A brilliant April Fools’ Day hoax by the BBC in 1957 tricked many Britons into thinking spaghetti grew on trees.
In 1957, Great Britain was just starting to come out from under 14 years of rationing; which ended in 1954, nine years after World War II ended. Many people were just beginning to discover new foods and international flavors when ever-serious, professional, and trustworthy BBC documentarians produced this.
My favorite line: “Another reason why this may be a bumper year lies in the virtual disappearance of the Spaghetti Weevil, a tiny creature whose depredations have caused much concern in the past.” Just brilliant!
On April 1, 2014, the BBC released this documentary about the hoax.
Andrea Gianopoulos 