Yesterday morning I was watching

American Eats on the history channel where they talked about cookies. I saw the part of the program where they talked about the first major advertising campaign for a product from The National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) to advertise this product called Uneeda Biscuit. You might have seen almost faded signs on buildings around the country such as this even though this product has been out of circulation for years.

These "biscuits" in American Eats actually resembled crackers not much different than the saltine crackers we'd buy today though I'm sure that the recipe back then was very different. Besides this episode wasn't about crackers of any kind but cookies. Sweet cookies whether made by Nabisco, Sunshine Crakers, the Girl Scouts, or Famous Amos.

That brings me to another part of this program.

I have enjoyed Famous Amos cookies. I didn't realize until not too long ago that Famous Amos was created by a black man, Wally Amos (I found his website after I watched this program you should see it in my del.icio.us links). Anyway I remember this story I heard from many years ago.

I heard that many blacks had a problem with how Famous Amos was no longer associated with his creation. It was often said that Famous Amos was taken from him. Though no one realizes that a deal was made Wally Amos is a businessman and he took his cash although the product name Famous Amos is no longer his. A small price to pay when you make a deal the name itself is distinctive.

I read up more on Mr. Amos. Wally used to be a talent agent who would bake cookies and would use them to attract his clients. Famed R&B singer Marvin Gaye was one of the people who was an early investor in his cookie business. Today Famous Amos cookies is a brand of Kellogs, the same people who make those famous corn flakes. Wally Amos is still around making cookies under another brand of course. Though he first became famous in Los Angeles he now lives in Hawaii.