May 22nd is the day we recognize National Vanilla Pudding Day. Enjoy it with a delicious dish of cold, creamy vanilla pudding.
The puddings we enjoy as desserts today are not what was commonly known as pudding at ancient dinner tables. Most medieval puddings were meat based and seasoned with herbs and spices. Even sweetened, they were usually served hot. Toward the end of the 18th century, puddings were more likely made from a grains or day old bread with nuts, fruit or meats. These puddings were used to stretch meals for a large family.
The creamy pudding we are more familiar with today is related to the custard, minus the eggs.
Necessity may be the mother of invention, but spouses who are chemists are the inventor. When you are Alfred Bird and your wife is allergic to eggs, that is very true. In 1837, Bird invented an egg-free custard powder using flavored cornstarch.
The earliest packaged pudding in the United States was marketed by My-T-Fine in 1918. This and other puddings like them still required cooking on the stove. The instant version came along in the mid-1940s. On its own or as an ingredient in a larger recipe, pudding can be enjoyed in a variety of flavors.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Give the following creamy vanilla pudding recipes a try:
May 20 is dedicated to the food holiday National Quiche Lorraine Day.
Quiche Lorraine is believed to have originated in the rural Lorraine Region of France. The original Quiche Lorraine consisted of an open pie, made using a bottom crust with a filling of custard and smoked bacon. A cast iron skillet was used to cook the original Quiche. The cheese was added to the recipe at a much later time.
National Coconut Cream Pie Day on May 8th celebrates its own slice of deliciousness. This delicious pie is made with a sweet coconut cream filling. Pie lovers know a thick layer of real whipped cream topped with toasted coconut make this pie irresistible.
There are plenty of pie holidays on the National Day Calendar. In fact, every month includes at least one. The last pie holiday we celebrated was National Blueberry Pie Day, kicking off the blueberry season. However, unlike blueberries, coconut trees produce their fruit all year long. And the milk and meat are processed for canning and drying, making it easily accessible for year-round baking.
If you save your celebrating for the pie holidays, this is the only one in May. The next one doesn’t come along until June 9th on National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day, and for pie lovers, that’s a bit of a wait. Bake up a coconut cream pie. It won’t take long, and you won’t be disappointed.
Share your favorite recipes, too!
Share your slice using #CoconutCreamPieDay on social media.
National Cheesesteak Day on March 24th not only celebrates a fantastic sandwich but it recognizes one of this nation’s greater debates; Who created this deliciousness?
It’s like March Madness for a cheesesteak. Pat’s and Geno’s square off at 10 AM followed by Chubby’s and Dalessandro’s at 11 AM. Then Jim’s and Tony Luke’s at Noon. Basketball fans know how brackets go. Someone is gonna get a by.
However, the credit is given to a hot dog vendor from the 1930s, Pat Olivieri. According to Philadelphia’s tourism site, Pat’s King of Steaks sits on its original location and is still going strong. This writer has had a cheesesteak from there and would go back in a heartbeat.
The important thing is this fabulous, juicy sandwich on a hoagie roll. The roll is filled with chipped steak, and you can order it with or without cheese and onions. If you’ve never had one, you can really only get an authentic one in Philly. Other places try, so go where you can. But someday, go to Philadephia. It is the real deal.
Invite your friends and head over to your favorite cheesesteak restaurant. Get it with cheese (it’s cheesesteak day, not steak day) and add the onions, too. Use #NationalCheesesteakDay to share 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.
