Food Holidays: January 1st, 2022

Good morning, welcome to the first day of 2022. Can you believe it’s a New Year? I can’t? I wanted to continue sharing Food Holidays: January 1st, 2022 with everyone. Did you know January is National Hot Tea Month and it’s a little nippy here.

I think I will make me a cup of Hot Tea with Milk and Sugar which David thinks is crazy. Do you drink Hot Tea if so, what do you put in your Hot Tea and why? As for David it’s also National Bloody Mary Day and with everyone supposed to be eating Black Eyed Peas for a good year David says he will need the Bloody Mary to get the Black-Eyed Peas down. Don’t ask me about David he is crazy I love Black Eyed Peas. Do you like Black-Eyed Peas?

National Hot Tea Month

I have a question for you. Did you know Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world? There are over 1,000 flavors of Tea. Hot Tea has influenced different Countries’ cuisine for hundreds of years. Tea even plays a part in many Countries culture and their representation on what is the best way to serve tea. Whether you follow the brewing traditions of the English or Chinese Customs, or you only microwave your Tea, National Hot Tea Month is best celebrated with a cup of Hot Tea.

NATIONAL HOT TEA MONTH ACTIVITIES

1. Sharing a pot of Tea with friends is a Social event. Humans are Social beings, and drinking Tea is a great way for humans to connect. Nothing shows friendship more than getting your pals together over a cup of Hot Tea and visiting.
2. As we grow older preferences change, and your Tea choice should too! Search for new flavors online or in local stores including Tea Stores and purchase Teas you’ve never had before.
3. Drinking a cup of brewed Tea is a comfort all its own. Maybe you need a moment to recollect during the day, or you need a cup of Tea in the evening to put your thoughts to rest. The power of Tea is that strong!

WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL HOT TEA MONTH

1. Depending on your mood you might opt for a lighter Tea like Lavender, or if the day is hot, you may want to end it with Sweet Texas Iced Tea. Tea flavors differ based on the region of its origin. There are White Teas which are the least processed. Black teas that can be mixed with Spices. Then there is Green Tea who is more popular because Green Tea has less Caffeine than most drinks. Herbal Teas can have a delicate flavor because they are blended from dried Fruits, Herbs and Flowers.
2. Brewed Tea was used Centuries ago to cure people’s ailments, and Hot Tea is still used for the same reason. Tea is known to fight off Fevers, High Blood Pressure, and lower Stress levels. Whether you are fighting a nasty Cold, or are sick with Nausea, nothing beats Lemon Ginger Tea to soothe you.
3. Every once in while we just need comfort food. Sometimes it’s the meals our parents use to make us, but nothing beats a cup of Hot Tea, radiating from our hands after a long day in the cold.

National Bloody Mary Day

National Bloody Mary Day falls on January 1st, which is convenient for everyone who may have partied a little too much the night before. Ring in the year by celebrating with this Cocktail that consists of Vodka, Tomato Juice, Lemon Juice, Worcestershire, Cayenne, and Salt. We’ll note that while a Bloody Mary can alleviate hangover symptoms, the Bloody Mary can further dehydrate you. Drink responsibly. Now, I have a question for you. Did you know Bloody Mary’s are the No. 1 Brunch Cocktail in the U.S.?

NATIONAL BLOODY MARY DAY ACTIVITIES

1. Today you might need sustenance, which means making it to Brunch. If there’s a restaurant near you, make sure they are serving Bloody Mary’s.
2. Go to the grocery store to get the basic ingredients, including Bacon and Olives to garnish the drink. Then let your friends create their own unique Bloody Mary’s. If you were out all night, it might be nice to stay in and drink Bloody Mary’s with friends from the comfort of your own home. A great way to start off the New Year!
3. Find the best Bloody Mary’s in your City and rank them. This way, you’ll have a list for visiting guests and your local Foodie Squad. Make sure you plan accordingly and don’t try them all in one day. Also, take someone with you to drive you home. Because drinking and driving isn’t cool.

4 POSSIBLE WOMEN BEHIND THE NAME BLOODY MARY

1. The first Queen Mary was nicknamed Bloody Mary because of the way she tried to bring back the Catholic Church to England — by executing Protestants.
2. A Canadian-born actress and filmmaker during the age of silent pictures, Mary Pickford was known as “America’s Sweetheart.”
3. A waitress named Mary who supposedly worked at the Bucket of Blood Bar in Chicago.
4. Some say the name Bloody Mary came about when a Bar Patron said the Cocktail looked like his girlfriend Mary whom he met at the Bucket of Blood Cabaret.

WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL BLOODY MARY DAY

1. Most of us don’t wake up ready to drink, but the Bloody Mary gives us permission because its acceptable to have a Bloody Mary at Brunch, and that’s something to celebrate.
2. While a Bloody Mary can dehydrate you further, a Bloody Mary is thought to cure hangovers due to its combination of a heavy Vegetable base, Salt, and Alcohol. This combination together can help settle the Stomach, replenish Electrolytes, and relieve body aches.
3. Even if you’re not trying to power through a hangover, Bloody Mary’s are actually a great source of Antioxidants, thanks to the Tomatoes.

National Black-Eyed Pea Day

For as long as some of our oldest residents can remember, eating a bowl of Black-Eyed Peas which can be accompanied by Collard Greens which has been a tradition on New Year’s Day. When younger generations asked why they have to participate they are told that it’s the only way to assure good luck in the New Year. It turns out that eating Black-Eyed Peas for luck is a tradition reaching all the way back to 500 AD when it is first recorded as part of the Jewish Holiday Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, but that’s probably not where this Southern tradition started.

Most Social Historians believe the Southern tradition of eating Black-Eyed Peas dates back to the Civil War. Northern troops did not consider the Peas edible and so they were passed over by raiding Soldiers. The Black-Eyed Peas they left behind would make their way onto Southern tables. After the War, it became a tradition for all true Southerners to eat Black-Eyed Peas on the first day of January.

Recipe for Bloody Mary’s

Ingredients

• 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon celery salt, divided
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups ice cubes, divided
• 2 ounces vodka
• 1 cup tomato juice, chilled
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1-1/2 teaspoons lime juice
• 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish, optional
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• optional garnishes:
• Celery rib, pickle spear, green and ripe olives, cucumber slice and/or cocktail shrimp

Directions

1. Using Water, moisten the rim of a Highball Glass. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon Celery Salt on a small plate; dip rim into the Salt. Discard the remaining Celery Salt from the plate. Fill a shaker three-fourths full with Ice. Place remaining Ice in a prepared glass.
2. Add Vodka, juices, Worcestershire Sauce, Horseradish if desired, Pepper, the remaining Celery Salt and Pepper Sauce to shaker; cover and shake until condensation forms on exterior, 10-15 seconds. Strain into the prepared glass. Garnish as desired.

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates