National Waffle Day on August 24th commemorates the anniversary of the first waffle iron patent issued. Celebrate by savoring your favorite kind of waffle!
On August 24, 1869, Cornelius Swarthout of Troy, New York received his patent for the waffle iron. While waffles existed long before then, the invention made waffles more readily available.
Eaten throughout the world, a waffle is a leavened batter or dough. When cooked between two patterned plates, the dough bakes in the waffle’s characteristic uniform impressed surface. Waffles also come in many forms. Depending on the type of batter or iron used, the resulting waffle varies by consistency, size, shape, and flavor.
Waffle irons and waffles originated around the 14th century. An anonymous husband penned the first known waffle recipe as a set of instructions for his wife. According to the manuscript, Le Ménagier de Paris, each of the four recipes began:
Beat some eggs in a bowl, season with salt and add wine. Toss in some flour, and mix. Then fill, little by little, two irons at a time with as much of the paste as a slice of cheese is large. Then close the iron and cook both sides. If the dough does not detach easily from the iron, coat it first with a piece of cloth that has been soaked in oil or grease.
Enjoy your favorite waffle recipes. Or visit a local restaurant for some fresh served waffles. Restaurants across the country specialize in waffles, crafting delicious combinations for every meal of the day. No matter your preference, there’s a waffle for you!
Invite friends over for a waffle making party. Set up a buffet with fresh fruit, syrups, and nuts. Ask them to bring their best ingredients and get tasting! You never know what you’ll discover. Make it breakfast, brunch, snack or dessert, waffles are very versitile.
We are heating up some deliciousness on June 12 for National Peanut Butter Cookie Day! This scrumptious food occasion permits treat sweethearts and peanut butter darlings to move back from the pies and cakes to enjoy a little peanut butter treat.
Alabama’s American farming augmentation instructor, George Washington Carver, advanced the peanut broadly. Notable for his advancements, Carver incorporated 105 nut recipes from different cookbooks, agrarian announcements, and different sources. In 1916, he made an Exploration Release called How to Develop the Peaut and 105 Different ways of Setting it up for Human Consumption. The notice included three recipes calling for squashed or hacked peanuts as one of its fixings. In any case, peanut butter cookies were not one of them.
It was in the early 1920s peanut butter began to be listed as an ingredient in cookies.
Incidentally, the peanut butter we know and love today didn’t become commercially available until the 1920s. In 1922, Joseph Rosefield kept the peanut oil from separating from the solids through this process. Afterward, he patented the process of homogenization and sold it to a company that began making a peanut butter called Peter Pan.
No one knows why we press criss-crossed fork marks into our peanut butter cookies before baking. However, homemade peanut butter cookies would just not be the same without a bit of decoration.
The best way to celebrate this cookie holiday is with some homemade peanut butter cookies, a glass of milk, and a friend. If you don’t feel like baking in the summer heat, visit your favorite baker and grab a dozen. Don’t forget to give them a shout-out and let them know how much you appreciate their mad cookie baking skills!
Share your peanut butter cookie recipe on social media using the hashtag #NationalPeanutButterCookieDay.
Each year on May 31st, National Macaroon Day the small coconut cookie that’s full of flavor and variety, too. Don’t mistake these with the delicate sandwich cookies called macarons. No, these small, but substantial cookies hold their own despite the sometimes mistaken identity. For coconut lovers, this day is a little bit of bliss.
The Italians receive credit for creating these sweet morsels sometime around the 8th or 9th century. The recipes later traveled to France. However, in other parts of the world, the once flourless cookie served its purpose during religious observances.
Coconut is one of those love-hate ingredients. ~Chef Marcus Samuelsson
Eventually, the cookie made its way to the United States, where the coconut macaroon takes only a few ingredients to make. The main ingredient is always shredded coconut, usually sweetened and sometimes toasted. Other ingredients include flour, sugar or sweetened condensed milk, and egg whites and flavoring. Once the ingredients are combined, the mixture is dropped by spoonfuls onto baking sheets and baked. Most varieties of coconut macaroons are dipped in milk chocolate, dark chocolate or white chocolate. Almonds, pecans, cashews, or other nuts are sometimes added to the cookie.
While you celebrate the day, jump into baking with a macaroon recipe! Make a variety, too. Add nuts or chocolate or both. You can also visit your favorite bakery and pick up a dozen to share. Give them a shout out, too!
These are insanely popular at our table. People who swear they don’t eat mushrooms eat these. These warm butter treats can be served as a snack or a side dish. The only complaint I’ve ever had is there are never enough and I usually make a double batch. See recipe below.
Ingredients
1 lb whole white mushrooms 1 cup browned butter 2 tsp minced garlic 2 tsp thyme Parsean cheese to top mushrooms
Directions
Separate stems from mushrooms with care not to damage caps. Dice all stems Add butter to pan cook on medium-high heat until it turns golden hazelnut in color. Watch carefully as you do not want to burn. Add stem pieces, garlic, and thyme to butter. Mix well to coat and distribute ingredients. On a foil covered, well oiled baking sheet place caps about 1/2 inch apart. Make sure stem well is facing up to make a cup in the top. Fill with butter mixture till slightly mounding over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Add Parmesean cheese to each, covering stem pieces. Broil in oven 15 minutes. Serve warm.
Extra tip:
You can play with this adding bacon or topping with chives. Add more cheeses, or herbs. This is my take on a classic mom has made for as long as I can remember.
