>> FAST FOOD. SOMETIMES, IT'S WHAT GETS US THROUGH THE DAY.
>> IT HAS EVERYTHING WE WANT.
IT HAS SWEETNESS, IT HAS SALTY,
IT HAS FAT, IT HAS HIGH
CALORIES.
>> SOMETIMES, IT HAS US
REACHING FOR THE ANTACIDS.
>> THERE'S REALLY GOOD FAST
FOOD, AND THEN THERE'S REALLY
BAD FAST FOOD.
>> LOVE IT OR HATE IT, WE CANT
LIVE WITHOUT IT.
>> WE NEED FAST FOOD.
WE NEED A WAY TO FUEL OUR BODIES
SO THAT WE CAN GO.
>> BUT WHAT MAKES A TRULY GRET
FAST FOOD?
>> THE THREE BASIC ELEMENTS OF
FAST FOOD ARE IT'S READY WHEN
YOU WANT IT, YOU CAN EAT IT WITH
YOUR HANDS, AND IT'S NOT TOO
MESSY.
>> THE QUESTION YOU HAVE TO ASK
YOURSELF IS, IF YOU NEED TO
MOVE, CAN THIS FOOD MOVE WITH
YOU?
>> BUT FAST FOOD IS MORE THAN
JUST A BURGER AT THE
DRIVE-THROUGH.
IT HAS TRANSFORMED OUR LIVES
AND CHANGED THE COURSE OF
HISTORY.
SO ORDER UP!
WE'RE COUNTING DOWN THE 101
FAST FOODS THAT CHANGED
THE WORLD.
LET'S DIG IN WITH NUMBER 101.
THE JELLY BEAN.
>> JELLY BEANS GIVE YOU THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SO MANY
DIFFERENT FRUITS IN YOUR MOUTH.
IT'S THE ONLY TIME IN MY LIFE I
CAN REMEMBER HAVING 10 DIFFERENT
FRUIT FLAVORS ALL AT THE SAME
TIME.
>> THE FRENCH HAVE BEEN MAKING
TINY GELATIN TREATS FOR
CENTURIES, BUT IT WAS GOOD OLD
AMERICAN INGENUITY THAT BROUGT
US THE JELLY BEAN IN THE
MID-1800s.
>> WE DISCOVERED HOW TO MAKE A
KIND OF A HARDER SHELL AROUND IT
SO THAT IT COULD LAST LONGER AND
COULD BE MADE ON MORE OF
A MASS LEVEL.
>> AT THE TURN OF THE 20th CENTURY, JELLY BEANS BECAME TE FIRST BULK CANDY TO HIT THE
MARKET, AND THANKS TO THEIR EG
SHAPE, THEY QUICKLY BECAME AN
EASTER FAVORITE.
TODAY, WE CONSUME ABOUT
16 BILLION OVER THE EASTER
HOLIDAY, ENOUGH TO CIRCLE THE
GLOBE THREE TIMES.
BUT IT WAS PRESIDENT
RONALD REAGAN WHO MADE
JELLY BEANS A POPULAR
YEAR-ROUND TREAT.
>> HE WAS VERY HEALTH CONSCIOUS, AND WHEN THE DANGERS OF TOBACCO
BECAME MORE WELL-KNOWN, HE
DECIDED HE WOULD STOP SMOKING
HIS PIPE, AND HE FOUND THESE
LITTLE JELLY BELLIES AS A
SUBSTITUTE.
>> PRESIDENT REAGAN ALWAYS KET
A JAR ON HAND AND PASSED THEM
AROUND AT IMPORTANT CABINET
MEETINGS.
HE EVEN BELIEVED THEY PROVIDED
A WINDOW INTO THE PERSONALITIS
OF THE POLITICOS AROUND HIM.
>> HE FELT IT WAS A JUST AN
INSIGHT INTO PEOPLE'S
PERSONALITIES WHEN HE WATCHED
THEM IN THEIR CONSUMPTION OF
JELLY BELLIES.
HE WOULD SAY, FROM TIME TO TIME,
THAT YOU CAN LEARN A LOT ABOUT A
PERSON'S CHARACTER BY THE WAY
THEY PICK THE JELLY BEANS.
>> SO HOW DID THE JELLY BEAN
LAND AT NUMBER 101?
TO CREATE THE LIST, WE
ASSEMBLED A BLUE-RIBBON PANEL
OF 14 OF TODAY'S TOP FOOD
EXPERTS, PEOPLE LIKE
MITCHELL DAVIS OF THE
PRESTIGIOUS JAMES BEARD
FOUNDATION, AWARD-WINNING FOOD
JOURNALISTS MARK GARRISON
AND DAN PASHMAN,
ANDREW F. SMITH, AUTHOR OF 22
FOOD HISTORIES, AND TOP CHEF
SPIKE MENDELSOHN.
THE MISSION OF THIS PRESTIGIOS
14-MEMBER PANEL?
ASSEMBLE A LIST OF THE 101
GREATEST FAST FOODS OF ALL
TIME.
>> I MEAN, THERE ARE 101 FOODS
ON THAT LIST THAT KIND OF REALLY
DEFINE EXACTLY WHAT AMERICA IS
AND ITS CULTURE.
>> ONCE OUR PANEL MADE THEIR PICKS AND RANKED THEM, THE RESULTS WERE TABULATED TO
CREATE THE DEFINITIVE LIST OF
101 FAST FOODS THAT CHANGED TE
WORLD.
>> Garrison: WE'RE COUNTING DOWN
THE LIST AND IT'S KIND OF
TORTURE, BECAUSE I'M SITTING
HERE IN A STUDIO TALKING ABOUT
ALL THESE DELICIOUS FOODS, AND I
CAN'T EAT -- I AM STARVING.
>> OH, IN THAT CASE, LET'S GET BACK TO THE COUNTDOWN WITH
NUMBER 100.
THIS MARSHMALLOW, GRAHAM
CRACKER, AND CHOCOLATE SNACK
KEPT TENNESSEE COAL MINERS
ON THE JOB.
THE MOON PIE.
INVENTOR EARL MITCHELL SR.
INVENTED THE MOON PIE IN 1917
AS A PORTABLE SNACK THAT COULD
BE TAKEN INTO THE MINES.
PAIRED WITH A COLA, THE MOON
PIE SOON BECAME A CHEAP LUNCH
THAT HELPED AMERICA'S WORKFORE
MAKE IT THROUGH THE DEPRESSIO.
NUMBER 99 IS KNOWN AS
THE "FRUIT OF KINGS."
PINEAPPLE RINGS.
IN 1661, TRADERS PETITIONED
THE KING OF ENGLAND NOT TO
RAISE TAXES ON SUGAR IMPORTS.
TO HELP SEAL THE DEAL, THEY
INCLUDED AN EXOTIC GIFT WITH
THEIR REQUEST -- A PINEAPPLE.
THE TACTIC WORKED, SPURRING
BRITAIN'S RISE AS A MARITIME
TRADING POWER IN THE CARIBBEA.
LEGEND HAS IT THIS MEAL OF RAW
MEAT WAS INVENTED BY
GENGHIS KHAN AND HIS ARMY.
NUMBER 98 IS STEAK TARTARE.
STEAK TARTARE ALLOWED THE
MONGOL, OR TARTAR, ARMY TO
TRAVEL GREAT DISTANCES.
>> Smith: THE WAY THE TARTARS
MADE THEIR MEAT WAS FOOD ON THE
GO, BECAUSE THEY WOULD USE
HORSE FLESH, THEY WOULD PUT IT
UNDER THE SADDLE, THEY WOULD
TRAVEL FOR A DAY, AND THAT WOULD
TENDERIZE IT.
>> GENGHIS KHAN SWEPT ACROSS
ASIA, ESTABLISHING THE LARGEST
EMPIRE IN HUMAN HISTORY,
COVERING 16% OF THE EARTH'S
TOTAL LAND AREA.
IF THE DOCTOR PRESCRIBES FOOD
NUMBER 97, WE PROMISE HE'S NOT
JUST SELLING YOU FLUFF.
THE MARSHMALLOW.
SINCE ANCIENT TIMES, THE
MARSHMALLOW PLANT WAS USED TO
TREAT EVERYTHING FROM SKIN
IRRITATION TO INFECTIONS.
IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT TE
ROOT OF THE PLANT COULD BE
PROCESSED INTO A SWEET
CONFECTION.
UNFORTUNATELY, TODAY'S
MARSHMALLOWS ARE MADE FROM 10%
SUGAR, SO THE ONLY THING
THEY'LL HELP YOU CURE IS YOUR
SWEET TOOTH.
ON TO NUMBER 96.
WITHOUT THIS FAST FOOD,
AMERICAN MUSIC MAY NEVER HAVE
GOTTEN INTO THE GROOVE.
IT'S CHITLINS.
CHITLINS ARE COOKED PIG
INTESTINES AND WERE A FOOD OF
LAST RESORT FOR STARVING
SLAVES.
>> Man: IT WAS ONE OF THOSE
FOODS THAT WAS DISCARDED BY THE
MASTER CLASS OR THE ELITES, SO
THE TERM THAT WE TALK ABOUT
EATING HIGH ON THE HOG, THIS IS
AN EXAMPLE OF EATING LOW ON THE
HOG, OUT OF NECESSITY.
>> WITH A TEXTURE LIKE CALAMAI AND A SMELL THAT CAN ASSAULT THE SENSES, CHITLINS ARE NOT
FOR EVERYONE.
>> PEOPLE LOVE THEM LOVE THE
TASTE.
PEOPLE THAT CAN'T STAND THEM,
THEY CAN'T STAND THE SMELL.
[ LAUGHS ]
>> CHITLINS' POPULARITY AS A
SOUL FOOD WAS CEMENTED IN THE
20th CENTURY, AND THEY BECAME
THE NAMESAKE OF A SCENE THAT
CHANGED POPULAR MUSIC FOREVER.
>> Opie: THERE WERE A WHOLE
CIRCUIT OF VENUES, FROM THE DEEP
SOUTH ALL THE WAY TO PLACES LIKE
NEW YORK, THAT WERE KNOWN AS
PART OF THE CHITLIN' CIRCUIT.
>> THESE BLACK-OWNED CLUBS GAE
MANY MUSICAL LEGENDS THEIR
START IN THE SEGREGATED SOUTH.
Opie: YOU COULD WALK IN AND
FIND RAY CHARLES PERFORMING,
YOU COULD FIND LITTLE RICHARD,
YOU COULD FIND EVEN
JIMI HENDRIX.
>> AND AFTER THE SHOW, ARTISTS
COULD HUNKER DOWN FOR A MEAL,
GIVING GUYS LIKE JAMES BROWN
THE SOUL POWER NEEDED TO GET O
THE NEXT GIG.
FAST FOOD NUMBER 95 CHANGED TE GREAT OUTDOORS FOREVER.
IT'S THE S'MORE.
THIS TRIFECTA OF GOOEY GOODNES
WAS INVENTED ON A GIRL SCOUT
EXPEDITION IN 1927.
NOW IT'S THE FIRST CAMPING FOD
FOR MILLIONS OF KIDS.
THAT ADDS UP TO A LOT OF PEOPE
ASKING FOR "SOME MORE."
BEFORE IT WAS A CUTE PET,
NUMBER 94 WAS A SOUTH AMERICAN
FAST FOOD -- THE GUINEA PIG.
THIS FLUFFY RODENT HAS BEEN A
SOURCE OF PROTEIN FOR THE
PEOPLE OF THE ANDES FOR
THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
>> IT'S HARD FOR AMERICANS TO IMAGINE EATING SOMETHING THAT WAS LIKE YOUR, LIKE,
FOURTH GRADE CLASS PET.
>> THE GUINEA PIG?
REALLY, A GUINEA PIG?
JUST GOING TO EAT A GUINEA PIG?
>> DURING THE 16th CENTURY,
ENSLAVED INCANS ATE JERKY FROM
GUINEA PIGS AS THEY EXTRACTED
ENOUGH GOLD AND SILVER TO POWR
THE SPANISH ECONOMY FOR ALMOST
A CENTURY.
NUMBER 93 IS A SUMMERTIME TRET THAT HELPED KICK OFF THE FRESH
PRODUCE INDUSTRY.
STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM.
IN 1867, DEMAND FOR THIS
DESSERT PROMPTED THE FIRST
ATTEMPT TO TRANSPORT FRUIT BY
REFRIGERATED RAIL CAR.
THE SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT MADE
IT POSSIBLE TO SHIP FRESH
PRODUCE ACROSS AMERICA,
BRINGING SEASONAL FRUITS AND
VEGGIES TO OUR DINNER PLATE
YEAR ROUND.
AT NUMBER 92, OUR FAST FOODS
BLUE-RIBBON PANEL CHOSE THE
STICKY, SWEET, FUN FOOD OF
CARNIVAL-GOERS EVERYWHERE --
COTTON CANDY.
INVENTED IN
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, IN 1897,
THE COTTON CANDY MACHINE GAVE
US THE POWER TO TRANSFORM PLAN
SUGAR INTO SILKY STRANDS OF
SWEETNESS.
>> Garrison: COTTON CANDY, IT'S
SO WEIRD, BECAUSE IT'S
BASICALLY JUST SUGAR AND AIR.
IT'S KIND OF AMAZING THAT THEY
GET IT TO DO THAT.
>> SO HOW DOES THE COTTON CANY
MACHINE WORK?
SUGAR IS POURED INTO A HEATING
ELEMENT, MELTED, AND SPUN AT
HIGH SPEED.
CENTRIFUGAL FORCE PUSHES THE
LIQUID SYRUP THROUGH TINY
HOLES, CREATING STRANDS OF
SUGAR GLASS ONLY A MILLIONTH F
A METER WIDE.
IN 2009, A RESEARCHER AT
CORNELL UNIVERSITY NOTICED
THESE TINY FILAMENTS OF SUGAR
RESEMBLED THE STRUCTURE OF THE
HUMAN CAPILLARY SYSTEM.
IT HAS OPENED THE DOOR TO HUGE
ADVANCEMENTS IN THE DEVELOPMET
OF ARTIFICIAL HUMAN ORGANS.
NUMBER 91 IS A NEW ENGLAND
CLASSIC THAT'S GIVING THE
HOT DOG A RUN FOR ITS MONEY.
THE LOBSTER ROLL.
LOBSTER WAS CONSIDERED A
LOW-CLASS FOOD UNTIL 1910, WHN
BUSINESS TYCOON
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER MISTAKENLY
ATE AND LOVED A BOWL OF HIS
SERVANTS' LOBSTER STEW WHILE
SUMMERING IN MAINE.
TODAY, THIS CRUSTACEAN HAS COE
FULL CIRCLE.
LOWER DEMAND AND RECORD CATCHS
HAVE MADE WHOLESALE LOBSTER
CHEAP ENOUGH TO FUEL A NEW FAT
FOOD PHENOMENON.
NUMBER 90 GAVE MAINSTREAM
AMERICA ITS FIRST TRUE CANDY N
THE GO -- THE TOOTSIE ROLL.
INVENTED IN 1896 BY NEW YORK
CITY CANDY SHOP OWNER
LEO HIRSCHFELD, THIS RUGGED
LITTLE CANDY ACTUALLY SAVED
AMERICAN LIVES AT THE BATTLE F
CHOSIN RESERVOIR DURING THE
KOREAN WAR.
>> Man: THE TEMPERATURE WAS 20
DEGREES BELOW ZERO MOST OF THE
TIME.
FOOD WAS NOT EASY TO COME BY,
SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY WERE
SURROUNDED.
>> WITH THE CHINESE ARMY CLOSING IN, THE EMBATTLED MARINES RADIOED FOR MORE
"TOOTSIE ROLLS," A CODE WORD
FOR AMMUNITION.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE NOVICE RADO
OPERATOR ON THE OTHER END
DIDN'T KNOW THE LINGO.
