NATIONAL CANDY MONTH

What sweeter way to kick off the first month of summer than by celebrating National Candy Month? Candy and treats get recognized all month long for their contributions to the way we celebrate our past times, mark special occasions and especial the ways we celebrate every day!

Whether its a box of Milkduds at the movies or hot tamales at the baseball game, there’s a special treat that comes to mind when we get together for some fun times. A visit to the fair reminds us of a big cone of spun sugar, better known today as cotton candy. Fudge and saltwater taffy are a must have after visiting some of our favorite vacation spots.

We often add some sweetness to our trail mix throughout the summer for added energy on hikes or making a s’more while camping. Fresh mints brighten our day or even a wedding reception. There are so many ways candies and the candy industry adds to our lives.

HISTORY

National Candy Month was first observed in January of 1974. Sales of confections would often drop after the busy holiday season and new year resolutions would kick into high gear making sweets a restricted diet item for some time to come.  The observance would later move to May and then settle into its current place in sunny June. It was founded by the National Confectioners Association.

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HOW TO OBSERVE

What’s your favorite sweet treat? Do you celebrate with sprinkles on your ice cream or a bag of chewy turtles from the candy store? We remember saving our coins to buy our candy by the bag. What was it? Use #NationalCandyMonth to share on social media and thank someone in the industry for all their dedication and hard work.

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NATIONAL BUTTERSCOTCH BROWNIE DAY

National Butterscotch Brownie Day on May 9th each year recognizes a delicious treat. Butterscotch Brownies, also known as Blondies or Brookies (brownie + cookie) made their debut before chocolate brownies. Recipes date back to the 19th century and are made up of flour, brown sugar, butter, eggs, baking powder, and vanilla. Walnuts, pecans, or butterscotch chips are sometimes added to the brownies.

These brownies taste delicious with a dollop of ice cream on top. They also make terrific trifles when cut up into chunks and layered with puddings or mousse, and whipped cream. Make them for bake sales or tasty little gifts. No matter what excuse you use to make them, be sure to share them!

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HOW TO OBSERVE #ButterscotchBrownieDay

Want to keep it simple?  Enjoy this recipe from Taste of Home. Share your favorite recipes and combinations, too! Use #ButterscotchBrownieDay to post on social media. Don’t forget to serve your butterscotch brownie topped with ice cream and butterscotch or caramel sauce.  YUM!!!

Use #NationalButterscotchBrownieDay to share on social media. 

NATIONAL CHOCOLATE CARAMEL DAY

A great combination is celebrated each year on National Chocolate Caramel Day. On March 19th, enjoy chocolate and caramel in your favorite candy bar, ice cream, or dessert.  It will put a smile on most people’s faces! The combination also invokes some cravings for chocolate caramel coffee, milkshakes, or just about any treat with this hard-to-resist combination. 

While Milton Hershey receives a lot of credit for making chocolate caramel popular (he did make his living making caramel first), recipes for chocolate caramels existed as early as the 1880s. At about the same time, the first mass-produced chocolate bar became available.

In 1893, the World’s Colombian Exposition came to Chicago. Hershey’s fascination with an exhibit featuring machinery for the production of German chocolate became apparent. So fascinated, in fact, he purchased the equipment. Soon he was producing chocolate bars, many of which included his company’s bedrock ingredient: caramel. 

Chocolate and caramel make a sweet pair. It explains why we find them coupled together in so many recipes. Delicious cakes, bars, brownies, fudge, and cookies get the chocolate caramel treatment. Who wouldn’t want to celebrate this heavenly confection combination?

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HOW TO OBSERVE #ChocolateCaramelDay

There are so many ways to celebrate this day! Add caramel to chocolate ice cream. Enjoy your favorite chocolate caramel candy bar. Make a delicious chocolate caramel dessert or order one from your favorite bakery. Want to add even more variety? Consider that chocolate and caramel also pair well with nuts and whole grains, too. Adding a little dark chocolate and caramel to your granola and yogurt routine in the morning might be a nice treat. Also, drizzle a little over your popcorn. 

Of course, the best way to celebrate is by sharing. Try making up a big batch of your favorite recipe for co-workers or the neighbors. Another option is to create recipe cards to give out to friends and family.

Use #ChocolateCaramelDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL CRAB MEAT DAY

Observed annually on March 9th, National Crab Meat Day (also National Crabmeat Day) offers a day to celebrate one of America’s favorite crustaceans. With 1.5 million tons of crab consumed every year around the world, plenty of crab meat lovers celebrate every year. 

While crab meat is a healthy choice, once you add the butter, the fat and calories add up.  And there are thousands of species of crabs, but only certain ones are edible. In the United States, some of the more popular and tasty ones are the blue crab, stone crab, Dungeness, king, and rock or snow crabs. They come in both hard and soft shells and can be found along all the coasts and Hawaii.

Enjoying the meat of these crustaceans can be done in many ways. Boiled crab, either the legs or the whole creature, results in a feast requiring some labor from the diner. However, every tasty morsel is well worth the effort. Mix the meat with other ingredients to create dips, cakes, or soups. 

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalCrabMeatDay

Boil or steam some crab.  There are a variety of ways crab can be used. Try some recipes today. Use #NationalCrabMeatDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL PEANUT CLUSTER DAY

March 8th is National Peanut Cluster Day!  Melted chocolate mixed with peanuts makes a perfect combination for sweet and salty deliciousness!

Two things had to happen for peanut clusters to even exist. First, a method had to be invented for the cocoa bean to be processed and transformed into what we know as chocolate. That process wasn’t widely used until about the late 1890s and just about the same time the second extraordinary thing happened; agriculture found a way to grow the peanut and bring it to the public with steel tools and steam power.  

It didn’t take long for confectioneries to add the now readily available peanuts to melted chocolate. The sheer simplicity of the salty peanuts added to sweetened chocolate is a mouthwatering temptation few can resist, even today. Candy makers find them to be a popular addition to cookie tins or other holiday baskets. Their simplicity allows bakers to easily round out any cookie or bar tray. They also quickly satisfy a snack craving without much effort at all. 

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HOW TO OBSERVE #PeanutClusterDay

Peanut clusters are an easy to make snack that can be ready in just minutes.  Melt the chocolate. Add the peanuts and stir them together. Drop them by spoonfuls into a “cluster” on waxed paper or foil. Let them harden and then ENJOY!!

Remember to share! Use #PeanutClusterDay to post on social media.