April 19 Amaretto Day

April 19, 2016 is Amaretto Day observed every year. Amaretto in Italian means “a little bitter” and is made from bitter almonds or apricot kernels or both. Its most notable characteristic is its strong almond flavoring. This flavor comes from apricot kernel oil, burnt sugar, and spices. The name "amaretto" means "slightly bitter" and refers to the aftertaste of the drink.

It appearing for sale in advertisements in the United States in the late 1940s.

Another amaretto tale comes from the same area of Italy but is of a young Lazzaroni couple blessed by the Cardinal of Milan in 1718. The couple honored his visit with a special recipe of their own, producing an amaretto cookie like no other. This one came in a bottle. Their recipe was also a closely guarded family secret for generations.

Make your Amaretto at home its easy...

April 19 Garlic Day

Native to central Asia, garlic has a lengthy history dating back 6,000 years. Long a staple of Mediterranean diets, garlic was a commonly used seasoning in the cuisines of Africa, Asia and Europe. China is currently the world’s biggest producer of garlic followed by India, South Korea, Egypt and Russia.

Garlic is known for causing bad breath (halitosis), as well as causing sweat to have a pungent "garlicky" smell.

Garlic has been used as both food and medicine in many cultures for thousands of years, dating at least as far back as when the Giza pyramids were built. Garlic is claimed to help prevent heart disease and cancer. Animal studies, and some early research studies in humans, have suggested possible cardiovascular benefits of garlic.

10 Benefits of Garlic You Probably Didn't Know 

April 17 recognizes the food holiday Cheeseball Day.

There are two ways a cheeseball can be served:

Crunchy and bright cheese puffs in the shape of balls will turn your fingers orange. This snack is similar to the cheese doodles. It is manufactured by extruding heated corn dough through a form of particular shape.

The other version of cheeseball is what you make for parties as an appetizer. This is a soft cheese spread in a shape of ball, served with crackers.

Traditional cheese ball appetizers can include different ingredients, like cheddar cheese, cream cheese, pepper, garlic, salt, nuts. Gourmet versions of cheeseballs call for blue cheese, sherry, pineapple, olives and even smoked salmon. 

April 17 Haiku Poetry Day

Observed annually on April 17, Haiku Poetry Day encourages all to try their hand in creativity. Haiku poetry is a form of Japanese poetry that is non-rhyming and normally consists of 3 lines with a syllable pattern of 5-7-5. First popularized in Japan in the 17th century, Haiku as a poetry genre has been adopted by many languages around the world. In English, the genre first became mainstream in the early 20th century.

English haiku does not always follow the strict syllable count found in Japanese haiku. The typical length of haiku found in English language journals is 10-14 syllables, versus the 5-7-5 syllables used in the Japanese language.

To craft a perfect Haiku, you need to include an element of seasonality, and a ‘cut’ (either a word or through punctuation) to create a comparison between the themes and content of the haiku.

Im gujrati so I learn haiku in school days.

વર્ષાને કહી દો, માપથી વરસે,

નયનને વહેવાની આદત નથી.. – આરતી પરીખ

April 16 Eggs Benedict Day

Eggs Benedict Day is celebrated annually on April 16, an excuse to have a tasty treat. Everybody has their own versions, variations and favorites which change and swap out pretty much all of the components, from using bread instead of muffins, to cheese instead of sauce, or adding extra ingredients such as paprika.

There are two different stories as to how Eggs Benedict came to be.

In 1894 stock broker Lemuel Benedict ordered “buttered toast, poached eggs, crisp bacon, and a side of Hollandaise” at the Waldorf Hotel. They were so impressed with the dish that they put it on the menu substituting ham and English muffins in place of the bacon and toast.

Another account comes from a man named Edward P. Montgomery. In 1967 he wrote a letter to The New York Times Magazine claiming that he'd discovered the true inventor of Eggs Benedict. Montgomery’s note contained a recipe created by Commodore E.C. Benedict before his death in 1920. Montgomery received the recipe from his mother who was an acquaintance of the Commodore.

Regardless of where the recipe for Eggs Benedict originated, it is now considered a classic. Enjoy this delicious dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner today to celebrate Eggs Benedict Day.

Eggs Benedict

April 16 Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day

Each year on April 16th people observed Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day

What some people are calling “the best holiday of the year,” Relax the dress code and work in comfort on Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day. This day was created as a fun holiday. It is a day to celebrate and unwind from the long hours and hard work of those whose job is to prepare taxes and the anxiety of the last minute tax filers. National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day allows you to sleep in a little later than you normally would. Once you get up, you do not have to take the time getting dressed as you are already dressed for your day.

PJs started to gain acceptance in the Western world by the late 1800s. Since then, jammies have been transformed into the sleepwear garments that we know and love today. Pajams, payjamas or jammies is a loose piece of clothing, not unlike pants, worn on the lower part of a person's body. While most people wear them to bed, they were once and still are part of a normal outfit worn by men and women during the day in many parts of the Middle East and South Asia. 