>> FOLKS BACK AT SUPPLY HEAR
"TOOTSIE ROLLS," AND THEY ASSUME
THAT THE CALL IS FOR
TOOTSIE ROLLS, AND THEY ASSEMBLE
THOUSANDS.
>> A FEW HOURS, LATER CANISTES
OF CANDY BEGAN TO FALL FROM
THE SKY.
BUT THE MISTAKE PROVED TO BE A
LIFESAVER.
>> THEY WERE LOADED WITH SUGAR,
AND SUGAR GAVE THEM THE ENERGY.
NOW, THAT HELPED THEM IN THAT
FIGHT BACK TO THE SEA.
>> OF COURSE, IF THOSE GUYS IN KOREA HAD JUST WAITED LONG
ENOUGH, THE TOOTSIE ROLLS WOULD
HAVE BEEN HARD ENOUGH TO BE USED
AS AMMO.
>> COMING UP... >> WE'RE COUN1
FAST FOODS THAT CHANGED THE
WORLD.
WE PUT TOGETHER A PANEL OF 14
OF THE COUNTRY'S TOP FOOD
FANATICS TO CONSIDER WHAT MAKS
A TRULY GREAT FAST FOOD.
>> I THINK THE THINGS ON THIS
LIST REALLY REFLECT A SORT OF
WORLD CULTURAL VIEW ABOUT WHAT
IS GOOD TO EAT ON THE GO.
>> Garrison: YOU MAY HAVE ONE
HAND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, HAVING A
DRINK, ONE HAND WITH A SANDWICH.
MAYBE YOU'RE TRYING TO TEXT
WHILE DOING ALL OF THAT AT THE
SAME TIME.
A FAST FOOD NEEDS TO BE FAST
ENOUGH TO KEEP UP WITH
EVERYTHING YOU ARE TRYING TO DO
IN YOUR DAY.
>> SO HUNKER DOWN AND GET REAY
FOR ANOTHER HELPING OF THE 101
FAST FOODS THAT CHANGED THE
WORLD.
NUMBER 89.
IT'S BEEN CALLED NATURE'S MOST
PERFECT FOOD, FOR BOTH ITS
NUTRITIONAL VALUE AND ITS
PACKAGING.
THE EGG.
WE'VE BEEN GATHERING AND
BOILING EGGS SINCE THE DAWN OF
TIME.
ONCE MAN FINALLY DOMESTICATED
THE CHICKEN ABOUT 5,000 YEARS
AGO, WE HAD A RELIABLE SOURCE
OF PROTEIN WITH A PROTECTIVE
CASE THAT WE COULD CARRY
ANYWHERE.
OUR BLUE-RIBBON PANEL VOTED 88
THE GO-TO FAST FOOD FOR THE
CALORIE CONSCIOUS.
IT'S THE RICE CAKE.
AT ONLY 50 CALORIES EACH, IT
TAKES ABOUT 20 RICE CAKES TO
EQUAL A BACON DOUBLE
CHEESEBURGER, MAKING THEM THE
LOWEST CALORIE FOOD ON THIS
LIST.
WITH JUST .4 GRAMS OF FAT PER
CAKE, THEY FILL US UP WITHOUT
ADDING POUNDS, GIVING
GENERATIONS OF DIETERS A
FIGHTING CHANCE TO REDUCE
THEIR WAISTLINE.
COMING IN AT NUMBER 87 IS A
SOUTHERN FAVORITE --
THE HUSHPUPPY.
THIS DEEP-FRIED BALL OF
CORNMEAL MOST CERTAINLY
ORIGINATED IN THE AMERICAN
SOUTH AND HELPED ESCAPING
SLAVES MAKE IT TO FREEDOM.
AS THEY MOVED ALONG THE
UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, SLAVES
FED THEM TO TRACKING DOGS AND
PLEADED WITH THEM TO,
"HUSH, PUPPY."
NUMBER 86 WAS ONE OF OUR MOST
IMPORTANT CULINARY INVENTIONS.
CONDENSED MILK.
IN THE MID 19th CENTURY, FRESH
MILK WAS TRANSPORTED IN
UNSANITARY WOODEN BARRELS THAT
OFTEN CAUSED ILLNESS.
BUT IN 1854, GAIL BORDEN
CHANGED ALL THAT WHEN HE
DEVELOPED A CONDENSED MILK IN
A CAN.
BY BOILING OUT WATER CONTENT
AND SEALING THE THICKENED MILK
IN A BACTERIA-FREE CONTAINER,
WE NOW HAD A PORTABLE VERSION
OF MILK THAT HELPED SAVE LIVE.
CONFUCIUS ONCE SAID, "HE WHO
FINISHES CHINESE FOOD IS
REWARDED WITH NUMBER 85."
THE FORTUNE COOKIE.
INTRODUCED AT THE TURN OF THE
20th CENTURY, THE FORTUNE
COOKIE HAS BECOME A KITSCHY
AMERICAN ICON.
>> KIDS AND ADULTS ALIKE LOVE TO
CRACK INTO THAT THING.
IT'S A TASTY COOKIE, AND YOU
CAN WIN THE LOTTO!
>> IT'S THE ONLY THING I CAN
THINK OF, EXCEPT MAYBE A
BIRTHDAY CAKE, WHERE THE FOOD IS
TELLING YOU SOMETHING.
>> BUT WHERE DO ALL THE
FORTUNES COME FROM?
THE ANSWER YOU SEEK IS AT
WONTON FOODS IN NEW YORK CITY.
>> Man: WHEN I WAS WRITING
FORTUNES, THE IDEAS CAME FROM
EVERYWHERE.
FROM TV SHOWS TO MY KIDS TO
PEOPLE IN THE STREET.
>> DONALD LAU PENNED OVER 2,00
OF THE MESSAGES NOW FOUND IN
WONTON'S FORTUNE COOKIES.
>> "BRING SOMETHING UP FROM
THE BACK BURNER."
"DON'T BE AFRAID OF FEAR."
>> IN MARCH 2005, 110 POWERBAL
TICKET HOLDERS ALL STRUCK PAY
DIRT WITH NUMBERS TRACED BACK
TO ONE OF LAU'S FORTUNES.
>> Lau: I WAS SITTING IN MY
OFFICE THAT MORNING, AND WE
STARTED GETTING PHONE CALLS FROM
THE NETWORKS.
THAT'S HOW I FOUND OUT THAT
SOMEONE WON THE LOTTO.
>> EVERY YEAR, ABOUT THREE
BILLION FORTUNE COOKIES ARE
MADE IN THE U.S.
THAT'S ENOUGH CHINESE WISDOM
AND LOTTERY NUMBERS TO FILL
ABOUT 44 SUPER TANKERS.
THE CHANCES OF ANOTHER PAYOUT
LIKE THAT ARE ASTRONOMICAL.
BUT DON'T LET THAT DISSUADE YU
FROM PLAYING LAU'S NUMBERS
AGAIN.
>> "DEEP FAITH ELIMINATES FEAR."
>> NUMBER 84 IS ONE OF THE FEW
FAST FOODS THAT IS MADE IN
ALMOST EVERY CULTURE IN THE
WORLD.
IT'S RICE PUDDING.
IT'S NO WONDER.
RICE IS THE MOST WIDELY EATEN
FOOD ON THE PLANET.
TODAY, ALMOST 700 BILLION TONS
ARE HARVESTED ACROSS THE GLOBE
EACH YEAR.
SO THE NEXT TIME YOU GRAB A
RICE PUDDING, CHANCES ARE
BETTER THAN ANY OTHER FOOD ON
THIS LIST THAT THERE'S SOMEONE
ELSE ON THE PLANET DIGGING IN,
TOO.
THESE CRISPY BITS OF FRIED
PORK SKIN AND FAT WERE FIRST
MADE IN 19th CENTURY
WORKING-CLASS ENGLAND.
NUMBER 83 IS THE PORK RIND.
IN MODERN TIMES, THEIR FAT
CONTENT AND LIGHT WEIGHT HAS
MADE THEM AN ESSENTIAL
HIGH-CALORIE SNACK FOR POLAR
EXPLORERS, GIVING THEM THE
ENERGY NEEDED TO KEEP GOING IN
SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURES.
THEY WERE A FAVORITE SNACK OF
DAVID HEMPLEMAN-ADAMS, WHO
BECAME THE FIRST PERSON EVER O
REACH BOTH POLES AND CLIMB THE
HIGHEST PEAKS IN ALL SEVEN
CONTINENTS.
NUMBER 82 BECAME A SMASH HIT
WHEN AMERICA WENT ON THE WAGO.
IT'S APPLESAUCE.
IN THE MID-19th CENTURY, HARD
APPLE CIDER WAS THE MOST
POPULAR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE IN
THE COUNTRY.
BUT WHEN PROHIBITION HIT IN
1920, CIDER MAKERS TURNED TO
APPLESAUCE AS A WAY TO MAKE
ENDS MEET.
TODAY, APPLESAUCE IS THE MOST
POPULAR CANNED FRUIT ON THE
MARKET.
NUMBER 81 IS THE FAST FOOD
THAT KEEPS ON GIVING --
TURKEY LEFTOVERS.
EVERY THANKSGIVING, AMERICANS
BUY ALMOST 700 MILLION POUNDS
OF TURKEY.
IT HAS TRANSFORMED A ONE-DAY HOLIDAY INTO THE WEEKLONG RITUAL OF FOOD REINVENTION WE
HAVE TODAY.
>> TURKEY IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS
THAT HAS A LOT OF LIVES.
THE FUN BEGINS DAY THREE OR
FOUR AFTER THANKSGIVING.
>> TO FUEL OUR LOVE OF
LEFTOVERS, POULTRY FARMS ARE
BREEDING BIGGER AND BIGGER
BIRDS, WITH THE AVERAGE TURKEY
NOW WEIGHING IN AT A WHOPPING
28 POUNDS.
IT SEEMS THE REST OF THE WORLD MAY HAVE A JUMP ON US BY EATIG
FOOD NUMBER 80.
THE GRASSHOPPER.
>> Garrison: THEY'RE CHEAP,
THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.
AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU MIGHT END UP IN AN '80s P.O.W. MOVIE LIKE CHUCK NORRIS AND
THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT'S ON
THE MENU.
>> WHILE INSECTS AREN'T A
MAINSTREAM FOOD IN AMERICA,
CHEFS LIKE JOE RAFFA OF OYAMEL
IN WASHINGTON, D.C., ARE
CHANGING THAT PERCEPTION,
SERVING TACOS PILED HIGH WITH
SAUTéED GRASSHOPPERS.
>> NUTRITIONALLY, GRASSHOPPERS ARE A WONDERFUL FOOD.
THEY ARE HIGH IN PROTEIN, LOW
IN FAT, SO THEY WILL KEEP YOU
GOING FOR A LONG TIME.
>> EATING BUGS NOT YOUR BAG? WELL, THAT PUTS YOU IN THE MINORITY.
FOUR OUT OF EVERY FIVE PEOPLE
ON THE PLANET HAVEN EATEN BUGS
BY CHOICE, YET ONLY ABOUT 20%
OF THE WORLD EATS BEEF AS A
SOURCE OF PROTEIN.
>> GRASSHOPPERS AND INSECTS HAVE
ALLOWED THE WORLD TO EVOLVE.
THEY'VE BEEN A PROTEIN SOURCE
FOR CIVILIZATIONS ALL OVER THE
GLOBE.
>> ANCIENT ROMANS AND GREEKS
ATE INSECTS, AND THE AZTECS OF
CENTRAL MEXICO DEPENDED ON BUS
FOR PROTEIN.
SO MAYBE IT'S TIME TO HOP TO T
AND GET HIP TO THE GRASSHOPPE.
NUMBER 79 IS A COLD SALAD THAT RULES THE HOT SUMMER SEASON.
IT'S POTATO SALAD.
GERMAN IMMIGRANTS BROUGHT A
WARM VERSION OF POTATO SALAD O
AMERICA IN THE EARLY 1800s,
MEANT TO BE EATEN HOT.
BY THE LATE 19th CENTURY,
RECIPES BEGAN TO EMERGE FOR A
POTATO SALAD MADE FROM COLD,
LEFTOVER SPUDS.
WITH THE ARRIVAL OF MAYONNAISE
ON STORE SHELVES IN 1907, THE
TRANSFORMATION OF POTATO SALAD
INTO A REFRESHING AMERICAN
SUMMER CLASSIC WAS COMPLETE.
WHEN MOTHER NATURE THROWS THE
WORKS AT YOU, IT MIGHT BE WISE
TO STOCK UP ON FOOD NUMBER 78.
POP-TARTS.
WHEN KELLOGG'S UNVEILED THEIR
RADICAL NEW TOASTER PASTRY IN
1964, IT GAVE US THE POWER TO
GRAB BREAKFAST AND GO.
BUT HOW HAS IT CHANGED THE
WORLD?
ASK THE PEOPLE WHO RODE OUT
HURRICANE IRENE IN AUGUST 201.
AS THE MONSTER STORM BORE DOWN
ON THE EAST COAST, SALES OF
POP-TARTS INCREASED SEVENFOLD
AT SOME STORES, PUTTING THEM P
THERE WITH THE BATTERY AND THE
FLASHLIGHT AS TOP SELLING
>> WE'RE COUNTING DOWN 101 FAT FOODS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD.
FROM THE TASTIEST SNACKS MOTHR
NATURE HAS TO OFFER TO
MOUTH-WATERING MORSELS OF
MODERN ENGINEERING THAT HAVE
TRANSFORMED THE WAY WE EAT.
FAST FOOD NUMBER 77 HELPS GET
US OVER THE HUMP, EVEN WHEN
THAT HUMP IS MOUNT EVEREST.
THE ENERGY BAR.
FROM THE PRO ATHLETE TO THE
MULTITASKING MOM, WE SPEND
ABOUT $1.5 BILLION DOLLARS A
YEAR ON THESE COMPACT MEALS ON
THE GO.
>> WITH THE TECHNOLOGY WE HAVE
TODAY, YOU CAN PRESS ANY FOOD
INTO A BAR, BUT THAT DOESN'T
MEAN WE SHOULD PRESS ANY FOOD
INTO A BAR.
>> UNLESS, OF COURSE, YOU ARE
SOMEONE LIKE CLIMBING GUIDE
AND EXPLORER RYAN WATERS.
>> I'VE USED POWERBARS ON
EVERYTHING I'VE DONE, FROM
CLIMBING 8,000-METER PEAKS,
SUCH MOUNT EVEREST, TO SKIING
ACROSS ANTARCTICA.
>> THE TYPICAL ENERGY BAR CONTAINS A BLEND OF GLUCOSE AD FRUCTOSE TO DELIVER ENERGY TO
MUSCLES, SODIUM TO REPLACE LOT
ELECTROLYTES, AND PLENTY OF
CARBS.
IT'S A COMBINATION THAT KEPT
RYAN GOING IN CRUCIAL TIMES
DURING TWO TRIPS TO THE TOP OF
THE WORLD.
>> Waters: ON THESE EXTREMELY
HIGH MOUNTAINS, YOU ARE OUT FOR
AS MUCH AS 20 HOURS IN A DAY.
THERE'S BEEN TIMES WHEN I'VE
LITERALLY JUST MADE IT BACK TO
THE HIGH CAMP BECAUSE I'VE HAD
THAT ENERGY BAR IN MY POCKET.
>> IT'S HISTORY REPEATING
ITSELF.
DURING HIS EXPEDITION ACROSS
ANTARCTICA,
SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON RELIED N
AN ENERGY-PACKED GLUCOSE BAR
CALLED THE KENDAL MINT CAKE.
