FEBRUARY 28, 2014 – NATIONAL TOOTH FAIRY DAY – NATIONAL CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE DAY

                                                   

        NATIONAL TOOTH FAIRY DAY   

A very fun holiday, which is National Tooth Fairy Day, is celebrated each year on February 28th and also on August 22nd.
The tooth fairy is one of the favorite fantasy figures of our early childhood years.  Folklore stories state that when a child loses a baby tooth, if he or she places the tooth under their pillow, the tooth fairy will then come to visit while the child is sleeping, replacing the lost baby tooth with a gift (usually money).

If the tooth has been lost, they need not worry, the tooth fairy will still visit if a note of explanation is left under the pillow in place of the tooth!

A 2013 survey conducted by Visa Inc. indicates that American children receive an average of $3.70 per tooth. 

In early Europe, the tradition was to bury the baby teeth that had fallen out.  When the sixth tooth falls out, the child’s parents then slip a gift of money from the tooth fairy under their child’s pillow, leaving the tooth as a reward.  Many of the parents will leave a trail of glitter on the floor, which represents fairy dust. 

The tradition in Northern Europe was to pay a tann-te or tooth fee when a child lost their first tooth. This tradition can be found recorded in writings in the earliest written record of Norse and Northern European traditions.  
Unlike Santa Claus, there are few details of the tooth fairy’s appearance that are consistent in the various versions of the myth.   A children’s books and artwork review found the tooth fairy to be depicted as the following:  a child with wings, a pixie, a dragon, a blue mother-figure, a flying ballerina, two little old men, a dental hygienist, a pot bellied flying man smoking a cigar, a hat, a bear and others. 
Rosemary Wells conducted a study in 1984 revealing that 74 percent of those surveyed believed the tooth fairy to be female, while 12 percent believed the tooth fairy to be neither male nor female and 8 percent believed the tooth fairy could be either male or female.  When Wells was asked about her finding regarding the appearance of the tooth fairy, she explained: “You’ve got your basic Tinkerbell-type tooth fairy with the wings, wand, a little older and whatnot.  Then you have some people who think of the tooth fairy as a man or a bunny rabbit or a mouse.”  

Research has found that the belief in the tooth fairy may provide comfort to children experiencing fear or pain resulting from the loss of a tooth. 

Author Vicki Lansky advises parents to tell their children, at a young age, that the tooth fairy pays much more for a perfect tooth than for a decayed one.  It has been said that some families leave notes with the payment, praising the child for their good dental habits.
NATIONAL TOOTH FAIRY DAY HISTORY
Within our research, we were unable to find the creator of National Tooth Fairy Day, an “unofficial” national holiday.    National Tooth Fairy Day – Feb. 28th and Aug 22nd.
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HAVE A GREAT DAY!!

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NATIONAL CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE DAY

A delightfully delicious dessert is celebrated each year on February 28th as it is National Chocolate Souffle Day.
 The word souffle is the past participle of the French verb souffler, which means “to blow up” or more loosely “puff up”, which describes a souffle perfectly.   A souffle is a lightly baked cake made with egg yolks and the beaten eggs whites that are combined with various other ingredients.   Souffle can be found served as a savory main dish or sweetened as a dessert.    
There are two basic components that make up every souffle.

• 1.  a French creme patisserie base/flavored cream sauce or puree
• 2.  egg whites beaten to a  soft peak meringue

The flavor is provided by the base and the “lift” is provided by the beaten egg whites.  There are certain foods that are commonly used for the base in a souffle which include cheese, jam, fruits, berries, chocolate, banana  and lemon.   Many souffle bakers like to puncture the top of the souffle, after it is removed from the oven, and pour various types of liquid sauces onto it, such as chocolate or vanilla.
To celebrate today’s food holiday, try one of the following “tried and true” recipes:
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/heavenly-chocolate-souffle-cake/c452719f-f5e9-4642-a484-5199d38464ce
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mexican-Chocolate-Souffle-Cakes-4644
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/flourless-chocolate-souffle-with-raspberry-cream-recipe.html