January 9: National Apricot Day
If I had any say in the matter, I’d make apricot day in October because apricots belong in haunted houses. Did anyone else play that game where you’d be blindfolded and reach into boxes or jar or whatever that contained “body parts”? Cold spaghetti noodles were veins. Peeled cold grapes were eyeballs. Dried apricots were ears.
Dried apricots will always be ears to me.
Tomorrow: Bittersweet Chocolate Day
January 8: English Toffee Day
I dare you to find something more delicious than English toffee. Seriously, it might be the world’s most perfect food. It’s a delectable combination of salty and sweet. A little nutty (like me). The perfect crunch. There are probably some good fat in there (nuts, right?). There are probably some bad fats in there, too, but whatever. It’s gluten free (not that gluten stops me). It’s The Best.
It’s actually pretty easy to make, too, once you get the hang of it. Before you get the hang of it, there is a lot of burned sugar involved. And maybe a few second degree burns. I remember one night a few years ago I decided I WANTED TOFFEE AND I WANTED IT NOW. And instead of being a normal person and walking to 7-11 or Walgreens (that used to be like, a three minute walk from my Chicago apartment… *wistful sigh for city living*), I decided to melt up some butter and sugar and go to town. It was a horrible mess. But what do you do when life gives you a horrible mess? You go to Walgreens and buy a Heath bar. Just kidding. You melt more butter and start over. And you succeed. Because you are a success in life.
If you don’t feel like living on the edge (or hate the idea of scarring your forearms with bits of molten sucrose), Trader Joe’s makes an excellent toffee (as pictured above).
Tomorrow: National Apricot Day
January 7: National Tempura Day
Things I learned on Tempura Day:
Tomorrow: English Toffee Day
January 6: National Shortbread Day
Under most circumstances, I make my own shortbread. In fact, my shortbread was featured at the very beginning of this Quest for Glory (the very first post I did!!) on National Homemade Cookie Day. But sometimes the idea of baking after a long day of work is horrible and you’d much rather give your money to Starbucks. :/
Tomorrow: National Tempura Day
January 5: National Whipped Cream Day
Best kept secret at Starbucks: Kid’s hot chocolate. It’s like, $1.40. #winning.
Tomorrow: National Shortbread Day
January 4: National Spaghetti Day
I have this rule where I don’t order things at restaurants that I can make at home. Sure, in theory I could make anything at home. But let’s be real (real talk), I don’t make fancy stuff at home. I make tacos. I make chicken. I make chili. I make soup. I make other chicken. I make tacos with beef instead of turkey. I mak e pie. And, in this instance, I make spaghetti.
Except we were going out of town! I couldn’t bring myself to waste a dinner out on spaghetti! What was I to do?? I made spaghetti at 5am before we got in the car and drove to our getaway. Weird? Definitely. Worth it? Yes.
Unrelated to spaghetti… I wanted to post a few pictures from our destination: Glass Beach! It’s up in Mendecino County, and it used to be the town dump. From the early 20th century through the late 1960s, town residents would dump all of their garbage over the sea cliffs and into the ocean. Over time, the waves pounded the trash and all that’s left is a beach of glittery, smooth sea glass. Since I read about it a year or so ago I was dying to go. So we did! And it was awesome.
Tomorrow: National Whipped Cream Day
January 3: Chocolate Covered Cherry Day
Oh my. I’m so, SO far behind in updating. It’s February 23! I’m stuck in the beginning of January! I need to power through! I’ve eaten everything, I just need to post about my experiences! I might post minimal text (though I love to blab…) just to get the posts up and finally get caught up. I don’t know. We will see.
Anyway! January 3 was chocolate covered cherry day. I’m sure that *fancy* chocolate covered cherries are good. Chocolate covered cherries from Walgreens are not. They tasted very chemical-y. Shocking, right?
The chocolate and the goo were actually okay tasting, it was the “cherry” (jk, I think it really is a cherry, no air quotes needed) that tasted like Pine-Sol or whatever. I contemplated eating the chocolate parts and spitting out the cherries, but ultimately decided that was stupid and just through the rest away. $2.99* down the drain.
Tomorrow: National Spaghetti Day
*Big spender
January 2: National Cream Puff Day
Is it weird to anyone else that there is an entire restaurant dedicated to cream puffs?
Don’t believe me?
This place exists. How it exists (all over the place, apparently) is really weird to me. Do that many people need a restaurant that basically just sells cream puffs and eclairs? Yes? Okay then.
I had a vanilla cream puff. I was underwhelmed. I think I expected it to be filled with whipped cream, not vanilla pastry cream/custard. Bummed.
Tomorrow: Chocolate Covered Cherry Day
January 1: Apple Gifting Day
Happy 2014, friends! Or, as I prefer to refer to it as: Happy Year of the Horse!
I got a horse mask for Christmas this year, and decided to take photos wearing it all over the place. Bryce is, therefore, the default photographer and he already hates the horse mask less than one month into the year. Sorry I’m not sorry, Bryce. 
In addition to Apple Gifting Day, today is also Bloody Mary Day. This makes sense seeing as many (many) people get crunk on NYE, but since my NYE alcohol consumption ended at 2pm once I had polished off a few glasses of prosecco, I was not in need of any hair of the dog.
Here is Bryce gifting me an apple.
Tomorrow: National Cream Puff Day
December 31: National Champagne Day
I think everyone knows that it can only be called champagne if it’s made with certain grapes grown in the Champagne region of France. But I, like most people, call all bubbly vino champagne. Even if it is prosecco.
Also: this picture was taken at like, 2pm. Winning or failing?
Tomorrow: Apple Gifting Day