IN 1953, THE MINT CAKE POWERED
SIR EDMUND HILLARY AND HIS
SHERPA, TENZING NORGAY, THE
FIRST HUMANS EVER TO REACH THE
TOP OF EVEREST.
ENERGY BARS HAVE CHANGED
HISTORY BY GETTING US TO PLACS
WE'VE NEVER BEEN BEFORE, AND Y
HELPING US MAKE IT BACK TO TEL
THE STORY.
FAST FOOD NUMBER 76 WAS INVENTED IN 1891 AND BECAME OE
OF THE FIRST MASS-PRODUCED
FOODS IN THE WORLD.
IT'S THE FIG NEWTON.
MORE THAN 10 YEARS BEFORE
HENRY FORD STARTED CRANKING OT
MODEL Ts, JAMES HENRY MITCHELL
INVENTED A MACHINE TO STRETCH
AND FILL PASTRY DOUGH WITH FIG
PASTE.
THE FIRST MASS PRODUCTION
BAKERY WAS LOCATED OUTSIDE OF
NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS --
HENCE, THE FIG NEWTON.
SERVED UP HOT AT NUMBER 75...
IS THE HASH BROWN.
THIS DICEY POTATO DISH WAS
TAKEN TO A NEW LEVEL IN 1956 Y
THE ORE-IDA COMPANY WHEN THEY
COMPRESSED HASH BROWNS INTO
BITE-SIZE PIECES.
SCHOOL CAFETERIAS WOULD NEVER
BE THE SAME.
TODAY, AMERICANS EAT MORE THAN
70 MILLION POUNDS OF
HASH BROWNS EACH YEAR IN THE
FORM OF TATER TOTS.
NUMBER 74 IS ALL THE RAGE THEE
DAYS.
THE CUPCAKE.
>> TO ME, THE CUPCAKE IS SORT OF
THE SLICE OF CAKE FOR THE ME
GENERATION.
IT'S LIKE, "THIS IS MINE.
I CONSUME THE WHOLE THING.
IT'S NOT A PIECE OF SOMETHING
LARGER.
IT'S ABOUT ME."
THE CUPCAKE CHANGED THE WORLD BY PUTTING BAKING INTO THE HANDS OF EVEN THE MOST
ILLITERATE OF HOMEMAKERS.
ORIGINALLY CALLED
"NUMBER CAKES," THE RECIPE WAS
EASY TO REMEMBER --
ONE CUP OF BUTTER, TWO CUPS OF
SUGAR, THREE CUPS OF FLOUR,
FOUR EGGS, AND VOILA!
LET THEM EAT TINY CAKES!
PAPRIKA IS THE DEVIL IN THE DETAILS OF FAST FOOD NUMBER 7,
THE DEVILED EGG.
WHILE THE EGG HAS BEEN AROUND
FOREVER, THE SPRINKLE OF
PAPRIKA ON TOP SIGNIFIES A
TURNING POINT FOR MANKIND.
SPICED FOOD MEANT HUMANS
WEREN'T JUST EATING TO SURVIV.
WE WERE PREPARING COMPLEX
DISHES AND EATING FOR PLEASUR,
A CORNERSTONE OF MODERN
CIVILIZATION.
FAST FOOD NUMBER 72 ALWAYS
COMES WITH A CHERRY ON TOP.
THE ICE CREAM SUNDAE.
>> Pashman: WE LOVE ICE CREAM
'CAUSE IT'S AWESOME.
I MEAN IT'S JUST REALLY,
REALLY GOOD.
IT'S ONE OF THE BEST FOODS IN
THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD.
>> TELL ANYONE RAIDING THE
FREEZER FOR A SCOOP OF ICE
CREAM TOPPED WITH SYRUP THAT
THE SUNDAE DIDN'T CHANGE THE
WORLD, AND YOU MIGHT GET
DECKED.
STATISTICALLY, 25% OF ALL
SUNDAES ARE MADE WITH SCOOPS F
VANILLA, UNLESS, OF COURSE,
YOU ARE BUILDING THE WORLD'S
LARGEST ONE.
THIS MONSTER WEIGHED IN AT
55,000 POUNDS AND CONTAINED A
WHOPPING 70 MILLION CALORIES.
THAT'S ENOUGH ICE CREAM FOR
EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD IN
NEW YORK CITY TO GRAB A SPOON
AND TAKE A BITE.
THE SUNDAE WAS BORN IN
WISCONSIN IN 1881 AS AN ACT OF
REBELLION AGAINST SO-CALLED
"BLUE LAWS."
ONE LAW PROHIBITED THE
CONSUMPTION OF ICE CREAM SODA
ON SUNDAYS, SO A CLEVER
SODA JERK TOOK OUT THE SELTZE,
ADDED SYRUP AND A CHERRY,
AND SKIRTED THE LAW.
AMERICANS, IT SEEMS, COULDN'T
IMAGINE EVEN ONE DAY WITHOUT
THEIR ICE CREAM.
NUMBER 71 WAS THE ORIGINAL
SAN FRANCISCO TREAT.
THE SHRIMP COCKTAIL.
SOMETIME AROUND 1860,
A SAN FRANCISCO GOLD MINER
DIPPED OYSTERS INTO KETCHUP
AND THE SAVORY SEAFOOD
COMBINATION WAS BORN.
AFTER SOME EXPERIMENTATION, WE
SETTLED ON SHRIMP, ADDED SPICE
TO THE KETCHUP, AND CREATED A
CLASSIC.
TODAY, THE HUGE DEMAND FOR
CHEAP SHRIMP IS QUITE LITERALY
CHANGING THE WORLD.
ABOUT 60% OF THAILAND'S
MANGROVE FORESTS HAVE BEEN
CLEARED JUST TO FARM SHRIMP.
FIGHTING ITS WAY TO NUMBER 70, FROM THE CITY OF
BROTHERLY LOVE,
IS THE PHILLY CHEESESTEAK.
>> IT'S SO GREAT.
YOU EAT IT AND IT'S DELICIOUS,
THE CHEESE IS ALL MELTY.
THE BEEF IS GREASY, IT'S A KIND
OF A MESS.
YOU TASTE THE CITY WHEN YOU HAVE
A PHILLY CHEESESTEAK.
>> WITH A GUT-BUSTING 1,200
CALORIES AND 40 GRAMS OF FAT,
THE CHEESESTEAK HAS MADE ITS
MARK ON THE HEARTS AND
WAISTLINES OF PHILLY FOREVER.
NUMBER 69 PROVES BIGGER DOESNT
ALWAYS MEAN BETTER.
BABY CARROTS.
>> YOU KNOW, YOU COULD JUST TAKE
A BIG CARROT AND CUT IT UP.
>> AS A WAY TO BRING FOOD TO
PEOPLE WHO WANT SOMETHING FAST
AND GOOD FOR THEM, WHY NOT?
>> SINCE THE INVENTION OF THEE
POCKET-SIZED SNACK PACKS,
AMERICAN CONSUMPTION OF CARROS
HAS RISEN 33%.
NOW YOU CAN BUY A WIDE VARIETY
OF SLICED FRUIT AND VEGGIES,
CUT, WASHED, AND PACKAGED TO
GO, BUT NONE OF IT WOULD'VE
HAPPENED WITHOUT
THE BABY CARROT.
NUMBER 68 IS OUR FIRST ENTREE
FROM SOUTH OF THE BORDER.
THE TACO.
>> YOU CAN SEE INTO IT.
THE TACO, IT ANNOUNCES WHAT
IT'S DELIVERING TO YOU, WHICH
IS PRETTY COOL.
>> UNTIL THE 1960s, MOST
AMERICANS HAD NEVER TRIED
MEXICAN FOOD.
THEN, IN 1962, THE FIRST
TACO BELL REPACKAGED THIS
STREET FOOD TO APPEAL TO THE
AVERAGE AMERICAN, CHANGING THE
FAST FOOD WORLD FOREVER.
>> WHAT GLEN BELL DOES IS CREATE
WHAT IS A HAMBURGER IN
A TORTILLA.
THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TACO THAT IS POPULAR IN MEXICO. >> NOW AMERICANS CONSUME MORE
THAN TWO BILLION FAST FOOD
TACOS EACH YEAR, AND THE DOOR
HAS BEEN OPENED FOR AUTHENTIC
MEXICAN FOOD TO THRIVE IN
AMERICA.
AT THE POPULAR KOGI TACO TRUCK
IN L.A., CHEF PAPI CHOI PAYS
HOMAGE TO THE CLASSIC, THEN
ADDS HIS KOREAN BARBECUE FOR A
TRULY 21st-CENTURY MASH-UP.
>> IT'S DELICIOUS, IT'S EASY TO EAT, AND IT COMES FROM A STRONG
CULTURE, EVEN THOUGH, SOMETIMES,
WE IN AMERICA DON'T KNOW EXACTLY
WHY.
>> TACOS HAVE TRANSFORMED THE
WORLD BY BREAKING DOWN CULTURL
BARRIERS, ONE BITE AT A TIME.
>> WITH A LOT OF, YOU KNOW,
FOODS THAT WE CALL "ETHNIC,"
THEY'RE REALLY NOT ETHNIC IN
THE UNITED STATES ANYMORE.
IT'S ALL INTEGRATED INTO THIS
BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY OF OURS.
>> WHAT CULTURE WILL HELP FILL
THE NEXT GENERATION OF TACOS?
NO ONE KNOWS, BUT REST ASSURE,
IT WILL BE RUNNING DOWN YOUR
HAND AS YOU TAKE THAT FIRST
SLOPPY BITE.
NUMBER 67 IS A STEAMING BOWL F
EARLY AMERICAN HISTORY.
CLAM CHOWDER.
>> Garrison: YOU'RE IN
NEW ENGLAND, YOU'RE IN BOSTON,
YOU PRETTY MUCH HAVE TO ORDER IT
AT LEAST ONCE.
CLAM CHOWDER AND, PROBABLY, IF
WE'RE BEING CORRECT, WE WOULD
SAY, "CLAM CHOWDAH."
>> IN THE 15th AND 16th
CENTURIES, CHOWDER HELPED FUEL
TRANSATLANTIC EXPLORERS.
AND THE KETTLES IT WAS PREPARD
IN WERE AMONGST THE EARLIEST
ITEMS TO BE TRADED TO NATIVE
AMERICANS, CREATING A BOND OF
TRUST BETWEEN THE OLD WORLD
AND THE NEW. >> THIS IS THE 101 FAST FOODS
THAT CHANGED THE WORLD, THE DEFINITIVE LIST OF FAST AND
PORTABLE FOODS THAT HAVE
TRANSFORMED THE WAY WE EAT
FOREVER.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT
THE NUMBERS.
OUR LOVE OF FAST FOOD HAS EXPLODED IN RECENT YEARS.
AMERICANS SPENT $6 BILLION ON
FAST FOOD IN 1970.
BY 2010, THAT NUMBER HAD
SKYROCKETED TO $165 BILLION A
YEAR.
NOW 44% OF AMERICANS EAT FAST
FOOD AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK, WIH
ALABAMA SPENDING THE MOST,
ABOUT 60% OF THEIR WEEKLY FOOD
BUDGET.
AND NOW BACK TO THE COUNTDOWN.
OUR TROOPS STORMED THE BEACHE,
TOOK IWO JIMA, AND INTRODUCED
THE WORLD TO NUMBER 66.
IT'S SPAM.
MADE WITH PROCESSED PORK
SHOULDER MEAT, HORMEL FOODS
INTRODUCED SPAM IN 1937, AND
THE TIMING COULDN'T HAVE BEEN
BETTER.
FOUR YEARS LATER, WHEN AMERICA ENTERED WORLD WAR II, SOLDIERS SHIPPED OUT WITH 100 MILLION
TONS OF SPAM, AND THEY SHARED
IT WITH ISLANDERS IN THE SOUTH
PACIFIC.
IT CHANGED THE DIET OF LOCALS
FOREVER.
TO THIS DAY, PEOPLE IN HAWAII,
GUAM, AND THE PHILIPPINES ARE
CRAZY FOR SPAM.
NUMBER 65 IS ONE OF SWEETEST GUYS ON THE PLANET.
THE GINGERBREAD MAN.
THE FIRST COOKIE CUTTER EVER
MADE WAS A GINGERBREAD MAN,
BUT IT'S NOT JUST HIS ICONIC
FIGURE THAT HAS CHANGED THE
WORLD.
>> GINGERBREAD MAY BE ONE OF THE
MOST INFLUENTIAL FOODS IN THE
HISTORY OF MANKIND BECAUSE IT
WAS THE DESIRE FOR THE SPICES
THAT GO INTO GINGERBREAD THAT
LAUNCHED EUROPEANS ON VOYAGES OF
DISCOVERY.
>> THE SPICE TRADE PAVED THE
WAY FOR EUROPE TO COLONIZE AND
PLUNDER THE RICHES OF THE EAS.
MAYBE GINGERBREAD MEN AREN'T O
SWEET AFTER ALL.
NUMBER 64 IS BOLDLY GOING WHEE
NO FOOD HAS GONE BEFORE.
IT'S SPACE FOOD.
EVER SINCE JOHN GLENN TUCKED
IN TO A MID-ORBIT SNACK OF
APPLESAUCE IN 1962, WE'VE BEEN
TRYING TO KEEP ASTRONAUTS FROM
GOING HUNGRY IN THE HEAVENS.
>> SO, I HAVEN'T BEEN IN ZERO
GRAVITY, BUT I IMAGINE THIS IS
NOT THE PLACE TO HAVE A GARDEN
SALAD, WHERE THE DIFFERENT
LITTLE VEGETABLES ARE FLOATING
AROUND IN SPACE.
THAT WOULD BE HARD TO EAT.
>> NASA FOOD SYSTEMS MANAGER VICKIE KLOERIS AND HER TEAM AE TAKING SPACE FOOD TO NEW
FRONTIERS, TRYING TO DEVELOP
FOOD THAT WILL POWER FUTURE
ASTRONAUTS ALL THE WAY TO MAR.
>> CHICKEN WITH PEANUT SAUCE.
>> BOY, THAT LOOKS GOOD.
IT'S FOR YOUR MENTAL WELL-BEING.
IT'S REALLY A PSYCHOLOGICAL
BENEFIT TO HAVE GOOD FOOD.
IT'S COMFORT FOOD. HAVING SOME GOOD MACARONI AND
CHEESE AS A SNACK CAN MAKE YOU
FEEL BETTER.
MM, THAT'S TASTY. >> MIKE MASSAMINO HAS FLOWN TO SHUTTLE MISSIONS TO REPAIR THE
HUBBLE TELESCOPE.
HE ATE ABOUT 71 MEALS IN
ZERO GRAVITY.
>> YOU KIND OF GOT TO GO SLOW,
SO YOU CAN'T BE TRYING TO WOOF A
LOT OF FOOD DOWN YOUR MOUTH, OR
ELSE IT'LL BE A DISASTER.
>> IN SPACE, NO ONE CAN HEAR
YOU SPILL A HOT COFFEE.
>> THANK YOU!
NUMBER 63 HELPED STYMIE THE EXPANSION OF
THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE.
THE SOFT PRETZEL.
DURING THE SIEGE OF VIENNA IN
1510, THE TURKISH ARMY
ATTEMPTED AN INVASION BY
TUNNELING UNDER THE CITY WALL.
BUT VIENNA'S PRETZEL BAKERS
WERE ALREADY IN THEIR KITCHENS
BAKING AND DETECTED THE
UNDERGROUND SNEAK ATTACK.
THEY AWOKE THE REST OF THE
CITY, PUTTING A KNOT IN THE
TURKS' PLAN TO TAKE VIENNA.
