National Lemon Meringue Pie Day on August 15th gives pie lovers and lemon lovers a chance to celebrate. Tart lemon curd and delicate meringue sing together in this deliciously bright pie.
When making a lemon meringue pie, the crust is usually made with shortbread pastry. The filling for the pie is lemon curd. Of course, the topping is a fluffy and crisp meringue.
Whip egg whites to stiff peaks to make a meringue. Add sugar to make it sweet. Meringues are baked in a slow oven so when they’re finished, they come out crisp and golden.
When life throws you lemons, make lemon meringue pie!
Since meringue is versatile, it can be baked into individual servings with fruit fillings. Pastry chefs also like to make meringue cookies, too. By adding cocoa, coffee or any number of flavorings, the light, airy cookies melt in your mouth. The same applies to meringue pies.
The meringue was perfected in the 17th century. Meanwhile, lemon meringue pie as we know it today was developed in the 19th century.
HOW TO OBSERVE #LemonMeringuePieDay
As the first pie day in August, be sure to get in on this celebration! Whether you make a pie yourself or go out for a pie, invite someone to join you. Pie is so much better when there is someone to share it with you. Have a cup of tea or coffee with it and some good conversation. Try this Lemon Meringue Pie recipe. Be sure to share your favorite recipes with us and use #LemonMeringuePieDay to post on social media.
Strawberry Rhubarb Wine Day on the third Saturday in July celebrates the strawberry sweetness of summer with a relaxing sip of wine. The day offers an excellent opportunity for a wine tasting featuring a strawberry rhubarb wine, too.
In July of 2010, Maple River Winery in historic downtown Casselton, North Dakota, proudly accepted the Double Gold Award at the Indy International Wine Competition for its Strawberry Rhubarb Wine. What a delicious way to celebrate! But what is rhubarb?
It may be difficult for the common person to classify rhubarb. Is it a fruit? Is it a vegetable? While technically rhubarb may be known as a tart perennial vegetable, combining it with strawberries creates a unique flavor. Some even consider it the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Rhubarb even went to court over the matter. In 1947 in a customs court in Buffalo, New York, the court ruled that since rhubarb is used as a fruit in the United States, for the purposes of regulations and duties, it was to be counted as a fruit.
And from the wine perspective, that’s a good thing. Fruit wines sound so much better than vegetable wine. Of course, strawberry rhubarb wine celebrates the day with a flavor that tastes like summer.
While enjoying the summer day, savor some chilled strawberry rhubarb wine. Uncork a bottle and pour a glass. Actually, pour a few glasses and share it with a friend or two. Strawberry rhubarb wine goes well with a picnic, so take a bottle or two! A bottle makes a great gift, too. Strawberry rhubarb wine also complements many dishes and you just can’t go wrong! Share your celebration by posting on social media using #StrawberryRhubarbWineDay.
Afternoon tea once was a meal that filled a gap and infused itself into daily routines and social rituals. National Afternoon Tea Month in April celebrates the history, food, and culture surrounding this nostalgic pastime.
Afternoon tea is a nearly 200-year-old tradition that began in the United Kingdom. In the 1830s, only the upper class enjoyed afternoon tea due mainly to the price of tea leaves. The upper class also enjoyed more leisure time than the working class, allowing them to enjoy a social moment over tea and biscuits. What began as a light snack turned into a meal with rituals and traditions carried over from high society.
During the 19th century, the day’s last meal was often served between 8 and 9 pm, creating a long gap between meals. The afternoon tea offered a light, casual meal to help tide people over until supper. But the afternoon tea was more than a way to stave off hunger for a few hours. It was a time to dust off the day’s troubles and enjoy the company of loved ones. Over time, the meal became more than a necessity; it became a social occasion and part of the culture. The meal filtered into public places like restaurants and tea gardens, developing into a social event.
The Meal
Afternoon tea consists of light, small portions—crustless finger sandwiches, scones, small cakes and pastries, and of course, tea. Various spreads, such as clotted cream, lemon curd, jams, and jellies, are also served. Usually, English Breakfast tea and Earl Grey are served, but other teas find their way to the serving tray, too. Teas such as Lapsang Souchong, lavender, mint, Darjeeling, and chamomile bring a variety of flavors to the table.
Reviving a Fading Tradition
As our routines changed, we began to eat the supper meal earlier and earlier. Busy lifestyles, travel, and two-income households have all but eliminated the afternoon tea. However, afternoon tea parties are still hosted around the world. They serve as casual occasions to celebrate friends and family and inspire us to interact and commune with each other.
National Afternoon Tea Month is a chance to reignite interest in the ritual and give tools for planning the perfect Afternoon Tea Parties at home. Today, teahouses, tea gardens, tearooms, bed and breakfasts, and other locations also offer afternoon tea and an opportunity to revive a culture that has been slowly fading away.
Tea Tea and Company founded National Afternoon Tea Month to celebrate the culture surrounding tea and as a way to inspire a rival of the afternoon tea traditions. Tea Tea and Company specializes in tea, tea parties, tea education, and custom blends. In addition, they offer experienced guidance on choosing, drinking, and serving tea.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalAfternoonTeaMonth
Celebrate National Afternoon Tea Month by organizing an afternoon tea in your home. You can also attend afternoon teas at local restaurants, teahouses, and many other locations. Explore a variety of menus and bring the tradition of afternoon tea into your life. Learn everything you need to know about hosting afternoon tea by visiting Tea Tea and Company.
Use #NationalAfternoonTeaDay when you share your experiences on social media or visit the website afternoonteamonth.com for more ways to celebrate.
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.
National Peppermint Patty Day recognizes a treat enjoyed by millions around the world. On February 11th each year, sink your teeth into the minty chocolate sweet.
The oldest commercially-made mint patty or cake was made by the Quiggin’s family on the Isle of Man (an island located in the middle of the northern Irish Sea). They had been making the cakes since 1840, but in 1880, four of the sons formed the Kendal Mint Cake Company.
In the United States, as early as 1900, peppermint patties were made by regional confectioneries. Companies such as Idaho Candy Company, Trudeau Candie’s, and Pearson’s (which purchased Trudeau in 1951, both were Minnesota companies). Possibly the most known, though not the oldest, York Peppermint Patties were made by the York Cone Company of Pennsylvania.
York Peppermint Patties were first made in 1940 and distributed regionally, much like other candy makers of the era. York dominated the market because of its firmness and crispness while the others were soft. A former York employee remembered that the final (sample) test of the patty before it left the factory was called a “snap test.” If the candy did not break clean in the middle, it did not make it onto candy store shelves.
In 1975 the company was acquired by Peter Paul Cadbury. Cadbury moved the factory to Reading, Pennsylvania, much to the distress of workers and residents of York. The company then distributed the popular treat across the country.
Create a festive treat from peppermint patties to perk up a friend or family member. A fresh bouquet of these minty treats would be a delightful surprise!
Mix up a minty peppermint patty milkshake for a chilling change.
Add a bit of peppermint kick to your mocha to celebrate the day! Whether you use a syrup, add a peppermint stick or order it from a local coffee shop, you won’t go wrong.
Be sure to use #PeppermintPattyDay to share on social media.
