Apr 14 - Pecans

No matter how you pronounce the word National Pecan Day means pecan pie & that was the plan. Headed to Williamsburg to Pies & Thighs only to discover they have a Butter Pecan Crunch Doughnut.....I am still full :)

A member of the hickory family, the pecan is native to central and southern United States. “Pecan” is an Algonquian word, meaning a nut requiring a stone to crack. They are an excellent source of copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc and vitamin E.  Pecans can help reduce LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol levels in the blood.  They are rich in dietary fiber.

Pecans make great snacks all on their own, but they also make terrific garnishes to other foods such as desserts, salads or the main meal.  Sweet or savory, pecans can add a little glamor to a dish or be the star of the show.

source:http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-pecan-day-april-14/

Apr 13 - Jefferson

Today honors the birth of the third President of The United States, Thomas Jefferson, who was born April 13, 1743. He is most known as the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson was a stalwart of democracy.  While not much an orator, his pen cut quite a swath of ink through correspondence, documents, journals and manuscripts.



Jefferson was not only a lawyer but a scientist of agriculture, paleontology, and astronomy. Immensely curious,  he kept detailed records of the weather and eventually established weather observers across his home state of Virginia.
Jefferson served as minister to France, Secretary of State in President Washington’s Cabinet and ran for President for the first time in 1796 only to be elected Vice President to his opponent, John Adams due to a flaw in the Constitution.
Four years later the same fault in the document caused a tie within the same party between Aaron Burr and Jefferson with Jefferson assuming the Presidency.


To celebrate meant a trip to 57 Maiden Lane, which he rented while serving as Secretary of State in New York City in 1790.

History: By Presidential Proclamation 2276 on March 21, 1938, Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed April 13 as a day to celebrate the birth of Thomas Jefferson.  Then again on April 11, 2007, Presidential Proclamation 8124 by President George W. Bush commemorated the same day at Thomas Jefferson Day.


Also if you are Hamilton fans: All Things Hamilton shares the details of a dinner Jefferson at 57 Maiden Lane with Alexander Hamilton and James Madison to finalize the deal for what has come to be known as the Compromise of 1790










Source: http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-thomas-jefferson-day-april-13/

Apr 12 - Licorice

Have to say I am a fan of this - National Licorice Day though I know not everyone like the flavor and it fell on a day when I had to pop to Irish store in Queens so obviously it had to be All Sorts :)




















This day was created by the Licorice International in 2004 to celebrate black licorice, its history, health benefits and world renown.  Enjoy black licorice in twists, stem shaped candies, licorice ropes, jelly beans, jewels and many others.


Of course, the designation has evolved as people consign all types and flavors of licorice to celebrate the day.

Like me and my Liquorice allsorts which consist of assorted liquorice sugar candies sold as a mixture. These confections are made of liquorice, sugar, coconut, aniseed jelly, fruit flavorings, and gelatine. They were first produced in Sheffield, England, by Geo. Bassett & Co Ltd who had taken over Barratt's (makers of sherbet fountains/sweet cigarettes), and Trebor (makers of mints) before themselves being taken over by the Cadbury's consortium.
Allsorts are produced by many companies around the world today. They are most popular in Britain, the Isle of Man, continental Europe (especially in the Netherlands where it is called Engelse drop, meaning English liquorice), and Canada.


Bassett's use the story of their creation in their marketing. In 1899 Charlie Thompson, a sales representative, supposedly dropped a tray of samples he was showing a client in Leicester, mixing up the various sweets. After he scrambled to re-arrange them, the client was intrigued by the new creation. Quickly the company began to mass-produce the allsorts and they became very popular.

The Bassett's company mascot is Bertie Bassett, a figure made up of liquorice allsorts, which has become a part of British popular culture. The character's origins lie with advertising copywriter Frank Regan, who used the sweets and a number of pipe-cleaners to construct what was the original version of Bertie. One of the sweets in the modern day allsorts mix is a liquorice figure shaped like Bertie.

