Celebrate EVERY Day - From Breakfast to Baked Alaska and Everything In-Between

February is NATIONAL HOT BREAKFAST MONTH. Take a little extra time on these cold mornings to put something warm in your belly or spoil someone you love with breakfast in bed. How about a yummy omelette stuffed with ham, mushrooms, spinach, and lots of cheese for NATIONAL CHEDDAR DAY on FEBRUARY 13? The farmer-owners of Tillamook in Oregon founded this day in 2019 to celebrate the co-op’s 110th birthday and share their passion for cheddar with cheese-lovers nationwide. Do a little morning baking for NATIONAL MUFFIN DAY on FEBRUARY 20 or NATIONAL BANANA BREAD DAY on FEBRUARY 23. Since quarantine baking may have made 2020 the unofficial National Banana Bread Year, you’ve probably got your recipe perfect by now! If you want to try something different, there’s also NATIONAL STICKY BUN DAY on FEBRUARY 21. 

We’ve already talked about pancakes for dinner on Shrove Tuesday, but did you know about NATIONAL ICE CREAM FOR BREAKFAST DAY on FEBRUARY 6? Celebrated on the first Saturday in February, this genius idea was hatched back in the mid-1960s by Florence Rappaport, a mother of six living in Rochester, New York. It was her clever way to combat cabin fever following a winter storm that had kept them inside—and home from school, most likely. Parents dealing with stay-at-home orders and quarantines can probably understand and appreciate her thinking. As her children grew older and shared the annual celebration with others on their travels the appeal of the occasion caught on and spread around the globe. It’s now celebrated as far away as India, Australia, China, and Israel. Stock up on your family’s flavors of ice cream and it up with toppings that include fresh fruit, nuts, granola, and cereal. If you want a “healthier” choice, substitute frozen yogurt because coincidentally, it’s also NATIONAL FROZEN YOGURT DAY. In any case, enjoy!  

For the traditionalists, there’s NATIONAL TOAST DAY on FEBRUARY 26. This day dedicated to the simple and humble slice is a British import. In 2014 the Tiptree World Bread Awards started National Toast Day to celebrate toast and all the breads we use to make it. The occasion found a following in the U.S. Whether you top it with avocado, slather it with butter and homemade jam, or use it to sandwich a fried egg and bacon, toast is a versatile building block for a solid breakfast. A staff favorite is French toast topped with strawberries and Nutella, which you can also enjoy in recognition of WORLD NUTELLA DAY on FEBRUARY 5 or NATIONAL STRAWBERRY DAY which has been celebrated by the grocery industry on FEBRUARY 27 since at least 2013. 

A more filling alternative to toast is the bagel. These tasty rings of bread that are boiled then baked originated in Poland in the early 17th century. Today more than a billion dollars worth of bagels are sold in the U.S. and most Americans associate them with New York. NATIONAL BAGEL AND LOX DAY on FEBRUARY 9 recognizes a classic combination first made popular by Jewish immigrants in New York City. If you aren’t familiar with lox, it is the fatty belly of the salmon that has been brined and cured, then thinly sliced. When served on a bagel, it’s usually accompanied by cream cheese, popularly called “schmear,” from the Yiddish word for spread. Salty capers and slices of tomato or onion are often added to complete the culinary combo. To celebrate the day, stop by Sandy Bottom Bagels or Café Frederica and order bagels and lox, then nosh! 

Pizza may be an Italian creation, but Americans sure are passionate about it! There are several styles of pizza, ranging from New York’s big foldable slices to thick deep dish Chicago pies and multiple days to celebrate it too. NATIONAL PIZZA DAY is FEBRUARY 9, but there’s also National Cheese Pizza Day and National Pepperoni Pizza Day, both in September, and National Sausage Pizza Day during National Pizza Month in October. The origin of pizza in the U.S. has long been attributed to the opening of Gennaro Lombardi’s pizzeria in New York City in 1895. Recently however, pizza historians have discovered information indicating that Lombardi didn’t own the pizzeria until 1908, and they believe it’s likely that other pizza makers may have preceded him. We do know that today approximately 17% of the country’s restaurants are pizzerias. More than 3 billion pizzas are sold annually, plus another billion in frozen pies. It’s estimated that the average American consumes 23 lbs. of pizza in a year with the most popular toppings being pepperoni, sausage, and mushrooms. While there’s plenty to debate when it comes to the beloved Italian pie, what’s undisputed is that this is a perfect occasion to enjoy a pizza from Sal’s Neighborhood Pizzeria. 

