Welcome to our series sharing Food Holidays: November 29th, 2021. Did you know today is National Chocolates Day and let me tell you if I had knew this earlier you can bet your bottom dollar I would have asked Charlie to make us a Chocolate Cake in his Homeschool Cooking Class. But that didn’t happen and David is working so I can’t even go get a Candy Bar. This stinks…
Five facts to know about Chocolate:
- Chocolate comes from the Aztec word “xocolatl” which means “bitter Water”.
2. Switzerland is one of the top Countries for Chocolate consumption and the Swiss consume about 22 lbs of Chocolate, per person, per year.
3. Cocoa Beans were used as currency by the Mayan and Aztec cultures. Perhaps this is where the saying “Money grows on trees” came from.
4. Allowing Chocolate to melt in your mouth produces the same or even stronger reactions as passionately kissing.
5. Did you know most Cocoa comes from West Africa.
National Chocolate Day:
October 29th, save the date! It’s National Chocolate Day! A day to indulge in Chocolate and collect your due on that warm hug only eating Chocolate could deliver.
National Chocolate Day, celebrated each October 29th, is nothing short of a tribute to mankind’s greatest culinary invention. Chocolate can enhance even the most luxurious dessert items. On the other hand, you can get your fix from a Candy Bar. Try for Chocolate with a “high Cacao” percentage and low added Sugar.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL CHOCOLATE DAY
The History of Chocolate goes back 2,500 years. Aztecs loved their newly discovered liquid Chocolate to the extent that they believed Quetzalcoatl, the God of Wisdom, literally bestowed Chocolate upon them. Cacao Seeds acted as a form of currency. And this was back in the “bitter” Chocolate days — before they added Sugar! Once Chocolate turned sweet. In 16th-Century Europe the masses caught on and turned Chocolate into a powerhouse treat.
Several present-day Chocolate companies began operations in the 19th and early 20th Centuries. Cadbury started in England by 1868. Milton S. Hershey, 25 years later, purchased Chocolate processing equipment at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Milton S. Hershey started the company by producing Chocolate-coated Caramels. Nestlé, dating back to the 1860s, has grown into one of the largest food conglomerates in the world.
Did you know Chocolate is a Fermented Food? That’s right, once Cacao Pods are picked, cleaned of pithy white material from the Fruit and dried, Cacao Beans are Fermented. The papery shell is removed and Cacao Nibs are revealed. Chocolatiers then grind them into Cocoa mass, separate them into Cocoa solids and Cocoa Butter, and combine them with Milk and Sugar. Or in White Chocolate, just the Chocolate Butter with Milk and Sugar.
Today there’s a move toward Dark Chocolate since it contains far less Sugar. Ghana, Ecuador, and the Ivory Coast, all near the equator, have ideal climates for Cacao Trees and produce some of the world’s best Chocolate. It’s best to look for Dark Chocolate from those regions.
But there’s a dark side child labor has become a serious issue. When you purchase “fair trade Chocolate,” you’re working to help make Cocoa farming more sustainable please keep this in mind and choose Chocolate wisely.
NATIONAL CHOCOLATE DAY ACTIVITIES
- Try making your own Truffles which may seem hard, but it’s easier than you think! Follow this recipe for 4 easy and fun ways to experiment with making your own Truffle from scratch. All you’ll need is Cream, Chocolate Chips and a tiny bit of time.
- Tour a local Chocolatier and get an up-close look at the process Chocolate goes through from Bean to Bar at a local Chocolate Factory. Most places have tours available to the public and are more than happy to share their knowledge, and love of the Chocolate profession.
- Share a bar with your friends. Chocolate is amazing, friends are amazing, and human connection over Chocolate is one of the most beautiful things! Most people like Chocolate, and even if they don’t, you know they’ll appreciate the offer to spend a moment with them and chat.
WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL CHOCOLATE DAY
- One study showed that people who ate Chocolate compounds had better Cognitive performance and reported less Mental Fatigue than the control group. This may have something to do with how Chemicals in Chocolate interact with our brain: releasing Serotonin, Dopamine, and Endorphins and giving us a good dose of Antioxidants.
- Another study revealed that ingestion of Dark Chocolate prior to eating at an All-you-can-eat Buffet triggered a 17% lower Calorie intake for participants! It’s all about the Sugar.
- Per the American Heart Association: “Combining raw almonds, Dark Chocolate and Cocoa significantly reduced the number of low-density Lipoprotein, or LDL, particles in the blood of overweight and obese people. LDL is often called “Bad Cholesterol” because of the role it plays in Clogging Arteries.
