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. .

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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 HONEY MONTH

Honey is a sweet and viscous fluid produced by honey bees, and derived from the nectar of flowers. According to the United States National Honey Board and various international food regulations, “honey stipulates a pure product that does not allow for the addition of any other substance…this includes, but is not limited to, water or other sweeteners”.

Honey is Not All the Same.
Honey is available in many varieties! Did you realize that honey is available in many different varieties? When bees visit mostly one kind of flower as they gather nectar, the honey they produce has a unique taste, aroma and color from that particular flower. Other honeys are delicious blends of floral sources (look for Mixed Flower, Polyfloral, Wildflower).  The Honey Locator is a website you can use to find suppliers of these many varieties of honey. 

September is significant for honey producers as it is the month that marks the end of the honey collection season for many beekeepers in the United States.

Honey and its use
The main uses of honey are in cooking, baking, as a spread on breads, and as an addition to various beverages such as tea and as a sweetener in commercial beverages. Because honey is hygroscopic (drawing moisture from the air), a small quantity of honey added to a pastry recipe will retard staling.

Medicinal uses and health effects of honey
For at least 2700 years, honey has been used to treat a variety of ailments through topical application, but only recently have the antiseptic and antibacterial properties of honey been chemically explained. As an antimicrobial agent honey may have the potential for treating a variety of ailments.

  • Topical honey has been used successfully in a comprehensive treatment of diabetic ulcers when the patient cannot use other topical antibiotics. Some studies suggest that the topical use of honey may reduce odors, swelling, and scarring when used to treat wounds.
  • Raw honey also contains enzymes that help in digestion, several vitamins and antioxidants.
  • Honey may also prevent the dressing from sticking to the healing wounds.
  • Honey has been shown to be an effective treatment for conjunctivitis in rats.
  • Honey (especially when combined with lemon) is often taken orally by pharyngitis and laryngitis sufferers, in order to soothe them.
  • Honey has been a part of many folk cures, it is common and cheap (compared to pharmaceuticals), and cannot be patented.

A Honey for All Skins
Skin is the body’s largest organ and its most exposed. Throughout life, the skin comes into contact with more damaging conditions and environments than any other part of the body. Pamper it with one of the world’s oldest skin care secrets, honey.  read more http://www.honey.com/consumers/sb/skins.asp

History
The awareness month was initiated by The National Honey Board, a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) founded and overseen organization. (a US government established, USDA-overseen, organization) in 1989.

Biblical Period
The Old Testament contains many references to honey as a symbol for all that is pleasant and desirable. For example, the book of Exodus famously describes the Promised Land as a ‘land flowing with milk and honey’ (33:3). There, however, the Hebrew devash refers to the sweet syrup produced from the juice of the date. In contrast, bees’ honey is referred to explicitly in The Book of Judges when Samson found a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of a lion (14:8). Matthew 3:4 John the Baptist lived for a long period of time in the wilderness on a diet consisting of locusts and wild honey. The word “honey” appears 61 times in the King James Version of the Bible.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeyy

HOW TO OBSERVE

Add some honey to your diet and use #NationalHoneyMonth to post on social media.

NATIONAL PENUCHE FUDGE DAY

National Penuche Fudge Day on July 22nd recognizes the creamy candy with an Italian name. If you like maple flavor, this nut-filled fudge is for you!

Penuche (pə-ˈnō-chə) is pronounced pe-new-chee. The Italian form of the word is panucci. The fudge-like candy includes the following ingredients: brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and milk. Lighter in color than traditional fudge, penuche tastes like maple thanks to the brown sugar. If you are looking to celebrate, many shops in New England sell this fudge. There they will add pecans and other nuts, especially if making a candy form of penuche. Southerners call it brown sugar fudge candy.   

Of course, the day provides an opportunity to test recipes, too. Add walnuts or pecans for a nutty texture to any recipe. However, if you prefer the creamier version, nuts are always purely optional. Cook the sugar mixture in a heavy saucepan. Making good candy or fudge is no time to go cheap. No matter what recipe you use, keep stirring and watch the temperature. Always use a candy thermometer. Fudge is finicky and will seize up on you.  

Whether you taste a homemade bite, store-bought, or your first bite, be sure to savor it.  Don’t forget to share!

More Fudge to Love…

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalPenucheFudgeDay

Make your own batch with this Penuche Fudge Recipe.  Will it be with nuts or without?  Post on social media using #NationalPenucheFudgeDay.

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NATIONAL SOUR CANDY DAY

July 18th is National Sour Candy Day! Adults and children alike will enjoy lip-puckering, eye-watering flavors. Choose your favorite sour candy and celebrate!

In the candy world, sour candy is the young, energetic, and fun member of the candy family. It awakens the taste buds and adds a punch of youthful energy. Every flavor combination out there creates a dazzling taste sensation. Surprisingly, sometimes a sweet candy delivers a walloping tear-jerking zap in a bite-sized lozenge or sucker that lasts for several minutes. Other times, it delivers the punch in a chewy form. These fun sour candies come in a variety of entertaining shapes and sizes. From chewy twists and ropes to sweet bite-sized pieces and straws, each one creates a unique juicy tang, indeed.

Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers, Summer Candy, Sour Gummy Worms, 28.8 Ounce Resealable Bag
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Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers, Summer Candy, Sour Gummy Worms, 28.8 Ounce Resealable Bag

On this sweet holiday, instead of trying regular old candy, celebrate by trying sour candy. It’s like having a birthday and not getting any older!  If you’ve tasted sour candy before, try a new flavor and discover which one makes your mouth pucker the most! Will it be Cherry or Watermelon or maybe a combination of Tangerine-Lemonade? Without a doubt, July 18th is the perfect day to share any of the variety of flavors the American Licorice Company has to offer.

NATIONAL SOUR CANDY DAY HISTORY

American Licorice Company founded National Sour Candy Day in 2015 to celebrate all the tasty varieties of sour candies and to encourage everyone to give them a try. To learn more about the Sour Punch® brand, follow on Facebook and Twitter.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalSourCandyDay

Brighten up your day with some sour candy. As a matter of fact, consider visiting a sweet shop and pick up a bagful. Share with your friends or coworkers. See who makes the best pucker and share your sour combinations using #NationalSourCandyDay on social media.

NATIONAL FUDGE DAY

National Fudge Day is observed annually on June 16th.  National Fudge Day is a food holiday that allows you to indulge in your favorite flavor of this delicious confectionery. Some of the most familiar fudge flavors are chocolate, chocolate nut, peanut butter, maple and maple nut.

Fudge lends itself to experimentation when it comes to flavors. Blending favorites or even a moment of inspiration will create a new delicious kind of fudge. Adding bits of candy, nuts or sprinkles can add just the right celebratory burst of excitement to an old favorite. 

In the late 19th century, some shops on Mackinac Island, Michigan, began to produce similar products as the Vassar College fudge and sold it to summer vacationers. Fudge is still made in some of the original shops located on the famous island.

More Fudge to Love…

HOW TO OBSERVE

Pick up some fudge at your local confectionery store and share it with family and friends. Try making your own recipe.  Use #NationalFudgeDay on social media.