Another popular Italian dish is recognized on FEBRUARY 7 with NATIONAL FETTUCINE ALFREDO DAY. Fettucine Alfredo gets its name from its creator, Alfredo di Lelio. According to Di Lelio’s granddaughter, Ines, Alfredo’s concern about his wife’s lack of appetite following the birth of their first child spurred him to make the rich pasta dish in the Rome trattoria run by his mother Angelina. Not only did Alfredo’s combination of noodles, Parmesan cheese and butter encourage his wife to eat, it was so good she suggested that he put it on the restaurant’s menu. The dish and the Alfredo restaurant later opened gained worldwide popularity, welcoming diners that included celebrities like Hollywood silent screen royalty Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. After tasting Alfredo’s delicious food initially during their honeymoon in Rome, the actors later gave him a token of their appreciation for his warm hospitality: a solid gold fork and spoon with their respective names engraved on each piece with the date of July 1927 and the inscription, “To Alfredo, the King of the noodles.” Alfredo’s family continues to run the restaurant and honor his legacy by celebrating National Fettuccine Alfredo Day on February 7 each year. Check out the original Fettuccine Alfredo recipe under the Community Cookbook tab of the Food & Spirits section of the EIL website and use the three simple ingredients to make your own plate of pasta tonight. 

February has quite a few more days dedicated to some of our favorite foods and we recommend that you celebrate these occasions by eating accordingly, of course! Here we go from soup to nuts, starting with NATIONAL HOMEMADE SOUP DAY on FEBRUARY 4. Homemade soups are a showcase of regionally available foods and cultural traditions that demonstrate a rich variety of flavor and history. Because homemade soups are made and shared with love, they are touted for their healing powers. Science has determined that there are actual medicinal properties in a bowl of chicken soup, so it’s not just an old wives’ tale. Listen to your mama and enjoy a hearty bowl of homemade soup. We’ll let you decide whether it's made in her home or yours.

Some heartier options are to observe NATIONAL CLAM CHOWDER DAY on FEBRUARY 25 or NATIONAL CHILI DAY on FEBRUARY 26. A chowder is a soup or stew commonly made with milk or cream, diced potatoes, onions, and celery. Clams or fish are frequently added. New England Clam Chowder is a classic example of the rich, cream-based seafood soup, while Manhattan clam chowder is a variation made with a tomato base.

Chili (or chili con carne) is a spicy winter favorite that has its own niche between soups and stews. While there are many, many chili recipes and disputes over what ingredients constitute “authentic” chili, the most common ingredients include meat (generally beef), tomatoes, chile peppers, cumin, garlic, onions, and (here’s where the debates spark) beans. No matter how you prefer to make it, it’s the perfect warm and filling meal on a cold day. Grab a bowl of Southern Soul Barbeque’s fantastic brisket chili if you don’t want to make your own. 

You know what’s nuts? Discovering that most popular types of nuts have their own special days and websites that tout their health benefits and many uses.

In February, we have NATIONAL ALMOND DAY on FEBRUARY 16, and WORLD PISTACHIO DAY on FEBRUARY 26. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, scientific evidence suggests that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. Remarkably, California grows 80% of the world’s almonds and 98% of the U.S. domestic crop of pistachios (which were first harvested here in 1976!). For more nutty facts about almonds and pistachios, visit nationalalmondday.com and worldpistachioday.com. If you’re not nuts about nuts, you might be a goober. Did you know that’s a slang term for a peanut? Hence, the name “Goobers” for the first chocolate-covered peanut candy, found in movie theaters across the U.S. and originally sold in 1925. You can munch a handful of those or grab a bag of peanut M&Ms to enjoy on NATIONAL CHOCOLATE COVERED NUT DAY on FEBRUARY 25. Yep, there’s a day for that! 

There are even more occasions to satisfy your sweet tooth in February. BUBBLE GUM DAY on FEBRUARY 5 isn’t actually a celebration of gum, however, it was created in 2006 by children’s author and mother Ruth Spiro as a fun way for children to participate in school fundraising. On Bubble Gum Day students could donate 50 cents to be able to chew bubble gum in class. The money collected from the students could be used for school needs like class trips or band uniforms. It’s also a clever way to raise money for donations to charity. 

On FEBRUARY 15, pull out that old Candy Land game and play a few rounds with the family to celebrate NATIONAL GUMDROP DAY.

