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Revision as of 00:01, 23 November 2024 by Valeg2020 (talk | contribs) (→Inventing the "Toll House" Chocolate Chip Cookie)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) American chef and inventor (1903–1977) "Ruth Wakefield" redirects here. For Ruth Wakefield Cravath, the American sculptor, see Ruth Cravath.| Ruth Graves Wakefield | |
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| Born | Ruth Jones Graves (1903-06-17)June 17, 1903 Walpole, Massachusetts, US |
| Died | January 10, 1977(1977-01-10) (aged 73) Plymouth, Massachusetts, US |
| Education | Framingham State Normal School |
| Known for | Inventing the Chocolate chip cookie |
| Spouse |
Kenneth Donald Wakefield
(m. 1928) |
| Children | 2 |
| Culinary career | |
| Cooking style | American |
Previous restaurant(s)
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Ruth Jones Wakefield (née Graves; June 17, 1903 – January 10, 1977) was an American chef, known for her innovations in the baking field. She pioneered the first chocolate chip cookie recipe, an invention many people incorrectly assume was a mistake. Her new dessert, supposedly conceived of as she returned from a vacation in Egypt, is the inspiration behind the massively popular Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie. Throughout her life, Wakefield found occupation as a dietitian, educator, business owner, and published author. She wrote a cookbook titled Ruth Wakefield’s, Toll House: Tried and True Recipes.
Early Life and Education
Ruth Graves Wakefield was born on June 17, 1903, in East Walpole, Massachusetts, to Fred Graves and Helen Vest Jones. Raised in Easton, Massachusetts, she grew up in a middle-class household that valued education and innovation. Ruth demonstrated an early aptitude for academics and a keen interest in food preparation and science, which would become a central theme in her life. (4)
In 1920, she graduated from Oliver Ames High School in North Easton, Massachusetts. With a passion for home economics and food science, she pursued higher education at the Framingham State Normal School Department of Household Arts (now Framingham State University), an institution known for advancing practical education in the domestic sciences. There, she specialized in nutrition, food preparation, and home management, graduating in 1924. Her education provided her with a strong scientific foundation in food chemistry, meal composition, and resource management, skills she would later apply as a professional chef and inventor (4).
Upon completing her degree, Ruth worked as a dietitian and food lecturer, helping to educate others on the importance of balanced nutrition and food safety. She held a dietitian position at Brockton High School and served as a lecturer in home economics, where her meticulous attention to detail and innovative thinking in food science gained recognition. These experiences would shape her methodical approach to culinary innovation and problem-solving, culminating in her future achievements (4).
Career and the Toll House Inn
See also: Toll House InnIn 1926, Ruth married Kenneth Donald Wakefield, an engineer and businessman who shared her entrepreneurial spirit. Together, the couple envisioned a life of hospitality and culinary excellence. In 1930, they purchased a historic colonial property in Whitman, Massachusetts, which they renovated and transformed into the Toll House Inn. Transforming it into both a popular restaurant and a comfortable and inviting place to stay(3). Kenneth managed the business operations, giving Ruth the freedom to concentrate on her cooking. The inn became both their home and a place for Ruth to experiment with recipes, impressing guests with her creative dishes (2).
At the Toll House Inn, Ruth showcased her talent as a chef by combining traditional recipes with modern techniques. She gained a reputation for her innovative desserts, which attracted diners from across the region. By 1931, she published Toll House Tried and True Recipes, a cookbook featuring her own recipes, many of which became staples in American households. This book introduced readers to her creative approach to classic dishes and elevated her status as a culinary authority(5).
Inventing the "Toll House" Chocolate Chip Cookie
In 1938, Ruth Graves Wakefield invented the chocolate chip cookie, a lasting symbol of culinary creativity. While working in the kitchen at the Toll House Inn, she tried to improve her butter drop cookie recipe. She added chopped pieces of a Nestlé semi-sweet chocolate bar, expecting the chocolate to melt evenly into the dough. Instead, the chocolate held its shape, creating soft chocolate pockets in the cookie. She called this new creation the "Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookie," and it quickly became a favorite among guests at the inn. (1)
The cookie’s unique flavor and texture became widely popular, bringing significant attention to the Toll House Inn. The recipe’s fame grew so much that Ruth included it in a revised edition of her 1931 cookbook, Toll House Tried and True Recipes. As demand for the recipe increased, Nestlé noticed and approached Ruth to form a partnership. In 1939, they made a deal where Nestlé could print her recipe on their packaging. In return, Ruth received a lifetime supply of Nestlé chocolate and $1 for the rights (1).
This partnership was a major moment in the baking world. Nestlé began producing pre-scored chocolate bars to make chopping easier and later introduced the first chocolate chips made for baking(5). What began as a simple experiment in the Toll House Inn kitchen became one of the most iconic desserts in history.
Toll House Cookies and World War II
The Toll House Cookies rose to popularity in 1940, during World War II. Ruth's daughter (who worked as a cooking assistant) recalls days in the kitchen filled with packing care packages to send to the Massachusetts troops overseas. They soon began receiving letters from all over the country requesting that the packages including Toll House Cookies be sent to troops from other states.
Death
Ruth retired in 1966 and sold the Toll House, which later burned down in 1984. Ruth died on January 10, 1977, in Plymouth, Massachusetts, at the age of 73.
References
- Roberts, Sam (March 22, 2018). "Overlooked No More: Ruth Wakefield, Who Invented the Chocolate Chip Cookie". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
- Geib, Claudia (April 21, 2022). "Contrary to What You've Heard, Toll House Didn't Invent the Chocolate Chip Cookie". Eater. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
- CooksInfo. "Ruth Wakefield". CooksInfo. Retrieved December 6, 2023.