NUMBER 62 IS A FAST FOOD THAT
MADE US FASTER -- THE WAFFLE.
1972.
IN A QUEST TO CREATE A LIGHTER
RUNNING SHOE, UNIVERSITY OF
OREGON TRACK COACH
BILL BOWERMAN POURED LIQUID
URETHANE OVER HIS WIFE'S WAFFE
IRON AND CHANGED THE WORLD
FOREVER.
WHEN BOWERMAN PEELED AWAY THE
HARDENED RUBBER, THE RESULT WS
A PROTOTYPE FOR THE
WAFFLE-PATTERNED SHOE SOLE.
TODAY, ALMOST EVERY SNEAKER ON
THE PLANET USES IT TO MAKE
LIGHTER, FASTER SHOES.
FAST FOOD NUMBER 61 IS CHANGIG
THE WORLD IN MORE WAYS EVERY
DAY.
THE SUNFLOWER SEED.
NOT ONLY DO THEY REDUCE
CHOLESTEROL AND IMPROVE HEART
HEALTH, BUT THEY ARE ALSO BEIG
TAPPED AS THE ALTERNATIVE FUEL
OF THE FUTURE.
RESEARCHERS IN THE U.K. HAVE
FOUND A WAY TO EXTRACT HYDROGN
FROM SUNFLOWER OIL, CHANGING
THE WAY AUTOMOBILES MAY BE
POWERED IN THE FUTURE.
COMING IN AT NUMBER 60 IS THE
FAST FOOD OF THE 1%.
CAVIAR.
>> WHEN THE MONOPOLY MAN IS
TRAVELING, HE HAS CAVIAR WITH
HIM ALL THE TIME.
MOST OF US ARE PROBABLY GOING TO
STICK WITH PB&J.
>> THERE'S NOTHING MORE
DELICIOUS THAT YOU CAN EAT
MORE QUICKLY THAN CAVIAR.
OF COURSE, YOU HAVE TO BE
REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, RICH.
>> BUT IT WASN'T ALWAYS THAT WAY. IN THE 19th CENTURY, THE EAST
COAST OF THE UNITED STATES WAS
THE WORLD'S LARGEST PRODUCER F
CAVIAR.
IT WAS EVEN SERVED UP LIKE
PEANUTS FOR FREE IN BARS.
THAT IS UNTIL OVERFISHING MADE
IT A RARE COMMODITY.
>> SO YOU HAVE THIS BEGINNING OF WHAT STARTS OFF, AT LEAST IN
AMERICA, AS A POOR MAN'S FOOD,
MOVING ON TO HAUTE CUISINE
TODAY.
>> THE CAVIAR KINGS AT
PETROSSIAN NEW YORK KEEP THEIR
SUPPLY UNDER LOCK AND KEY AT
A SECRET LOCATION.
>> WE ARE IN THE CAVIAR SAFE.
BASICALLY, WE NEED VERY COLD
TEMPERATURE AND DRY
ENVIRONMENTS, BUT AFTER THAT,
I CANNOT TELL YOU MORE.
>> YOU'D BE TIGHT-LIPPED, TOO, WITH THIS MUCH CONSUMABLE CAPITAL ON HAND.
WITH AN AVERAGE COST OF ABOUT
$100 PER OUNCE, PETROSSIAN
MOVES OVER $30 MILLION OF FISH
EGGS EACH YEAR.
THE RAREST CAVIAR OF THEM ALL
SELLS FOR OVER $10,000 A POUN.
THAT'S ABOUT $10 PER TINY FISH
EGG, MAKING IT THE MOST
EXPENSIVE LUXURY FOOD ITEM ON
THE PLANET.
ONCE A BOOZY TREAT FOR ADULTS, THIS FROTHY AMERICAN CLASSIC
COMES IN AT NUMBER 59.
THE MILKSHAKE.
>> IN THE UNITED STATES, DURING
THE TIME OF PROHIBITION, A LOT
OF BARS WERE TURNED INTO ICE
CREAM PARLORS.
A PLACE WHERE YOU COULD SIT AND
GET A WHOLESOME MILK-BASED
BEVERAGE.
>> WHISKEY AND EGGS WERE
REPLACED WITH MALTED MILK AND
SYRUP AND AMERICAN DINER
CULTURE WAS BORN.
DINERS BECAME THE EPICENTER OF
TEEN SOCIAL LIFE, AND THE
MILKSHAKE WAS THERE TO LAUNCH
A GENERATION OF ROMANCES.
NUMBER 58 ISN'T JUST A FAST
FOOD, IT'S ALSO A LEGAL
DEFENSE.
THE TWINKIE.
AT THE 1979 TRIAL OF DAN WHITE
FOR THE MURDER OF SAN FRANCISO
MAYOR GEORGE MOSCONE AND
COUNCILMAN HARVEY MILK, THE
DEFENSE TEAM POINTED TO WHITES
CONSUMPTION OF SNACK FOODS LIE
THE TWINKIE AS A TELLTALE SIGN
OF DEPRESSION.
HE AVOIDED A CHARGE OF MURDER
IN THE FIRST DEGREE, AND A NEW
TERM ENTERED THE AMERICAN LEGL
LEXICON --
"THE TWINKIE DEFENSE," A TERM
STILL USED FOR ANY PREPOSTEROS
LEGAL STRATEGY AIMED AT
LESSENING A CRIMINAL CHARGE.
DON'T TOUCH THAT DIAL!
COMING IN AT NUMBER 57 IS THE
SALISBURY STEAK TV DINNER.
DEVELOPED IN 1953 BY THE
SWANSON BROTHERS, THE TV DINNR
CHANGED THE FAMILY DYNAMIC
FOREVER.
READY IN 25 MINUTES, THE TV
DINNER HELPED MILLIONS OF WOMN
PUT DOWN THE APRON AND JUMP
INTO THE WORKFORCE.
IN THEIR FIRST YEAR, SWANSON
DISHED OUT 10 MILLION TV
DINNERS, MAKING IT THE FIRST
FROZEN DINNER TO HIT THE
MAINSTREAM.
FOOD NUMBER 56 IS THE TREAT
THAT SENT THE DESSERT WORLD
SHIMMYING AND SHAKING.
JELL-O.
>> WITH THE INVENTION OF JELL-O,
ANY AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE COULD
JUST PICK UP A LITTLE BOX OF
JELL-O AND CREATE THIS
WONDERFUL, WOBBLING MULTI-HUED
DESSERT IN NO TIME FLAT.
>> BUT THIS BELOVED AMERICAN
DISH ALSO HELPED THE SOVIETS
GET THE ATOMIC BOMB AFTER
WORLD WAR II.
>> IT WAS A GREAT SHOCK WHEN, IN
1949, THE SOVIETS, YEARS EARLIER
THAN THEY WERE EXPECTED TO,
EXPLODED THEIR OWN ATOMIC BOMB.
AND, SUDDENLY, IT LOOKED LIKE
THE UNITED STATES, AND
POTENTIALLY THE ENTIRE FREE
WORLD, COULD MAYBE BE AT THE
MERCY OF THE SOVIETS.
>> SO HOW DID THE SOVIETS FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THE BOB SO QUICKLY?
A SPY RING, LED BY JULIUS AND
ETHEL ROSENBERG, HAD BEEN
SMUGGLING NUCLEAR SECRETS TO
THE SOVIETS FOR YEARS.
FOR ONE FAMOUS MEETING, THE
SPIES WERE EACH INSTRUCTED TO
CARRY A PIECE OF A JELL-O BOX
AS PROOF OF IDENTITY.
>> IT'S JUNE 1945.
ONE MORNING, THERE'S A KNOCK ON
THE DOOR.
DAVID GREENGLASS OPENS THE
DOOR AND IT'S HARRY GOLD.
THEY INVITE HIM IN, GREENGLASS
SAYS, "CAN I SEE SOME
IDENTIFICATION?"
GOLD PULLS OUT THE JELL-O BOX,
AND IT'S PRETTY IMMEDIATELY
CLEAR THAT THIS IS THE MAN SENT
FROM SOVIET INTELLIGENCE.
>> FOUR YEARS LATER, THE
SOVIETS EXPLODED THEIR FIRST
ATOMIC BOMB, AND THE ARMS RACE
WAS ON.
FAST FOODS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD.
THE LIST WAS CREATED BY A
BLUE-RIBBON PANEL OF FOOD GURS
LIKE TOP CHEF SPIKE MENDELSOHN
AND MITCHELL DAVIS OF
THE JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION.
WE LEFT OFF AT NUMBER 55.
NO THREE LETTERS WHET THE
APPETITE LIKE THE LETTERS...
B-L-T.
THIS TASTY TRIO HELPED DRIVE
THE POWERFUL CHICAGO
MERCANTILE EXCHANGE.
EVERY SUMMER, PORK BELLY
TRADING WOULD SPIKE DURING
TOMATO SEASON, AND THIS $840
TRILLION MARKET WOULD SURGE, N
WHAT INDUSTRY INSIDERS REFERRD
TO AS "THE BLT SEASON."
A MAJORITY OF WOMEN IN CONGRES
GOT THEIR START SELLING THESE.
IT'S THE GIRL SCOUT COOKIE.
THE GIRL SCOUTS OF AMERICA SEL
OVER 200 MILLION BOXES OF
COOKIES A YEAR.
SINCE 1917, THE ANNUAL DRIVE
HAS TAUGHT GIRLS THE LEADERSHP
SKILLS NECESSARY TO RAISE
ALMOST A BILLION DOLLARS EACH
SEASON.
THIS YEAR, AMERICANS WILL
CONSUME OVER 100 MILLION POUNS
OF NUMBER 53, BUT IT'S GONNA
TAKE SOME ELBOW GREASE.
IT'S THE OYSTER.
WHAT MAKES THE OYSTER SUCH A
RELUCTANT SNACK IS THE ABDUCTR
MUSCLE.
IT CAN CLAMP DOWN WITH OVER
20 POUNDS OF PRESSURE.
THE TRICK TO OPENING ONE?
INSERT A KNIFE INTO THE HINGE,
TWIST, THEN GENTLY SEPARATE
THE MUSCLE FROM THE SHELL.
>> THE OYSTER IS COOL BECAUSE
IT'S SO RARE IN NATURE THAT A
FOOD PROVIDES ITS OWN SERVING
VESSEL.
THERE IT IS RIGHT ON THE SHELL,
AND YOU EAT IT.
IT'S GREAT.
WHETHER IT'S CALLED A SAMOSA, AN EMPANADA, OR A PASTY,
NUMBER 52 WAS THE FIRST FULL
MEAL ON THE GO.
IT'S THE MEAT PIE.
CONVENIENCE HAS BEEN A CATALYT
OF FOOD INNOVATION FOR
CENTURIES.
THE MEAT PIE LED TO THE RISE OF
A HANDHELD FOOD INDUSTRY THAT
NOW DRAWS IN OVER A BILLION
DOLLARS YEAR.
FAST FOOD NUMBER 51 WAS MEANT TO
BE THE CULINARY EQUIVALENT OF
A COLD SHOWER.
THE GRAHAM CRACKER.
IN 1829, PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER
SYLVESTER GRAHAM INVENTED A
HARD, BLAND CRACKER AIMED AT
CURBING "UNHEALTHY CARNAL
URGES."
>> YOU READ ABOUT THIS IN
ANCIENT GREEK TIMES, THAT THERE
WAS THE IDEA THAT THERE WERE
FOODS THAT WERE HOT, THAT WOULD
GET YOU TOO EXCITED.
SO GRAHAM CRACKERS WOULD BE
LIKE THE ANTI-VIAGRA.
>> THE RIGHT REVEREND WOULD BE
MORTIFIED BY THE SINFUL
SUGAR-AND-CINNAMON TREATS THAT
CARRY HIS NAME TODAY.
OKAY. WE'RE HALFWAY THROUGH OUR COUNTDOWN OF THE 101 FAST FOOS
THAT CHANGED THE WORLD.
WE'VE SEEN HOW TOOTSIE ROLLS
SAVED MARINES DURING
THE KOREAN WAR, HOW THE FORTUE
COOKIE CHANGED THE LIVES OF 10
LUCKY LOTTERY WINNERS, AND HOW
SPACE FOOD HAS ALLOWED US TO
EXPLORE THE HEAVENS.
BUT THAT PALES IN COMPARISON O
THE WAY THE NEXT 50 FOODS
CHANGED THE WORLD.
LET'S START WITH A TACTICAL MOVE TO NUMBER 50.
IT'S THE MRE,
OR MEAL, READY TO EAT.
DEVELOPED AS A COMPACT AND
COMPLETE MILITARY RATION, THE
MRE HAS GIVEN OUR TROOPS THE
EDGE SINCE 1983.
>> IF YOU'RE GOING TO WIN A WAR, YOU NEED TO BE FED, AND THE MRE IS THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION TO THAT
PROBLEM.
>> U.S. COMMANDERS HAVE ALWAYS
UNDERSTOOD THAT, WITHOUT GOOD
FOOD, EVEN THE MOST WELL-OILED
MILITARY MACHINE WILL COME TOA
GRINDING HALT.
AT BASIC TRAINING AT
FORT JACKSON, ARMY DRILL
SERGEANTS ARE PASSING THAT
WISDOM ON TO THE NEXT
GENERATION OF SOLDIERS.
>> ALL RIGHT, SOLDIERS, I'M
GOING TO GIVE YOU A CLASS ON HOW
TO EAT AN MRE, ALL RIGHT.
>> All: HOORAH, DRILL SERGEANT!
>> EACH RUGGED LITTLE POUCH
CONTAINS A TOTAL OF 14 PIECES.
A MAIN COURSE, A SIDE DISH,
DESSERT, AND A HEATING ELEMEN.
>> THEY EVEN TOSSED IN A MOIST
TOWELETTE FOR YOU.
>> THE MRE PLAYED A CRUCIAL
ROLE IN THE SUCCESS OF
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM
IN 2003, HELPING THE ARMY EAT
FOR OVER TWO MONTHS WITHOUT
ACCESS TO FRESH FOOD.
>> A WELL-FED ARMY IS ABSOLUTELY
AN EFFECTIVE ARMY.
KEEP A SOLDIER FED AND HAPPY,
AND THEY'RE GOING TO PERFORM
WELL.
>> COMPLETELY EMPTY.
I ATE THE WHOLE THING.
BEFORE THE MRE, SOLDIERS RELID ON THESE TO BOOST MORALE, AND
FOR THAT, OUR PANEL VOTED THIS
CANDY NUMBER 49.
M&M's.
IN 1941, THE ARMY PICKED
A BRAND-NEW CANDY CALLED THE
M&M TO SEND TO THE FRONT.
>> Smith: M&M's BECOME POPULAR
DURING WORLD WAR II WITH
SOLDIERS BECAUSE THEY COULD BE
CONSUMED IN THE TROPICS, THEY
CAN BE CONSUMED IN THE DESERT.
THEY CAN BE EASILY MOVED FROM
ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER, BECAUSE
THEY MELT IN YOUR MOUTH, NOT IN
YOUR HANDS.
TODAY, MARS CHURNS OUT OVER 40
MILLION M&M's A DAY, MAKING
THEM THE BIGGEST-SELLING CANDY
ON THE PLANET.
NUMBER 48 IS PROOF THAT MAN CN
LIVE ON BREAD ALONE.
HARDTACK.
Krondl: HARDTACK WAS USED BY
SAILORS AND BY SOLDIERS AS A
MILITARY RATION THAT WOULDN'T GO
BAD VERY EASILY, YOU COULD TAKE
IT WITH YOU, IT WAS RELATIVELY
LIGHT, RELATIVELY PORTABLE, AND
HIGH IN CALORIES.
