I’m always curious about the origins of those things we hold dear. One of those “things” that has always puzzled me is the ‘teddy bear’. Where did our love for this small, stuffed, fuzzy animal toy come from? Why the bear? How did it get its name and how did it become the most popular, international cuddly toy ever sold? For collectors, a vintage teddy bear can be worth more than $2 million!! I have quite a few ‘teddies’ with which I would never dream of parting, but I doubt any of them have anything but a sentimental value.
Let’s start at the beginning and examine where the affection for stuffed animals as children’s toys came from. Surprisingly, these cuddly, fuzzy replicas of animals originated in ancient times from a form of taxidermy. Although the majority of animal skins were tanned and used for clothing, hunters have always taken great pride in preserving their kills. Over time, taxidermists, as they became known, began to develop their skills, from just tanning the skins, to keeping the entire animal as intact as possible. 
By the early 1800s, hunters began bringing their trophies to upholstery shops where a form of taxidermy took place, as upholsterers would actually sew up the animal skins and “stuff” them with rags and cotton. Exotic “stuffed animals” became a hugely popular attraction and grew into quite a successful commercial venture, from traveling road shows to museum collections. Not surprisingly, children became very attracted to these lifelike hunting trophies. Observant entrepreneurs realized they could create a business producing toy “stuffed animals” just for children, and production for these adorable creatures began.
In 1897 in Germany, Margarete Steiff, was using techniques that she had learned from the upholstery industry, and began a small business creating soft, plush animal toys. Richard, Margarete’s nephew, and a student at the School of Arts and Crafts in Stuttgart, was eager to help his aunt’s business and went looking for an idea for a new animal. An American circus was touring through their city and, among the many animals on display, were performing bears. Richard was fascinated by these lumbering creatures and, after the circus left, he began going to the zoo each day just to observe and sketch the bears.
Richard Steiff with his bear
Richard decided he would make a toy bear, but not just any stuffed bear, his would be jointed, similar to dolls and have the ability to stand up … and it would be made with fine mohair from goats. Richard came up with a prototype … code name “Steiff Bär 55 PB” (“Bär” is German for “bear”, 55 = the bear’s height in centimetres; P = Plusch, plush; and B = beweglich, moveable limbs).
This fuzzy, mohair bear with its jointed limbs and brown eyes debuted at the German toy fair in 1903 where a buyer for a U.S. toy company not only bought all 100 bears, he placed an order for 3,000 more. The next year, the Steiffs exhibited at the St. Louis World and sold 12,000 bears, receiving the Gold Medal, which was the highest honor at the event. The Steiff bears became so popular, other companies quickly began manufacturing their own versions of this adorable toy animal.
Now let’s move to Brooklyn, New York, at about the same time, where Morris and Rose Michtom emigrated from Russia and opened a little candy store. To attract more children to their candy shop, they began making soft, plush animal toys, which they strategically placed in their shop window.
Meanwhile, several thousand miles away, President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, was in Mississippi to settle a border dispute. While there, he was invited by the Governor and others to go on a hunting trip. Hours had passed and although the other hunters had been successful in killing an animal, President Roosevelt still hadn’t shot anything. His aides, after a long and exhausting chase with the hounds, cornered a young bear cub and tied it to a tree. They then invited the President to shoot it. As an avid hunter and outdoors man, the President couldn’t bring himself to shoot a defenseless little cub, saying it would be unsportsmanlike to kill a defenseless animal that way. He ordered it to be set free, “Spare the bear! I will not shoot a tethered animal.”
Political cartoon by Clifford Berryman, The Washington Post, Nov 16, 1902
The incident generated national attention and was depicted in a popular political cartoon, titled “Drawing the Line in Mississippi” by Clifford Berryman. Inspired by the cartoon, the Michtoms made a stuffed bear in honor of President Roosevelt. They used the bear in Berryman’s cartoon as a guide, and quickly worked out a pattern. On February 15, 1903, Morris put the stuffed animal in his shop window at 404 Tompkins Avenue in Brooklyn with a copy of the cartoon and a handwritten notice saying ‘Teddy’s Bear‘.