Gumdrops are a colorful, chewy candy made in a variety of flavors with gelatin and then coated with sugar. These little candy treats make terrific embellishments for decorating gingerbread houses and other baked goods. While at the University of Ohio, chemist Percy S. Truesdell altered the consistency of the once hard and poorly flavored lump of sugar by experimenting with the amount of starch in it. Thanks to him it is now the smooth and chewy treat we enjoy today. In 1916, Truesdell founded and incorporated the P.S. Truesdell Candy Manufacturing Company. At his death in 1948, he was dubbed “The Gumdrop King.” Share a bag of gumdrops while you play the classic board game and make your way through Gumdrop Pass. 

There are two opportunities to celebrate the classic combination of chocolate and mint this month. The U.S. National Confectioners Association recognizes NATIONAL CHOCOLATE MINT DAY on FEBRUARY 19, but in case, that’s too general, there’s also NATIONAL PEPPERMINT PATTY DAY on FEBRUARY 11. When Europeans were introduced to chocolate, they weren’t fond of the dark, bitter bean, so they used it more for medicinal purposes. As it was mostly consumed as a hot beverage, they mixed mint, cinnamon, and other spices with it to make it more palatable. When they started adding sugar, the combination of chocolate and mint became fashionable and has remained popular ever since in everything from beverages to baked goods. According to the International Dairy Foods Association, mint chocolate chip is the 10th most popular flavor of ice cream. Advertisements for mint chocolates appeared in newspapers around the turn of the century. One of the earliest mass-producers of chocolate mints was Huyler’s in New York.

York Peppermint Patties, originally manufactured by the York Cone Company of Pennsylvania, appeared in 1940. They dominated the market because they were firm and crisp while others were soft. As for possibly the best chocolate mint creation ever made, Thin Mints were first sold by the Girl Scouts in 1953 and remain their most popular cookie to date. This is Girl Scout cookie season, so keep an eye out to grab a box or ten! They’re addictive! 

February is National Bake for Family Fun Month, founded by the Home Baking Association (HBA) in 2002 to encourage families to spend more time together mixing up something delicious. If you want to be more adventurous than the banana bread or other breakfast items we mentioned earlier, there are some off-the-beaten-path desserts recognized this month that you could try, starting FEBRUARY 1 with NATIONAL BAKED ALASKA DAY.

This elaborate dessert is made with hard ice cream on a base of sponge cake, covered in a shell of toasted meringue. The odd but apt name for the dessert came from Charles Ranhofer, the chef at Delmonico’s in New York City around 1867. He was notorious for naming new (or renaming old) dishes after famous people and events. He seized on the heated controversy surrounding the purchase of Alaska from Russia that was happening at the time. Since the dessert is nearly frozen and quickly toasted in a hot oven before serving, the name Baked Alaska fit the bill! 

Plum pudding’s name is more peculiar as the placement of NATIONAL PLUM PUDDING DAY on FEBRUARY 12, since it’s known as Christmas pudding. Many of the recipes for this traditional holiday dessert usually made up of raisins, dates, nuts, apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other ingredients, don’t even contain plums! One explanation given is that during the 17th century, plums were referred to as raisins or other fruits. In England, it’s tradition for every person in the home to hold the wooden spoon to help stir the batter together. While they are stirring, they also make a wish. 

Many bakers consider a soufflé to be a challenge. Be brave and try your hand at one for NATIONAL CHOCOLATE SOUFFLÉ DAY on FEBRUARY 28. Two essential components make up every soufflé: 1) a French creme patisserie base, flavored cream sauce, or purée and 2) egg whites beaten to a soft peak meringue. The soufflé’s flavor comes from the base, and the egg whites provide the lift to puff it up. A variety of cheeses, jams, fruits or chocolates can be baked into the base of the soufflé to make it savory or sweet. The trick is getting this lightly baked eggy concoction to rise properly, because issues with ingredients and variations in temperature or movement of the pan too soon can all result in a fallen soufflé. Many bakers puncture the top of the soufflé after removing it from the oven and pour sauces over the top before serving. 

Less complicated is the subject of NATIONAL CARROT CAKE DAY. On FEBRUARY 3 we celebrate one of America’s favorite flavors of cake. Similar to  quick bread preparation, the wet and dry ingredients for carrot cake are mixed separately and then combined, with the final product being denser and coarser than a traditional cake. Rich creamy frosting (often made with cream cheese) separates the layers. Carrot cake most likely originated as carrot pudding, where carrots were used because of their natural sweetness when sugar may have been expensive or hard to find. Cinnamon and nutmeg blend well with the carrots’ flavor and nuts, raisins, and pineapple are often added as well. Who says you can’t have your cake and eat your veggies too?