 While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday. A parfait way to begin May, May 1 is National Chocolate Parfait Day! Depending on how you parfait, you can spend this perfect day celebrating one or two wonderful ways. Because parfait literally means "perfect" in French, you'll be sure to enjoy this dessert in at least one of its forms.  While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday. We heard it through the grapevine - April 30 is National Raisin Day! When grapes spend a little too much time in the sun, they cross the border into dried fruit and become raisins. But these little beauties are chewy, sweet and a great snack to have on hand. Because there is already so much naturally occurring fructose and glucose in grapes, the flavor amps up even more after the grapes are dried. Largely, the sugar remains - so much so that if you keep raisins for a while, the sugar begins to crystallize.  While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday. Twist and shout! April 26 is National Pretzel Day. No matter which way you twist them (or don’t), pretzels are a popular snack. Their origin however, might surprise you. Seventh century French and Italian monks rewarded children who’d learned their Bible verses with pretzels. It’s been said that the way pretzels are twisted to represent someone with their arms crossed in prayer, and that the three holes made by the twists represent the father, son and holy spirit. To back this all up, the word pretzel derives from the Latin word for "little reward" and the Italian word for "little arms."  While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday. Squeal with delight - April 24 is National Pigs in a Blanket Day! There are numerous variations of this crowd-pleaser: Cut-up hot dogs, small cocktail wieners or link sausages are popular choices for the pig part, while biscuits, croissants or pancakes take care of the blanket. If you’re of Eastern European descent, pigs in a blanket often means stuffed cabbage rolls, which at least adds a vegetable serving.  While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday. April 23 is National Picnic Day. As the temperatures start to rise, so do the opportunities to head outside to catch some of those glorious rays. A picnic is the perfect way to enjoy spring weather. With a little forethought and some key supplies, lunch or dinner al fresco is the perfect antidote to the midweek doldrums. There’s nothing worse than getting to your perfect spot only to realize you’ve forgotten some critical element at home. Here are some picnic planning tips:  While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday. In 1970, a generation that perfected protesting turned their attention to something closer to home – Mother Earth. Since then, the popularity of Earth Day - and the environmental movement that goes along with it - has led to the development of the Environmental Protection Agency (or EPA), as well as the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water and the Endangered Species Acts. So, in the spirit of things, here are a few simple ways you can do your part to reduce your food footprint:  Ray Isle (@islewine on Twitter) is Food & Wine's executive wine editor. We trust his every cork pop and decant – and the man can sniff out a bargain to boot. Take it away, Ray. Today, I’m told, is Malbec World Day. Why it isn’t World Malbec Day, I don’t know, though certainly the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship must; they, after all, are the ones who came up with it. Nevertheless, “Malbec World” sounds like a department store, and personally, I think that if they wish this celebration to catch on, they ought to reverse it. That’s where my complaints end, though. I’m entirely happy with Malbec itself, a red grape that first achieved notice in the French regions of Bordeaux (where they largely ditched it after a big frost in 1956 killed off most of the Malbec vines) and Cahors. But French Malbec (or Cot, as it’s sometimes called) can be bruisingly tannic and tough, and it’s Argentina where Malbec has really come into its own. The grape arrived in 1868, carried over by a French agricultural engineer named Michel Pouget, and now it’s grown on more than 75,000 acres. As well there might be: Argentine Malbec at its best combines vivid black-fruit and spice notes with a firm (but not aggressively tannic) structure. On top of that, there are very good Argentine Malbecs available for modest prices - never a bad thing. Here are five to check out. 
 While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday. April 15 is National Glazed Spiral Ham Day. Americans have become accustomed to serving ham on special holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving, but there’s no law that says ham can only be served in November and December. When you don’t have to worry about in-laws, five side dishes, three desserts and someone breaking a limb during the annual family flag football game, ham isn’t nearly as threatening to prepare at home.  While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday. It takes two to fondue - April 11 is National Cheese Fondue Day. Fondue parties were synonymous with the 1970s, but since then, fondue restaurants have popped up all over the country billing themselves as communal dining experiences that are exciting and fun. Fondue can be just that (if you lose the bell-bottoms), but you certainly don’t have to go out to a fancy restaurant to get it. Most families are given a fondue set at some point in their lives - be it a wedding or random birthday. If, by some stroke of luck, you actually got something you really wanted instead, fondue sets are almost always available and incredibly affordable at estate and garage sales, just make sure the bottom of the pot isn’t warped or damaged.  While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday. Everything's coming up stinking roses - April is National Garlic Month! It’s a pity that garlic has a such a reputation for bad breath as it’s an incredible herb. Not only does it scare vampires away, it has amazing medicinal qualities too. Plus, it’s darn tasty. There are a couple of different types of garlic available in most grocery stores. Other than the regular-sized bulbs, you might also find green, black or elephant garlic. Green garlic is garlic that was harvested before it had time to mature and form cloves. Black garlic is fermented garlic that is sweet and savory at the same time. Elephant garlic is actually a leek that produces large cloves. It’s also milder in flavor which is ideal if you’re just starting to experiment with garlic or are going on a date. Then again, if both of you eat garlic, the smell and taste could be canceled out… (That is, if the date goes well.) |
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