This food holiday National Chocolate Pudding Day is observed each year on June 26th. Chocolate pudding has been loved by children and adults for many years. Usually eaten as a snack or dessert, chocolate pudding is also used as a filling for chocolate creme pie.
Historically, chocolate pudding is a variation of chocolate custard, using starch as a thickener instead of eggs. The 1903 edition of Mary Harris Frazer’s Kentucky Receipt Book and the 1918 edition of Fannie Farmer’s Boston Cooking School Cook Book both have recipes for the earlier version, using both eggs and flour.
In 1934, General Foods (Jello) introduced chocolate pudding mix as “Walter Baker’s Dessert.”
In 1936, it was renamed “Pickle’s Pudding.”
Chocolate pudding is usually made with milk and sugar, flavored with chocolate and vanilla then thickened with flour or cornstarch. Some recipes do use eggs when making the pudding.
Chocolate pudding can be purchased ready-made and sold in grocery stores, convenience stores and gas stations. The popular brands include Jell-O by the Kraft Foods Corporation and Snack Pack by Hunt’s.
Enjoy some delicious Chocolate Pudding as a dessert or as a snack. Try this homemade Chocolate Cornstarch Pudding recipe. Use #NationalChocolatePuddingDay on social media.
Celebrate all your favorite cocktails on March 24th. National Cocktail Day ushers in all the best ways to savor a beverage at the end of a long workday. Whether you like a fruity drink, blended or on the rocks, this day is for you. Mocktail, virgin, or the real thing, celebrate the lemon, lime, bitters, liquors, and liqueurs that make your favorite beverages the best in your bartender book.
It’s probably no surprise that nearly every month on the calendar celebrates a cocktail. The only exception is April, and since it’s National Alcohol Awareness Month, it makes sense to take that month off.
A cocktail contains a spirit or a mix of spirits. While a beer is not considered a cocktail, there are beer cocktails where beer is added to a distilled ingredient. The same applies to wine.
The other months pay homage to histories, ingredients, and the makers of some legendary cocktails. January begins the year dedicating a day to the Bloody Mary, and there’s also a day for her Canadian counterpart, the Bloody Caesar, in May. January also devotes an entire week to Mocktails. In February, you can celebrate the Margarita and Kahlua. March brings us International Whisk(e)y Day, among others. Skipping back to May, you can imbibe in both Palomas and Mimosas for your celebrations.
June and July compete for the most cocktail-related days. From Martinis and Bourbon in June to Pina Coladas and Daiquiris in July, the two months cover the spectrum. There are even a few bottles of wine in between. Not only do they celebrate specific cocktails but they also celebrate the places we enjoy them. National Dive Bar Day in July invites us to celebrate the places that serve our favorite cocktails, even if it’s an ice-cold beer.
The rest of the year covers all our chilled and heated cocktails. By December, we readily reminisce National Repeal Day and the Bartenders who keep that era and the skills alive.
We have only skimmed the surface of the cocktails celebrated on the calendar, so National Cocktail Day allows you to celebrate whichever one you like!
Explore cocktail ingredients or read a bartender’s manual.
Learn the finer elements of mixing cocktails and expand your home bar.
Visit a speakeasy or take a tour of your favorite distillery.
Host a cocktail tasting session. Create a classic menu with a professional bartender who provides history and describes the nuances behind the ingredients.
Attend a cocktail tasting party. You will learn more about how and why ingredients are combined the way they are.
Visit your local bar and pick your bartender’s brain. Some like to share their techniques. Ask them what their favorite cocktail is. And, be sure to tip them well for their advice and service.
Try making a mocktail. Especially on those weeknights when work is busy, and you need to keep up. Many of them infuse nutrients many of us are lacking. Keep these recipes on hand for your friends who are designated drivers, sober for life, supporting a friend, or for any reason.
As always, ANY TIME we are indulging in spirits and alcohol, DON’T drink and drive. Designate a sober driver. Call a taxi, Uber, Lyft, or friend.
When you celebrate, share your favorites by using #NationalCocktailDay on social media.
On March 15th, National Pears Hélène Day celebrates a food holiday about the delicious, smooth French dessert combining warm poached pears, vanilla ice cream, and chocolate sauce.
Pears Hélène is a dessert made from pears poached in sugar syrup and served with vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, and crystallized violets. Around 1864, French Chef Auguste Escoffier created the dessert in honor of the operetta La belle Hélène by Jacques Offenbach.
Over time, Pears Hélène simpler versions have been developed by substituting poached pears with canned pears and the delicate crystallized violets have been replaced with sliced almonds. These modifications have made it easier for more cooks to prepare this must-have dessert.
FUN PEAR FACTS:
There are more than 3,000 varieties of pears grown in the world.
Washington, Oregon and Northern California grow more than 95% of the pears sold in the United States.
California grows 60% of all Bartlett pears in the United States.
Pears ripen best off of the tree.
They are an excellent source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C as well as copper, fiber, and potassium.
Pears are less allergenic than many other fruits.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalPearsHeleneDay
Prepare a recipe of Pears Hélène. Add it to an elegant evening or make it to simply enjoy and celebrate the day. We’ve provided a recipe for you to try as well. Share your recipes, too!
March 7th recognizes a delicious and elegant, savory dish on National Crown Roast of Pork Day. The menu calls for a beautifully set table ready to receive a feast worthy of royalty or a celebration.
Crown roast of pork earns its name when a pork loin forms a circle with the ribs pointing upwards, creating the points of a crown. Often they are held together with twine. It is then seasoned, and usually stuffed, roasted and served, making a beautiful centerpiece on the table. The ends of the bones may be given a paper frill treatment for added decoration.
For anyone familiar with roasting pork and other meats, this roast cooks much the same way. What makes it stand out from others is its presentation. It elevates an already flavorful cut of meat to a whole other level and makes the cook look exceptional in the process.
HOW TO OBSERVE #CrownRoastOfPorkDay
Invite friends and family over for a celebration. Put on your apron. Set the table with fine china and crystal. Pour cocktails, mocktails, and wine. Serve a cheese plate and let the excitement build with conversation and good company. Then bask in the compliments as you present the main course – a crown roast of pork. Visit your butcher to help you find just the right size for your crowd.
On March 4th, National Pound Cake Day recognizes one of the dessert world’s most versatile cakes. Each year it is celebrated by bakers and cake lovers alike. Celebrate with a piece (or two) of this deliciously rich delight.
The traditional recipe for pound cake makes a cake much larger than most families can consume, as it calls for a pound each of flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. Hence the name Pound Cake.
In the United States, sour cream pound cake is a popular variation apart from the traditional pound cake recipe. Other variations include adding vanilla or almond flavoring or dried fruits.
Celebrating National Pound Cake Day is easy! You can visit your favorite bakery and pick up a pound of deliciously sweet cake to share. While you’re there, be sure to give the baker a shout-out, too. You can also turn on your oven and bake up a traditional pound cake. Slice it up and add some sweet berries, whipped cream, and a drizzle of chocolate or fruit syrup, and this dessert will dazzle even the most serious critics.
I’ve used this instead of other suggestions for Triffle, and Baked Alaska. My husband grew up on it and loves it. Anytime I ask him what he wants for dessert it’s always his first suggestion.
Use #NationalPoundCakeDay to post on social media.
