Celebrate Every Day

Welcome to September 24th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate dramatic desserts and spooky searches.

Nothing says celebration like the word jubilee. But how did this word get attached to cherries and set on fire for dessert? For that story we look to the renowned chef Auguste Escoffier. In honor of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee event, the chef combined her love of cherries with a simple syrup and warm brandy which he lit on fire for a dramatic finish. It turns out that Escoffier had a knack for making ladies feel special. He designed the dessert Peach Melba for Nellie Melba and a macaroon for Sarah Bernhardt bearing her name. On National Cherries Jubilee Day, celebrate something special with a flaming dessert that has passion written all over it!

As a child Ed Warren grew up in a haunted house. His future wife, Lorraine realized that she had clairvoyant abilities. When they married, the two became world-renowned paranormal investigators, helping people with hauntings and supernatural phenomena. Among their most famous cases were Annabelle, a possessed doll and the Amityville Horror. They became so well known that Ed was even recognized by the Catholic Church as a demonologist. The Warrens’ story has inspired amateur ghost hunters around the world to seek out haunted houses, and signs of spiritual activity. You may not be a believer but on National Ghost Hunting Day, you can celebrate with your internet search that may just change your mind.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day.

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Welcome to September 23rd, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate presidential pooches and great American pie.

When Richard Nixon ran as Eisenhower’s Vice President in 1952 he was accused of receiving money and gifts illegally. He told his critics that if they found that he’d done anything wrong he would return everything except a black and white Cocker Spaniel named Checkers. Even politicians have a soft spot for animals. Many presidents have had pets while in the White House, but there were some truly strange ones. Herbert Hoover had an opossum, Calvin Coolidge a raccoon that he walked on a leash, and Teddy Roosevelt had snakes, dogs, cats, a badger, birds, guinea pigs, and even a pony. On National Checkers Day And Dogs In Politics Day, we celebrate presidential pooches, and remember there aren’t just people living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

While pot pies have been around since ancient Rome, today we celebrate our love of this perfect comfort food that we find truly American. Almost every culture has a recipe for savory filling baked between two flakey crusts, but some of these recipes are best left behind. For example, it may seem crazy that anyone would enjoy a dinner that included a live bird bursting out of a pie, but this Roman tradition existed up until the 16th century in England. Today we take pride in our rich heritage of hearty stews baked into flaky crust that make many Americans nostalgic. On National Great American Pot Pie Day enjoy this delicious national treasure.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day.

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Welcome to September 22nd, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate living history and small heroes with hairy feet.

If you have made it to 100 years old, congratulations! Today we celebrate you on National Centenarian's Day. In the United States alone, there are estimated to be nearly 72,000 centenarians. The youngest of those were born after the end of World War I and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. They represent a living history full of tales not found in books and their stories animate and compliment what we already know. On National Centenarian's Day, count yourself lucky if someone you love can share stories that bring history to life from their very own past. Do you guys know anyone that’s over 100?

In the early 1930s, J.R.R. Tolkien created the greatest fantasy epic of all time. There were dragons, goblins, and wizards but at the heart of his stories were Hobbits. Bilbo and Frodo Baggins played a big part in saving Middle Earth, but neither was anything special. They were ordinary folk like you and me, who got caught up in something far bigger than themselves. These small creatures are meant to be stand-ins for the regular guy, and to be examples of how people can grow beyond their comfortable lives when they take risks. On Hobbit Day, we encourage you that “even the smallest person can change the course of history.”

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day.

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Welcome to September 21st, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate being spicy and the joy of music.

The word ‘chai’ means ‘tea’ in Hindi, but the original drink didn’t contain tea at all. In fact the milk and sweetener in today’s recipe were added by the British during their occupation of India. Legend has it that chai was created 5000 years ago for an Indian king for medicinal purposes. Spicy ginger and black pepper stimulate digestion, cloves relieve pain, cardamom elevates your mood and cinnamon supports the lungs and heart. Sounds like a cure all to me! On National Chai Day enjoy this spicy drink that’s the perfect remedy for chilly weather!

