December 30: National Bicarbonate of Soda Day
When I read “bicarbonate of soda”, I assumed it meant club soda (since some selzers contain bicarbonate of soda). But then I realized I think they mean straight up baking soda. Which is… interesting.
This was an easy work around. (This is Bryce’s toothpaste. I like “real” (read: Colgate Total) toothpaste.)
Tomorrow: National Champagne Day
December 29: Pepper Pot Day
Bryce and I were in Minnesota visiting his parents on Pepper Pot Day. It was a good day for pepper pot (which is basically a beef vegetable soup) seeing as it was -40 degrees in Minnesota. Brrr.
Pepper Pot is surprisingly delicious! I think Bryce and I will definitely make it again (except I’ll likely use chicken and chicken broth next time). According to The Internet, pepper pot is the national dish of Guyana. We used this recipe, which doesn’t have cassareep (as found in this recipe). I’m not sure if one is more authentic than the other, but the one we made was really good. Flavorful and spicy!
Also, worthy sidenote… this is the third “food holiday recipe” that has allowed me to use leeks (see also: vichyssoise day, and bouillabaisse day) and they’re becoming a favorite of mine.
Tomorrow: National Bicarbonate of Soda Day
December 28: National Chocolate Candy Day
I wasn’t sure if “chocolate candy” meant candy with chocolate in it (like a candy bar) or an olde tyme-y chocolate candy. I went with the latter and got a turtle.
Tomorrow: Pepper Pot Day
December 27: National Fruit Cake Day
Did anyone grow up watching Pee Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special? If not, you should watch it now. Anyway, he ends up building a room out of fruit cakes he’s been gifted. That’s about all I know about fruit cake.
I’ve never had a fruit cake, to my knowledge. I don’t think the type of fruit cake I selected is the type people typically whine about.
I bought a Panettone (and Italian fruit cake-ish bread). What was my reasoning? It was on clearance at Walgreens.
Tomorrow: National Chocolate Candy Day
December 26: National Candy Cane Day
If anyone is ever murdered with a candy cane, I’ll likely be a suspect. I’ve always thought a sharp candy cane would be an excellent murder weapon. Sharp, effective, easily disposed of permanently.
Tomorrow: National Fruit Cake Day
December 25: National Pumpkin Pie Day
Today was kinda a fail. First of all, I’m sort of peeved that CHRISTMAS is pumpkin pie day. Pumpkin pie? Really? Did Baby Jesus like pumpkin pie? No, he liked frankincense. Does Santa like pumpkin pie? No, he likes cookies and milk. Either of these options would be more appropriate than pumpkin pie, because, really, no one likes pumpkin pie.
Around Thanksgiving I wrote a post on Facebook about how I think that one really likes pumpkin pie, they just eat it because they think they’re supposed to like it. WOW. Backlash! But I’m sticking to my guns: pumpkin pie is gross and people are brainwashed.
I’m in charge of PIES in my family, but I wasn’t about to waste a Christmas pie on pumpkins. I made that mistake on Thanksgiving. So I went to the store to try and find a pumpkin pie flavored thing. Except there wasn’t anything. Then I made my dad go through the McDonald’s drive-thru because I was CONVINCED I’d seen pumpkin pie on their menu. Nope. Apple Pie and “Holiday Pie” only. Then my dad backed out of the drive-thru, and we joked that people probably thought we were drunk… because, really, who goes to the McDonald’s drive-thru on Christmas, asks for pumpkin pie, then backs out when they say no?
Anyway, I had no choice but to drink (another) glass of egg nog in honor of Egg Nog Month. I’m sorry I’ve failed everyone.
Tomorrow: Candy Cane Day
December 24: National Egg Nog Day
I already celebrated nog once this year on National Roast Suckling Pig Day since there was no way I was going to eat Zuckerman’s Famous Pig, but nog is worth celebrating more than once a year. In fact, I think that’s why they give it the whole month of December.
Tomorrow: National Pumpkin Pie Day
December 23: National Pferrernusse Day.
Guys, what the flipping flip is a pferrernuuse? I think it’s Dutch for “nasty cookie”.
They looked innocent enough. Cute even!
But lurking below the powdered sugar was a demon. A licorice demon. And we know how I feel about licorice. NO THANK YOU, MA’AM!
Tomorrow: National Egg Nog Day
December 22: National Date Nut Bread Day!
I love Date Nut Bread. It’ might be one of my favorite things, but I rarely eat it. Why do I rarely eat it if I love it? It’s just that I’ve never made it… I rely on my mom making it, and now that I live in CA, I don’t see my mom as much, and thus, my date nut bread consumption has gone down.
My mom makes date nut bread in cans, because my grandma made it in cans. I didn’t understand this, and my mom couldn’t explain why she does it (other than that’s how my grandma makes it), so I turned to my old pal, Google, and found this link. Apparently this recipe ran in the Chicago Tribune in 1953. I’m not sure if that’s where our recipe came from, but it’s plausible.
Anyway, I texted my mom asking her to make some date nut bread in advance of my arrival so I’d be able to have some to celebrate with. She already had some made! Hooray! I think I need to start collecting my own cans to use as date nut bread cans so I can have it more often.
Tomorrow: National Pfeffernusse Day
December 21: Kiwi Fruit Day (California)
I’m not entirely sure why it’s only Kiwi Fruit Day in California, and National Hamburger Day elsewhere in the country, but I’m gonna go with it. Even though I was in Illinois on December 21, I decided to celebrate Kiwi Fruit Day since I’m now a California resident.
I don’t particularly like kiwis. That’s all I have to say on the matter.
Tomorrow: National Date Nut Bread
