National Fish & Chips Day

"Fish & Chips" Day is celebrated each year on the first Friday in June. 

The history of this holiday comes from Great Britain.  In the late 1800s, trawl fishing became a major part of the industry in the North Sea, making fresh fish available all over, including inland and within the cities. It became known as a meal of the working class, because being 'easily available' meant 'cheaper'.  And being a high caloric meal meant it was filling for the  workers who held physically demanding jobs.

Today fish & chips is popular all over, including in Canada where it is frequently sold from ‘Chip Wagons’, and throughout the USA.

Fish & Chips …. without Chips?

 

Source: Pixabay

I recently went out to lunch with a friend. I ordered fish & chips and the waitress rattled off a long list of 'sides' of which I heard almost none (she talked too fast and not understandably so). Therefore, I just said 'coleslaw', which was the only word I actually heard and a dish I enjoy with fish.

When my order came, the plate had fish and coleslaw and NO French fries (chips). I said 'where's the 'chips' and she said, well that was included in your choice of a 'side' and you said 'coleslaw'.  What?! Wouldn't you assume that if you ordered a menu item that stated 'fish & chips', you'd get the French fries with it and the coleslaw or other choice would be the side?

The waitress ended up bringing me a plate of 'free' French fries for the misunderstanding, but I think she entirely missed the point. One doesn't order 'fish & chips' and get only 'fish'. Huh! :-)

Celebrate Fish and Chip Day

So, as you can see, a good way to celebrate this day is naturally by having a platter of fish & chips - order some up from your favorite restaurant (or 'Chipper' in England) or make it yourself at home. Serve with some tarter sauce (popular in America) or with a bit of mayonnaise (in Canada). 


Fish N Chips-MovieCheck Price
After enjoying your dinner, finish up your evening with your children by viewing  this cute animated movie called (what else) Fish & Chips!  An adventure of a young fish named "fish" and his nemesis "Chips" a cat. The two tear across land and sea and face off for the love of the same catfish and bones of fish's ancestor.  Their hilarious adventures are sure to have both children and adults laughing. 

 (c) Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

June is National Candy Month

A Collection of Candies and 'Candy Days'

 

Sweet-tasting treats we call Candy have been around for thousands of years. Early man first discovered how great sweets tasted when he began digging honey out of bee hives.

Various types of actual 'candy' were found in the recorded history of the Egyptians 3500 years ago. In the 17th century, boiled candies became popular. 

Homemade hard candies, like peppermints and lemon drops became a favorite in America in the 1800s, as sugar-beet juice and the advancement of mechanical appliances made sweet-making into an industry! And we haven't even started on how much chocolate and gum makes us candy-lovers happy. :)

Origin of National Candy Month

After doing a long search through many types and sources of Candy, all we know for sure is that JUNE is National Candy Month. No one appears to have given a reason for either the national celebration or why June was chosen as 'candy' month, so we will simply 'enjoy' and 'indulge our sweet tooth' throughout June. :)

Candies Associated with Holidays

 

1960s Holiday Retro Candy Gift Box

These 'sweet snacks' called Candy are especially popular around certain special events throughout the year and have become integrated in celebrations and holidays.

Halloween, Christmas, Easter and Valentine's Day are the biggest candy selling days . . in that order.

We Love Candy!

We all know certain candies are associated with particular holidays, but, did you know that there are many, many other days throughout the year that celebrate the sweetness we call candy in one form or another, with ‘chocolate’ being the #1 term used? Let’s check out a few of those chocolate ones.

 

 Chocolate Candy Holiday Celebrations

Chocolate Poster by CarriesCamera
 

• January 3rd - National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day
• February 19 - Chocolate Mint Day
• The 3rd Week of March is 'American Chocolate Week'.
• March 19 - National Chocolate Caramel Day
• March 24 - National Chocolate-Covered Raisin Day
• April 21 - National Chocolate-Covered Cashews Day
• May 12 - National Nutty Fudge Day
• June 16 - FUDGE Day!
• July 7 - CHOCOLATE DAY!
• July 28 - National Milk Chocolate Day
• September 13 - International Chocolate Day
• September 22 - National White Chocolate Day

For 'whatever' reason, there appears to be several 'Days' devoted to the celebration of CHOCOLATE (and, why not... :). National Chocolate Day is on a Candy Holidays list for October 28th, December 28th and December 29th. Perhaps these days are set aside to finish up those chocolate treats from Halloween and Christmas! :-)

• November 7 - National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day
• And (Finally... and rightly so).... December 16 - National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day!

Candy Man

 

Listen to 'The Candyman... While you Check out these Candy Holidays

A Collection of Candies and 'Candy Days'

The various types of candy are too numerous to list in one article. They include everything from Candy Bars to Lollipops to candies associated with particular holidays. I've included just a few here, but they all taste delicious! And...as you can see... your 'candy' days don't have to be limited just to June!