>> THIS TOOTH-BUSTING BREAD
CHANGED THE WAY WARS WERE WAGD
BY ALLOWING TROOPS TO EXTEND
MILITARY CAMPAIGNS FOR YEARS.
ITS SHELF LIFE WAS SO LONG,
HARDTACK MADE FOR THE CIVIL WR
WAS RE-ISSUED ALMOST 40 YEARS
LATER DURING THE
SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
NUMBER 47 IS SMOTHERED IN
SOUTHERN CULTURE, BUT WHEN YOU
GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT, IT'S
BRITISH THROUGH AND THROUGH.
BISCUITS AND GRAVY.
THE WHITE FLOUR BISCUIT WAS
SPREAD AROUND THE GLOBE VIA
BRITISH COLONIALISM.
IT WAS CONSIDERED A RARE TREAT
AND HELPED STRENGTHEN TIES TO
THE CROWN IN EVERY CORNER OF
THE GLOBE.
>> THEY BECOME ASSOCIATED WITH
STATUS, THEY BECOME ASSOCIATED
WITH CULTURE, THEY BECOME
ASSOCIATED WITH THE EMPIRE, THEY
BECOME ASSOCIATED WITH THE
QUEEN.
>> SO FAR, OUR LIST INCLUDES
31 SAVORY FOODS AND ONLY
23 SWEET FOODS.
ACROSS THE U.S., SNACK FOODS
LIKE POTATO CHIPS AND PRETZELS
SLIGHTLY OUTSELL CANDY PRODUCS
BY ABOUT 4%.
AND IT'S CLEAR WHO BUYS WHAT.
STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT WOMEN
TEND TO CRAVE SWEETS WHILE MEN
PREFER SALTY AND SAVORY FOODS.
IT IS THE "GYRO"?
IS IT THE "HERO"?
NOPE, NUMBER 46 IS
PRONOUNCED...
THE "YEE-RO."
BECAUSE THE MEAT IS SO
INEXPENSIVE, THE GYRO IS THE
ONLY FAST FOOD SANDWICH PROVEN
TO BE RECESSION-PROOF.
BUSINESS IS BOOMING IN GREECE,
WHERE THREE BILLION GYROS WERE
SOLD LAST YEAR DURING
THE DEBT CRISIS.
NO TRIP TO THE BIG EASY WOULD
BE COMPLETE WITHOUT TRYING
NUMBER 45...
THE NEW ORLEANS PO' BOY.
>> Garrison: YOU'VE GOT
THE GREAT INGREDIENTS.
IT COULD BE FRIED SHRIMP, IT
COULD BE FRIED OYSTERS, IT COULD
BE ANYTHING -- YOU CAN PUT
ANYTHING YOU WANT IN A PO' BOY.
>> THE THING YOU CAN'T DESCRIBE
WITH YOUR TASTE BUDS IS WHAT A
PO' BOY MAKES YOU FEEL RIGHT
HERE IN YOUR SOUL.
>> AT THE PARKWAY BAKERY AND TAVERN, JUSTIN KENNEDY FILLS OVER A THOUSAND BELLIES A DAY,
PAYING HOMAGE TO THE MOMENT IN
1929 THAT THE PO' BOY WAS BOR.
NEW ORLEANS WAS ENGULFED IN A
VIOLENT STREET CAR STRIKE.
AS THE CONFLICT WORE ON,
GROCERY STORE OWNERS BENNIE AD
CLOVIS MARTIN SUPPORTED THE
STRIKERS BY MAKING THEM
SANDWICHES.
>> THE BROTHERS WOULD SEE
ANOTHER STREET CAR WORKER COMING
UP, THEY'D SAY, "HEY, GET HIM A
SANDWICH, LET'S FEED ANOTHER
POOR BOY."
>> FOOD PLAYS A VERY IMPORTANT
PART IN SOCIAL MOVEMENTS, AND
YOU CAN'T HAVE A MOVEMENT
WITHOUT HAVING THE FOOD TO
SUSTAIN IT.
>> TODAY, THE PO' BOY IS THE
DEMOCRATIC COMFORT FOOD OF
NEW ORLEANS.
EVEN THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF HS
STOPPED BY PARKWAY TO GET HIS
PO' BOY FIX.
11:00 THAT MORNING, A SEWAGE AND
WATER BOARD WORKER CAME IN.
MUST'VE BEEN WORKING ALL THROUGH
THE NIGHT, FILTHY DIRTY.
GOT A SHRIMP SANDWICH.
SHOOK HIS HAND.
FOUR HOURS LATER, THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
GETS THE SAME DAMN THING.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHEN YOU KNOW
YOU GOT SOMETHING.
>> NUMBER 44. THE FAST FOOD THAT COMES WITH
A PRIZE IN EACH BOX.
THE CRACKER JACK.
THIS CONCOCTION OF POPCORN,
MOLASSES, AND PEANUTS CAME OUT
IN 1896 AND CHANGED THE WAY WE
SNACKED.
>> ALL OTHER SNACK FOODS WILL FOLLOW IN THE MODEL THAT IS CREATED BY CRACKER JACK.
THIS IS WHERE YOU WILL BEGIN
TO HAVE THE SNACK FOOD INDUSTRY.
>> TODAY, THAT INDUSTRY IS
WORTH 330 BILLION DOLLARS A
YEAR, ALL THANKS TO
CRACKER JACK.
>> WE'RE COUNTING DOWN THE 101
FAST FOODS THAT CHANGED THE
WORLD.
COMING UP WITH THE LIST WAS NO
EASY FEAT, SO WE CALLED IN THE
EXPERTS.
THE MOST INNOVATIVE CHEFS, FOD
CRITICS, AND CULINARY
AFICIONADOS PUT THEIR MINDS AD
TASTE BUDS TOGETHER TO RANK
THE MOST IMPORTANT FAST FOODS
OF ALL TIME.
NUMBER 43 IS CONSIDERED BY MAY TO BE THE WORLD'S FIRST FAST
FOOD MEAL.
FISH AND CHIPS.
IN 1860, THE COMBINATION OF
FISH AND CHIPS SWEPT BRITAIN,
BECOMING THE QUINTESSENTIAL
MEAL OF THE WORKING MAN.
BUT IT ALSO KICKED OFF 150
YEARS OF OVERFISHING COD THAT
HAS NOW MADE FISH AND CHIPS A
PRICEY DISH.
NUMBER 42 WAS AMERICA'S FIRST
CHOCOLATE BAR FOR THE MASSES.
THE HERSHEY BAR.
>> MILTON HERSHEY COMES ALONG
AND FIGURES OUT HOW TO
COMMERCIALLY MAKE IT WITH
MACHINES, AND THIS WILL CREATE
THE CHOCOLATE INDUSTRY THAT WE
ALL KNOW AND LOVE TODAY.
>> Mendelsohn: REALLY MADE IT
FEEL LIKE IT WAS A LITTLE GIFT.
YOU KNOW, A LITTLE SLICE OF
HEAVEN, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE
GETTING WHEN YOU UNWRAP THIS
BEAUTIFUL, LITTLE CHOCOLATE BAR.
YOU'RE GOING TO GET, LIKE, A
LITTLE BIT OF THE GOOD LIFE.
>> BUT IT DIDN'T JUST TRANSFOM AMERICA. IT CHANGED THE LIVES OF A
GENERATION OF KIDS IN POSTWAR
GERMANY.
1948 -- WEST BERLIN.
THE SOVIETS HAD CUT OFF SUPPLY
ROUTES, AND THE CITY WAS
STARVING.
>> THE FOOD WAS GONE.
EVERYTHING WAS CUT OFF.
THEY WERE DESPERATE FOR
SOMETHING TO EAT.
>> 27-YEAR-OLD PILOT
GAIL HALVORSEN NOTICED A GROUP
OF KIDS HANGING OUT AT THE END
OF THE AIRSTRIP AND GAVE THEM
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
>> WHEN I COME INTO LAND, I'M GOING TO DROP ENOUGH CHOCOLATE
FOR ALL OF YOU, IF YOU'LL SHARE.
"JAWOHL! JAWOHL!" THEY SAID.
"WE'LL SHARE THE CHOCOLATE,
WE'LL SHARE IT!"
>> THE NEXT DAY, HALVORSEN TIPPED HIS WINGS AS A SIGNAL AND DROPPED PARACHUTES, EACH
WITH A HERSHEY BAR ATTACHED.
WITHIN A FEW YEARS,
"UNCLE WIGGLY WINGS," AS HE
CAME TO BE KNOWN, DROPPED OVER
20 TONS OF CANDY TO THE KIDS F
WEST BERLIN.
AT AGE 92, HALVORSEN IS STILL
AT IT.
>> I'M READY TO GO, AND WE'RE
GOING TO WIGGLE THE WINGS.
>> TODAY'S MISSION --
A CHRISTMAS DROP FOR THE KIDS
OF OUTER BANKS, NORTH CAROLIN.
EVERY YEAR, HALVORSEN DELIGHTS
A NEW GENERATION OF CHILDREN
AND COMMEMORATES THE DROPS THT
GAVE THE KIDS OF BERLIN HOPE.
[ KIDS SHOUTING ]
>> OKAY, DROP IT.
>> I THINK THAT NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE WORLD AS A CHILD,
THAT YOU SEE CANDY FALLING FROM
THE SKY, IT'S A PRETTY GOOD DAY.
>> IT'S MINE!
>> YOU CAN POP NUMBER 41 IN
YOUR MOUTH, BUT YOU MIGHT WANT
TO THINK TWICE ABOUT IT.
THE HOT PEPPER.
>> Segan: THE HOT PEPPER
IS VERY IMPORTANT.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE NEW WORLD
FOODS THAT TRAVELED AND CHANGED
THE WORLD, IT CHANGED CUISINE.
>> THE HOT PEPPER SPREAD ACROS THE GLOBE, SETTING FIRE TO INDIAN FOOD AND PUTTING
THE ZING IN THAI.
>> AAH!
>> TODAY, WE'VE BRED HOT
PEPPERS THAT WILL LITERALLY
BLOW YOUR MIND.
AT OVER 400 TIMES HOTTER THAN
TABASCO SAUCE, THE TRINIDAD
MORUGA SCORPION TAKES THE CRON
AS THE HOTTEST PEPPER ON THE
PLANET.
>> UGH.
>> I CAN'T BREATHE.
[ COUGHS ]
>> AND THEY'RE BEST EATEN IN
MODERATION.
AMERICANS EAT MORE OF NUMBER 0 THAN THE REAL DEAL.
IT'S PROCESSED CHEESE.
LEGALLY, IT MUST BE CALLED
"CHEESE FOOD," AS IT ONLY
CONTAINS ABOUT 51% PERCENT
REAL CHEESE.
PROCESSED CHEESE OPENED THE
DOOR FOR A WHOLE WORLD OF CHEP
ALTERNA-FOODS THAT HAVE MORE O
DO WITH SCIENCE THAN NATURE.
TAKE PROCESSED CHEESE, ADD
BREAD, AND YOU'VE GOT
NUMBER 39.
THE GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH.
ORIGINALLY PRESENTED OPEN-FACE
IN THE 1920s AND CALLED THE
"CHEESE DREAM" THROUGH
THE '50s, THIS DISH GOT US
THROUGH HARD TIMES.
THE GRILLED CHEESE HELPED
FAMILIES STRETCH THE DOLLAR AD
MADE THE DEPRESSION
A LITTLE LESS DEPRESSING.
NUMBER 38 HAS EARNED A
REPUTATION AS THE SWEET TREAT
THAT MAKES COPS GO NUTS.
IT'S THE DOUGHNUT.
AMERICANS EAT ABOUT 11 BILLION
OF THESE CALORIE BOMBS A YEAR,
BUT NO ONE TAKES AS MUCH HEAT
AS COPS FOR LOVING DONUTS.
>> OH, WE GET A LOT OF COPS IN
HERE.
WE DO HAVE A LOT OF POLICE THAT
COME IN HERE.
THEY'RE DEDICATED.
THEY COME IN QUIETLY.
THEY JUST WALK IN AND GET
THEIR DONUTS, AND THEY LEAVE.
>> DENNIS GIBLIANT WOULD KNOW. HE AND HIS BUSINESS PARTNERS T BLUE DOT DONUTS ARE ALL
NEW ORLEANS COPS.
>> DONUT SHOP RUN BY COPS?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
ABOUT A YEAR AGO, THESE COPS
EMBRACED THE STEREOTYPE AND GT
INTO THE DONUT BUSINESS, MUCH
TO THE AMUSEMENT OF THE BOYS
DOWN AT THE PRECINCT.
>> IT NEVER ENDS, IT NEVER ENDS.
I MEAN, EVERY DAY, IT'S LIKE,
"DONUT BOY" AND ALL THAT STUFF
THEY'RE JEALOUS.
>> BUT WHERE DID THE JOKE ABOUT
COPS AND DONUTS START?
>> ONE OF THE BEST THEORIES IS THAT DOUGHNUT SHOPS USED TO BE
OPEN 24 HOURS, AND ANY TIME OF
DAY OR NIGHT, A COP WHO WAS ON
THE BEAT COULD DROP BY, WARM
THEMSELVES UP WITH A CUP OF JOE
AND A DOUGHNUT.
>> BEFORE THE 24/7 CONVENIENCE STORE, THE DOUGHNUT SHOP WAS THE ONLY PLACE A COP COULD GRB
A MIDNIGHT SNACK AND GO.
TODAY, THE SOURCE OF THE JOKE
IS LOST TO HISTORY, BUT THE
PUNCH LINE REMAINS, THANKS TO
AMERICA'S FIRST LATE NIGHT
SNACK.
>> DAMN, THAT'S GOOD.
CRAZY GOOD.
>> THIS POTATO PASTRY HAS APPARENTLY BEEN DECIDING
NEW YORK ELECTIONS FOR
GENERATIONS.
NUMBER 37 IS THE KNISH.
IT'S BEEN SAID THAT NO NEW YOK
POLITICIAN HAS BEEN ELECTED IN
THE LAST 50 YEARS WITHOUT
HAVING AT LEAST ONE PHOTOGRAPH
TAKEN ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE
WITH A KNISH IN HIS FACE.
NUMBER 36 IS THE ORIGINAL ROAD
FOOD -- MATZOH.
WHEN MOSES AND THE JEWS WERE N
THE RUN FROM SLAVERY IN EGYPT,
THEY DIDN'T EXACTLY HAVE TIME
TO BAKE A TRADITIONAL LOAF OF
BREAD.
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT ANY OTHER
FOOD ON THE LIST HAS BEEN ROAD
TESTED FOR PORTABILITY QUITE THE
WAY MATZOH WAS.
>> TODAY, JEWS STILL PAY HOMAE
TO THE EXODUS BY MUNCHING
MATZOH DURING PASSOVER.
NUMBER 35 WAS CONSIDERED SCRAP
MEAT THAT COULDN'T BE GIVEN
AWAY.
THE BUFFALO WING.
IN 1964, TERESSA BELLISSIMO OF
BUFFALO, NEW YORK, CHANGED ALL
THAT.
SHE COOKED UP A PLATE OF SCRAP
WINGS FOR HER HUNGRY SON AND
TURNED THE POULTRY INDUSTRY ON
ITS HEAD.
THE WING NOW ADDS ALMOST FOUR
AND A HALF BILLION DOLLARS
WORTH OF VALUE TO THE POULTRY
INDUSTRY EACH YEAR.
NUMBER 34 IS COMING TO YOU IN
THE BLINK OF AN EYE.
CHINESE TAKEOUT.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW CHINEE
FOOD CHANGED THE WORLD,
CONSIDER THIS -- TODAY, THERE
ARE MORE CHINESE RESTAURANTS N
THE U.S. THAN McDONALD'S,
BURGER KINGS, KFCs,
AND TACO BELLS COMBINED!
