February 27, 2015 – NATIONAL STRAWBERRY DAY – NATIONAL KAHLUA DAY – NATIONAL POLAR BEAR DAY

                                       NATIONAL STRAWBERRY DAY

National Strawberry Day is annually celebrated on February 27th.  Strawberry lovers everywhere enjoy this day as strawberries are appreciated for their characteristic aroma, bright red color,  juicy texture, and sweet taste.
Strawberries are enjoyed by millions in many different ways.  They can be eaten fresh by themselves, in fruit salads or in prepared foods such as jams, preserves or juices.  They are also favorites when added to smoothies, pies, cakes, ice creams, milk shakes, salads and chocolates as well as many other delicious dishes and desserts.   Artificial strawberry aroma is used in many industrialized food products.
The first garden strawberry was grown in France during the late 18th century.  Prior to this, wild strawberries  and cultivated selections from wild strawberry species were the common source of the fruit.

“The strawberry fruit was mentioned in ancient Roman literature in reference to its medicinal use. The French began taking the strawberry from the forest to their gardens for harvest in the 1300s.  Charles V. France’s king from 1364 to 1380, had 1,200 strawberry plants in his royal garden. In the early 1400s western European monks were using the wild strawberry in their illuminated manuscripts. The strawberry is found in Italian, Flemish, German art, and English miniatures. It symbolizes perfect righteousness. The entire strawberry plant was used to treat depressive illnesses.”  (Wikipedia)

Along with enjoying the delicious taste, eating strawberries gives you the benefit of adding the following into your diet: potassium, fiber, folic acid and Vitamin C.   They are also low in calories, with no fat and no cholesterol.
You may want to have a fresh bowl of strawberries now, while you enjoy the following “tried and true” recipes:
http://www.food.com/recipe/strawberry-pretzel-salad-29400
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/strawberry-spinach-salad-i/
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/easy-strawberry-banana-smoothies/f6113dc6-93ef-4417-9f42-7c20082c90b1
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/strawberry-pie-4
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/strawberries-and-cream-bread-pudding/

HAPPY NATIONAL STRAWBERRY DAY!

NATIONAL STRAWBERRY DAY HISTORY
Much research failed to find the origin or the creator of National Strawberry Day, an “unofficial” national holiday.  It is listed as an American Food Holiday.

National Kahlua Day – February 27

NATIONAL KAHLUA DAY

February 27th celebrates National Kahlua Day.  This day was created as a day for those, over the age of 21, to recognize and enjoy this creamy rich alcoholic liqueur.   To celebrate, you may want to use Kahlua, a coffee-flavored rum-based liquor, to flavor your ice cream or another dessert such as cheesecake or cake.  Other options would be to add it to your coffee or cocoa for a nice after dinner drink, add it to cold milk or cream or drink it on the rocks, straight up or mixed with a cocktail.
Kahlua is made from coffee beans therefore it does contain a
small amount of caffeine.
* Pedro Domecq began producing Kahlua in 1936.
* In 1994, the company merged with Allied Lyons forming Allied Domecq.
* In 2005, Allied Domecq was partially acquired by Pernod Ricard which merged with the Swedish Vin & Sprit (V & S Group) in March of 2008. 
Kahlúa is found to be used in a few notable cocktails, including the following:

•  B-52
•  Baby Guinness
•  Black Russian
•  Mudslide
•  White Russian
•  Espresso Martini
•  Caribbean Mudslide

Enjoy some Kahlua February 27th!

NATIONAL KAHLUA DAY HISTORY
Our research failed to find the creator or origin of National Kahlua Day, an “unofficial” national holiday.

 

National Polar Bear Day – February 27

NATIONAL POLAR BEAR DAY

National Polar Bear Day, also known as International Polar Bear Day is celebrated on February 27th.  It is a day to learn more about the polar bear.
Polar bears can reach a height of 9 ft tall and a weight of 1400 pounds.  They have large front paws, which are slightly webbed, that are used to paddle as they swim.  As they are very strong swimmers, some polar bears have been seen swimming hundreds of miles from land, however, some of the distance may have been covered by floating on sheets of ice.
The polar bears have a warming layer of fat which is covered by their thick coat of insulating fur.  This helps them live in the colder environments.
There are organizations that use this day to raise awareness of the declining number of polar bears worldwide. It is believed, by many, that these beautiful creatures are threatened due to global warming and the consequential loss of their natural habitat.  Groups, around the world, gather together to find ways to make a difference and  spread information to others.
Enjoy National Polar Bear Day!