NATIONAL STICKY BUN DAY

February 20, 2024February 20, 2024Jensperspectiveblog Leave a comment

National Sticky Bun Day on February 21st recognizes a delicious pastry that comes rolled up and dripping with a sweet, sugary topping.

Known as “schnecken” meaning snail, the sticky bun is rolled into a sweet spiral resembling its German name. Still considered to be a Pennsylvania specialty, many believed the sticky bun’s origin in the United States began in the 19th century. German settlers brought their baking traditions with them when they began settling in and around Philadelphia.

Most often served for breakfast or as a dessert, sticky buns consist of rolled pieces of leavened dough. Most contain brown sugar and sometimes cinnamon. Before the dough is placed in the pan, the pan is lined with sticky sweet ingredients such as maple syrup, honey, nuts, sugar, and butter. When the buns are finished baking, the baker flips the pan upside-down so the sticky bottom becomes the topping.

Famous cousins to the sticky bun are the cinnamon roll, caramel roll and monkey bread.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalStickyBunDay

If you are craving this delicious sticky delight, try making some of your own with one of these sticky bun recipes. Serve them with tea, coffee or hot cocoa. Use #NationalStickyBunDay to post on social media.

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NATIONAL CABBAGE DAY

February 16, 2024February 16, 2024Jensperspectiveblog Leave a comment

National Cabbage Day on February 17th recognizes a delightful garden staple that provides some of the best recipes for the Celtic holidays coming up next month. It’s an excellent day to test your corned beef and cabbage skills alongside other delicious seasonal dishes.

From the French caboche, meaning head, cabbage comes in a variety of forms. The cabbage family is quite varied and includes Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, kohlrabi and kale. Cabbage is an ancient food with origins in Asia Minor (Turkey today) and the eastern Mediterranean.

When selecting a cabbage, the head should be firm and dense. The fibrous leaves of a healthy cabbage should be shiny and crisp with no browning or bruising.

Cabbage is versatile and can be eaten raw, steamed or sautéd. A popular ingredient in Asian, German, Irish and Latin recipes, it’s a culturally diverse food. Having low calories (6 per leaf) makes cabbage a popular diet food as well. It has no fat or cholesterol, is low in sodium and carbs, and is a good source of Vitamin C.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalCabbageDay

Bring out your favorite cabbage recipes.
Wrap up pigs in a blanket or eat cabbage fresh.
Make some delicious soup or vegetable wraps.
In some areas of the country, you may be able to start planning your garden. Will you be planting cabbage this year? It’s time to decide on the variety you want to plant. Imagine all the goodness you can then make in your kitchen!
No matter how you celebrate, be sure to invite someone to join you. Share your delicious creations with friends and family. If you don’t have a recipe to share, we’ve found several tasty ones to try.
Use #NationalCabbageDay to post on social media.

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NATIONAL DARK CHOCOLATE DAY

January 31, 2024February 1, 2024Jensperspectiveblog 5 Comments

On February 1st, National Dark Chocolate Day reminds us to indulge a little. Many tout dark chocolate as the healthier chocolate. However, for some, it can be an acquired taste.

Also known as bittersweet chocolate, dark chocolate is different from milk chocolate. Candy makers add milk or butter to milk chocolate, giving it a creamier consistency. Dark chocolate includes no added milk or butter. Instead, the percentage of cocoa solids remaining in the chocolate determines how dark the chocolate is. The higher the ratio, the darker the chocolate. It may also have a slightly bitter taste.

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Chocolate comes from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. We have been cultivating cacao for at least three millennia, and the plant grows in Mexico, Central America, and Northern South America. Our earliest known documentation of using cacao seeds dates to around 1100 BC.

Fermentation helps develop the flavor of the cacao seeds. Otherwise, the seeds are too bitter to eat. Once fermented, the beans are dried, cleaned, and roasted. After roasting, the shell is removed to produce cacao nibs. Processors then ground the cocoa nips into cocoa mass, pure chocolate in rough form. Next, they usually liquefy the cocoa mass and mold it with or without other ingredients. At this point in the process, it is called chocolate liquor. The chocolate liquor may then be processed into two components: cocoa solids and cocoa butter.