While you may not be a fan of classical music, I bet you’ve heard of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. Ode to Joy is considered to be the composer’s greatest work. What makes this symphony so special is that it was composed when Beethoven was deaf. When the 9th Symphony debuted in 1824, he stood with the conductor in front of the orchestra with his back turned to the audience. As the performance ended, the crowd erupted into thunderous applause, and because he couldn’t hear, Beethoven had no idea that the audience liked it. Imagine his surprise as he turned around to see the standing ovation. During Classical Music Month, celebrate the oldies but goodies and find your very own ode to joy.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day.

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Welcome to September 20th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate glorified leftovers and playing with your food.

Rice is a staple in many cuisines, but fried rice is one of the world’s most popular dishes for a reason. It's easy to elevate this side dish to a main event by adding chicken, steak or prawns. The recipe is pretty simple. Start with long grained rice, peas, carrots and onions, and add a little egg to bring it all together. If you’re making it at home you can spice it up according to your tastes. Add any protein cooked on the grill, and you just earned your Iron Chef status. On National Fried Rice Day, don't be afraid to mix things up in your own kitchen.

In the 1950s, the popularity of pizza in the United States skyrocketed and so did the demand for mozzarella cheese. Baker Cheese Company in St. Cloud, Wisconsin shifted from making cheddar to mozzarella in order to cash in on the craze. The gamble paid off big when this family owned business became a major supplier of mozzarella for many pizzerias. The cheese was shipped out in large blocks or loaves, which was perfect for a business, but Baker wanted to try something different: individual servings. What we now know as string cheese was marketed to bars as a quick bite to enjoy while having a drink. But when kids got their hands on it the word was out: string cheese is fun! On National String Cheese Day, celebrate the snack that’s all about playing with your food.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day.

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Welcome to September 18th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate legends in the sky and paradise found.

When Chuck Yeager enlisted into the United States Army he knew nothing about airplanes. He learned that the Army Air Forces were looking for pilots and the position paid far better than his own at the time. Yeager went on to become a highly decorated fighter pilot, earning the rank of Brigadier General. Most famously, he was the first person to break the speed of sound, an event he almost missed. Two days before the test flight, he broke his ribs, but rather than notifying his superiors, he taped his chest and rigged a device to help him close the plane’s hatch. The rest is legend. As we celebrate the Air Force Birthday, may we honor the men and women who follow the path carved by this flying ace, who had all the “right stuff.”

When songwriter Jimmy Buffet found himself on a sailing trip gone wrong he was forced to eat only canned foods and peanut butter to survive. This state of mind caused him to daydream about soul satisfying food, the kind that can only be found in “carnivorous ways.” Apparently drinking carrot juice and soaking up rays only added to his fever and when he finally docked in Road Town on the Caribbean island of Tortolla, he ordered a cheeseburger! And thus the song Cheeseburger in Paradise was born. Lucky for us land lovers, a good burger joint is never too far away. On National Cheeseburger Day, enjoy your own corner of paradise, which is Heaven on Earth with an onion slice.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every

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Welcome to September 19th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate sweet treats and scurvy sea dogs.

If you’re a fan of sweet desserts then you’ll appreciate today’s celebration of butterscotch pudding. An 1848 newspaper offers the scoop on this dessert. According to “Housewife’s Corner” and Masluk Cream Co., the real recipe for “making Doncaster butterscotch is one pound of butter, one pound of sugar and a quarter of a pound of treacle, boiled together.” Treacle is a thick, molasses-like syrup that gives this pudding its caramel flavor. And if you’re in a grownup mood you can spike your pudding with bourbon or rum. On National Butterscotch Pudding Day, butter up your sweet tooth with this creamy satisfying dessert.

