Stuff You Should Know: Short Stuff – The Best Episode Since Sliced Bread
Hosted by Josh and Chuck | Released January 22, 2025

Introduction

In this episode of "Stuff You Should Know," hosts Josh and Chuck delve into the fascinating history behind one of the most ubiquitous household items: sliced bread. Titled "Short Stuff: The Best Episode Since Sliced Bread," the episode explores the invention, challenges, and lasting impact of pre-sliced bread, all while weaving in humor and engaging discussions.

The Significance of Sliced Bread

Chuck begins by highlighting the commonly used phrase, "the best thing since sliced bread," emphasizing its place in everyday language despite sliced bread being a relatively recent innovation compared to the ancient origins of bread itself.

Chuck (00:52): "You've heard the term, of course, the best thing since sliced bread. And oddly enough. Well, not oddly, but sliced bread has been around less than 100 years. Even though bread has been around for tens of thousands of years."

Historical Context: From Ancient Grains to Sliced Loaves

Josh and Chuck provide a brief overview of bread's long history, speculating on its original purpose, such as making beer portable. They acknowledge that for millennia, bread was torn or cut at home rather than pre-sliced, setting the stage for the revolutionary change that sliced bread would bring.

Otto Frederick Rohwitter: The Innovator

The centerpiece of the discussion is Otto Frederick Rohwitter, an inventor who is credited with pioneering the sliced bread revolution. Despite not being in the food industry—Rohwitter was a jeweler with an ophthalmology degree—their entrepreneurial spirit led him to develop the first bread-slicing machine.

Josh (03:08): "He's a… history.com, our old friends at howstuffworks.com and the surprisingly instructive gold medalbakery.com I also want to shout."

Rohwitter's dedication spanned over a decade, starting in 1917, and despite setbacks like a devastating office fire in 1928 that destroyed his prototypes and blueprints, he persevered.

Challenges in Introducing Sliced Bread

The initial attempts at sliced bread were far from perfect. The early machines produced messy, uneven slices that were difficult to package and prone to falling apart. Rohwitter's unconventional solution involved using hat pins to hold the slices together—an idea that was quickly dismissed by baker Gustav Papendik.

Josh (04:34): "He stuck a hat pin in them. And then part of the instruction was to take the hat pin out just far enough so that you could take some however many slices you wanted from it and then push the hat pin back in. And everybody was like, that's a terrible idea."

Gustav Papendik’s Improvements

Enter Gustav Papendik, a baker who recognized the potential of sliced bread but saw the flaws in Rohwitter's initial design. Papendik enhanced the slicing process by ensuring the bread stayed intact and fresher longer, eliminating the need for impractical solutions like hat pins. His improvements were pivotal in making pre-sliced bread viable for widespread use.

Josh (08:34): "He was like, no, no, no. We'll have it wrapped so that by the time it comes out of the slicer, this loaf isn't falling apart and it's wrapped for freshness."

Adoption and Impact on Bakeries

The collaboration between Rohwitter and bakers like Frank Bench of the Chillicothe Baking Company in Missouri marked the commercial introduction of sliced bread. Bench, facing bankruptcy, took a significant risk by investing in the slicer machine, which ultimately led to a 2000% increase in sales once his bakery began offering pre-sliced loaves.

Chuck (15:14): "He sold his patent rights to a company called the Micro Westo Company in Iowa. He led the Rovetta bakery machine division, selling these things to more and more bakeries."

Wartime Ban and Public Reaction

During World War II, the U.S. government, under Food Administrator Claude Wickard, temporarily banned sliced bread as part of wartime conservation efforts. Wickard cited the increased use of paraffin wax, needed for other wartime purposes, as a reason. However, public backlash was swift and fierce, led primarily by homemakers who had come to rely on the convenience of sliced bread. The pressure was so intense that Wickard quickly reversed his decision.

Chuck (13:12): "He ordered a ban on sliced bread in particular. Not bread, not anything else, just sliced bread. And his reasoning was you have to use thicker wax paper to keep pre sliced bread fresh because there's a lot of holes in it now."

Legacy of Sliced Bread

Sliced bread not only transformed the baking industry but also ingrained itself into the cultural lexicon as a symbol of convenience and innovation. The partnership between Rohwitter and Papendik ensured that sliced bread became a staple in households across America, simplifying daily routines and becoming a beloved standard.

Josh (15:35): "Frank Bench was a baker on the verge of bankruptcy and just decided to take a chance and pay his friend for this machine. And number two, before Gustav Papendick came along, Otto's solution to these floppy, flimsy, like, falling apart loaves of bread was to stick a hat pin in them."

Notable Quotes

• Chuck (00:52): "You've heard the term, of course, the best thing since sliced bread. And oddly enough. Well, not oddly, but sliced bread has been around less than 100 years."

• Josh (03:08): "Otto, he was an inventor. And I don't. I didn't see anywhere where he got the idea to do this, but just suddenly sat up one day, he's like, slowly, sliced bread. We should make sliced bread."

• Josh (07:57): "He sold that first slicer to a guy named a friend of his named Frank Bench, who was a baker in Missouri at a place called the Chillicothe Baking Company."

• Chuck (13:48): "He put on his canvas wax. His wax canvas field jacket and he marched out of the room."

Conclusion

In "Short Stuff: The Best Episode Since Sliced Bread," Josh and Chuck unravel the intriguing story of how sliced bread became a household staple. From Otto Frederick Rohwitter's inventive spark and perseverance to Gustav Papendik's crucial improvements, the episode highlights how sliced bread revolutionized everyday life. Their engaging narrative, enriched with humor and insightful commentary, makes the history of sliced bread both informative and entertaining for listeners.

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