World Nutella Day celebrates what happens when hazelnuts and chocolate collide. For example, millions of people celebrating all on February 5th each year!
It is often said that necessity is the mother of invention. Adding hazelnuts when cocoa is hard to come by may have been an Italian trick during hard times. In the 1800s, in the northern Italian city of Piedmont, they made a paste of chocolate and hazelnuts at a time when the nuts were abundant, but the cocoa was not.
At the end of World War II, cocoa was once again difficult to come by. Pastry Maker, Pietro Ferrero, made loaves of this sweet paste and called it Giandujot. Soon after, the Ferrero Company was founded on May 14, 1946.
It wasn’t until 1951 that Ferrero made the paste into a spreadable form. We wouldn’t even recognize the spread by name until 1964 when Ferrero’s son Michele gave the jar of creamy hazelnut and cocoa the name Nutella.
Sara Rosso founded World Nutella Day in 2007 in celebration of and a way to introduce her favorite spread to her friends. She first discovered Nutella while living in Italy as a food blogger. Read more about her discovery and creation of World Nutella Day at whenihavetim
Enjoy your favorite hazelnut spread. It’s that simple! Of course, we always suggest celebrating with a friend or family member. Celebrations are best when shared. Create a new recipe or try the one you’ve itching to try. Share your favorites while you’re testing and tasting, too!
February 4th heats up with National Homemade Soup Day. In every cuisine, soup provides a rich basis of flavor and history.
Before the era of modern transportation, soup was a product of regionally available foods. For this reason, there are thousands of soup recipes available today.
Many soups also offer medicinal properties. What was once considered a wive’s tale, chicken soup now has the backing of the scientific community. Yes, chicken soup helps relieve the symptoms of the common cold. How? Well, scientists believe that a bowl of the soup may reduce inflammation of the lungs. It is thought that chicken soup slows down the activity of white blood cells that can cause inflammation.
But that’s not all homemade soup does. Every cook knows the most important ingredient that goes into every pot of simmering soup. They keep the ingredient stored where it will do its best work, too. As they work, they season the soup from their heart giving it just the right amount of love each and every time. Whether they add it with the noodles or the vegetable, the broth or the cream, each cook knows there’s enough to go around. That’s why homemade soup heals the best.
Tell us about your favorite homemade soup. Share a recipe or a memory. Gather the family to learn how to make your best recipe and share the love. Need a new recipe to add to your collection? From chowders and broths to creamy bisques, chances are you’ll find a recipe to love too.
Use #NationalHomemadeSoupDay to post on social media.
National Heavenly Hash Day on February 2nd recognizes a family favorite that covers a variety of desserts with a common ingredient.
When it comes to defining Heavenly Hash, the only ingredient that seems for certain is a variety of marshmallows, marshmallow creme or whip. Other ingredients vary, though. Some recipes create delicious cakes with chocolate and marshmallow. And yet, others lean more toward a fruit salad with whipped cream and a variety of nuts or chocolate bars added. Nearly every brand of ice cream has its version of Heavenly Hash with nuts and chocolate included, too.
However, the common ingredient seems to always be a form of marshmallow bringing the dish to a heavenly flavor perfect for potlucks and family gatherings.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalHeavenlyHashDay
Make your favorite version of Heavenly Hash. Whether it’s a salad, cake or bar, we’re sure it’s…heavenly. If you don’t have a recipe, we found one for you to try. Be sure to share your favorites, too!
On February 2nd, National Tater Tot Day recognizes a kitchen staple. In the United States, we consume approximately 3.5 billion of these nuggets of potato goodness per year.
These bite-sized bits of golden deliciousness created from the scraps from making French fries once were used to feed cattle. But how do the cast-offs from making French fries become the bite-sized, kitchen-friendly morsels we love to devour today? Through persistence and ingenuity, of course!
Two brothers, Nephi and Golden Grigg, along with their brother-in-law started dabbling in frozen food when they rented a plant on the Oregon and Idaho borders in 1934. The focused on making French fries, but the waste fed to cattle seemed excessive. Was there a way to reduce the excess? Maybe, but instead they chose to create a product from the excess. Not only did the scrapped and shredded bits form into tasty bites when blanched and fried, but they also fit into their product line, too. They froze well, could be baked and were delicious! By 1952, they purchased the plant, forming the Oregon Frozen Foods Company that would later become Ore-Ida.
Seasoned with spices or baked into a casserole, tater tots make a meal, side dish, or a snack celebration. We dip them, pop them, or just savor them.
NATIONAL TATER TOT DAY HISTORY
John-Bryan Hopkins created the observance in 2009.
National Canned Food Month in February is a time for a second harvest! Your pantry and shelves provide the bounty of canned goods from last fall. Shop your pantry shelves for meals now and make room for the bounty to come.
The story of canned food goes back to the waning years of the French Revolution and Napoleon Bonaparte’s offer of 12,000 francs to anyone who could develop a method of preserving food for his army. Frenchman Nicolas Appert claimed the prize by discovering that applying heat to food in sealed glass bottles improved its shelf life. As a result, Appert’s research led to the current canning methods.
Opening tin cans was a chore. Most people opened them using a chisel and hammer. However, the French army took a different approach: they used bayonets. Then, in 1855, an English surgical instrument maker named Rober Yates invented the first tin-opener.
Modern Technology
Modern canning continues to provide benefits. It saves money and reduces waste so gardeners can reap the rewards of their hard work all winter long. It’s also is also Earth-friendly. Properly preserved foods both taste great and are healthful, too. Ball Mason Jars are the most widely used canning jars, and they are recognized on November 30th during National Mason Jar Day!
There are several methods of canning, and each has its advantages. First, water bath canning is a lower temperature process ideal for jams, jellies, salsa, and tomatoes. The second is pressure canning. The process involves a higher temperature and works best when canning meats, poultry, seafood, chili, and veggies. The third and simplest method is open-kettle canning. In this process, hot food is poured into hot jars then sealed. This canning method is the least recommended. It is very important to learn the principles of keeping food fresh and discouraging bacteria growth. Study the various canning techniques carefully and make sure you are properly equipped before you start.
If we’ve learned anything in 40 plus years in Florida it pays to keep these pantry items on hand. From hurricanes and Covid to the snow this January having backups to fresh food on hand can literally save your life. It’s something to keep in mind. We keep a stock year round, it’s Florida after all. Not only is it quick and easy on a busy day, but in disaster situations you can actually heat the can if you have to.
NATIONAL CANNED FOOD MONTH HISTORY
The Canned Food Information Council designated February as National Canned Food Month in 1987 to break down misconceptions surrounding canned food as being less nutritious than fresh. Depending on the variety of fruits and vegetables, what they are packed in and served with will make a difference in their nutritional value.
Learn about the history of canning and how to can your own food. Grandma might be your best teacher! Use #NationalCannedFoodMonth and post your canned goods on social media.
