Good morning, welcome back to our series sharing Unique Foods: August 20th, 2021. Take a look at the Holidays being celebrated today and let me know which one you most would like to celebrate and why.
Charlie and I can’t wait to celebrate National Bacon Day. Would you like to join us? We can make Stuffed Bacon Cheeseburgers. As for David he said he would like to celebrate both National Bacon Day and Chocolate Pecan Pie Day by having a slice of Pie.
*National ‘ Bacon Lovers ‘ Day
National Bacon Lover’s Day is dedicated to the treat cut from the Meat of a Pig. In the United States, Bacon refers to Meat from the belly of the Pig, known as the Pork Belly.
Bacon from the loin is called Canadian bacon. To make Bacon, Pork is cured using Salt, and then dried, boiled, or smoked. The smoking of Bacon is often done with Hickory, Mesquite, or Maple Wood, and flavors such as Brown Sugar or Maple may be added.
More often than not, Bacon is Pan Fried, and is popular as a breakfast food, in sandwiches like the BLT or a Club Sandwich, as a complement to Salads, and in wrapping other foods.
“Bacon Mania” has swept the United States and Canada since the late 1990’s, where there has been a increase in the amount of Bacon being eaten, and in the amount of new Bacon recipes.
The high Sodium and Nitrate content of Bacon that lower its health benefits has not seemed to much slow down the Bacon craze. Or at least not for me because I would eat Bacon 24/7 or 356 Days a Year. How about you?
How to Observe National Bacon Lover’s Day
If there ever is a day to not worry about eating too much Bacon this Holiday is it! Bacon is so versatile you can eat Bacon at every meal: Fry Bacon with your Eggs for breakfast. Have a BLT for lunch. Put Bacon on a Hamburger for dinner. Wrap Asparagus or Scallops with Bacon for a snack.
Bacon Lover’s unite!! Which in my family is myself, my nephew David M. and his daughter my niece Lily who is like me and could eat Bacon everyday for the rest of there lives and not get tired of Bacon.
Facts about Bacon
- Bacon is one of the oldest processed Meats in history. The Chinese began Salting Pork Bellies as early as 1500 B.C.
- More than half of all homes (53%) keep Bacon on hand at all times
- Pregnant women should eat Bacon. Choline, which is found in Bacon, helps Fetal Brain Development
- Each year in the US more than 1.7 billion lbs. of Bacon are consumed
- Did you know Bacon is said to cure Hangovers?
National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day
If your like me and have an incurable sweet tooth, Chocolate Pecan Pie Day is the opportunity to indulge. It isn’t even necessary to feel guilty about grabbing a piece of Pie, because Pecans have all kinds of health benefits in them that they come by naturally.
Did you know Pecans contain more valuable Antioxidants than any other type of Nut, plus plenty of Fiber, Minerals and Vitamins to round out their nutritional value.
Grab your family and friends and get ready to celebrate Chocolate Pecan Pie Day!
History of Chocolate Pecan Pie Day
The word Pecan comes from the Native American Algonquin language. As the only Nuts native to north America, Pecans have been eaten for generations in both the USA and Mexico, but Pecans have only been grown commercially since the late 19th Century.
Of course, Chocolate itself is derived from the Cacao plant that has a History dating back approximately 4000 years to Mesoamerica. Originally Pecans were probably used as a medicine or part of cultural rituals. Hundreds of years later, Chocolate was consumed as a beverage, often known as “the drink of the gods”. Did you know that because I didn’t.
Cocoa Beans were later used in certain cultures as currency, and some Historians record it as reaching Europe sometime in the 16th Century as it made its way to Spain. But it wouldn’t expand throughout the rest of the continent for another 100 years or so.
Once the industrial revolution came around, Chocolate processing became easier and the treat was eventually solidified into Chocolate that is known and loved today.
As for the combination of Chocolate and Pecans being made into a pie? Well, that’s a much more recent invention. No mention of this type of recipe seem to have been published in Cookbooks until the early parts of the 20th Century. But whoever started making Chocolate Pecan Pies, the world is sure glad!
How to Celebrate Chocolate Pecan Pie Day
Chocolate Pecan Pie Day is a delicious, fun-filled day that can be chock full of activities and tasty treats! Try out these ideas for enjoy the day with family and friends:
Bake a Chocolate Pecan Pie at Home
One of the most popular ways to enjoy Pecans is to bake them in a Pie, and adding Chocolate makes the Pie that much more delicious. The perfect way to celebrate Chocolate Pecan Pie Day is to bake the Pie for family or friends.
Pie making doesn’t have to be difficult, especially for those who are willing to throw a Premade Refrigerated Pie Crust into the mix. Ingredients for Chocolate Pecan Pie include Corn Syrup, Butter, Semi-sweet Chocolate, Eggs, Brown Sugar, Salt, Vanilla Extract, Cocoa Powder and Pecans.