Source: http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-licorice-day-april-12/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquorice_allsorts

Apr 11 - CHEESE AGAIN :)

This is my favorite kind of day cheese but not just any kind , melted cheese its National Cheese Fondue Day 😃


 So back to where my love of fondue began Vintners on 9th with an old friend that I met there and have shared many fondues, thanks for coming out on a school night Gina :)

Fondue is a dish of melted cheese or other ingredients, served in a communal pot (caquelon) over a small portable stove (réchaud).  Bread is then dipped from long-stemmed forks into the cheese.  Cheese fondue consists of a blend of cheeses, wine and seasoning.
A 1966 book published in Zurich, under the name “Kass mit Wein zu kochen” is known for having the earliest known recipe for cheese fondue.  It calls for grated or cut up cheese to be melted with wine and for the bread to be dipped in it.
The first known recipe with cheese and wine was published under the name “Cheese Fondue” in 1875.
The success of fondue may be contributed to the introduction of cornstarch to Switzerland in 1905, which made it easier to make a smooth and stable emulsion of the wine and cheese.








Source: http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/days-2/national-cheese-fondue-day-april-11/

Apr 10 - Sibs

It's National Siblings Day and while I didn't get home this week and mange to find a good embarrassing photo of us all but I did find one from a few years ago when we were all together  😉

Looking forward to hanging with one of the siblings in a few days !!!


HISTORY
National Siblings Day was founded by native New Yorker, Claudia Evart in 1995 to honor and celebrate siblings.  After losing her two siblings early in life in separate accidents, she knew how important siblings could be in our lives.
Claudia created the Siblings Day Foundation (SDF), a tax-exempt organization, whose goals included the establishment of National Siblings Day.  Claudia selected April 10 in honor of her late sister, Lisette’s birthday.  Visit the website for more National Siblings Day information at  http://www.siblingsday.org/.








source:http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/days-2/national-siblings-day-april-10/

April 09- Unicorns

I tried to find one but not happening and while this isn't a national day in the US in honor of tartan week it is National Unicorn Day which is actually celebrated in Scotland!!!

The mythical creature is a symbol of nobility and power and has been the nation's favored beast since the 14th Century. Some of Scotland's most historic buildings have statutes and images of unicorns:

National War Museum at Edinburgh Castle

The Queens Gallery in the Palace at Holyrood House

At the Fountain in the Courtyard at Linlithgow Palace

This photo is the only water based unicorn on the HM Frigate in Dundee, Scotland's only surviving example of a wooden warship. For a life sized sculpture head to Cromarty on the Black Isle to the Stables, a converted Georgian building which now houses a gallery & studio.


Of course for the real thing , join Quests & Retreats for a Unicorn Quest exploring the landscapes and forests of Dumfries in search of the mysterious creature!!!


 For my hunt it is finally a trip The Cloisters to see the Mystic Hunt of the Unicorn  tapestry. Photos, if allowed, to follow...

Source: http://www.thenationalstudent.com/Travel/2017-03-30/celebrate_national_unicorn_day_in_scotland.html

Apr 08 - Empanada

Well again this did not go to plan it was a theme for this whole weekend, didn't get to original place downtown and really wanted to stay local but Empanada mama was destroyed in a fire and isn't quite open yet, I will be there as soon as it does to fulfill this day!!

As you can see the sign is up so we are getting close to a reopening!


Empanadas are a stuffed bread or pastry that is baked or fried.  The name empanada comes from the Galician, Portuguese and Spanish verb em pandar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread.
Empanadas are made by folding the dough or bread around a seasoned stuffing. The filling usually is made from meat, cheese, vegetables or fruits but may be made with other ingredients.
A cookbook published in 1520 in Catalan, the Libre del Coch by Ruperto de Nola, mentions empanadas filled with seafood.
In the Southern and Southwestern United States, empanadas are called Creoles.  They are a half-circle flaky crust filled with seasoned pork, beef or chicken and cheese.  In the Southeastern United States, empanadas are referred to as a “fried pie” and are a pastry filled with fresh or reconstituted dry fruit such as apples, apricots, peaches or sweet potatoes and then fried.  In New Mexico, it is a winter tradition to make sweetmeat empanadas for Christmas.  They are made with ground pork, sugar, pinon nuts, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, sealed in a tortilla-like dough and then deep fried in lard.






Source: http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/days-2/national-empanada-day-april-8/