Also, on this day in 1862 Agoston Haraszthy de Mokcsa brought 1,400 varieties of grapevines from Europe to California in 1862, and planted the first large vineyard in California in the Sonoma Valley. After the phyloxera blight destroyed much of Europe’s vineyards, some of these same vines, now on resistant American root stock, helped save the European wine industries.
In 1890 Cordelia (Hornaday) Knott was born (died April 23, 1974). Co-founder, with her husband Walter, of Knott’s Berry Farm in California. Their farm evolved from growing and selling berries from a roadside stand into the oldest and one of the largest theme amusement parks in the U.S.
In 1977 Toots Shor died (born May 6, 1903). American restaurateur, Toots Shor’s Restaurant was a gathering place for New York celebrities during the 1940s and 1950’s.
My Mirepoix 