Today is Monday May 24, 2010

National Escargot Day

Escargot is a tasty appetizer or entree made of cooked snails. Snails have been consumed by humans for centuries. Not all species of snails are edible and the taste of the snails vary among species. The first written recipe dates back to the ancient Roman times, found in the cookbook of Apicius. Snails are a healthy food to eat being high in protein and very low in fat content.

To cook escargot, the snails are removed from their shells, gutted, and cooked with garlic butter. Once cooked, they are then poured back into the shells to be served. Did you know that the French consume 40,000 metric tons of snails annually? If you've never tried escargot before, what better reason to try them than on National Escargot Day!

Today is also Victoria Day

May is National Bike Month & National Strawberry Month & National Hamburger Month

"Images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

On this day in History:

1830 - The first passenger railroad service in the U.S. began service.

1844 - Samuel F.B. Morse formally opened America's first telegraph line. The first message was sent from Washington, DC to Baltimore, MD.

1962 - The officials of the National Football League ruled that halftime of regular season games would be cut to 15 minutes.

1980 - Iran rejected a call by the World Court in The Hague to release American hostages.

1986 - Montreal won its 23rd National Hockey League Stanley Cup championship.

Quote of the Day:
The future will be better tomorrow.
- Dan Quayle

QUICK TIP: 7 New Uses for a Penny

1. Curtain Straightener

Make an opening in the bottom hem, slide in a penny or two, and sew the hem back up to keep curtains hanging level and stick-straight.

2. Tread Checker

Insert a penny into a groove of a tire with Lincoln’s head pointing into the tire. If the groove covers part of his head, you’re safe to drive; if the head is in full view, it’s time for new wheels. (The distance between the rim of a penny and Lincoln’s head is 1/16 of an inch―the minimum suggested tread depth.)

3. Table Anchor

If you dine out and the table is unsteady, put a coin under the leg to restore balance.

4. Game Token

Misplaced the thimble? No problem. Sub in a cent.

5. Reader Tip: Makeshift Screwdriver

Use a penny to screw open a toy’s battery pack.
Caroline Brant, Collegeville, Pennsylvania

6. Reader Tip: Icebreaker

Hand out pennies at your next gathering and ask each guest to share a story that happened during the year his or her penny was minted. If the coin predates a friend, let the person improvise.
Rachel Harrison Massa, Stamford, Connecticut

7. Reader Tip: Birdbath Cleaner

To ward off algae, toss in a few pre-1982 coins; the high copper content retards growth.
Suzanne Wesley, Terre Haute, Indiana