Everyday Origins

Round 1: Carrots used to be purple, yellow, or white. The orange carrot was engineered by Dutch farmers in the 1600s as a tribute to William of Orange, who is their national hero. Reveal: TRUE. They crossbred carrots until they got the desired orange colour. They had done this in honour of the Dutch royal family, the House of Orange-Nassau, especially William of Orange, who led the struggle for Du...

Potato Chips Origin: Story arch: 1853, Saratoga Springs, New York, Chef George Crum gets fed up with a fussy customer who keeps sending back his fried potatoes for being ‘too thick.’ Out of irritation, Crum slices the potatoes paper-thin, fries them until they’re crisp, and piles on the salt. Instead of hating them, the customer loves them. Soon, everyone’s asking for the “Saratoga Chips.” They sp...

Welcome to Everyday Origins , where we explore the strange and surprising backstories behind the things we do without thinking twice! With my guest Luka, I dive deep into the origins of cultural traditions and expressions with a side of hot takes and funny discussions. Summary of the origins discussed: Why Do We Knock on Wood? Ancient Celts believed spirits lived in trees. Knocking summoned their...