The Butter and Chocolate are melted together, then added to the rest of the ingredients (minus the Pecans) and mixed together. The mix is then poured into the Pie Crust and the Pecans are arranged to float on top of the mixture. To protect the Pie the edges of the crust can be covered with Aluminum Foil.
Bake in a 350 F oven for approximately 60-70 minutes (or until the Pie is set). Let cool for 2 hours and then enjoy eating the dessert!
Host a Chocolate Pecan Pie Day Event at Work
If your office contains a few people or your friendly with your neighbors who enjoy baking, this would be a great day to host a Chocolate Pecan Pie Bakeoff!
Have a few different people take a stab at baking their own pies (set the rules about whether the Crusts need to be homemade or not) and then see whose Chocolate Pecan Pie is the best.
You could make the Charity Event, a Fundraiser and try auctioning off Pies or selling pieces individually as an afternoon snack.
Try a New Twist on an Old Favorite
While there is absolutely nothing wrong with making and eating a typical Chocolate Pecan Pie, certainly there are ways to make it even more fun! Try out a few of these variations on the Chocolate Pecan Pie:
- Chocolate Pecan Pie with Bourbon. Add a few tablespoons of Bourbon to the Chocolate Pecan Pie can change the way it taste! The Alcohol bakes out, leaving the sweet scent and taste that is a bit like Caramel and very delicious.
- Spiced Chocolate Pecan Pie. Multiply the decadence of this tremendous treat with the addition of Ground Spices such as Cinnamon, Clove and Ginger. The flavor gives a nod to the Mexican Roots of Chocolate.
- Dark Chocolate Pecan Pie. While many people like to use Semi-sweet or Milk Chocolate for their Pies, the use of Dark Chocolate can really bring out the flavors of the Cocoa.
- Mayan Chocolate Pecan Pie. Just a bit of Ground Ancho Chili Powder and a tablespoon of Coffee Liqueur creates a beautiful spicy, Chocolate contrast that is perfectly balanced by Pecans.
Attend the National Pecan Day Festival
While this festival is not specifically geared toward Chocolate Pecan Pie Day, that doesn’t mean there won’t be plenty of Chocolate Pecan Pies to enjoy.
The festival is located in Albany, Georgia. Other activities include a Parade, a contest for Pecan-cooking, a special race and the crowning of the National Pecan Queen.
Try Different Toppings for Chocolate Pecan Pie Day
Those purists who like Chocolate Pecan Pie just as it is are to be respected, of course. But others might prefer being more adventurous when it comes to enjoying this tasty treat! Try these ideas for making the day even more delicious:
- Chocolate Pecan Pie A La Mode. It’s amazing what a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream can do to make a piece of Pie even better.
- Chocolate Pecan Pie with Whipping Cream. Of course, a dollop of homemade, sweetened Whipped Cream tastes divine as well.
- Chocolate Pecan Pie with Spiked Cream. Instead of putting Bourbon in the Pie and cooking the Pie (or in addition to, no-one is judging!), add a few spoons full of Bourbon to Homemade Whipping Cream for a unique flavor.
Chocolate and Pecan Trivia:
For Chocolate Pecan Pie Day , be sure to be armed with these facts about Pecans and Chocolate to impress friends and family alike:
- The Pecan Capital of the United States is highly contested, but one place that calls themselves The Pecan Capital is Albany, Georgia. The area contains more than 600,000 Pecan Trees and hosts a festival.
- Pecan Trees can grow as tall as 150 feet! However, most run in the range between 70 and 100 feet, which is still darn tall. The Nuts are often Harvested by shaking trees and collecting what falls to the ground.
- It takes around 400 Cocoa Beans to make one pound of Chocolate, and each tree produces around 2500 Cacao Beans.
- While Albany, Georgia is considered by many to be the Pecan Capital of the United States, the state of Texas has also staked its claim when it adopted the Pecan Tree as its official State Tree in 1919.
Go Nuts and enjoy this day with everyone you know!
Five Facts about Pecan Pie
- A handful of Pecans provide nearly 10 percent of the recommended Daily Value for Zinc
- It would take 11,624 Pecans, stacked end to end, to reach the top of the Empire State Building in New York City.
- Texas adopted the Pecan Tree as its State Tree in 1919. In fact, Texas Governor James Hogg liked Pecan Trees so much he asked if a Pecan Tree could be planted at his gravesite when he died.
- Albany, Georgia, which boasts more than 600,000 Pecan Trees, is the Pecan capital of the U.S. Albany hosts the annual National Pecan Festival, which includes a race, parade, Pecan-cooking contest, the crowning of the National Pecan Queen and many other activities.
- Pecan Trees usually range in height from 70 to 100 feet, but some trees grow as tall as 150 feet or higher. Native pecan trees – those over 150 years old – have trunks more than three feet in diameter.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