April 15 Glazed Spiral Ham Day

April 15 is Glazed Spiral Ham Day Celebrated every year. Glazed ham is a common dish for Christmas and Thanksgiving. There is no prohibits using ham for any other day, especially on today, on April 15, to honor the best savory and hearty dish.

Glazed ham appeared in the USA during the 1940s, when a recipe of this dish was printed in one local newspaper. Harry J. Hoenselaar of Detroit, Michigan, invented in his basement a tool that allowed slicing glazed ham in spiral in 1957. Honeselaar opened the first Honey Baked Ham store. Today, the company has over 400 stores nationwide and sells millions of glazed spiral hams during the holiday season.

Original recipes call for sugar and honey or orange juice. A traditional ham glaze contains sugar, honey or orange juice, and flavorful ingredients like cloves, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. But you can also try any other glaze with mustard, fruit juice, maple syrup or ginger. 

April 15 Rubber Eraser Day

 

 

Observed annually on April 15 is National Rubber Eraser Day. This day celebrates, recognizes and appreciates the invention of erasers. Typical erasers are made from synthetic rubber, but more expensive or specialized erasers are vinyl, plastic, or gum-like materials.

April 15, 1770, Joseph Priestly founded a vegetable gum to remove pencil marks. He dubbed the substance “rubber”.
1770 Edward Nairne developed the first marketed rubber eraser.
1839 Charles Goodyear discovered vulcanization (a method that would cure rubber and make it a durable material) this method made rubber erasers standard.
1858 Hyman Lipman (Philadelphia, Pa.) patented the pencil with an eraser at the end. 

 

 

lets see How to Made-Erasers.

April 14 Dolphin Day

Each year on April 14th, people participate in Dolphin Day. Dolphin Day is perhaps one of the most well-known unofficial holidays of the world.

Dolphins are cetacean mammals that are related to whales and porpoises.

Ranging is size from 4 ft to up to 30 feet;

dolphins are among almost forty species in 17 genera.

Found worldwide, they prefer the shallower seas of the continental shelves.

As carnivores, their diet consists of mostly fish and squid.

 Male dolphin – bull

Female dolphin – cow

Young dolphin – calf

Group of dolphins – school or pod

Dolphins are known to have acute eyesight both in and out of the water along with having a well-developed sense of touch, with free nerve endings densely packed in the skin. They can hear frequencies ten times or more above the upper limit of what adult humans can and are capable of making a broad range of sounds using nasal air sacs located just below the blowhole.

You will see the dolphins frequently leaping above the water’s surface. They do this for various reasons; when traveling, jumping saves them energy as there is less friction while in the air, this is known as proposing. Some other explanations for leaping include orientation, social display, fighting, non-verbal communication, entertainment and attempting to dislodge parasites. 

April 14 Pecan Day

Pecan Day is a food holiday celebrated each year on April 14. Pecans are a good source of protein and unsaturated fats. Like walnuts. There are many ways people can show their love for pecans – like grabbing a handful to munch on, adding them to salads, making a delightful pecan pie, eating pecan crusted fish for dinner or having pecan ice cream.

Pecan Day Pecan day is a remembrance of the plating on a pecan tree by George Washington at the Mount Vernon estate March 25th 1775. The pecan tree sapling was gifted to him by Thomas Jefferson, who had planted a few pecan trees from the southern US at Monticello, VA. The pecan, native to southern North America, is sometimes called “America’s own nut.”

Enjoy the following tried and true recipes.

Pecan Snack 

Sugar Coated Pecans

April 13 Scrabble Day

Scrabble Day is observed annually on April 13th. It celebrates the popular board game on the birthday of it's inventor, Alfred Mosher Butts. Scrabble is played with two to four players who score points by forming words from individual lettered tiles on a game board marked with a 15 x 15 grid.

The game is sold in 121 countries and there are 29 different language versions. Approximately 150 million sets have been sold worldwide, and sets are found in roughly one-third of American homes. In the kingdom of Scrabble, the one ‘i’d man might be ‘king’, but the lady with the ‘q’ will definitely be queen. 1984 – Scrabble became a daytime game show on NBC.

2004 – Scrabble was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. 

April 12 Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day

Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day is observed annually on April 12th. Grilled cheese sandwiches are a delicious, toasted delight popular all across the world. Melting cheese on top of bread is a culinary concept that has been around since the time of the Romans, but grilled cheese sandwiches as we know them didn’t become popular until the 1920s. Grilled Cheese Sandwiches are among one of the top comfort foods in the US.

At that time inexpensive cheese and affordable sliced bread became available. It is now a staple in cafés, diners, and school cafeterias across the country. During World War II is described by US government cookbooks as “American cheese filling sandwiches”.

Enjoy the following recipes. 

April 12 Licorice Day

Annually Licorice Day is celebrated on April 12th. Licorice enjoyed by people across the globe, licorice has a distinctive flavor and is found in many modern sweets. Licorice Day celebrates the rich history of black licorice. Licorice is extracted from the licorice plant and can be used for confectionary, to flavor a drink (licorice tea is a popular example) and also has medicinal purposes.

Licorice International, the source for licorice in the United States, offers more than 160 types of licorice from 14 countries. This day was originated to celebrate black licorice, its history, health benefits and world renown. Black licorice can be enjoyed in licorice twists, stem shaped candies, licorice ropes, jelly beans, jewels and others.

