NATIONAL CHAI DAY

On September 21st, the aroma filling the room comes from ancient spices, perfectly steeped into a cup of delicious tea. National Chai Day celebrates the strong, satisfying tea that is ordered at cafes across the country.

While the Indian beverage dates back nearly 5,000 years, the chai served in homes and coffee shops today comes in many forms. For traditional chai, steep it with black tea leaves. Add whole milk for the richest flavor. Some even prefer almond or coconut milk. The most common spice in chai is cardamom. Though blends will vary from place to place, other spices include cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, and fennel. Finally, sweeten the tea with pure sugar.

This time of year, we can’t resist the creamy, sweet combination, either! So, wrap your hands around a warm cup and let the aromatic steam permeate your senses. One sip will tell you how enjoyable National Chai Day is going to be!

NATIONAL CHAI DAY HISTORY

SomruS founded National Chai Day on September 21, 2018, to celebrate the flavorful drink spreading its leaves across the country by the cupful.

ABOUT SOMRUS

SomruS is the World’s First Line of Indian Liqueurs. Our flagship product, SomruS Original, is an artisanal Chai liqueur made with cardamom and other eastern spices, nuts, real Wisconsin dairy and Caribbean Rum. Created by an Indian American couple in their kitchen in Burr Ridge, IL just 4 years ago, SomruS Original Indian Cream Liqueur is now the most awarded cream liqueur on the planet (www.proof66.com). SomruS is the first liqueur that can be used to create authentic chai adult beverages from a Chaitini to a Hard Chai to a Hot Chai Latte. Our liqueur is next generation in terms of quality and is low ABV and gluten-free with no preservatives or artificial flavors.

TAZO Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte Tea Concentrate, 32 oz

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HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL CHAI DAY

Visit a local tea shop or cafe and order a cup of chai. Choose from a variety of blends. While chai is customarily steeped with black tea, green chai is available, too. Try both! Introduce a friend to the love of chai, too! When you do, give a shout out to your favorite cafe. Take a selfie as you enjoy and use #NationalChaiDay to share on social media.

INTERNATIONAL BACON DAY

The first Saturday in September is International Bacon Day and a day to enjoy all things bacon! This delicious food holiday is a favorite because bacon makes everything better!

There are so many things we can say about bacon and the flavor it adds to dishes. Today, we are reminding everyone that bacon is not just a breakfast food, but also a great way to add delicious flavor to any recipe.

Bacon Backstory

Bacon is pork cured in salt made from cuts of the belly or back of a pig. Curing pork dates back thousands of years. During ancient times, Chinese, Egyptian, and Roman cultures all had methods for preserving pork. However, Romans recieve credit for sharing their knowledge of curing pork calling their bacon “petaso.” As cured pork expanded throughout Europe, the meat became a staple to families because of the ability to preserve it easily.

European settlers brought their pork curing techniques to America the same time the first settlers arrived. However, the meat was much saltier and leaner than what they would eat in Europe. During the 19th and 20th centuries, meat production began to expand to the general public. Brining and smoking bacon became widely acceptable in mass production, making the distribution of bacon much easier. Today, bacon plays a significant roll in American cuisine.

5 Bacon Festivals in the U.S.

  1. Bacon Fest, Pennsylvania
  2. Bourbon and Brews Festival, Kansas
  3. Bacon & Beer Festival, New Hampshire
  4. Bacon Bash, Texas
  5. Memphis Flyer Bacon & Bourbon, Tennessee

Did You Know?

Bacon is one of the most popular and recognizable meat products around the world and is known for its distinctive savory and smoky flavor.

Are there different types of bacon? Yes! Here the 4 common types of bacon throughout the world:

  1. American bacon is the most well-known bacon type. It’s made from pork belly and contains both meat and fat. This type of bacon becomes crispy after cooking.
  2. Canadian bacon is made from the lean parts of the pig. Normally, Canadian bacon is similar to ham in flavor and appearance.
  3. Pancetta is an Italian bacon made with salt and spices that can be eaten cooked or uncooked. People often use pancetta in sandwiches, but also in some dishes.
  4. Guanciale is another Italian bacon commonly used in carbonara and amatriciana. This type of bacon is the fattiest of all other bacon types and is probably most flavorful.

Bacon adds rich flavor and versatility to cooking by enhancing the dishes it is added to. Whether enjoyed on its own, as a savory ingredient, or as a guilty pleasure, bacon remains a favorite food around the globe.

HISTORY BEHIND INTERNATIONAL BACON DAY

Each year on the first Saturday in September we celebrate International Bacon Day as a way to indulge and enjoy bacon. We plan on starting our day with bacon and eggs, have a bacon sandwich for a mid morning snack, and eat a BLT for lunch. Then, we will likely eat a bacon-inspired pasta for dinner with a bacon infused dessert. Later in the evening, we are going to relax with a nice Bloody Mary with bacon garnish.

