To quote Erma Bombeck – Seize the moment! Remember all those ladies on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart. Eat dessert first! Celebrated annually on this date, National Dessert Day is a holiday that is celebrated in the United States and should not be confused with “Eat an Extra Dessert Day”, which falls on Sept. 4 each year.
While no one knows when National Dessert Day was started in the United States, one thing known for sure is how the word “dessert” was invented.
It comes from the French word “desservir” which literally means to remove that which had been served. It would be a meal that was served after all the dishes had been removed from the table.
However, at that time which was around the 15th century, a lot of chefs were adding a lot of sugar to their savory dishes. Which is probably why desservir, or dessert as it would eventually be called, is now associated with sweet treats.
From the 19th century on, there were a variety of desserts that would become popular in the United States. For instance, in Boston – a vanilla sponge cake filled with vanilla cream and topped with chocolate glaze became popular, otherwise known as Boston cream pie.
About the same time, Key Lime pie was introduced in Florida. However, due to hurricanes destroying the lime trees all over the state the popularity of this dessert didn’t take off until after World War II, joining with the Banana Split and Baked Alaska. During the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, the ice cream cone was invented. In 1912, the cheesecake was invented in New York.
Other desserts rose and fell in popularity, including Blum’s Coffee Crunch Cake, Marionberry Pie and Banana Foster – although this dessert has made somewhat of a comeback lately.
The best way to observe National Dessert Day is to try one of many traditional American desserts. To some people, this can mean brownies, chocolate chip cookies, caramel popcorn, candy apples, apple pie or ice cream, or how much more “American” can you get than warm apple pie with ice cream?
Gather your family for dinner and all their favorite desserts, and make a memory. Just eat dessert first.
Did you know, according to Buzz Feed – California’s favorite dessert is boysenberry pie? Now, when was the last time you had boysenberry pie? Maybe you should give it a try. It really is yummy.
The Halloween decorations are starting to show up in earnest. I have seen life-size witches, ghouls and zombies strategically placed on lawns and in doorways, orange and purple lights decorating bushes and houses, pumpkins galore, and ghosts hanging out in trees and on fences and gates. It makes me almost like Halloween.
Mother Nature has been very unpredictable. First, the wooly bear caterpillars and crickets have been spotted earlier than usual, and acorns were falling – all a sign of an early winter. But the late September weather was super hot, then last week it was cool, and now it is hot again. What is up with that?
So, I searched the weather folklore again. The saying goes – Onionskins very thin, mild winter coming in. Onionskins thick and tough, coming winter cold and rough.
How do your pandemic, shelter-in-place, plant-a-garden onions look? We have some thin skins and thick skins onions. Thus, Mother Nature has her own ideas.
Recipe of the day: Cinnamon Rolls; Flowers of the Day: Sweat Peas
Dates to remember:
Oct. 16 – Boss’s Day, let your bosses know how much they are appreciated.
Oct. 22 – Galt FFA is sponsoring a Community Blood Drive at the Valley Grange Hall, 347 Fifth Street from 1:30-5:30 p.m.
Oct. 31 – Halloween, and the second full moon of the month, known as the Hunter Moon. Be safe out there with a full moon on Halloween; who knows what weird things can happen.
Until next week: Be strong, be courageous and make a memory.