AT HOP KEE IN NEW YORK CITY,
PETER LEE AND HIS FAMILY HAVE
BEEN GETTING FOOD OUT THE DOOR
AT LIGHTNING SPEEDS FOR OVER
40 YEARS.
>> I'VE CALLED FOR CHINESE
TAKEOUT, AND YOU KNOW, I CAN'T
BELIEVE I HANG UP THE PHONE AND
THERE'S THE DOORBELL.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO IT.
>> SO WHAT'S THE SECRET?
HOURS OF PREP WORK ENSURES
EVERYTHING IS READY TO GO WHEN
AN ORDER COMES IN.
AND THE REASON THE FOOD IS
ALWAYS PIPING HOT WHEN IT
ARRIVES AT YOUR FRONT DOOR?
IT'S PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE
PACKAGING.
THE CLASSIC TAKEOUT BOX IS A
SINGLE PIECE OF PAPER, FOLDED
INTO A LEAK-PROOF CONTAINER,
AND SECURED WITH A WIRE HANDL.
ONCE IT'S PACKED, THE TAPERED
SHAPE FUNNELS HEAT UPWARDS TO
KEEP YOUR KUNG PAO CHICKEN AT
JUST THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE.
BUT AMERICA'S REACTION TO CHINESE FOOD WAS LUKEWARM AT BEST WHEN IT WAS INTRODUCED IN
THE LATE 19th CENTURY.
>> THEY FIND VERY QUICKLY THAT
MAINSTREAM AMERICANS REALLY DID
NOT LIKE CHINESE FOOD, AND SO
THEY STARTED TO CREATE NEW
TYPES OF FOOD.
>> CHINESE CHEFS ADAPTED AND
CREATED DISHES WITH FEWER
VEGETABLES, MORE MEAT,
AND THICKER, SWEETER SAUCES.
>> Man: AMERICAN CULTURE
LOVES CHINESE FOOD.
EVERYBODY LOVES CHINESE FOOD.
THEY LOVE OUR FOOD, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE IT.
I THINK THAT'S THE THING.
>> NUMBER 33 HAS BUILT
AN EMPIRE ON THE SIMPLE FACT
THAT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO EAT
JUST ONE.
THE CHIP.
THE POTATO CHIP RULES AS
AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE SNACK
FOOD, BUT IT'S THE CORN CHIP
THAT HELPED ESTABLISH A GREAT
CIVILIZATION.
WHEN THE AZTECS STARTED
PROCESSING CORNMEAL WITH WOOD
ASH TO MAKE TORTILLAS, THEY
INADVERTENTLY ADDED TONS OF
AMINO ACIDS TO THEIR DIET.
SCIENTIST THINK THESE VITAL
NUTRIENTS GAVE THEM THE ENERGY
TO BUILD A VAST EMPIRE.
NUMBER 32 WAS INVENTED BY
MISTAKE IN 1930.
IT'S THE CHOCOLATE CHIP
COOKIE.
WHEN RUTH WAKEFIELD MIXED A
BATCH OF CHOCOLATE COOKIES
USING A CHOCOLATE BAR INSTEAD OF TRADITIONAL BAKER'S CHOCOLATE, THE CHUNKS DIDN'T
BLEND WITH THE DOUGH, AND THE
WORLD WAS CHANGED FOREVER.
WAKEFIELD'S BATCH OF BOTCHED
COOKIES TRIGGERED A REVOLUTIO.
>> CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES REALLY
GOT A LOT OF AMERICANS WHO
WOULDN'T GO INTO THE KITCHEN
INTO THE KITCHEN TO BAKE.
>> TODAY, 50% OF ALL COOKIES
BAKED IN AMERICA ARE CHOCOLATE
CHIP.
THAT ADDS UP TO ABOUT THREE AD
A HALF BILLION COOKIES BAKED
EVERY YEAR.
IT'S THOUGHT THAT NUMBER 31 HELPED SAVE ANCIENT PERSIANS
DURING A FUEL CRISIS.
IT'S THE SHISH KEBAB.
BY 800 BC, THE PEOPLE OF
ANCIENT GREECE BEGAN COOKING
BITE-SIZED MEAT CHUNKS OVER
SMALL FIRES TO STRETCH COOKING
FUEL.
THIS NEW COOKING PROCESS PAVED
THE WAY FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS
OF STREET VENDORS.
NUMBER 30 MAY BE THE OLDEST
FAST FOOD ON THE PLANET.
THE DATE.
>> Krondl: DATES ARE INCREDIBLY
DENSE IN CALORIES, BUT THEY ALSO
HAVE OTHER MICRONUTRIENTS --
IRON, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, IN SOME WAYS, IF YOU HAD TO SURVIVE ON JUST ONE FOOD, YOU WOULD DO BETTER TO SURVIVE ON
DATES THAN ON BREAD.
>> THE PRODUCTION OF HIGHLY
NUTRITIOUS DATES IN ANCIENT
MESOPOTAMIA WAS ONE OF THE
DRIVING FORCES BEHIND THE
BEGINNING OF THE WORLD'S FIRST
CIVILIZATION.
AT NUMBER 29, OUR BLUE-RIBBON PANEL CHOSE JAPAN'S MOST FAMOS
CULINARY EXPORT.
SUSHI.
>> Smith: IF ANYONE HAD TOLD
ME IN THE 1950s THAT SOMEBODY
WOULD BE EATING RAW FISH, I
WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THEY WERE
CRAZY -- THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN
TAKEN OFF TO THE FUNNY FARM.
>> WHAT STARTED AS A SIMPLE DISH OF FISH AND RICE IN 19th CENTURY JAPAN BECAME A GLOBAL
SENSATION OVER THE NEXT HUNDRD
YEARS.
SUSHI WAS ON A ROLL IN THE U..
BY THE 1980s, WITH THE NUMBER
OF SUSHI RESTAURANTS
QUINTUPLING BY 2000.
WITH ITS GROWING POPULARITY,
CONCERNS ABOUT CONSUMING RAW
FISH ABATED.
BUT, FOR SOME, THE POTENTIAL
RISK IS THE ATTRACTION, AND
THEY SEEK IT OUT.
AND NONE IS MORE INFAMOUS THAN
THE POISONOUS PUFFER FISH KNON
AS FUGU.
>> CHEF MORIMOTO'S RESTAURANT IN NEW YORK CITY IS ONE OF ONY 17 THAT CAN SERVE FUGU IN
THE U.S., AS THE TOXIN IS A
THOUSAND TIMES MORE POWERFUL
THAN CYANIDE.
>> OH, NO!
>> AND IT AIN'T CHEAP.
>> YOU'D THINK A FOOD THIS EXPENSIVE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY KILL YOU IS GOING
TO BE THE BEST THING YOU EVER
ATE, RIGHT?
>> THE SURPRISE IS THAT, FOR ALL THE RISK AND ALL OF THE RITUAL
AROUND CONSUMING FUGU, IT
ACTUALLY DOESN'T HAVE MUCH
FLAVOR.
>> Mendelsohn: I'D RATHER JUST
HAVE A PIECE OF SALMON.
FORGET ALL THE DRAMA.
THERE'S PLENTY OF FISH IN
THE SEA.
LET'S JUST LEAVE THE FUGU ALONE.
>> WE'RE COUNTING DOWN THE 101 FAST FOODS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD.
SO HOW FAST IS FAST?
THE AVERAGE TIME SPENT AT A
McDONALD'S DRIVE-THROUGH, FROM
PLACING AN ORDER TO DRIVING
AWAY, IS TWO MINUTES AND 36
SECONDS.
SO LET'S NOT WASTE ANOTHER
MOMENT AND GET BACK TO
THE COUNTDOWN.
NUMBER 28 IS THE FIRST FAST FOOD TO PASS OUR LIPS.
INFANT FORMULA.
>> THROUGH SCIENCE, WE TRY TO
REPLICATE ALL THE NUTRIENTS THAT
ARE IN MOTHER'S MILK AND CREATE
INFANT FORMULA, WHICH WAS VERY
FREEING FOR MANY MANY WOMEN.
>> FEMINISTS CALLED IT
"WOMEN'S LIB IN A CAN," AND BY
1970, 75% OF NEWBORNS WERE
BEING FED WITH FORMULA.
IT HELPED PAVE THE WAY FOR AN
ENTIRE GENERATION OF MOTHERS O
GET HIGHER EDUCATION AND ENTER
THE MALE-DOMINATED WORKPLACE.
OUR PANEL PUT THE MOST
INFLUENTIAL DRIED FRUIT IN
HISTORY AT NUMBER 27.
THE RAISIN.
WHEN HANNIBAL MADE HIS
LEGENDARY CROSSING OF THE ALP,
HE KEPT THE CARTHAGINIAN ARMY
GOING WITH RAISINS.
SAFELY THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS,
THEY CAUGHT THE ROMAN ARMY
OFF GUARD AND ALMOST BROUGHT
DOWN AN EMPIRE.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, EATING
NUMBER 26 DURING A MOVIE USED
TO BE CONSIDERED LOW CLASS.
POPCORN.
ALL THAT CHANGED DURING THE
GREAT DEPRESSION.
WITH ATTENDANCE DOWN, THEATERS
EMBRACED POPCORN TO BOOST
PROFITS.
TODAY, POPCORN IS A MAIN
ATTRACTION, ACCOUNTING FOR
NEARLY 40 PERCENT OF THEATERS'
REVENUE.
NUMBER 25 KEPT COWBOYS MOSEYIG
DOWN THAT DUSTY TRAIL.
IT'S CHILI.
BETWEEN 1866 AND 1885, TEXAS
COWBOYS DROVE ABOUT 20 MILLION
HEAD OF CATTLE NORTH TO KANSAS
AND INVENTED CHILI ALONG THE
WAY.
>> YOU GOT TO TRY TO IMAGINE,
YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY COWBOYS HAD
A TOUGH JOB ON THEM TRAIL
DRIVES, BUT SO DID THE COOK.
>> CHILI WAS BORN OUT OF RESOURCEFULNESS. TAKE WHATEVER MEAT YOU HAD,
THROW IN SOME WILD HERBS AND
CHILIES FROM ALONG THE TRAIL,
AND YOU HAD A HOT MEAL.
CHILI KEPT COWBOYS FED AND
HELPED POWER THE CATTLE BOOM.
THIS FAST FOOD IS MORE THAN JUST A QUICK DINNER FIX.
IT HELPED FEED AN ENTIRE
NATION.
NUMBER 24...
IS KRAFT MACARONI AND CHEESE.
ONCE MEAT AND DAIRY RATIONING
BEGAN DURING WORLD WAR II,
AMERICANS EMBRACED THE BOX OF
CHEESY GOODNESS.
AT THE COST OF TWO BOXES PER
RATION CARD, 80 MILLION WERE
SOLD IN 1943 ALONE -- ABOUT A
HALF A BOX FOR EVERY MAN, WOMN
AND CHILD IN AMERICA.
WHEN KEITH KELLOGG TOASTED UP
SOME STALE DOUGH BACK IN 1894,
LITTLE DID HE KNOW HE HAD
CREATED FAST FOOD NUMBER 23.
CORN FLAKES.
>> Segan: BREAKFAST USED TO BE
SOMETHING THAT WAS PORRIDGES
THAT WOULD TAKE A LONG TIME TO
COOK.
SOCIETY WAS CHANGING.
PEOPLE NEEDED SOMETHING QUICK
FOR BREAKFAST, SOMETHING
HEALTHY.
IT WAS A WONDERFUL REVOLUTION.
>> CORN FLAKES BECAME THE FIRT
PACKAGED, READY-TO-EAT CEREAL,
GIVING US A WHOLE NEW BREAKFAT
OPTION.
TODAY, ABOUT 40% OF THE WORLD
STARTS THEIR DAY WITH A BOWL F
CEREAL.
OVER 50% OF KIDS LEAVE THE
HOUSE FOR SCHOOL WITH NUMBER 2
IN THEIR LUNCHBOX.
THE PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY
SANDWICH.
>> IF YOU'RE A PARENT, YOU GOT
KIDS IN THE MORNING, AND YOU'RE
IN A RUSH, YOU GOT TO PACK A
LUNCH FOR 'EM.
WHAT'S EASIER THAN SLAPPING ON
PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY IN THE
SANDWICH WITH SOME CHIPS AND
GOOD-BYE.
>> THE AVERAGE CHILD WILL EAT
ABOUT 1,500 PB&Js BY THE TIME
THEY GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOO.
IT'S A PERFECT PAIRING THAT
GIVES KIDS WHAT THEY NEED TO
GET THROUGH THE DAY.
TWO TABLESPOONS OF PEANUT
BUTTER CONTAIN ABOUT 10 GRAMS
OF PROTEIN TO HELP THE BODY AD
BRAIN GROW.
ON THE SWEET SIDE, JELLY ADDS
26 GRAMS OF CARBS, BOOSTING
SHORT- AND LONG-TERM ENERGY.
BUT IT'S ADULTS WHO CONSUME
TWO-THIRDS OF ALL PEANUT BUTTR
AND JELLY SOLD EACH YEAR.
>> I HAD PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY
FOR BREAKFAST TODAY, AND I THINK
THAT THEY'RE AMAZING.
>> IT IS FIRST AN UPPER-CLASS
FOOD, AND BY THE 1920s, WHEN
THE DEPRESSION WILL HIT, IT
BECOMES A LOWER-CLASS FOOD.
LOW-COST, HIGH PROTEIN, GOOD
FOOD.
>> AND IT STILL IS THE FOOD OF
TOUGH TIMES.
THANKS TO THE RECESSION, 2011
SAW THE SALES OF PEANUT BUTTER
JUMP A WHOPPING 9%.
SOME CALL THEM SUBMARINES,
OTHERS CALL THEM HEROES, BUT N
PHILADELPHIA, THERE'S ONLY ONE
NAME FOR NUMBER 21 --
THE HOAGIE.
LEGEND HAS IT THE HOAGIE WAS
NAMED AFTER HOG ISLAND, A NAVL
SHIPYARD IN PHILLY.
DURING WORLD WAR I, ITALIAN SHIPBUILDERS WOULD LUNCH ON GIGANTIC SANDWICHES PILED HIGH
WITH THE WORKS.
THE CONCOCTION CAME TO BE KNON
AS THE "HOGGIE," AND LATER,
THE HOAGIE.
WE'VE MADE IT TO THE TOP 20 OF
THE 101 FAST FOODS THAT CHANGD
THE WORLD.
OUR BLUE-RIBBON PANEL VOTED,
AND THESE ARE THE GAME
CHANGERS.
THESE ARE THE FOODS YOU CAN'T
IMAGINE LIVING WITHOUT AND THE
ONES THAT HAVE CHANGED HISTORY
FOREVER.
AND NOW BACK TO THE COUNTDOWN.
NUMBER 20. IT'S BEEN THE SAVING GRACE OF
COLLEGE STUDENTS FOR DECADES.
INSTANT NOODLES.
>> THIS IS THE ONLY FOOD ON OUR
LIST WHERE ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS
ADD HOT WATER AND THEN, BOOM,
YOU HAVE A MEAL.
IN 1958, MOMOFUKU ANDO
FLASH FRIED SOME NOODLES AND
INVENTED THE MOST IMPACTFUL
PRODUCT EVER TO COME OUT JAPA.
TODAY, 95 BILLION PACKAGES OF INSTANT NOODLES ARE SOLD EVERY
YEAR.
THAT'S MORE NOODLES THAN
JAPANESE CARS, TELEVISIONS,
COMPUTERS, AND DVD PLAYERS SOD
IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF JAPA.
