Today is...

National Carrot Cake Day

It’s National Carrot Cake Day! Carrot Cake has been around since the Middle Ages. At that time, sugar and other sweeteners were rare and very expensive, so people used sweet vegetables to flavor their puddings.

This technique became obsolete for several hundred years, but resurfaced in the 20^th century. During World War II, the British government rationed many luxury foods and household staples including sugar. To appease the nation’s sweet tooth, the Ministry of Food promoted recipes for carrot puddings, carrot-filled pies, and carrot cakes. Today, many families in the UK still serve carrot cake on Christmas Day!

Carrot cake is much healthier than many other baked goods. A traditional recipe calls for carrots, raisins, walnuts, and brown sugar (instead of refined white sugar). Enjoy a slice from your local bakery in honor of National Carrot Cake Day!

Today is also National Wear Red Day

February is Black History Month & Potato Lover's Month & National Weddings Month

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

History for February 3  1690 - The first paper money in America was issued by the Massachusetts colony. The currency was used to pay soldiers that were fighting in the war against Quebec. 1783 - Spain recognized the independence of the United States. 1815 - The world's first commercial cheese factory was established in Switzerland. 1913 - The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. It authorized the power to impose and collect income tax. 1919 - The League of Nations held its first meeting in Paris.

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"For the happiest life, days should be rigorously planned, nights left open to chance."

--Mignon McLauglin

Today is...

Groundhog Day

Today is Groundhog Day! People have been celebrating Groundhog Day (or some form of it) for centuries. According to folklore, if the groundhog emerges from hibernation and does not see his shadow, he will leave his burrow. This signifies that the end of winter is near. On the other hand, if the groundhog does see his shadow, he will retreat back into his burrow and winter will continue for at least another six weeks.

Groundhog Day is deeply rooted in ancient weather lore. February 2 is one of the four “cross-quarter” days—the midpoints between solstices and equinoxes. February 2, which is also known as Imbolc or Candlemas, is exactly halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. One of the earliest references to predicting the weather on this day can be found in an old English song: “If Candlemas be fair and bright / Come, Winter, have another flight / If Candlemas brings clouds and rain / Go Winter, and come not again.”

So how much longer is winter going to last? Only Punxsutawney Phil knows the answer to that question! He has been making predictions since 1887. If the groundhog does not see his shadow today, we will have an early spring. Share the news of Phil’s forecast and wish your friends a Happy Groundhog Day with an official free eCard for Groundhog Day!

Today is also Heavenly Hash Day

February is Black History Month & Potato Lover's Month & National Weddings Month

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

History for February 2 1536 - The Argentine city of Buenos Aires was founded by Pedro de Mendoza of Spain. 1887 - The beginning of Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, PA. 1897 - The Pennsylvania state capitol in Harrisburg was destroyed by fire. The new statehouse was dedicated nine years later on the same site. 1900 - Six U.S. cities, Boston, Detroit, Milwaukee, Baltimore, Chicago and St. Louis, agreed to form baseball's American League. 1967 - The American Basketball Association was formed by representatives of the NBA. 1981 - "Late Night with David Letterman" premiered on NBC.

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"To live means sharing one another’s space, dreams, sorrows, contributing our ears to hear, our eyes to see, our arms to hold, our hearts to love."

--Paul Tillich

Today is...

National Baked Alaska Day

It’s National Baked Alaska Day! Baked Alaska is a decadent dessert made with ice cream, sponge cake, and toasted meringue. Although the named “Baked Alaska” did not emerge until the 19^th century, this dish is part of a long culinary tradition.

The concept of serving cream and cake together dates back to the Renaissance. The cooks of the era were the first to adorn their baked goods with a whipped topping. This laid the foundation for Baked Alaska, but it does not account for two of the dessert’s distinguishing characteristics—temperature and texture.

The Chinese were the first culture to cook pastry over an ice cream filling, which results in a delicious combination of hot and cold components. Credit is also due to the American physicist Benjamin Thompson, who experimented with the heat resistance of beaten egg whites and discovered how to make meringue.

Whether you prefer to call it Baked Alaska, glace au four, omelette a la norvegienne, or Norwegian omelette, celebrate National Baked Alaska Day with a scrumptious serving of this unique dessert!

Today is also National Freedom Day

February is Black History Month & Potato Lover's Month & National Weddings Month

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

History for February 1 1790 - The U.S. Supreme Court convened for the first time in New York City. 1862 - "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," by Julia Ward Howe, was first published in the "Atlantic Monthly." 1884 - The first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary was published. 1913 - Grand Central Terminal (also referred to as Grand Central Station) opened in New York City, NY. It was the largest train station in the world. 1976 - "Sonny and Cher" resumed on TV despite a real-life divorce. 1996 - Visa and Mastercard announced security measures that would make it safe to shop on the Internet.

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"Life’s a pretty precious and wonderful thing. You can’t sit down and let it lap around you...you have to plunge into it; you have to dive through it! And you can’t save it, you can’t store it up; you can’t horde it in a vault. You’ve got to taste it; you’ve got to use it. The more you use the more you have...that’s the miracle of it!"

--Kyle Samuel Crichton