For more information:

http://www.licoriceinternational.com

April 11 Cheese Fondue Day

Every year we observed on April 11 is Cheese Fondue Day. A traditional fondue pot is called a “caquelon.” Cheese fondue originated in Switzerland at the beginning of the 19th century. Based on the simple ingredients (melted cheese and whatever leftovers you want to use for dipping) historians believe that fondue began as a peasant meal. You can also add ingredients such as milk, spices, cream, wine, or brandy for additional flavor and to thicken the mixture.

The first known recipe with cheese and wine was published under the name “Cheese Fondue” in 1875.

No More to say just cook it eat it with your family and friends.

Recipe Cheese Fondue

April 11 Pet Day

Today is April 11 Pet Day; to show your pet how much we love them. There are approximately 86.4 million pet cats and 78.2 million pet dogs living in the United States. Celebrity pet lifestyle expert and animal welfare advocate Colleen Paige founded National Pet Day to raise awareness about the importance of pet adoption.

The motto of the holiday is “Don’t shop! Adopt!” and it is sponsored by the Animal Miracle Foundation, whose mission is to help animals in shelters find forever homes. Just appreciating and celebrating the wonderful pets in your life. There are so many neglected and unwanted animals waiting for some love and attention. You can donate your time, or you can donate food or other supplies. Not as a pet owner; consider making a donation or volunteering at your local pet shelter, visit and give some of your precious time to those sheltered animal. 

April 10 Siblings Day

Siblings Day takes place on April 10, 2016. Siblings Day was created by Claudia Evart, a freelance paralegal from Manhattan, NY. It is a day of celebration and recognition for brothers and sisters around the world. Siblings Day can be celebrated by sending a card or gift or making a dinner invitation to your siblings.

A male sibling is called a brother, and a female sibling is called a sister. In most societies throughout the world, siblings usually grow up together, facilitating the development of strong emotional bonds such as love, hostility or thoughtfulness. Siblings Day can be celebrated by sending a card, gift, making a dinner invitation or simply going for a walk in the park.

Visit the website for more National Siblings Day information at http://www.siblingsday.org/.

April 10 Farm Animals Day

Farm Animals Day observed annually on April 10th; unofficial national holiday, was created in 2005 by Animal Rescuer, Vegetarian and Celebrity Pet Lifestyle Expert, Colleen Paige. It was created as a day to raise awareness about the troubles of slaughtered animals and to find a home for the abandoned and abused farm animals. On this Day take your child for a visit to a farm is a great way to teach them about farm animals and give them message of treating animals with respect.

Farm animals are cute, and they also play an important role in modern society. Take some time to appreciate them this World Farm Animals Day. For More Information visit www.farmanimalsday.com.

April 9 Cherish an Antique Day

Today April 9 is Cherish an Antique Day; which to appreciate unique objects that date back to a time when quality and craftsmanship were most valued by a discerning clients. In 1979, the first episode of Antiques Roadshow aired in the United Kingdom.

Learn the story behind your favorite antique and share the tale with family and friends and Antique Day can be celebrated by a visit to an art museum.

April 9 Name Yourself Day

Name Yourself Day is observed each year on April 9. Name Yourself Day is your chance to try on a new name for one day. If you have ever wondered what it would be like to have a different name, this would be the day to find out.

Among the Catholic Church, there is a special ceremony that is performed in giving a new member of the church a name. Those who are to go through this ceremony must have at least one parent who is Catholic, as it is expected that such a child will be raised in the Catholic faith. The ceremony involves a baptism of the child to wash away original sin, and to become born again in a new life with Christ.

In the Hindu faith, naming a child is a holy act, involving the immediate families and close friends. The name of this ceremony is Namkaran, and is an elaborate ceremony performed on the 11th day of the child’s life. During the first 10 days of the child’s life, both mother and newborn are considered to be unclean, and therefor are traditionally separated from the family, attended only by a helper. On the 10th night, the house is cleansed and blessed for the coming ceremony. During this ceremony the mother is dressed in new clothes and wets the head of the baby with a bit of water in a sign of purifying the child. Interestingly, it is the Paternal Aunt who names the child, whispering it first to the child, and then announcing it to the gathered people.

April 8 Empanada Day

April 8 recognizes as Empanada Day a food holiday. Portuguese and Spanish verb “em pandar”, meaning to wrap or coat in bread. In the Southern and Southwestern US, empanadas are called Creoles. In Jamaica, empanadas are referred to as "Jamaican patties" and are made with crispy pastry dough. Empanadas are also referred to as a “fried pie”.

The name empanada comes from the Galician. Empanadas are a stuffed bread or pastry that is baked or fried. Empanadas are made by folding the dough or bread around a seasoned stuffing like chicken, cod, or pork loin. Other ingredients include tomatoes, garlic, and onion sauce.

Though this tasty dish originated in Europe, immigrants brought the method to different countries around the world where it was adopted and a little altered to fit the tastes of that particular country.

Enjoy these delicious and yummy Empanada recipes.