NATIONAL CHERRIES JUBILEE DAY

On September 24th National Cherries Jubilee Day serves up a tasty dessert. Smitten with this simply elegant dessert, cherry lovers celebrate this sweet holiday with delight.

Auguste Escoffier receives the credit for the Cherries Jubilee recipe. Since he knew Queen Victoria’s fondness for cherries, Escoffier prepared the dish for one of her Jubilee celebrations. However, his original method didn’t include ice cream. Instead, the chef poached the cherries in a simple syrup and poured warm brandy over them. Then just before serving, dramatically set the alcohol aflame.

Later recipes added the liqueur Kirschwasser and ice cream.

The word jubilee means many things. However, in reference to the vibrant dessert featuring plump cherries, it means a celebration. As we all know, desserts often accompany celebrations.  And cherries jubilee is no exception. The excitement associated with the grand presentation accentuated the event, too.

Escoffier had a knack for simplicity and elegance. He also created the Peach Melba in honor of Nellie Melba. The famous chef even named a macaron after Sarah Bernhardt. (Though there’s no day on the calendar for it, yet.)

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HOW TO OBSERVE #CherriesJubileeDay

Find a restaurant near you that serves cherries jubilee. As part of the celebration, order dessert first. Or, try making it yourself. At the same time, be sure to share a photo of your masterpiece!

Don’t forget to use #CherriesJubileeDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL WHITE CHOCOLATE DAY

Satisfy your sweet tooth on National White Chocolate Day on September 22nd. Enjoy it with pretzels or drizzled on pastries. It’s a versatile confection with many ways to celebrate!

Since white chocolate does not contain cocoa solids, it is not chocolate in the strictest sense. During the process of manufacturing chocolate, the dark-colored solids of the cocoa bean separates from the fatty content. But unlike milk or dark chocolate, the solids are not reincorporated.  As a result, white chocolate also does not contain as much caffeine or antioxidants as its darker counterparts.

That’s right, white chocolate loses some of the health benefits when it is processed.  Nestlé launched the first white chocolate bar in Europe. Known by the names Milkybar and Galak, Nestlé first produced the candy bar in the 1930s. Besides candy bars and fudge, white chocolate also comes in liqueurs, chips, ganache, truffles, and liquid forms. .

More chicolate?

HOW TO OBSERVE #WhiteChocolateDay

White chocolate pairs well with salty and sweet flavors. Mix it in with some peanuts or pretzels. Bake up some white chocolate macadamia nut cookies or indulge in a delicious cocktail. Enjoy your favorite white chocolate. Share yours using #WhiteChocolateDay to post on social media..

NATIONAL CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE DAY

National Chocolate Milkshake Day on September 12th brings chocolate and ice cream lovers together. Forget the calories for just this one day and enjoy a sweet tall, thick and delicious, chocolate milkshake!

The term milkshake first appeared in print in 1885. During this period, milkshake referred to an alcoholic beverage described as a “sturdy, healthful eggnog type of drink” blended with eggs, whiskey, and other ingredients. Pharmacies served the drink as a tonic and a treat to customers. By 1900, pharmacies offered this “wholesome drink” with either chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla syrup. 

  • The early 1900s – People began asking for this “new treat” with a scoop of ice cream.
  • 1911 – Hamilton Beach’s drink mixers began to be used at soda fountains.
  • 1922 – Steven Poplawski invented the electric blender or drink mixer.
  • Due to the invention of the blender, the milkshake began to take a chipped, aerated, and frothy form as they are today.
  • By the 1920s & 1930s, milkshakes became a popular drink at malt shops everywhere. 

Another addition to the milkshake was malted milk powder. Made from malted barley, wheat flour, and dehydrated whole milk, malted milk tastes a bit like toasted caramel. It made its debut around the 1870s as a shelf-stable dry milk product. Add the powder to a chocolate milkshake, and transform the creamy goodness into a malted chocolate milkshake. Along with milkshakes, malted milk milkshakes became popular drinks at soda fountains around the 1920s. 