Besides being lower in calories and fat, dark chocolate has many other health benefits. It also serves as a decadent ingredient in many desserts and sauces.

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HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL DARK CHOCOLATE DAY

Eat some dark chocolate. Bake with dark chocolate. Add dark chocolate to a savory dish. Share dark chocolate recipes. Host a dark chocolate tasting. Learn about the health benefits of dark chocolate. Use #NationalDarkChocolateDay on social media.

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NATIONAL FRENCH TOAST DAY

November 28, 2023November 1, 2023Jensperspectiveblog 1 Comment

Each year on November 28th, people across the United States enjoy National French Toast Day. Also known as eggy bread or omelet bread, it makes a great breakfast for guests or part of a brunch.

Home cooks and professionals alike whip up a few personal favorites when it comes to french toast recipes. The base consists of eggs and milk whisked together. Bread is dipped into the mixture and fried until golden. Many people also add some sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon to the base.

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The flavor of French toast can be brightened with a squeeze of a fresh orange or stuffed with sauteed apples and cinnamon. Make French toast kid-friendly by cutting it into sticks. Then dip the sticks into syrup. Substitute sugary syrup with a fruit puree and fresh fruit pieces. Nuts and seeds add crunch to this delicious breakfast fare, and don’t forget the whipped cream! Just a dollop goes a long way.

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalFrenchToastDay

Make French toast as part of big breakfast. Freeze leftovers for easy breakfasts later in the week. Have breakfast for dinner. Share your favorite French toast recipes. Do you love cinnamon and vanilla? What’s the best fruit toppings? Add apple butter or another jam. Share your favorite combinations using #NationalFrenchToastDay to post on social media.

French toast is part of a complete breakfast and popularly served with eggs, bacon, orange juice and fresh fruit. Makes a great late night snack as well.

However you enjoy yours make it a part of Better Breakfast Month, a surprise breakfast in bed, or Mother’s Day Brunch.

Bittersweet CHOCOLATE WITH ALMONDS DAY

November 6, 2023November 5, 2023Jensperspectiveblog 10 Comments

On November 7th, National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day ushers in one of the more healthful ways to enjoy chocolate. Dark chocolate is chocolate liquor to which sugar, cocoa butter, and vanilla have been added. It has less sugar and more liquor than semisweet chocolate. However, the two of them may be interchangeable when baking.

Recent studies reveal health benefits from eating small quantities of Dark chocolate. The addition of almonds increases health benefits as well. Pairing the two of them gives us a delicious and healthy snack. Make them a part of your lunch or enjoy them as part of an afternoon snack.

In 1742, Eliza Smith included the only chocolate recipe in her cookbook, The Compleat Housewife, printed by William Parks. The simple recipe combined grated chocolate, orange flower water, and sugar. But, no almonds.

However, plenty of recipes include almonds and chocolate. You only need to know where to look. When combining chocolate and almonds, remember that both keep well, too. So, sharing during the holidays is easy. Make a little or a lot of a recipe to spread the holiday cheer when using dark chocolate with almonds.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE WITH ALMONDS DAY HISTORY

The National Confectioners Association sponsors Bittersweet Chocolate With Almonds Day.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #BittersweetChocolateWithAlmondsDay

Chocolate and almonds can improve just about any day. Try one of the recipes below or one of your favorites to celebrate. Make enough to share or invite friends to get creative with chocolate recipes in your kitchen. Are you looking for other ways to add chocolate and almonds to your day? Here are some ideas to share:

Top your oatmeal with some chopped dark chocolate and almonds. It will add crunch and flavor.
Make up some granola for a mid-snack using chocolate and almonds.
Roll up some delicious energy bites with these two amazing ingredients and put them in the freezer for a quick and easy craving quencher.
Enjoy them separately! Add dark chocolate to your morning coffee, and top your salad with almonds. You might be missing the “with” but we won’t tell.

While you are celebrating, be sure to use #BittersweetChocolateWithAlmondsDay to post on social media.