As the temperature heats up in June, it’s a perfect time to celebrate National Iced Tea Month!
Iced Tea Day is June 10! Try incorporating some fresh fruits or vegetables since it’s thier Month too. Besides iced tea goes well with any kind of salad.
Brewing the ideal pitcher of iced tea is a matter of taste. Mine is the Tetley Brand. Lots of restaurants brew Lipton. Depending on your taste, you may prefer sun tea, sweet tea or unsweetened tea. Perhaps your palate leans more toward a fruitier tea or a stronger type of tea. As long as it’s iced, June is the month your tea is celebrated.
Iced tea was made as early as the 1870s, but an English merchant by the name of Richard Belchynden brought the beverage to popularity. During the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis temperatures began to soar. Belchynden crossed the Atlantic to sell black tea steeped hot and served to the American public. Under the conditions, fairgoers were interested in cooler beverages. Belchynden needed to switch strategies, or he would have no sales. By brewing a stronger tea and pouring it over ice, the merchant created a new product to sell.
Pour yourself a glass of iced tea and enjoy! What is your favorite way to enjoy it? Kicking back on the porch or with a good friend? Use #NationalIcedTeaMonth to let us know on social media.
Memorial Day, a United States Federal holiday, is observed each year on the last Monday in May. We honor and remember all the men and woman who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
Memorial Day is also a day to remember all loved ones that have passed away.
Traditionally on Memorial Dayu, the flag of the United States of America is raised briskly to the top of the staff then solemnly lowered to the half-staff position where it remains until noon. At noon, it is then raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day.
When the flag is at half-staff, the position is in remembrance of the more than one million men and women who gave their lives for their country. Raising the flag at noon signifies the nation lives, that the country is resolved not to let their sacrifice be in vain but to rise up in their honor and continue to fight for liberty and justice for all.
Honoring the men and women who have died while serving in the military, Memorial Day has been kept in various forms in the United States since the end of the Civil War. General John Logan called for a nationwide day of remembrance on May 5, 1868. On May 30 Decoration Day was first observed.
General James Garfield spoke at Arlington National Cemetery. Generals Grant, Howard, Logan, Pane, Wool, and Hancock attended the ceremony, and volunteers decorated the graves of 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers.
Across the country, humble tributes occurred on that first Decoration Day. Just outside Fort Stevens near Washington, D.C., there was a small cemetery where 40 soldiers were buried, one of whom belonged to a widow from Northern Vermont. He was one of three sons she lost to the war. On Decoration Day, she went to the cemetery carrying 40 wreaths for 40 graves.
Someone placed a laurel wreath upon the head of a Lincoln statue at City Hall, Washington D.C.
In Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroads transported passengers to the Spring Grove Cemetery. Flags were displayed at half-mast along the routes. Floral wreaths were placed on the soldiers’ graves and speeches made. Many of the first Decoration Days recognized only the Union soldiers, though some included the Confederate soldiers as well. Over time, the day grew to include all those soldiers lost during the conflict.
Decoration Day gradually became known as Memorial Day and now honors all U.S. military personnel who have died during a military conflict. Memorial Day continued to be observed on May 30 until Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968. Since 1971, Memorial Day has been observed the last Monday of May.
Our family typically honors this holiday with a barbecue. We never forget those, some members of our family who have given their full measure of devotion, for the freedoms we enjoy.
If you do fire up the grill you might want to cook a little extra. Not only does it make great leftovers or a full meal, throw on some burgers and a brisket for National Hamburger Day on May 28th and National Brisket Day also on May 28th. May is also National Barbecue Month, so light up that grill for some awesome meals.
Attend Memorial Day services in your community. In your own way, pay tribute in remembrance of service members who have died while serving. Use #MemorialDay to post on social media.
National Mimosa Day on May 16th celebrates the beverage of brunches! This simple cocktail offers a refreshing toast-worthy drink at celebrations of all kinds. Made with orange juice and sparkling wine, mimosas also add a bright punch of flavor the day after a celebration.
No matter the celebration, mimosas are served up in tall champagne glasses. They turn basic buffets and summer brunches into a festive occasion. You also don’t have to break the bank to make them. Fill the glasses half full with your favorite sparkling wine (it doesn’t have to be expensive champagne) and top it off with chilled orange juice. Garnish with an orange slice, and you’re all set.