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HOW TO OBSERVE #ChocolateMilkshakeDay

Enjoy a chocolate milkshake at your favorite restaurant or soda fountain. Or try a malted version, especially if you’ve never had a malted chocolate milkshake. It is definitely worth a try. You may want to top off your chocolate milkshake with a dollop of whipped cream! While you’re enjoying this sweet treat, don’t forget to introduce this delicious pasttime to someone else. 

Do you have a favorite malt shop? Be sure to give them a shout out, too! Use #ChocolateMilkshakeDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL TV DINNER DAY

National TV Dinner Day is observed annually on September 10th.  In 1953, C.A. Swanson & Sons changed the prepackaged meal business forever. Introducing the TV Dinner revolutionized frozen food.

In 1962, Swanson stopped using the name TV Dinner. However, in the United States, the term remains synonymous with any prepackaged dinner purchased frozen from a store and heated at home.

The first Swanson TV Dinner consisted of a Thanksgiving meal of turkey, cornbread dressing, peas, and sweet potatoes. Originally, Swansons made the tray of aluminum. They separated each food item into individual compartments, too. At home, the cook heated the dinner in the oven. The cooking time was usually 25 minutes. Today, nearly all frozen food trays can be cooked in the microwave or a conventional oven. 

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When Swanson’s first sold TV dinners, they priced them at 98 cents. In the first year, production estimates reached 5,000 dinners. To their surprise, Swanson far exceeded that amount. In the first year, they sold more than 10 million of them.

TV Dinner Facts
  • 1960 – Swanson added desserts to a new four-compartment tray.
  • 1964 – Night Hawk name originated from the Night Hawk steak houses that operated in Austin, Texas, from 1939 through 1994. The original diners were open all night, catering to the late-night crowd. The restaurants produced the first frozen Night Hawk TV dinner in 1964.
  • 1969 – The first TV breakfasts were marketed. Great Starts Breakfasts and breakfast sandwiches followed later.
  • 1973 – Swanson markets the first Hungry-Man dinners. The meals included larger portions of its regular dinner products.
  • 1986 – Microwave-oven safe trays debut on the market. 
  • 1986 – The Smithsonian Institute inducted the original Swanson TV Dinner tray into the Museum of American History.

Much has changed since the original TV Dinner. They also remain a popular choice for a fast and convenient meal, fun to eat in front of the TV!

Looking for something to watch?  Check out some of my favorites here.

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalTVDinnerDay

Get out a TV dinner, pop it in the microwave or oven, and enjoy! Use #NationalTVDinnerDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL BLUEBERRY POPSICLE MONTH

September is National Blueberry Popsicle Month and a time to honor the creator of this tasty treat.

At age 11, Frank Epperson of Oakland, California, probably had no idea a simple mistake would make him an icon in the world of frozen treats. In 1905, Epperson accidentally left a glass of powdered soda and water with a mixing stick in it on his porch during a cold night. When he woke the next morning, he found his first creation of the ice pop. Blueberry to be exact. In 1923, Epperson patented the concept of ice pops. He initially called the treat “Epsicle” and later called it the “Popsicle.” A couple of years later, Epperson sold the rights to his invention the Joe Lowe Company in New York City.

Frank Epperson reportedly served the first ice pops at a fireman’s ball in Oakland, California. Since then, the Popsicle brand sells about two billion of their frozen treats a year. Though the most popular flavor is cherry. Blueberry popsicles have a few other variations to choose from besides the standard frozen ice pop. There is a Blueberry Greek Yogurt Popsicle and Blueberry Cheesecake Popsicle available too. If you prefer to make authentic ice pops, there are ice pop molds available for purchase. Martha Stewart is among those to have published recipes for blueberry pops.

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HOW TO OBSERVE

With the last warm days of summer, stay cool with a blueberry Popsicle.

Use #NationalBlueberryPopsicleMonth in social media correspondence.