Not only did someone immediately enter the store to buy the bear, but 12 other customers also wanted to buy it. The Michtoms didn’t want to offend the President by using his name without permission, so instead of selling “Teddy’s Bear” they mailed the bear to the White House and asked Roosevelt for the use of his name. The President replied telling them they were free to use his name if they wanted, but he doubted it would help with sales. He was wrong. Sales skyrocketed and because of the immense popularity of “Teddy’s Bear’s”, Roosevelt adopted it as their symbol in the 1904 election. The Michtom teddy bears were placed on display at every White House function.
The Michtoms ultimately closed their candy store ad went on to start one of the most successful toy companies in the world, the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company. The Ideal Novelty and Toy Company manufactured not only teddy bears, but many other very familiar toys as well. You may have heard of the Betsy Wetsy doll, or Patti Playpal. Perhaps you had a Tammy, a Thumbelina or Crissy doll? Of course, everyone knows about the Rubik’s Cube.
So the world’s most beloved stuffed animal was, in fact, named in honor of President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt. Who knew this adorable, little stuffed animal had such an interesting past? Now more than a century later, Steiff continues to make stuffed toy bears, with its vintage teddy bears prized by collectors everywhere, commanding outrageously high prices at auctions. Do you have one?
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References: Daily Mail, Newstrack, History, Theodore Roosevelt Assn., Toys and Games, Taxidermy, Toby Simkins, Wikipedia
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Put the browned steak back into the pot. Pour in the beef stock (homemade or store bought), the ale (Guiness is perfect) and tomato paste. Combine well and then add the bay leaves. Taste to adjust the seasoning – adding salt and pepper as needed.
If you are making one casserole, then nothing else needs to be done – except for cutting a hole in the middle for the steam to escape while baking. If you are making individual servings, as I did, then cut the pastry for the amount of dishes you are making. I made six ramekins – so I cut the pastry into six pieces – with a hole in the center of each one.
Place the casserole dish or dishes onto a baking tray – leaking can occur. Place the tray into the oven at 400° and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the pastry is nicely browned. When it’s browned, it’s ready! Remove from the oven and eat!
These super chocolaty, crunchy biscotti are rich and sweet and delicious! My suggestion … put a few away as a treat for yourself because these are going to disappear quickly. Now you’re ready to curl up on the sofa with a good book and steaming, hot cuppa!!
The plot is the same … young love between an innocent, pretty girl and a handsome princely boy, a good queen, or a bad queen and a good or bad demon king, a maternal drag character in outlandish costumes, a clownish physical comedian, children characters, and a chorus of singers and dancers. This all takes place, of course, in a ‘land far, far away‘.
The Middle East should really be credited with giving us the origins of the macaron. By the 1st century, they were exploring the culinary possibilities of adding honey, fruit and nuts to food, which resulted with almonds becoming their biggest export. By the 7th century Persians were indulging in rich, luxurious cakes and pastries, made from these ground almonds called “marzipan”. These treats reached Europe by the 14th century and it is actually Italians who created this little marzipan nugget. The name “macaron” comes from the Italian word for paste which is “macaroni” (pasta is a paste made from flour, water and eggs). I grew up calling pasta macaroni, didn’t you?
The cookies remained an Italian treat until the Italian princess, Catherine de’ Medici, requested her pastry chefs travel with her to France to make these little delicacies which were to be served at her wedding to the future king of France, Henri II. This all occurred in the 16th century, but the almond meringue cookies didn’t become popular until the 18th century when, during the French Revolution, two Benedictine nuns began making and selling the cookies in order to support themselves. Sister Marguerite Gaillot and Sister Marie-Elisabeth Morlot became so popular they were referred to as the “Macaron Sisters” and the village of Nancy in France has now dedicated a square to them.
Have you ever been to Ladurée? I have not (but I adore PAUL, their smaller venue).
In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients – flour, baking soda, baking power, salt, spices – whisk together til well blended and then set aside. In another bowl, beat the oil and sugars, canned pumpkin, eggs and milk until smooth and well blended.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Don’t overbeat. When completely blended together, spoon into paper lined (or greased) muffin pans. Don’t overfill the muffin cups because you need to leave room for the topping. Depending upon how large you’d like the muffins, you should get 12 good sized muffins.
In a third bowl, mix together the flour, sugars and cinnamon. When well blended, add the melted butter and, with a fork, mix til crumbly. Spoon this topping onto each muffin cup. Press the topping down a bit so that it doesn’t fall off.
In a small bowl mix the milk, maple syrup and confectioners sugar together until smooth. Drizzle liberally over the tops of the cooled muffins.
The shorter days and long, dark nights were eerie and forboding to the Celts, and often associated with death. They believed that on the “eve” before the new year, the line between both worlds opened up and the ghosts of the dead would return to earth. These ghosts would cause chaos, destroying crops and endangering the harvest. To ensure the safety of the harvest, the night before the New Year, Celtic priests, the Druids, would build bonfires and make sacrifices to the Gods. The villagers would often wear animal heads and skins, dance and tell fortunes to ward off the evil spirits.
Jack wasn’t allowed into heaven … and the devil wouldn’t allow him to enter hell. His soul was cast out into the night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack hollowed out a turnip and placed the burning coal inside … left to wander the earth alone, especially on All Hallow’s Eve.
The word quickly spread about these delicious, small, round grilled rolls. And soon bakers everywhere were making them and peddling them on the streets to the working classes. At that time it was far too dangerous for city homes and apartments to have an indoor working oven. As a result most people could not do their own baking. So this inexpensive bread roll became an easy breakfast to grab and go while on the way to work. Early in the morning, on the streets of London, with a wooden board balanced on his head and a bell in hand, the “muffin man” would walk up and down the “lanes” ringing his bell to signal his arrival.
When I think of it now, why was this manufactured substitute for mother’s milk the recommended method and why was it referred to as “formula”. A name which has stuck to this very day. Did a marketing genius decide the name “formula” would comfort the then new mother who only wanted to give her newborn all the nutrition and love it needed, or was it just a tag name that ‘stuck’.
The scene was actually quite disturbing when you consider that should the lactating new mother be chosen she would have been required to give up nursing her own infant in order to be available at a moment’s notice to feed the infant of the Queen. Queen Victoria was not alone in her decision. For many aristocratic women of those times, this was quite a common occurrence. Because of the necessity of wet nurses, for some poorer women, it was actually a means of providing an income for their families … yes, a career choice. But by the early 1900s, with the introduction of modern and scientific ways to feed infants, the career of wet nursing had pretty much disappeared.
Baby “formulas” continued to be improved and, with the introduction of evaporated milk in the 1910’s, began to be widely commercially available. Milk corporations began funding clinical studies which suggested that babies fed with evaporated milk formulas thrived “as well as breastfed babies”. Soon there were dozens of companies manufacturing these products. The best known of which was Nestle. Nestle’s advertisements said it was better for babies than milk, for “impure milk in hot weather is one of the chief causes of sickness among babies.” Their most effective marketing campaign was giving away free samples. Another company, Mellin’s, combined this offer with free handbooks on proper infant care. Not only did these handbooks convince new mothers of the reasons to feed their infants “formula”, they convinced many doctors as well.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the peeled, chopped zucchini. Add the lemon juice, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Cook til softened – about 15 minutes. It will bubble up and appear very syrupy, add the cornstarch and continue cooking until very thick – about 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat and add the raisins. Set aside while you toast the bread crumbs.
Lightly beat the egg white and brush it onto the open edge to seal everything. Press it into the pastry roll tightly. You don’t want anything leaking out.
When the oven is ready, put the strudel into the center of the oven to bake – approximately 30 minutes. Check it quickly at 20 minutes to make sure its baking evenly. Turning the pan may be necessary for even baking.