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. .
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..
July 20th recognizes National Lollipop Day as a way to celebrate this enduring and ever-popular treat. Pick up your favorite flavor to savor!
Ever delightful and sweet, lollipops have satisfied generations of sweet tooths. And it’s possible they’ve been doing that for centuries. However, no one is sure how old the lollipop is. During prehistoric times, a form of lollipop may have preserved nuts and berries in honey. As sugar became plentiful, lollipops appeared much later in 16th century Europe.
In the United States, confectionaries and medicine shops as early as the 1860s sold lollipops in various forms. However, George Smith gave this sweet treat an official 20th-century story in 1908. Smith earns credit for inventing the modern style lollipop. In 1931, Smith trademarked the name which he claims came from his favorite racing horse, Lolly Pops.
Lollipops range in size. For variety, the smaller candies can be purchased by the bagful. Banks, barbershops, and vendors at parades give the sweet treat away to customers, too! Specialty candy shops make giant lollipops in a variety of bright colors, shapes, and sizes. While they are attractive, these lollipops can be cumbersome and often are more than we can handle!
Lollipops in Pop Culture
This candy made its mark in pop culture. Movies, TV, and commercials feature the lollipop in various ways.
1934 – In the movie Bright Eyes, Shirley Temple sang the song “On the Good Ship Lollipop.”
1939 – The Wizard of Oz brought us a world of characters, including the Lollipop Guild. Armed with a giant spiral sucker, The Lollipop Guild welcomed Dorothy to the Land of Oz.
1969 – How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop. The Tootsie Pop (the trademark name for Tootsie Roll’s lollipop) commercial debuted on U.S. television. The 60-second advertisement included a boy, cow, fox, turtle, owl, and the narrator.
1973-1978 – How do you make a lollipop look tough? Put it in the hands of Detective Lieutenant Theo Kojak. The lollipop-loving detective was played by Telli Savalis in the TV series Kojak. At the same time, the candy did no harm to the tough guy’s persona.
NATIONAL LOLLIPOP DAY HISTORY
The National Confectioners Association founded National Lollipop Day.
“I want candy! I want candy!” Enjoy a lollipop today to celebrate. You can also explore the magic of candy making. Pick up a bagful and give them out to friends, neighbors, and customers, too. Give a shout out to your favorite candy shop using #NationalLollipopDay on social media.
Find a great assortment of lollipops for you, or get a jumpstart for trick or treat stock up. Do you own a business? If it works at banks maybe it will work for your too.
This food holiday National Chocolate Pudding Day is observed each year on June 26th. Chocolate pudding has been loved by children and adults for many years. Usually eaten as a snack or dessert, chocolate pudding is also used as a filling for chocolate creme pie.
Historically, chocolate pudding is a variation of chocolate custard, using starch as a thickener instead of eggs. The 1903 edition of Mary Harris Frazer’s Kentucky Receipt Book and the 1918 edition of Fannie Farmer’s Boston Cooking School Cook Book both have recipes for the earlier version, using both eggs and flour.
In 1934, General Foods (Jello) introduced chocolate pudding mix as “Walter Baker’s Dessert.”
In 1936, it was renamed “Pickle’s Pudding.”
Chocolate pudding is usually made with milk and sugar, flavored with chocolate and vanilla then thickened with flour or cornstarch. Some recipes do use eggs when making the pudding.
Chocolate pudding can be purchased ready-made and sold in grocery stores, convenience stores and gas stations. The popular brands include Jell-O by the Kraft Foods Corporation and Snack Pack by Hunt’s.
Enjoy some delicious Chocolate Pudding as a dessert or as a snack. Try this homemade Chocolate Cornstarch Pudding recipe. Use #NationalChocolatePuddingDay on social media.
National Nougat Day on March 26th celebrates a soft and chewy or sometimes hard and crunchy candy often found at the center of a candy bar.
Made by whipping egg whites together and adding honey or sugar, roasted nuts, and sometimes candied fruit, some say nougat has been a sweet treat since ancient Rome. Enjoyed both as a candy all on its own or paired with chocolate or other flavorings.
Recipes range from the more traditional nougat made with almonds and honey to those with hints of citrus.In Italy, they call it torrone. In Spain, a nougat is called turrón. The United States has a version made with corn syrup called divinity.
Three basic kinds of nougats include:
1. White nougat – made with beaten egg whites and honey. 2. Brown nougat – made without egg whites and has a firmer, often crunchy texture. 3. Viennese or German nougat – chocolate and nut praline
In the United States, modern candy bar makers use a different recipe than the traditional nougat. Today they make of a mixture of sucrose and corn syrup aerated with a whipping agent such as egg white or hydrolyzed soy protein or gelatin. It is the preferred and often used ingredient of large candy companies because it is inexpensive to make and used as a filler.
This holiday offers an opportunity to become a nougat aficionado. Or perhaps try learning the nuances of nougat. No matter how you spend the day, be sure to get a sample or two. Whether it’s a big bite or small, enjoy some nougats. Be sure to share a piece, too! Use #NationalNougatDay to post on social media.
There are cookie holidays and then there is National Lacy Oatmeal Cookie Day. Each year on March 18th, this holiday celebrates a delicate cookie made from oats.
Some people may refer to this day as National Oatmeal Cookie Day (which is celebrated on April 30th). The difference between the two is that lacy oatmeal cookies are wafer-thin and typically accompany a scoop of ice cream or sorbet.
In the early 1900s, oatmeal became a major ingredient in the American diet. Before that, Americans relied on other grains. Originating in England, oatmeal cookies have been around since the 1800s. However, it is believed that they were created after the oatcake. Soldiers used to carry oatcakes with them for a quick boost of energy during battle. Most research found that the first recorded oatmeal raisin cookie recipe was written by Fannie Merritt Farmer in 1896.Considered a health food, the cookies quickly became popular. By the early 1900s, a recipe for the delicious treats appeared on containers of Quaker Oats.
Oatmeal cookies are an excellent source of iron and fiber
Bakers use many different recipes for the lacy oatmeal cookies. Additionally, home bakers bake with a variety of oats including old fashioned oats, quick-cooking oats, oat bran or oat flour. For a healthier cookie, add finely chopped or ground fruits (such as raisins) or nuts and use a sugar substitute. You can also decorate your lacy oatmeal cookies with icing drizzled on top of the cookie.
Lacy oatmeal cookies make pretty decorations on top of cakes and other baked goods, too. They also make excellent gifts. Make some for a friend or neighbor.
Use #LacyOatmealCookieDay to post on social media.
