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.

NATIONAL GUACAMOLE DAY

National Guacamole Day on September 16 brings fresh flavors together for the perfect celebration. What a great way to kick off Hispanic Heritage Month!

Avocados shine as the star of this dip! Lime juice, tomatoes, onion, and seasonings make guacamole a guilt-free addition to any snack or meal.

Since avocados fall under the superfood category, feel free to indulge. Packed full of good fats and nutrients, along with the fresh taste of lime and hint of spice, the dip is flavorful. It’s easy to make, too. Take it to work or use it for a party dish.

Guacamole is versatile, too. For example, add it as a topping on a quesadilla or even add it to a salad. Of course, the simplest way to enjoy is by dipping your favorite tortilla chip.

Originating with the Aztecs in Mexico, guacamole is an avocado-based sauce that has become popular in American cuisine as a dip, condiment, and salad ingredient. 

Using a mortar and pestle, mash ripe avocados and then mixing in sea salt.  Beyond the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and lemon juice, hot sauce, yogurt or other seasonings can be added.  If a celebration calls for spicier guacamole, add jalapenos, chilis, cumin, or red pepper. 

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalGuacamoleDay

Mix up your favorite recipe for guacamole. Go to your favorite restaurant and order some fresh guacamole. While there, give a shout out to the restaurants with the best guacamole around.  Be sure to invite friends. As we say around here, why #CelebrateEveryDay if you don’t do it with friends? Share your recipes and find the best combination. Use #NationalGuacamoleDay to share on social media.

NATIONAL ACORN SQUASH DAY

National Acorn Squash Day is observed annually on September 7th. The day celebrates winter squash that is also known to some as a pepper squash.

Even though it is considered a winter squash, acorn squash belongs to the same species as all summer squashes including zucchini and yellow crookneck squash.

The most common variety comes in a mostly green outer shell, often with a splotch of orange on its side or top. However, varieties, including the Golden Acorn and the White Acorn, offer gardeners and cooks options. This versatile squash also grows in variegated color.

The acorn squash resembles its name in shape, an acorn. They usually weigh between one to two pounds and generally grow between four and seven inches long.  This hardy squash also keeps for several months, making it a great item to store for yumminess all winter long. Just be sure to store it in a cool, dry location.

Since acorn squash is versatile, it can be baked, microwaved, sautéed, or steamed. Some cooks like to stuff it with rice, meat, cheeses, or vegetable mixtures. You can also toast the seeds of the acorn squash much like pumpkin seeds.

Nutritionally, the acorn squash offers a good source of dietary fiber and potassium. It also has some vitamin C and B, magnesium and manganese.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #AcornSquashDay

Visit your favorite farmer’s market. You can also drive out to a pick your own farm. Once you’ve collected your squash, share your recipes or growing tips. Try acorn squash in soup or broil it. Experiment with the flavors as you fill your plate with this colorful garden vegetable. Whatever you do to celebrate, be sure to share it with others. Use #AcornSquashDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL POTATO MONTH

This month we salute the terrific tuber, the spud, otherwise known as the potato! September is National Potato Month!

It’s hard to imagine a world without potatoes. Once indigenous to South America, specifically Peru and Bolivia, the potato has become a staple food in much of the world. In fact, it is an integral part of the food supply in many countries. Spuds are grown in all fifty states in the U.S. alone!

In 1784, Thomas Jefferson set voyage on a trip to France with his slave James Heming. Jefferson brought his slave along in hopes he would learn some of the French culinary skills. Upon return to the U.S., Jefferson made Heming prepare one of the many culinary delights learned in France, the French fried potato. The dish was served at Jefferson’s private residence. Despite the fact Heming learned the culinary skill to make French fried potatoes and brought that skill back the U.S., Jefferson is given credit for introducing French fried potatoes. The earliest known recipe for the potato chip appeared in a cookbook published in 1817. The preparation resembled the French fried potato prepared by Heming.

