In United States Patent No. 3,870,803 is the secret to Stove Top Stuffing. The size of the bread crumbs are critical to the perfect texture of the resulting stuffing. Ruth Siems, first in the patent’s inventor list, died on Nov. 13. The NY Times published her obituary today (one may wish to make snide comments on whether they held this news for the maximum effect of the date juxtaposition). Siems spent her three decade career at General Foods and her invention detached stuffing from the need for poultry to the happiness of side dish fiends everywhere.