Here’s some news in case you’ve been living under a rock: The Iowa Hawkeyes will be playing in the Rose Bowl on January 1st, 2016. After an undefeated regular season, #6 rank in the NCAA, and a narrow loss to Michigan State in the Big Ten championships, the Hawkeyes’ solid season proved to be enough to compete in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
The last time the Hawkeyes played in the Rose Bowl was in 1991 when they lost to the Washington Huskies. In 1959, the Hawkeyes won the Rose Bowl against University of California — Berkley. The 1959 Hawkeye season was debatably the best season in the history of Iowa football (so far).
1959 was a different world than it is today. Elvis and Frank Sinatra were playing on the radio. A gallon of gas cost only 25 cents. The Barbie Doll first debuted. Disney’s Sleeping Beauty film premiered. And Hawaii joined the Union, becoming the 50th state to join the U.S.
Now, onto the important stuff. Here were some happenings going on in the food industry:
Emeril Was Born
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Emeril Lagasse, the loud-mouth Italian celebrity chef and restaurateur was brought into this world in 1959. Emeril’s claims to fame include his show, Essence of Emeril and his restaurant located in New Orleans. It’s safe to say that our Food Network-watching days wouldn’t be the same without his catchphrases like “Bam!” and “Kick it Up a Knotch!”
TV Dinners Were Trendy
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Americans didn’t really have or use freezers until the 50’s, so the concept of a meal being frozen and heated back up again was bizarre. The end of WWII sparked a technology boom and Americans could afford technology that they couldn’t before, i.e. freezers. Swanson Foods was the main provider in frozen meals for airlines, and eventually gravitated toward providing frozen turkey dinners to the public. This exploded and competitors were quick to follow. By 1959, Americans were spending $2.7 billion annually on frozen food.
The First Little Caesars Pizza Opened
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After Michael Ilitch injured his hand while on the path to play for the Detroit Tigers, he decided it was time for a lifestyle change. He and his wife Marian decided to open the first Little Caesars in a Detroit suburb in ’59. The idea for a pizza joint came from the many WII soldiers coming home to America and raving about the pizza that they had overseas. Now, Little Ceasars is the largest carry-out pizza chain in the world.
June Cleaver Drove Appliance Sales
Photo courtesy of myamericankitchen.com
Leave it to Beaver was a staple television show in the 50’s. June Cleaver, the mother in the show, was the archetype of a perfect housewife. With her pearls and high heels, June made the cooking and cleaning life look luxurious. Studies show that kitchen appliance purchases spiked during the time that this show aired, and it is believed that this was due to the popularity and influence of June Cleaver.
Coors Invented the First Aluminum Beer Can
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Yep, you heard it. The cans that you’ll be drankin’ out of while watching the beloved Hawkeyes play on January 1st were also invented in 1959. William K. Coors revolutionized the beer and packaged food industry by formulating aluminum containers with a pull tab. Previously, beer cans were made out of tin which made for a yucky aftertaste and unneeded environmental waste. The invention of the aluminum can also contributed to the recycling movement. Everyone wins, right?
Get pumped for the Rose Bowl, ’cause we’re gonna party like it’s 1959.