April, 1930. There were no home microwaves or McDonald’s. Herbert Hoover was President and everyone was listening to Duke Ellington, Judy Garland, and Cole Porter.
A Canadian-born baker, James Dewar, worked at the Continental Baking Company in Illinois. He noticed that machines making cream-filled strawberry shortcake were left idle after the season was over. Dewar came up with the idea of making a mini-snack cake filled with readily available banana cream.
On his way to a marketing meeting, Dewar drove past a billboard painted on the side of a barn. It advertised “Twinkle-Toe Shoes.” Dewar had a great idea – call the new snack Twinkies.