Before Captain Jack Sparrow captured our imagination for a buccaneer life, legendary pirates owned the high seas. Many of the sources for these stories are highly unreliable and based many on fearsome legends. For the notorious Captain Blackbeard, this image worked in his favor. His terrifying reputation encouraged foes to give up without a fight. Other pirates such as Calico Jack were better known for the company they kept. Anne Bonney and Mary Read became legendary under Captain Jack’s famous black flag. Before you go yapping your mah on Talk Like A Pirate Day you might want to bone up on some of the true adventures of the real life raiders of the sea.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day.

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Welcome to September 17th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate the flavor of Fall and an adventurous sandwich.

As soon as the air turns crisp, a new season of apples is on the way. One way to celebrate the flavor of Fall is by baking up some apple dumplings. The word dumpling in German means steamed, which is why their apple dumplings are boiled or steamed. The American recipe comes from Pennsylvania and in the Amish tradition they are baked. The dough is spiked with cinnamon and sugar and reaches a golden perfection that’s reminiscent of apple pie. No one can resist this treat and the Amish even eat them for breakfast. On National Apple Dumpling Day, celebrate the season’s best fruit with this traditional treat!

If you’ve read The Count Of Monte Cristo, you might think of sword fights, adventure and swashbuckling. The Monte Cristo sandwich, on the other hand, has nothing to do with adventure or revenge. Made with white bread, ham, turkey and Swiss cheese that is dipped in batter and fried in butter, the Monte Cristo became popular in the 1950s. When it picked up a side of jelly on the menu at Disneyland in the 60s, this sandwich vaulted into stardom. The combo still holds a place on menus today, although now it’s served for breakfast or lunch. On National Monte Cristo Day, find your own adventurous side as you order up one of these classics for lunch.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day.

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Welcome to September 16th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate fascinating fungus and a dough reinvented.

The largest organism on Earth isn’t an animal. It isn’t a tree, either. Surprisingly, it’s a fungus called the honey mushroom that grows in Oregon’s Malheur National Forest. The mushroom has a system that covers nearly 2000 acres, both above and below ground. It’s also estimated to be around 8,000 years old, which makes it one of the oldest living things on the planet. For the fresher kind, folks can visit the mushroom capital of the world which is found in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Here they produce more than one million pounds of edible mushrooms a day. This town is gearing up to celebrate National Mushroom Month with a festival that draws a crowd of 100,000!

When Joe McVicker first discovered a clay that would pick up soot from wallpaper his invention had an important job. But when furnaces changed from coal to oil, this wallpaper cleaner was out of work. Joe was inspired to put the clay in the hands of some preschoolers, renaming it Play-Doh and adding some color. But when Captain Kangaroo featured the toy on his new CBS show, Play-Doh became a household name. Inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in 1988, it’s hard to imagine a world without this creative invention. On National Play-Doh Day, celebrate the spirit of fun that still fuels our kids’ imaginations.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day.

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Welcome to September 15th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate a seasonal topper and wagging your pasta tongue.

Not so long ago people wouldn’t dare to be seen without a hat on in public. More than a fashion statement, hats have identified our status, our military rank and even our religion. Think Quaker hat or the stovepipe kind worn by President Lincoln. These days, most people love the vintage styles of a pork pie or bowler. Be bold enough to try something new and you may never have a bad hair day again! On National Felt Hat Day, sport your own style, whether you’re mad as a hatter or conservative as a cloche.

Why are there so many different pasta shapes? You might think it’s silly to make a fuss over such things, but to the Italians everything has a reason. Some pastas like fettucine are flat and broad and made for holding cream sauce. Others like spaghetti are rounded in shape and perfect for tomato based sauces. And the best of both worlds is the elliptical shape of linguini, which means little tongues. For the people of Genoa, linguini is a 400 hundred year old tradition. The region also boasts its pesto and seafood. We find it’s best not to argue with tradition. On National Linguini Day, let these little tongues loose and don’t forget to clam up.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate

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