• February 14 - Valentine's Day
• April 22 - Jelly Bean Day
• May 23 - National Taffy Day
• July 20 - National Lollipop Day

• October is National Caramel Month

• October 30 - Candy Corn Day
• October 31 - Candy Apple Day
• December 26 - Candy Cane Day

A Bit of Trivia for National Candy Month

  

Candy is easily made by melting sugar in water. The candy type depends on the temperature at which it is heated. Hot temperatures result in hard candy; medium temperatures make soft candy and low temperature result in chewy candy.  Fun to remember this when making (or eating) your next batch of fudge or peanut brittle or chocolate bon-bons. 

© 2012 Wednesday-Elf  (originally written on another site). Updated on 7/7/2023

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

National Taffy Day

National Taffy Day, always  held on May 23, has no known origin and is considered an 'unofficial' (though tasty) holiday. 

 

Salt Water Taffy

 

Salt Water Taffy on Amazon

Salt water taffy was “invented” in Atlantic City in 1883. It has become a beach-side tradition since it first appeared, quickly becoming a favorite tourist souvenir.  Taffy has also become popular in the Midwest at county fairs and at some theme parks.  

Taffy is a variation of soft toffee*  At first, it was unflavored, then later molasses and vanilla were added as flavorings.  Today's taffy can be found in flavors from banana to chocolate and coffee, and lemon and mint to hot chile.  When the fancy flavors were added, the taffy was also colored to match the flavor.  The three most popular flavors are  peppermint, cinnamon and chocolate.

Salt water taffy is made with sugar, cornstarch, corn syrup, glycerine, water, butter, salt, flavoring and food color.  Taffy actually contains NO salt water (seawater). However, it does contain both salt and water.   In modern recipes, corn syrup may be added to prevent crystallization. 

The taffy is stretched or pulled for 20 minutes or so and rolled into ropes, then, cut into pieces no longer than two inches and wrapped in wax paper to keep it soft.


*Toffee is a candy that originated in the United Kingdom and is made by caramelizing sugar or molasses)

Grandma's Taffy Recipe*

 

"A quick and easy recipe for any flavor of taffy"

Prep:  5 m ~ Cook:  15 m ~ Ready In: 20 m - Makes 40 servings (63 cal)

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• tablespoon orange, or other flavored extract
• 8 drops any color food coloring 

Directions

In a large saucepan, stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the butter, salt, corn syrup and water; mix well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to mix in butter. Heat to 275 degrees F (134 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped from a spoon forms hard but pliable threads.

Remove from heat, and stir in the vanilla, flavored extract and food coloring. Pour into a greased 8x8 inch baking dish. When cooled enough to handle, remove candy from the pan, and pull until it loses its shine and becomes stiff. Pull into ropes, and use scissors to cut into 1 inch pieces. Wrap each piece in waxed paper.

*Grandma's Taffy Recipe can be found on AllRecipes.com 

Laffy Taffy

 

Source: Amazon

In the 1970s,  a brand of taffy called Laffy Taffy was manufactured.  Made by Nestlé, it's sold under the Willy Wonka Candy Company brand.

Laffy Taffy is a type of taffy that comes in many fruit flavors. Laffy Taffy also comes with jokes, sent in by kids, written on the wrapper.

National Taffy Day

So, on May 23, come celebrate this day with a Taffy Treat. And for a list of more 'candy days' throughout the year, visit June is National Candy Month.




(c) Article by Wednesday Elf







Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Celebrate National Napping Day ... with a Nap!

Take Time Today to Celebrate National Napping Day

 

(First Monday after Daylight Savings Time begins)

I bet you didn't know that there was a 'National Napping Day'. Yes there is, and it's always held on the first Monday following resetting our clocks for the beginning of Daylight Savings Time. Since we lose an hour of sleep, the napping day was begun to help us adjust to the time change.

Begun in 1999 by William Anthony (a professor of rehabilitation counseling at Boston University Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences) and his wife, Camille, Bill is now known as “Napmaster General”. 

Babies and Animals Nap Easily

My infant grandson
finds it easy to nap

Napping is easiest for babies and cats & dogs (who can nap anywhere at any given moment).  It's also easy for us retired people on a Monday.

Many cultures have a mid-day nap as part of their daily routine and perhaps that should be integrated into everyone's work day. Yeah, right! I can see the bosses now allowing a slump in production each workday by allowing an afternoon nap! Fun idea, though. I'm all for it. 

Let others Know You're 'Napping'

So, if you have some time free after lunch today (or instead of lunch), set aside a block of time to celebrate National Napping Day ~ by napping! 

© 2016 Wednesday Elf

*© Images are my own, unless otherwise stated.

I'm Napping Personalized Coffee Mug

Shhh... Napping in Progress Hanging Sign Decorative Wood Sign Home Decor Wood Door Sign Plaque 12" x 6"

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”