Overnight guests will be delighted when you greet them with mimosas and an egg bake you prepared the night before. Or perhaps you’ll heat up the waffle maker. Whatever you serve, the morning will be a hit.
NATIONAL MIMOSA DAY HISTORY
Jace Shoemaker Galloway, the Queen of Holidays, created National Mimosa Day.
Mix up a couple of mimosas to go with brunch or a late breakfast. Learn to make them for baby showers, wedding showers, or other special occasions. It’s an excellent day for practicing toasts for those big occasions, too. While you practice, share your toasts by using #NationalMimosaDay on social media.
National Pretzel Day on April 26th recognizes one of America’s favorite snacks. A bag of nice crunchy, salty pretzels or a big, warm, soft, cinnamon pretzel is the question of the day. Either one is an excellent choice.
There are a few different accounts of the origin of the pretzel. Most people agree that it does have a Christian background, and they were developed by the monks. According to The History of Science and Technology, in 610 AD, “an Italian monk invents pretzels as a reward to children who learn their prayers. He calls the strips of baked dough, folded to resemble arms crossing the chest, pretiola (little rewards).”
Another source puts the invention in a monastery in southern France. The looped pretzel may also be related to a Greek Ring bread from the communion bread used in monasteries a thousand years ago. In the Catholic Church, pretzels had a religious significance for both ingredients and shape. The loops in pretzel may have served a practical purpose: bakers could hang them on sticks, projecting upwards from a central column, as shown in Job Berckheyde’s (1681) painting.
The Pennsylvania Dutch immigrants introduced pretzels to North America in the 19th century. At this time, many handmade pretzel bakeries populated central Pennsylvania, and their popularity quickly spread. It was in the 20th century that soft pretzels became very popular in areas such as Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York.
More Pretzel Facts
Today, the average Philadelphian consumes about twelve times as many pretzels as the national average.
Pennsylvania is the center of American pretzel production for both hard and soft pretzels, producing 80% of the nation’s pretzels.
The annual United States pretzel industry is worth over $550 million.
The average American consumes about 1.5 pounds of pretzels per year.
Philadelphia opened a privately run “Pretzel Museum” in 1993.
Hard pretzels originated in the United States in 1850.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalPretzelDay
Enjoy some pretzels or even make your own. Use #NationalPretzelDay to post on social media.
NATIONAL PRETZEL DAY HISTORY
National Pretzel Day began in 2003 when Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell declared April 26 “National Pretzel Day” to acknowledge the importance of the pretzel to the state’s history and economy.
Each year on April 19th, National Amaretto Day recognizes a liqueur known around the world for its flavor and aroma.
Amaretto in Italian means “a little bitter” and is made from bitter almonds or apricot kernels or both. Makers infuse it in pure alcohol or brandy, resulting in a strong almond flavor. This traditionally Italian liqueur carries a reputation for being fragrant.
Taking us back to the 1525 Renaissance in Saronno, Italy, painter Bernardino Luini selected a young innkeeper as his model for a fresco of the Madonna of the Miracles. In gratitude for being selected, the innkeeper gave the artist a gift of her own secret blend of almond and brandy.
Centuries later, the well-guarded recipe Saronno, Italy began producing the amaretto on a larger scale. At the turn of the 20th century, Disaronno began producing its amaretto for a broader market. The liqueur began appearing for sale in advertisements in the United States in the late 1940s. The family still bottles their recipe today.
Another Amaretto tale comes from the same area of Italy. However, this story tells of a young Lazzaroni couple blessed by the Cardinal of Milan in 1718. The couple honored his visit with a unique recipe of their own, producing an amaretto cookie like no other. And this one came in a bottle. Of course, their recipe was also a closely guarded family secret for generations. In 1851, the Lazzaroni family began selling their amaretto liqueur, and the family is still producing it today.
Amaretto can be enjoyed in several ways. Whether you bake or mix a drink, celebrate the day with the flavor of amaretto. The aroma alone is quite satisfying. The amaretto sour is likely the most familiar amaretto cocktail. However, amaretto also complements coffee and citrus beverages, too. Thanks to amaretto flavor syrups you can also enjoy delicious mocktails.
But you don’t have to stop there for amaretto flavor. Baked amaretto also makes for delicious baked goods! Experiment with recipes or share your favorites. Use #NationalAmarettoDay to share on social media.
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