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Salami Day

Bologna Day

Corned Beef Hash Day

Cold Cuts Day

International Bacon Day

Wiener Schnitzel Day

Sloppy Joe Day

National Sausage Month

National Meatball Day

Bacon Day

Pigs in a Blanket Day

6 INTERNATIONAL BACON DAY CELEBRATION IDEAS

International Bacon Day is a time to savor the delight of delicious bacon! Embrace your joy for bacon today by having fun with today’s food holiday.

  1. Host a bacon-everything breakfast by adding bacon to your eggs, pancakes, or omelets. You can also make breakfast burritos or add bacon to your waffle batter.
  2. Experiment with bacon in a new recipe or add it to a favorite one you already make.
  3. Cook different types of bacon and have a bacon tasting party with your family and friends. We recommend adding Applewood -smoked, maple-glazed, or peppered flavor to your menu.
  4. Create the ultimate beverages by adding bacon and other ingredients. In fact, we hear adding bacon as a garnish to a Bloody Mary is delicious!
  5. Find a local bakery or specialty bacon shop that offers a variety of bacon flavors. This might be a great way to treat yourself to a better quality bacon versus buying bacon in the grocery store.
  6. Share your love for bacon on social media using the tag #InternationalBaconDay.

NATIONAL SPONGE CAKE DAY

On August 23rd, enjoy National Sponge Cake Day with the quintessential classic of the cake world. This airy queen of teas is the guest of honor, but we get the pleasure of tasting! 

One of the trickiest cakes for bakers to master, a perfect sponge stands tall. Another balancing trick for bakers includes maintaining a fine crumb while keeping the cake moist. If you enjoy layering berries and whipped cream, the sponge handles this task beautifully. 

The sponge cake is believed to be one of the first non-yeasted cakes. 

The sponge cake is thought to have originated in the Caribbean. However, the earliest English printed recipe for sponge cake comes from an English poet and author, Gervase Markham. In 1615 he published a sponge cake recipe in the book The English Huswife, Containing the Inward and Outward Virtues Which Ought to Be in a Complete Woman.

I can’t knit or make plum jam, but I can bake a bloody Victoria sponge. ~ Helen Mirren as Chris in Calendar Girls (2003)

In 2003, the sponge cake played a tiny role in the movie Calendar Girls starring Helen Mirren. In the scene, Mirren’s character, Chris, enters a baking competition. However, she forgets she entered, and instead of entering a sponge cake of her own making, she submits a store-bought Victoria sponge cake.

Want More Cake…

HOW TO OBSERVE #SpongeCakeDay

Be sure to find more of your favorite cakes here.

Get some sponge cake and enjoy it. Or, if you are up to the challenge, try this Glorious Sponge Cake recipe. Serve it with berries or a preserve. Use #SpongeCakeDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL ICE CREAM CAKE DAY

National Ice Cream Cake Day is observed annually on June 27. In the height of summer, an ice cream cake is the perfect dessert.

An ice cream cake consists of any flavor of ice cream in the shape of a cake.  It can include many different ingredients such as cake, cookie crumbs, sponge cake, fudge, fruit or caramel between the layers of ice cream.  It is then frosted with either whipped cream or a similar icing.  Ice cream cakes are kept frozen until served.  They are typically decorated and served at a wide variety of parties.

Although the origin of the ice cream cake remains somewhat of a mystery, this popular dessert combines the classic summer treat, ice cream, with the time-honored celebratory cake, which makes it one of the best culinary inventions to date.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Order an ice cream cake from your favorite bakery or make your own to share with friends.  Use #nationalicecreamcakeday to share your photos on social media.

NATIONAL DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE DAY

Observed annually on May 19, National Devil’s Food Cake Day is enjoyed by chocolate cake lovers throughout the country and around the world.

Devil’s Food cake is a heavenly chocolate cake.  It differs from a regular chocolate cake by its darker color and tends to be more moist and airy.  Devil’s Food cake recipes use hot or boiling water as the primary liquid. Cocoa is typically utilized in the batter, as opposed to chocolate, and coffee can be added for a distinctive flavor.  A delicious chocolate frosting usually accompanies the cake.

Recipes for Devil’s Food cakes often appeared alongside recipes for Angel Food cakes.  One of the earliest recipes appeared in the August 10, 1898, edition of the Hagerstown Exponent of Hagerstown, Indiana.

The once Queen of France said, “Let them eat cake“, I cant think of a better idea in today’s world.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Mix up this irresistible Devil’s Food Cake I recipe. Use #DevilsFoodCakeDay to post on social media.