On August 28th, National Red Wine Day ushers in the flavors of fall. As the grapes ripen and signal a time for warmer sips, wine drinkers know reds mean tailgating and spicy foods.
Throughout the year, wine days afford us the opportunity to taste and learn about the differences between wines. Earlier this month National Prosecco Day gave us the last bubbly rays of summer. Now we savor the best of the season with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot noir, Port, and Syrah.
Red wine varietals produce deep ruby reds as well as subtle ambers and browns. Their beautiful colors hint at the coming change in the season. With that, we can look for delicious menu changes, too. Besides, what better way to enjoy a great bottle of wine than by pairing it with excellent company and food. Restaurants around the country will be happy to oblige throughout the celebration. Be sure to check out the latest menus from appetizers to desserts.
Don’t fear the red, either. Even if you prefer a sweeter wine, there’s a red for you. Also, blends offer a way to enjoy the best of both wine worlds. And don’t fret. Red, red wine pairs well with salad, steak, dessert and so much more.
If you’re hesitant, attend a wine tasting. There you will learn more each time and find the wine that fits not only your palate but your cooking style, too.
Pour a glass or two of delicious red wine. Not sure what kind to try? Ask sommelier and enjoy a wine tasting with friends. Use #NationalRedWineDay to share your favorites.
NATIONAL RED WINE DAY HISTORY
In 2014, Jace Shoemaker-Galloway created National Red Wine Day.
Full of flavor, healthy and easy ro make, this dinner hits the spot for full tummies. Filled with Ground turkey, Couscous, black olives, 2 kinds of sqaush, cheeses, and greek seasoning ant topped with lemon slices. It’s perfect for a family meal, potluck dinner, and a good choice for lots of dietary needs. So good I bet no one will even suspect it’s good for them…
Ingredients
1 Near East Couscous 5.9oz box
3 lbs ground turkey
16 oz sliced Pepper jack cheese
1 2.2 oz can sliced blak olives
1 8oz spinach artichoke cheese dip
1/4 cup grated Parmesean Cheese
1 medium onion diced
2 tbls minced garlic
2 lemon sliced
2 Tbls Greek Seasoning
Zucchini
Yellow Squash
10 oz fresh grape tomatoes sliced in half
Directions
Prepare a 9 x 13 glass baking dish
Prepare couscous as directed on packaging and set aside
Chop zucchini and yellow squash into 1/2 pieces
Brown Ground turkey with onion and minced garlic
Drain, mix with spinach artichoke cheese dip, set aside.
In prepared dish spread browned turkey, couscous, vegetables and black olives in 3 layers.
Top bottom layers with Monterrey Jack cheese.
Sprinkle Paresean cheese and greek seasoning over top of cassarole.
Top entire dish with lemon slices
Bake @ 350° for 40 minutes until vegetables are cooked.
National Apple Pie Day, America’s favorite dessert, is observed annually on May 13th.
The first apple pie recipe printed was in England in 1381. The list of ingredients included good apples, good spices, figs, raisins, pears, saffron, and cofyn (a type of pastry crust).
While the apple pie existed well before the Pilgrims landed on the eastern shores of what is now The United States, Americans wax poetic about how American apple pie is. The phrase “as American as apple pie” has been around for more than 100 years.
During the turn of the 20th century when whole toasted cereals were becoming the ‘health food’ fad, pie gained a bad reputation. Apple pie saved the day of sorts, being more nutritious than other pies according to some.
Teddy Roosevelt was impressed to have a taste of home when he was served an American apple pie while traveling in Africa.
Soldiers during World War II were often quoted they were fighting “for Mom and apple pie.” In 1970, advertisers used the patriotic connection with a commercial jingle “Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet.”
Each year on April 29th, National Peace Rose Day honors a well-known and fruitful garden rose.
The light yellow to large cream-colored flowers of the Peace rose have slightly flushed crimson pink petal edges. It is a hybrid tea rose that is hardy, vigorous, and highly resistant to disease.
French horticulturist Francis Meilland developed the Peace rose between 1935 and 1939. When Meilland foresaw the German invasion of France to protect the new rose, he sent cutting to his friends in Italy, Turkey, Germany, and the United States. It is believed these cuttings were sent to the United States on the last plane available before the German invasion.
Each country that received a cutting gave the rose a different name. In France, it was called “Madame A. Meilland” in honor of the breeder’s mother. Italy named the rose Gioia, meaning Joy. In Germany, the name of the rose was Gloria Dei, for glory to God. The United States named the rose “Peace,” and the national flower of the United States is the rose.
As the Second World War came to a close in Europe, the trade name “Peace” was publicly announced on April 29, 1945, by the Conrad Pyle Co. in the United States.
Later in 1945, Peace roses were given to each delegate at the inaugural meeting of the United Nations, in San Francisco, with a note that read: “We hope the Peace rose will influence men’s thoughts for everlasting world peace.”
National Peace Rose Day offers the opportunity for us all to discover the beauty of the Peace Rose. Whether you plant a shrub or share clippings with others, join in the celebration. These beautiful blossoms and their story encourages the sharing of peace between friends and neighbors.
Use #NationalPeaceRoseDay to post on social media.
Each year on April 16th, National Orchid Day recognizes one of the world’s diverse and widespread family of flowering plants. The orchids’ often colorful and fragrant blooms grow in abundance around the world. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species. Not only are they prolific, but they range in size from the 2.1 mm wide Platystele jungermannioides to broad-bloomed Grammatophyllum speciosum.
While some find the orchid challenging to grow, others find pleasure in their pleasant fragrance and uncommon beauty. With so many varieties to choose from, the beauty can be enjoyed from home or by visiting botanical gardens around the world.
Orchids are beautiful and extremely special. The creators of National Orchid Day, Mike and Faith Young, volunteered at an orchid reserve in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, in 2010, and the experience changed their lives forever. So much so, the Youngs decided if they were ever to have a daughter, they would name her Orchid. On April 16, 2014, sadly, they lost their precious daughter during labor. They named her Orchid Faith. Since then, they have been desperately trying to find ways to honor her life.
Creating National Orchid Day
After discovering that no National Orchid Day existed, the Youngs set out to secure the day in honor of their daughter, Orchid Faith. On the year anniversary of losing their precious little girl, they created a Kickstarter campaign. They offered pre-orders of their backyard honey (The Humble Bumbles Honey) with the goal of designating April 16th as National Orchid Day through the Official National Day Registrar. Within the first day, they met their goal, and the campaign brought in over $1,500. Thanks to the generosity and kindness of many friends, family, and supporters, April 16th will now forever be National Orchid Day in honor of their daughter.
For the rest of their lives, Mike and Faith say they will be caring for and spreading awareness about orchids. They feel that having a National Orchid Day dedicated to the beautiful life they lost, orchids will be appreciated a little bit more, and their little girl will feel the warmth of those that think of orchids that day. They feel as though all orchids are a representation of their little girl and hope that this special day will inspire those who come across orchids to think of their daughter, Orchid Faith, too; she is alive within you and all of us.
Radiant Faith Orchid
Also, for Mother’s Day 2015, Mike designated and named a Cattleya orchid ‘Radiant Faith’ through Chadwick and Son Orchids, Inc. The International Orchid Register of the Royal Horticulture Society in England officially recognizes and recognizes the Radiant Faith orchid. The Youngs were inspired by the color company Pantone’s color of the year for 2014 (the year they lost their daughter) – Radiant Orchid. Information on the Radiant Faith orchid can be found here: http://apps.rhs.org.uk/horticulturaldatabase/orchidregister/orchiddetails.asp?ID=982975
