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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Trouble with Triscuits
By Charles Louis Richter | March 31, 2020
On March 25, Sage Boggs shocked the twittersphere with his revelation that the brand name Triscuit was a portmanteau of electricity and biscuit. In a time when seemingly all anyone can talk about is the coronavirus pandemic, Boggss thread provided some much-needed levity and excitement. It elicited a statement from Triscuits official Twitter account: We had to go all the way up the ladder but we CAN confirm. The account even added a lightning bolt to its username and changed its bio to elecTRIcity biSCUIT.
But do we really know Boggs is right?
Lets acknowledge the work that Boggs did to satisfy his curiosity: he came up with an initial theory, contacted the company, and sought out primary-source documentsall tactics that a historian would use to develop an argument. Triscuits confirmation of the theory satisfies many that Boggss theory is correct, and it also helps that the theory is the sort of surprising factoid people love to share at parties. But if a historian wants to make this sort of claim about individual peoples intentions over a century ago, then much clearer evidence is needed.
The electricity biscuit thesis is certainly plausible. It is supported by some of the early ads, as well as by the manufacturing process. The Natural Food Company invented a way to spin wheat into threads that could then be cooked and woven into biscuitswhich we know as Shredded Wheat todayor cooked again in an electric oven to make Triscuits. In 1903, Triscuit ads proclaimed that Triscuits were the first commercial bread product to be baked by electricity. Some of the earliest designs even incorporated lightning bolts into the lettering of Triscuit.
https://contingentmagazine.org/2020/03/31/the-trouble-with-triscuits/?utm_source=pocket-newtab
Who knew...................
scarletwoman
(31,893 posts)Who knew, indeed!
turbinetree
(24,703 posts)CaptYossarian
(6,448 posts)Down to just one member (Jeff Lynne), it's "snack-size".
Sorry, that's all I got tonight.
turbinetree
(24,703 posts)JustGene
(421 posts)Electricity was a panacea for most anything, many companies used it as a selling point.
Tbear
(488 posts)Is there a shock therapy available?