Twitter Hashtags: #NationalChocolateDay #ChocolateDay
National Lemon Creme Pie Day
We hope your sweet tooth is ready to celebrate National Lemon Cream Pie Day on November 29th. We commonly call this Lemon Meringue Pie. Although this time of year is typically associated with Pumpkin Pie, we’ll take any excuse to celebrate any kind of Pie.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL LEMON CREAM PIE DAY
Food Historians believe Lemon desserts have been around since the Middle Ages! While Whipped Cream, on the other hand, is a relative newcomer: Whipped Cream didn’t show up until the 16th Century. Whipped Cream first appeared in recipes in Italy in the mid 1500s and then traveled to France and showed up in recipes there just after 1600. Somewhere between then and now, someone had the brilliant idea to marry Lemons and Whipped Cream together in a way that’s basically sunshine baked into a Pie dish.
While Lemon Custards, Puddings, and Pies have been made since Medieval times. Meringue was perfected in the 17th Century. Lemon Meringue Pie, as it is known today, is a 19th-Century creation. The earliest recorded recipe was attributed to Alexander Frehse, a Swiss baker from Romandy.
Travel writer Larissa Milne credits chef/entrepreneur Elizabeth Goodfellow for this Pie. According to noted food Historian William Woys Weaver, Goodfellow was “one of the most creative forces in American cookery during the early Nineteenth Century.” Her shop was unique and unlike the many bakeries that supplied Bread and daily baked goods, Goodfellow’s Pastry Shop provided elegant Cakes, Pies and sweets for Philadelphia’s High Society Parties.
While known for many treats, including Jumbles which is an early version of Sugar Cookies and Queen’s Cakes, and individual Spiced Cakes flavored with Brandy and Madeira, her most lasting legacy is the creation of Lemon Meringue Pie.
Food Historian Becky Diamond refers to Goodfellow as “the mother of Lemon Meringue Pie.” Lemon pudding was considered one of Goodfellow’s signature creations; and she is credited with several varieties, whether served alone, or in a Pastry Crust as a “Pie.” Lemons were a delicacy in the early 1800s, but readily available in a busy port such as Philadelphia.
NATIONAL LEMON CREAM PIE ACTIVITIES
- Cream Pies of all kinds are a classic diner dessert. This no-frills setting only enhances the enjoyment of a slice of Pie. Find a local Pie shop, order a slice of Lemon Cream Pie and dig in.
- No matter whether you choose to go the above no-bake route or look for a more complicated recipe, Lemon Cream Pies are basically fail-proof. They’re also a choose-your-own-adventure baking experience. You can go with a classic Butter Crust, or mix it up with Graham Cracker Crust. Want extra tang to back up the Lemon? Mix Sour Cream into the filling. Feel like your Lemon Cream Pie needs a little extra elegance? Shave White Chocolate on top, or sprinkle your Pie with Coconut flakes.
- If you feel like pairing Lemon Cream Pie with an adult beverage try a Lemon Drop: Pour Vodka, fresh Lemon Juice, and sweetener (Triple Sec, Simple Syrup, or just plain Sugar) into a Cocktail Shaker, give the drink a good shake, strain into a glass, and garnish with fresh Lemon slices.
WHY PEOPLE INCLUDING MY MOM LOVE NATIONAL LEMON CREAM PIE DAY
- There’s nothing as American as Apple Pie, but we’d put Lemon Cream high on the list of classic desserts as well. Honestly, between the two of them, Apple Pie just sounds a bit boring.
- The main flavor profile is Lemon, right? Lemons are an excellent source of Vitamin C, which is good for your body, and naturally antibacterial. Lemons can also help you absorb Iron, stimulate your Liver, and might even have Cancer-fighting properties. Sure, you could get these benefits by drinking Lemon Water, but Pie is more fun.
- High-end restaurants can fancy Lemon Cream Pies up but Lemon Cream Pies are as simple as they come. If you’re craving a Lemon Cream Pie but feeling lazy, it’s as simple as a trip to the grocery store to pick up a premade Pie Crust, fresh Lemons, Lemon Pudding Mix, and a can of Whipped Cream. Presto: no-bake, almost-no-effort Lemon Cream Pie!
National Rice Cake Day
Five facts about Rice Cakes:
- Soft forms of Rice Cakes have been popular in Japan for hundreds of years.
2. Rice Cake, called Mochi , a sweet confection eaten by the nobility during the Nara Period from 710-794 A.D. when the Chinese greatly influenced Japanese Culture.
3. The first Rice Cakes were developed in Southeast Asia where Rice has been grown for nearly 5,000 years.
4. Did you know 20% of the world’s calories come from Rice.
5. An acre of Rice contributes three times more Protein to the worlds food supply than an acre of Wheat or Dairy Farms.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
