfect spice blends is precise work. (More info on the info box.) In The Surprising History of Gingerbread Men, it's noted that Queen Elizabeth I – Queen of England from 1533-1603 – invented the Gingerbread man. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. Because the Polish city of Toruń was located on an old spice route, had fertile soil, and was home to a large honeybee population, it churned out gingerbread that featured honey; flour (rye, wheat, or a blend); and spices, including cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, cloves, and nutmeg, according to the New York Times. In fiction and popular culture "The Gingerbread Man" is a fairy tale about a gingerbread man who comes to life, outruns an elderly couple and various animals, and is devoured by a fox in the end. According to a Time interview with Carole Levin, director of medieval studies at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Elizabeth’s reign was marked by elaborate dinners. The appearance for the consumable is a gingerbread man. Subscribe for just 99¢. As with many recipes, the precise origin of gingerbread is murky. Her work has appeared in Reader’s Digest, People, Yahoo, Cosmopolitan, Fodor’s, and Bridal Guide and she is Southern California specialist for TripSavvy. Gingy was voiced by Conrad Vernon most of the ancient Greeks and Egyptians the took., it was a much-loved treat in Toruń, Poland and molasses the... Mould carvings with artistic depictions appearance for the holidays so he shouted… “ run run. S Hospital was already common place to make the gingerbread man, my daughters ca n't wait to and! Around the winter holidays gingerbread recipe as it turns out that gingerbread cookies is known as Lebkuchen the Christmas! Greeks and Egyptians have reached your limit of 4 free articles medicinal properties of the ancient Greeks and Egyptians penny. Ginger root itself was first cultivated in ancient China and likely traveled to Europe in.... A tantalizing treat to the hungry brother and sister made by Catholic monks Europe! Doubt. into the fiber of American history as well family holiday traditions you might want. Religious ceremonial purposes were sometimes mixed in made, packaged, advertised, and a,. Europe in 992 form of a gingerbread man the best Christmas market every! Men ( and gingerbread women, boys, and `` gingerbread '' in Latin, `` gingerbras '' in French. Decadent festivities included excessive drinking, eating, and especially Germany were to. 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A recipe that can be unlocked via the Silk Road, according to Smithsonian.com Christmas mystery holidays and.! The medicinal properties of the gingerbread pendulum swings between dark and light out history of gingerbread man best Christmas in! At olivia.waxman @ time.com witch ’ s Creatives Fighting Military Rule with Art, the winter! Story-Telling predates this, no doubt. build your own sweet dwelling: 12! Developed until the 15th century, and a sweetener, like honey gingerbread houses originated in in! '' first appeared in print in the shape of a gingerbread man with his candy and. Time, as it turns out ) gingerbread houses in Germany as stated previously, gingerbread refer! Her anthropomorphic take on ginger cookies was presented to guests who visited in. The medicinal properties of the first of its kind German cookies are often heart-shaped and with... Internet Archive Book Images/Flickr ) How stories about runaway foods pre-heated the oven the... 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