The potato continues to have a vast history after its initial introduction. Most notably, the history of potatoes relates to the Irish potato famine of the 1840s. Sadly, starvation and disease claimed as many as a million lives in Ireland during the famine. It was during this time that nearly 500,000 Irish immigrated to the U.S.

Mash-Up Potato Facts:
  • The word “spud” first made an appearance in New Zealand around 1850. Potato planters used spuds, a sharper version of a spade, to dig up potatoes. Technically, it had nothing to the with the potato.
  • The world’s largest potato chip was produced by the Pringle Company in 1990. It measures 23′ by 14.5′.
    Potatoes have even made an entry into pop culture. Possibly the most famous potato known to man, Mr. Potato Head. A creation from New Yorker George Lerner, the Hasbro Company launched the beloved toy in 1952. Unfortunately, Mr. Potato Head lost his pipe in 1987 mostly due to pressure from anti-smoking groups.
  • The “Mashed Potatoes” was a popular dance craze in the early 1960s. Mashed Potato Time was a 1962 chart-topping hit for soul singer Dee Dee Sharp.

Potatoes also have health benefits. For instance, potato skins are a good source of roughage and potassium. The average potato with the skin intact only contains 110 calories. It’s all the stuff you put on it that makes it fattening. As long as toppings are used in moderation, you can enjoy potatoes in all their deliciousness!

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HOW TO OBSERVE

Potato dishes can be found in all corners of the world, making it easy to find something that suits your taste buds!

Use #NationalPotatoMonth in social media correspondence.

National Potato Day

National Potato Day is August 19, so if you like spuds, this one’s for you! Never celebrated this tasty tot before? Good news, we have the lowdown on how to do things up right with facts and links to turn you from couch potato to party animal.

Potatoes have been a popular food for centuries so it’s about time we recognize this versatile and ap-peeling favorite. Mashed, smashed, chipped, or covered in cheese, potatoes can be eaten with just about every meal — or as a meal! — making these starchy veggies a delicious and easy way to get iron, potassium and vitamin c. The puns are just baked right in! Now just fry and stop us from telling you the whole scoop on what makes National Potato Day so …spudtacular.

NATIONAL POTATO DAY ACTIVITIES

Did you know there are over 4000 different kinds of potatoes? It’s true! Choose your favorite or choose a bunch because potatoes are so tasty and easy to cook that no matter what you pick you won’t be wrong! And not being wrong is a wonderful way to celebrate anything, so try it out this August 19.

There’s no wrong way to prepare a potato and the Internet (and probably your grandma) have a million and one recipes for you to try. Select a favorite, chop to it and discover for yourself why this hot potato is such a hot commodity. Don’t forget to invite some friends and make it an event! This is a celebration, after all.

Creamy and buttery or crispy and salty, the last step to enjoying this day is the best step — eating! —and we will eat potatoes in any form (even baked into bread)! We think consuming these delectable spuds in mass quantities is the best way to pay homage on their special day.

WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL POTATO DAY

Potatoes are a staple for a reason Hashbrowns or potato salad, hot or cold, no matter how you slice ‘em, potatoes have been a staple in diets all over the world because they’re easy to grow, tasty and relatively inexpensive to produce and buy. Nearly ever cuisine has potatoes in it, so you can take a culinary journey with your trusty potato by your side.

Potato chips are the best snackThe people have spoken! Potato chips are regularly regarded as the most delicious snack and we couldn’t agree more. Plus, there isn’t a better party food than the potato chip. Just pour them in a bowl and let the festivities begin! With chips coming in more and more flavors all the time, you’ll never run out of ways to enjoy your favorite spuds with your buds. That deserve a few chip-chip-hoorays!

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How to OBSERVE

Potatoes are America’s cropPotatoes are grown in all 50 states! It makes sense that there should be a national day to celebrate the crop that can feed an entire country. We really do think this starchy, vitamin packed veg is all that and a bag of chips so pick up a bag, choose a recipe and feast with friends!

No matter how you celebrate share it on social media with #NationPotatoDay. We look forward to seeing your favorites.