>> IT'S EASY, IT'S INEXPENSIVE, AND IT'S COMFORTING -- YOU GOT THE THREE THINGS THAT PEOPLE
LIKE.
>> AND IT'S WHY INSTANT NOODLS
HAVE ALSO BECOME A LIFESAVER.
MAY 2011.
A MASSIVE TSUNAMI ROCKS THE
COAST OF JAPAN.
WITHOUT ELECTRICITY AND VERY
LITTLE WATER, HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE SURVIVED
FOR WEEKS ON INSTANT NOODLES.
IT TURNS OUT JAPAN'S BIGGEST
EXPORT HELPED SAVE COUNTLESS
LIVES RIGHT AT HOME.
TAKE A LITTLE DOUGH, FILL IT, WRAP IT UP AND YOU HAVE FAST
FOOD NUMBER 19, THE DUMPLING.
TRAVELERS ATE DUMPLINGS ALONG
THE SILK ROAD AS EARLY AS THE
1st CENTURY, SPREADING THE IDA
ACROSS CONTINENTS.
FROM CHINESE WONTONS TO THE
POLISH PIEROGI, DUMPLINGS FED
THE MASSES FOR HUNDREDS OF
YEARS.
FILLED WITH WHAT WAS ON HAND,
DUMPLINGS FED WHOLE FAMILIES
BY STRETCHING MEATS AND OTHER
INGREDIENTS FARTHER DURING HAD
TIMES, LIKE CHICKEN AND
DUMPLINGS DID THROUGHOUT THE
GREAT DEPRESSION.
NUMBER 18 HAS BECOME ONE OF TE
BIGGEST-SELLING FAST FOODS OF
THIS GENERATION.
THE BURRITO.
WHEN YOU ADD UP ALL THE
TORTILLAS, BEANS, MEAT,
LETTUCE, SALSA, GUACAMOLE, AND
RICE USED TO MAKE BURRITOS,
YOU'RE LOOKING AT NEARLY
$128 BILLION DOLLARS ROLLED
INTO THE U.S. ECONOMY, WITH
NEARLY $2 BILLION SPENT ON
TORTILLAS ALONE.
THAT'S A STIMULUS PLAN MOST OF
US CAN GET BEHIND.
OUTSIDE OF SUGAR AND COFFEE,
NUMBER 17 FLIES OFF THE SHELF
FASTER THAN ANY OTHER FOOD IN
THE GROCERY STORE.
CANNED TUNA.
AMERICANS EAT ABOUT A BILLION
POUNDS OF CANNED TUNA EACH
YEAR, 83% OF IT FOR LUNCH.
>> FOR ME, CANNED TUNA IS ONE OF
THE MOST IMPORTANT FOODS ON THE
LIST.
>> Pashman: THE PRACTICALITY OF
CANNED FOOD CANNOT BE
UNDERSTATED.
YOU CAN GO ANYWHERE IN THE
WORLD, AND IF YOU HAVE A CAN OF
TUNA WITH YOU, YOU'RE NOT GOING
TO DIE.
THAT'S AN AMAZING THING.
>> ABOUT 100 YEARS AGO, FISHERMEN IN CALIFORNIA GAVE LANDLOCKED AMERICA ITS FIRST
TASTE OF TUNA VIA THE CAN, AND
IT TOOK OFF.
>> YOU HAVE THIS BEGINNING OF
THE TUNA INDUSTRY, WHICH STARTS
OFF BECAUSE PEOPLE THINK THAT
TUNA THAT'S IN THE CAN TASTES
LIKE CHICKEN.
>> BY THE 1950s, FISHERMEN HAD
ABANDONED THEIR POLES AND
DEVELOPED MORE EFFICIENT WAYS
OF CATCHING TUNA.
BUT IT CAME WITH A VERY
UNFORTUNATE SIDE EFFECT --
MILLIONS OF DEAD DOLPHINS.
IN 1988, A VIDEO EXPOSING THIS
GRIM SIDE OF THE MODERN TUNA
INDUSTRY SHOCKED THE WORLD.
IT RESULTED IN DOLPHIN-SAFE
TUNA AND DEMONSTRATED, FOR THE
FIRST TIME, THE POWER OF THE
PEOPLE TO IMPACT THE FOOD
INDUSTRY.
>> WE'RE BACK WITH THE TOP 101 FAST FOODS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD, AND WE'RE RACING TOWARS
THIS FAST FOOD USED TO MAKE TE WORLD TURN, AND FOR THAT, OUR
PANEL VOTED IT NUMBER 16.
THE OLIVE.
IN THE ANCIENT WORLD, OLIVE OL
HELPED BUILD THE LARGEST TRADE
NETWORKS KNOWN TO MAN.
THE ROMANS USED IT TO POWER
THEIR ECONOMY AND BUILD THE
GREATEST EMPIRE IN THE WORLD.
332 MILLION TONS OF FAST FOOD
NUMBER 15 IS GROWN IN THE U.S.
EACH YEAR, YET WE ONLY EAT
ABOUT .3% OF THE CROP.
IT'S CORN ON THE COB.
>> CORN HAS BECOME UBIQUITOUS IN
OUR CULTURE AND SOCIETY.
IT'S FOOD, IT'S FUEL, IT'S FEED
FOR OUR LIVESTOCK.
>> CORN WAS FIRST GROWN 7,000
YEARS AGO BY THE PEOPLE OF
CENTRAL MEXICO.
IT ALLOWED THE AZTECS TO BUILD A VAST EMPIRE, AND IT WAS THE FIRST THING AMERICAN INDIANS
SHOWED COLONISTS HOW TO GROW N
THE NEW WORLD.
>> THERE WOULD NOT BE
A UNITED STATES WITHOUT CORN
AND CORN PRODUCTION BY
NATIVE AMERICANS.
>> TODAY, OVER 800 MILLION TOS
OF CORN ARE PRODUCED WORLDWID,
MORE THAN ANY OTHER CROP ON TE
PLANET.
IT'S BEEN CALLED THE "HAMBURGR OF THE MIDDLE EAST."
NUMBER 14 IS THE FALAFEL.
MADE WITH MASHED FAVA BEANS,
FALAFEL WAS INVENTED 1,000
YEARS AGO BY COPTIC CHRISTIANS
IN EGYPT AS A MEATLESS
ALTERNATIVE FOR LENT.
ONCE FALAFEL MADE IT TO ISRAE,
COOKS REPLACED FAVA BEANS WITH
CHICKPEAS.
THE DEBATE OVER THE INGREDIENS
REMAINS A HOT-BUTTON TOPIC
BETWEEN ARABS AND JEWS IN AN
ALREADY TENSE MIDDLE EAST.
OUR MOST CULTURED FAST FOOD
COMES IN AT NUMBER 13.
YOGURT.
THE AVERAGE CUP HAS ABOUT 700
BILLION MICROORGANISMS IN IT,
PROMOTING HEALTHY DIGESTION.
IT'S THOUGHT YOGURT WAS
DISCOVERED DURING THE
BRONZE AGE, WHEN BACTERIA
CAUSED A SUPPLY OF MILK TO
FERMENT ACCIDENTALLY.
IT TASTED GOOD ENOUGH FOR MAN
TO TRY AGAIN, MAKING YOGURT OE
OF THE FIRST PROCESSED FOODS N
THE WORLD.
AT NUMBER 12 IS THE ETHNIC
UNDERDOG THAT MADE IT TO THE
MAINSTREAM.
THE BAGEL.
WE EAT BAGELS TO THE TUNE OF
ALMOST A HALF A BILLION DOLLAS
A YEAR.
BUT DAVIDOVICH BAKERY IN QUEES
IS THE ONLY WHOLESALE COMPANY
IN THE WORLD MAKING BAGELS THE
OLD-FASHIONED WAY -- BY HAND.
>> A REAL BAGEL IS HAND-ROLLED,
KETTLE-BOILED, MADE ON WOODEN
PLANKS IN THE OVEN.
ANYTHING SHORT OF THAT IS BREAD
THAT LOOKS LIKE A BAGEL.
>> 100 YEARS AGO, JEWISH
IMMIGRANTS IN NEW YORK MADE
ALL BAGELS BY HAND.
THEN, IN THE 1950s,
HARRY LENDER STARTED
MASS-PRODUCING AND FREEZING
BAGELS.
IT ALLOWED THE REST OF THE
COUNTRY TO TASTE THE BEST-KEPT
CULINARY SECRET IN NEW YORK.
>> THEY WILL NOT BECOME POPULAR
IN AMERICA IN THE MAINSTREAM
UNTIL THE 1960s AND 1970s.
>> NOW BREAD MAKERS CRANK OUT 40 MILLION BAGS OF BAGELS A YEAR, BUT PURIST, SMALL-BATCH
OUTFITS LIKE DAVIDOVICH WILL
HOPEFULLY ALWAYS BE THERE TO
KEEP US CONNECTED TO THE ROOTS
OF THIS ICONIC NEW YORK FOOD.
>> NEW YORK USES THE BIG APPLE
AS THE LOGO.
I THINK IT SHOULD USE THE BIG
BAGEL.
>> FAST FOOD NUMBER 11 GAVE US THE CURE FOR SPOILED MEAT.
IT'S COLD CUTS.
SMOKED AND CURED MEATS HAVE
BEEN A STAPLE IN AMERICA FROM
THE VERY FIRST SETTLERS AT
JAMESTOWN ALL THE WAY INTO THE
21st CENTURY.
TODAY, THESE PROCESSED MEATS ARE A $30 BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY.
WE'VE HIT A MILESTONE.
THE TOP 10 OF THE 101 FAST
FOODS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD.
WE'VE SEEN HOW THE HERSHEY BAR
HELPED HEAL THE WOUNDS OF THE
COLD WAR, HOW CORN HELPED US
SURVIVE IN THE NEW WORLD, AND
WE'VE SEEN HOW INFANT FORMULA
FOSTERED A REVOLUTION IN THE
WORKPLACE.
NOW WE UNVEIL THE VERY BEST OF
THE BEST -- THE TOP 10 FAST
FOODS OF ALL TIME.
WITHOUT FAST FOOD NUMBER 10, THE BURGER WOULDN'T BE THE
SAME.
FRENCH FRIES.
>> IF THERE IS ONE ODOR THAT
DRIVES PEOPLE TO McDONALD'S,
IT'S THAT DEEP-FRIED POTATO.
THAT'S A GREATER SELL THAN ANY
COMMERCIAL.
>> ON AVERAGE, THEY MAKE UP
ABOUT 13% OF EVERY FAST FOOD
MEAL SOLD.
BUT IT WASN'T REALLY THAT LONG AGO THAT THE FRY TEAMED UP WIH ITS MORE FAMOUS PARTNER.
>> Smith: WHEN WORLD WAR II
COMES ALONG, YOU HAVE BEEF
THAT'S RATIONED, AND YOU HAVE
THESE FAST FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
BUILT ON HAMBURGERS WHO CAN'T
SELL THE HAMBURGER.
AND SO THEY'VE GOT TO MOVE TO
OTHER THINGS.
>> BY THE 1950s, DEMAND FOR
FRENCH FRIES WAS BOOMING.
THAT'S WHEN RAY KROC, OWNER OF
McDONALD'S, SOUGHT OUT A WAY
TO PRE-MAKE THEM.
>> WHAT THEY DEVELOPED WAS A FROZEN PRODUCT, PARTIALLY
COOKED, THAT THEY CAN THEN
JUST POP IN THE FRYOLATOR, AND
OUT COMES THIS WONDERFUL, CRISPY
FRENCH FRY.
>> TODAY, ONE OUT OF EVERY
THREE FRIES EATEN IN THE U.S.
COMES FROM A McDONALD'S
FRYOLATOR, ACCOUNTING FOR 7% F
ALL THE POTATOES GROWN IN
THE U.S.
FRENCH FRIES HAVE ROCKED OUR
WORLD, BUT WITHOUT NUMBER 9, E
MIGHT STILL BE DRAGGING OUR
KNUCKLES ON THE GROUND.
BARBECUE.
WITH AN AVERAGE COOK TIME OF
ONLY FIVE MINUTES, THE PERFECT
BACKYARD RIB EYE ISN'T JUST A
SYMBOL OF MALE PRIDE.
IT MADE US WHO WE ARE TODAY. >> THE MOST IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HUMANS AND OTHER
PRIMATES IS COOKING, AND THAT
STARTS OFF WITH BARBECUE.
SO THAT MAKES US HUMAN.
>> THE LATEST THEORIES ON
EVOLUTION SUGGEST THAT HUNTING
AND GRILLING HELPED US BREAK
AWAY FROM THE PRIMATES AND
PAVED THE WAY FOR MODERN MAN.
>> AT SOME POINT TWO AND A HALF,
2.6 MILLION YEARS AGO,
SOME HOMO HABILIS MADE PROBABLY
THE MOST IMPORTANT DISCOVERY IN
HUMAN HISTORY --
THE ABILITY TO BREAK CERTAIN KINDS OF ROCKS AND CREATE THIS
EDGE.
OPENED THE DOOR TO THE
PROCESSING OF MEAT.
>> WITH TOOLS, WE WENT FROM PREY TO PREDATORS. THEN WE FIGURED OUT HOW TO
MAKE FIRE.
COOKING MADE MEAT EASIER TO
DIGEST AND GAVE US THE ENERGY
REQUIRED TO KICK HUMAN
EVOLUTION INTO OVERDRIVE.
SO THE NEXT TIME YOU'RE HOSTIG
A FOURTH OF JULY BARBECUE,
REMEMBER, YOU HAVE THE CAVEMAN
TO THANK FOR THE ENTIRE SPREA.
>> MAN, MEAT AND FIRE.
A POTENT COMBINATION.
>> GRILLED MEAT MAY HAVE HELPD US STAND UPRIGHT, BUT DRIED
MEAT HELPED US GO OUT AND
EXPLORE.
FAST FOOD NUMBER 8 IS JERKY.
A HANDFUL OF JERKY CONTAINS
ENOUGH ENERGY TO GET THE
AVERAGE PERSON THROUGH THE DA.
>> Garrison: JERKY IS KIND OF
WHAT POWERED AMERICAN
EXPLORATION.
IF YOU ARE GOING OUT INTO THE
UNKNOWN, YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT
YOU'RE GOING TO EAT NEXT, IF YOU
KEEP SOME BEEF JERKY, YOU'LL
PROBABLY BE OKAY, AT LEAST FOR
A WHILE.
>> THIS PROTEIN-PACKED FOOD WAS
INSTRUMENTAL IN PUSHING THE
AMERICAN FRONTIER FURTHER AND
FURTHER WEST.
Man: PROBABLY THE PREMIER
CHRONICLER OF THE USE OF JERKY
IN THE UNITED STATES WERE
LEWIS AND CLARK, BECAUSE ON
THEIR EXPEDITION, THEY WERE
CONSTANTLY WITHIN SIGHT, WHEN
THEY COULD BE, OF A BISON HERD,
AND UTILIZING THE MEAT AS MUCH
AS POSSIBLE.
>> LEWIS AND CLARK WERE ASTOUNDED BY THE NUMBER OF BISON ROAMING THE PLAINS.
OFTEN, THEY WOULD FEAST ON VAT
AMOUNTS OF FRESH MEAT, EATING
UP TO NINE POUNDS PER PERSON
EVERY DAY!
BUT THERE WERE LEAN TIMES,
AS WELL.
>> Fitzsimons: YOU MIGHT BE
CROSSING A MOUNTAIN RANGE, YOU
MIGHT BE CROSSING A DESERT.
THAT'S WHERE BISON JERKY WOULD
SHINE.
>> JERKY HELPED LEWIS AND CLAK
CONNECT THIS COUNTRY FROM SEA
TO SHINING SEA, PAVING THE WAY
FOR GENERATIONS OF PIONEERS TO
HEAD WEST.
