After a woman has had a bun in the oven for nine months, presenting her with a bagel might seem like a strange choice. But some of the earliest writings on bagels relate to the idea of giving them as gifts to women after labor. Many historians believe that bagels were invented in the Jewish community of Krakow, Poland, during the early 17th century. Their circular shape echoes that of the round challah bread eaten on the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah. Enjoying round challahs is meant to bring good luck, expressing the hope that endless blessings — goodness without end — will arrive in the coming year. Likewise, in Krakow centuries ago, a bagel signified the circle of life and longevity for the child. 

The hole in the center of a bagel has no purpose.

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Holes give bagels more surface area, decreasing the boiling and baking time and increasing the likelihood that they will emerge from the oven fully cooked. Also, the holes allow bagels to be stacked on wooden dowels, making them easier for street vendors to transport and sell.

Community records in Krakow advised that bagels could be bestowed on both expectant and new moms. They were also regarded as a thoughtful gift for midwives. In addition to the symbolism of the round shape, the bread was believed to bring a pregnant woman or midwife good fortune in a delivery by casting aside evil spirits. Some pregnant women even wore bagels on necklaces as protection, or ensured bagels were present in the room where they gave birth. As babies grew out of their newborn phases and started teething, mothers were also known to let their little ones gnaw on bagels. Today, of course, bagels are often enjoyed throughout the life cycle. More than 202 million Americans ate bagels in 2020, and in flavors (like rainbow, apple pie, and jalapeño cheddar) that would have dazzled the residents of 17th-century Krakow. 

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While Italian bread varieties such as focaccia and pane toscano have existed for centuries, ciabatta came into existence around the same time as MTV and Macintosh computers. It was invented in 1982 by baker and miller Arnaldo Cavallari, who lamented the growing popularity of French baguettes in Italy. Fearing those imported loaves could negatively affect his business, Cavallari got to work creating a similar, commercially viable yet authentically Italian alternative to baguettes.

The Great Fire of London started at a bakery.

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On September 2, 1666, the Great Fire of London began at a bakery owned by the king’s baker, Thomas Farriner, on Pudding Lane. The inferno spread rapidly and burned for four days before it was finally extinguished. During that time, the fire destroyed an estimated 86% of the city.

Cavallari enlisted the help of two expert flour bakers, seeking to create a softer, wetter dough that would emulate the crispy crust of a baguette while concealing fluffier bread on the inside. After weeks of testing, the team achieved their goal, dubbing the new bread ciabatta polesana. In a 1999 interview with The Guardian, Cavallari said he picked the name ciabatta — which means “slipper” in Italian — because of the loaf’s shape, while polesana refers to the Polesine region where he lived.

Knowing he had a hit on his hands, Cavallari copyrighted the name and sold his recipe to various local restaurants. Ciabatta soon went global, making its way to the U.S. in 1987.

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Not many people have managed to create a global pizza sensation, but Sotirios “Sam” Panopoulos delivered. Panopoulos (1934–2017) immigrated to Canada from Greece in 1954, when he was just 20 years old. During the journey, he stopped in Naples and tried his first slice of pizza, a dish that was then also making its way to the Great White North. Upon arriving in Canada, Panopoulos became a restaurateur, going into business with his brothers Elias and Nikitas. At Satellite Restaurant in Chatham, Ontario, Panopoulos began experimenting with pizza in an attempt to lure new customers. In 1962, he drained a can of Hawaiian-brand pineapple and tossed the pieces onto a pie. (He later told the BBC he added the fruit “just for the fun of it.”) Soon, he tried a variation that offset pineapple’s sweetness with savory, salty ham. He christened the new entrée a “Hawaiian pizza” after the pineapple’s purveyor, not America’s youngest state. Ever since, food lovers — and even political leaders — have argued over whether pineapple is an acceptable pizza topping. 

The Dole Food Company owns one of the world’s largest permanent hedge mazes.

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Encompassing almost 2.5 miles of paths, this Hawaiian attraction is part of Dole's pineapple plantation on Oahu. At the Pineapple Garden Maze, route clues come from eight checkpoints. The average time to complete the maze is 45 minutes, but the record is just six minutes.

While Panopoulos is widely credited with creating Hawaiian pizza — a recipe he was never able to patent — some have cited Toast Hawaii as a culinary forerunner. Developed in the 1950s by German television chef Clemens Wilmenrod, Toast Hawaii features bread layered with sliced ham, a pineapple ring, melted cheese, and an optional maraschino cherry.  

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