OVER THREE BILLION OF THESE WILL BE SOLD THIS YEAR IN THE
U.S., AND FOR THAT, OUR PANEL
PUT THIS FAST FOOD AT NUMBER .
PIZZA.
>> Segan: I THINK PIZZA IS ONE
OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FOODS,
BECAUSE BACK IN THE EARLY 1900s,
WE DID NOT EMBRACE ETHNIC FOOD.
THIS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST FOODS
THAT CAME OVER THAT, FIRST BITE,
PEOPLE FELL IN LOVE.
>> AND IT ALL STARTED RIGHT
HERE, AT LOMBARDI'S IN
LITTLE ITALY.
>> LOMBARDI'S WAS OPENED IN
1905, AND IT WAS THE FIRST
PIZZERIA IN THE UNITED STATES.
>> FRESH OFF THE BOAT FROM ITALY, GENNARO LOMBARDI STARTD MAKING NAPLES-STYLE PIZZA IN
THE BACK OF HIS GROCERY STORE
IN 1897.
WITHIN A FEW YEARS, IT WAS MOE
THAN JUST ITALIAN IMMIGRANTS
WHO WANTED A PIECE OF THE PIE.
>> IT WAS LIKE A TREE THAT
BRANCHED OUT, AND PIZZA BECAME
WHAT IT IS TODAY.
THIS IS THE FINAL STRETCH OF THE 101 FAST FOODS THAT CHANGD
THE WORLD.
FOR THE SIXTH MOST IMPORTANT
FAST FOOD OF ALL TIME, OUR
PANEL CHOSE THE FIRST SWEETENR
KNOWN TO MAN.
IT'S HONEY.
HONEY HAS BEEN AN EASY GRAB
SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME, ONCE
HONEYBEES DO ALL THE WORK
THAT IS.
THEY FLY ENOUGH MILES TO CIRCE
THE GLOBE IN ORDER TO GATHER
THE NECTAR FOR JUST ONE POUND
OF HONEY.
>> HONEY IS SO DIFFERENT FROM A
LOT OF THE FOODS ON THIS LIST
BECAUSE IT'S NOT PROCESSED, IT'S
NOT ASSEMBLED, IT'S JUST THERE.
THE BEES MAKE IT AND WE TAKE IT.
IT'S GREAT.
>> BUT HONEY HASN'T JUST MADE
LIFE SWEETER.
IT HAS CHANGED THE WORLD WITH
ITS HEALING PROPERTIES,
AS WELL.
>> THE MEDICAL USES OF HONEY
ACTUALLY GO BACK THOUSANDS OF
YEARS.
THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS USED
HONEY FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT
MEDICAL REASONS.
>> BEFORE PHARMACEUTICALS, HONEY WAS A LIFESAVER, USED AL THE WAY THROUGH WORLD WAR I AS
A TOPICAL DRESSING TO HELP HEL
WOUNDS.
NOW IT'S MAKING A COMEBACK.
RESEARCHERS HAVE FOUND THAT
MANUKA HONEY FROM NEW ZEALAND
CONTAINS A POWERFUL
ANTIBACTERIAL AGENT.
>> IT ALSO HAS A HIGH SUGAR
CONTENT, SO IT'S GOING TO HELP
TO PULL UP ALL THAT UNNECESSARY
FLUID FROM THE WOUND BED AND
REALLY HELP TO CLEAN IT UP,
AS WELL.
IT'S LIKE PUTTING YOUR WOUND
THROUGH A CAR WASH.
>> NOW IT'S PUTTING A DENT IN
THE $25 BILLION DOLLARS OF
HEALTHCARE SPENT EVERY YEAR ON
CHRONIC WOUNDS.
OKAY, THAT MEANS WE'RE ABOUT O
UNVEIL THE TOP 5 MOST
SIGNIFICANT FAST FOODS OF ALL
TIME.
GET READY FOR THE BEST
OF THE BEST.
FOR NUMBER 5, OUR PANEL CHOSEA SOUTHERN SPECIALTY MADE FROM
THE MOST WIDELY CONSUMED ANIML
ON THE PLANET.
FRIED CHICKEN.
>> FRIED CHICKEN IS MY FAVORITE
FOOD ON THIS LIST.
I MEAN WE SERVED FRIED CHICKEN
AT MY WEDDING.
THAT'S MY COMMITMENT TO FRIED
CHICKEN.
>> ANNUAL CONSUMPTION OF
CHICKEN IN AMERICA HAS MORE
THAN DOUBLED SINCE 1970 TO A
WHOPPING 87 POUNDS PER PERSON.
WE LITERALLY EAT IT BY THE
BUCKET.
>> FRIED CHICKEN IS ONE OF THE
MOST ICONIC AMERICAN FOODS
THERE IS.
IT'S JUST UP THERE WITH
APPLE PIE.
>> AT JACQUES-IMO'S IN NEW ORLEANS, OWNER/CHEF JACQUES LEONARDI PLAYS THE ROE
OF CULINARY MERRY PRANKSTER.
>> I PLAY AROUND WITH
EVERYTHING, I CHANGE THINGS.
IT'S KIND OF PSYCHEDELIC.
WE HAVE A GREAT TIME HERE, BUT
WE JUST DON'T MESS WITH THE
FRIED CHICKEN.
>> FRIED CHICKEN IS A FOOD BORN
FROM SLAVERY, AND IT STAYED
STRICTLY SOUTHERN UNTIL THE
GREAT MIGRATION OF RURAL
AFRICAN-AMERICANS TO URBAN AREAS
IN THE 1920s.
>> FRIED CHICKEN WAS ONE OF THOSE CULINARY TRADITIONS
THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS BROUGHT
WITH THEM OUT OF THE SOUTH, AND
THAT'S HOW IT SPREAD THROUGHOUT
MANY PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES.
>> BY THE LATE 1950s, SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN HAD GONE MAINSTREAM.
SO HOW DID IT CHANGE THE WORL?
>> IT'S A GREATER PART OF
AMERICAN CULTURAL IMPERIALISM.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS
THAT GO OUT -- BASKETBALL,
ROCK 'N' ROLL, FRIED CHICKEN --
THERE'S NOTHING MORE AMERICAN
THAN THOSE.
>> IF IT WEREN'T FOR NUMBER 4, AMERICA MIGHT NOT EXIST.
THE PICKLE.
WHEN A SPANISH PICKLE SALESMAN
NAMED AMERIGO VESPUCCI JOINED
AN EXPEDITION TO THE NEW WORLD
IN 1499, HE BROUGHT BARRELS OF
THEM ALONG TO HELP PREVENT
OUTBREAKS OF SCURVY.
IF THE CREW HADN'T MADE IT
ACROSS THE ATLANTIC, WHO KNOWS
WHAT AMERICA WOULD BE CALLED
TODAY.
THIS FOOD WAS THE CATALYST FOR
AN ENTIRE GOVERNMENT TO BE
OVERTHROWN, AND FOR THAT, OUR
EXPERTS VOTED THIS FRUIT
NUMBER 3.
IT'S THE BANANA.
AT A COST OF LESS THAN 50 CENS
A POUND, AMERICA IS BANANAS FR
THE BANANA.
WE EAT AN AVERAGE OF 26 POUNDS OF THEM A YEAR. >> YOU DON'T HAVE TO WASH IT,
BECAUSE EVERYTHING YOU'RE GOING
TO EAT IS INSIDE.
YOU CAN KEEP IT IN YOUR BAG,
OPEN IT UP, AND PEEL IT.
IT'S BRILLIANT.
>> THE BANANA WAS CAPTIVATING
FROM THE MOMENT WE LAID EYES
ON IT.
>> Segan: IN 1876, THERE WAS A
WORLD'S FAIR IN PHILADELPHIA.
AND NEXT TO ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL'S
TELEPHONE, THE LONGEST LINE WAS
TO SEE A BANANA.
>> THEY HAD TO PLACE A GUARD IN
FRONT OF THE BANANA TREE FOR
FEAR THAT PEOPLE WOULD TAKE THE
BANANAS.
THEY WERE THAT UNUSUAL.
>> ONCE THE EXOTIC FRUIT CAUGT
ON, AN IMPORTER CALLED THE
UNITED FRUIT COMPANY BOUGHT UP
HUGE AMOUNTS OF FARMLAND IN
CENTRAL AMERICA IN WHAT CAME O
BE CALLED "BANANA REPUBLICS."
>> Man: UNITED FRUIT ACTUALLY
OWNED THE RADIO SYSTEMS, THE
NEWSPAPERS, THE TRAIN STATIONS,
THE TRACKS.
THEY OWNED THESE COUNTRIES, AND
IN FACT, MANY OF THESE COUNTRIES
WEREN'T COUNTRIES BEFORE THE
BANANA COMPANIES ARRIVED.
>> BUT WHEN A NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT VOWED TO GIVE UNITED FRUIT THE BOOT FROM
GUATEMALA, THE COMPANY MADE A
CALL TO SOME FRIENDS IN HIGH
PLACES.
>> Koeppel: JOHN FOSTER DULLES
WAS EISENHOWER'S SECRETARY OF
STATE.
HIS BROTHER, ALLEN DULLES, WAS
DIRECTOR OF THE CIA AND A BOARD
MEMBER OF UNITED FRUIT.
>> THE RESULT?
THE BROTHERS HAD THE CIA
TRAIN AN OPPOSITION ARMY TO
INVADE GUATEMALA AND TOPPLE TE
GOVERNMENT.
>> Koeppel: WE WERE TOLD WE WERE
FIGHTING COMMUNISM IN GUATEMALA.
THE TRUTH IS WE WERE
OVERTHROWING A
DEMOCRATIC-ELECTED GOVERNMENT
BECAUSE A BANANA COMPANY WANTED
US TO.
>> THE BANANA MAY BE THE MOST POLITICAL FAST FOOD OUT THERE,
BUT NUMBER 2 IS CONSIDERED TO
BE THE MOST AMERICAN FAST FOO.
THE HOT DOG.
NOTHING SAYS FOURTH OF JULY
LIKE THE HOT DOG.
WE CONSUME 155 MILLION ON
INDEPENDENCE DAY ALONE, MAKING
THE HOT DOG ONE OF AMERICA'S
TOP ICONS.
>> Pashman: WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S INSIDE THEM, BUT THE DELICIOUS TASTE OF THEM BLOCKS
OUT THAT QUESTION FROM YOUR
MIND.
>> CHAMPION COMPETITIVE EATER
TAKERU KOBAYASHI SPENDS ABOUT
7.5 SECONDS CONSIDERING WHAT'S
IN EACH HOT DOG HE EATS.
ON JULY 4, 2011, HE BROKE HIS
PERSONAL RECORD, PUTTING DOWN
69 HOT DOGS IN 10 MINUTES.
EXACTLY 95 YEARS BEFORE THAT,
COMPETITIVE EATING WAS BORN,
THANKS TO THE FOURTH OF JULY
HOT DOG.
IN 1916, FOUR IMMIGRANTS
DECIDED TO HAVE A CONEY ISLAND
HOT DOG EATING CONTEST TO PROE
WHO WAS MORE PATRIOTIC.
TODAY, IT'S A TELEVISED SPORT,
WITH COMPETITORS EATING
EVERYTHING FROM CHICKEN WINGS
TO COW BRAINS.
>> [ SPEAKING JAPANESE ]
[ APPLAUSE ] >> WE'VE GIVEN YOU 100 FAST FOODS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD.
SO WHAT IS NUMBER 1?
HERE ARE SOME HINTS.
THIS FOOD MAY HAVE STARTED AS
A COUSIN TO NUMBER 98,
STEAK TARTARE.
BEFORE YOU TAKE A BITE, YOU
MIGHT WANT TO TOP IT WITH
NUMBER 41, HOT PEPPERS,
OR NUMBER 25, CHILI.
AND IT GOES PERFECTLY WITH
NUMBER 59, THE MILKSHAKE,
AND NUMBER 10, FRENCH FRIES.
ABOUT 75 ARE SOLD EVERY SECOND
OF EVERY DAY ACROSS THE GLOBE,
ADDING UP TO OVER 15 BILLION
A YEAR.
YOU GOT IT, OUR CHOICE FOR
THE NUMBER ONE FAST FOOD THAT
CHANGED THE WORLD IS
THE HAMBURGER.
>> I THINK WHEN YOU THINK OF AMERICAN FAST FOOD, THE FIRST
THING YOU'RE GOING TO THINK
ABOUT IS A BURGER.
THAT'S THE WAY IT'S GOT TO BE.
>> IT'S A DEMOCRATIC STEAK.
IT'S MEAT FOR EVERYMAN.
BEEF FOR EVERYMAN.
AND ANYBODY CAN AFFORD IT.
>> THE HAMBURGER STARTED AS A FOOD ON THE GO, ASSEMBLED FROM SCRAPS OF BEEF, MADE PORTABLE
WITH TWO SLABS OF BREAD.
>> THE HAMBURGER IS THE HUMBLE
STREET FOOD THAT CONQUERS THE
WORLD, AND IT DOES IT IN A VERY
SHORT TIME.
>> IN 1906, THE DEMAND FOR SAE
HAMBURGER BEEF LED DIRECTLY TO
THE FORMATION OF ONE OF OUR
MOST IMPORTANT FEDERAL
AGENCIES -- THE FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION.
BY THE '40s, HAMBURGERS WERE
A HOT COMMODITY.
IN 1948, THE McDONALD'S
BROTHERS OPENED A BURGER JOINT
BASED ON HENRY FORD'S MODEL OF
MASS PRODUCTION.
IT WAS A DECISION THAT CHANGED
THE WORLD MORE THAN ANY OTHER
FOOD ON THIS LIST.
BY THEIR SEVENTH YEAR, McDONALD'S HAD SOLD A MILLION
BURGERS, BUT THAT WAS JUST THE
BEGINNING.
SALES HAVE GROWN EXPONENTIALLY
AND REACHED STRATOSPHERIC
HEIGHTS.
IF YOU LINED UP ALL THE BURGES
SOLD BY McDONALD'S SINCE 1955,
THEY WOULD STRETCH TO MARS.
WHAT STARTED AS A STREET FOOD
IN CHICAGO HAS TRANSFORMED
AMERICA AND BEEN EXPORTED BACK
OUT TO EVERY CORNER OF THE
GLOBE, CHANGING THE WORLD IN
MORE WAYS THAN ANY MODERN FOO.
>> Smith: TO ME, THE HAMBURGER
IS BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT
FAST FOOD.
IT CREATES THE MODEL WHICH EVERY
OTHER FAST FOOD ESTABLISHMENT
WILL THEN FOLLOW.
>> I DON'T THINK TRENDS EXIST
WITH HAMBURGERS.
IT'S SOMETHING -- IT'S A STAPLE.
IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THERE.
IT'S NEVER GOING AWAY.
>> EACH OF THESE 101 FOODS HAS HAD AN INCREDIBLE IMPACT ON OR
LIVES.
WITHOUT BARBECUE, THE OYSTER,
OR THE DATE, WE MAY NEVER HAVE
GOTTEN OUT OF THE DARK AGES.
AND OUR ATTEMPTS TO EXPLORE NW
FRONTIERS MAY HAVE ENDED IN
FAILURE WITHOUT BEEF JERKY,
SPACE FOOD, OR PROTEIN BARS.
FAST FOODS HAVE POWERED US UP
AND KEPT US GOING SINCE THE
DAWN OF TIME.
SO THE NEXT TIME YOU GRAB A
BITE, TAKE A MOMENT TO REFLEC.
THEN GET GOING -- YOU'VE GOT A
LOT OF STUFF TO DO!