National Cocoa Day
- It’s National Cocoa Day! Nothing warms you up better on a cold
winter day than a nice cup of hot cocoa! Cocoa (the dried, fully
fermented seeds of the cacao tree) is the basis for cocoa powder, which
is used to make the hot cocoa beverage we all know and love. Did you
know that monkeys were the first creatures to discover that the cacao
plant was edible and quite tasty? Over 1500 years ago, monkeys began to
consume the pulp of the plant and spit out the beans. Humans soon began
to follow the monkey's example and the rest is history.
Cacao trees are grown all over the world, but it is believed that the first cacao trees grew in South America. Cocoa is similar to wine in that its flavor differs depending on the location where it is grown. It's a good thing that cacao trees are plentiful because approximately 300 to 600 cocoa beans are needed to make just two pounds of chocolate!
To celebrate National Cocoa Day, make your favorite type of cocoa to enjoy. For a holiday twist on a traditional cup of cocoa, try adding a candy cane!
Thursday 13 December 2012
December 13
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Richard Wayne Van Dyke (born December 13, 1925), known professionally as Dick Van Dyke, is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer with a career spanning six decades. He is the older brother of Jerry Van Dyke and father of Barry Van Dyke. Van Dyke starred in the films Bye Bye Birdie, Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and in the TV series The Dick Van Dyke Show and Diagnosis: Murder. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.Van Dyke is scheduled to receive the The Life Achievement Award at the annual Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony in January 2013.
ReplyDeleteSteven Vincent "Steve" Buscemi (born December 13, 1957) is an American actor, writer and film director. An associate member of the renowned experimental theater company The Wooster Group, Buscemi has starred and supported in successful Hollywood and indie films including New York Stories, Mystery Train, Reservoir Dogs, Desperado, Con Air, Armageddon, The Grey Zone, Ghost World and Big Fish; and the HBO television series The Sopranos. He is also known for his appearances in many films by the Coen brothers: Miller's Crossing, Barton Fink, The Hudsucker Proxy, Fargo, The Big Lebowski and Paris, je t'aime.
ReplyDeleteWhite Cocoa
ReplyDelete1/2 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup Vanilla Caramel Coffee-Mate
whipped cream and sprinkles, for serving
Place the white chocolate chips into a small saucepan and melt them over low heat. Add the milk and the Coffee-Mate, whisking until smooth. Heat until there are small bubbles around the edges and steam is just starting to form.
Divide the drink among two mugs, then top with whipped cream and sprinkles if desired.
Serves 2, but is easily multiplied.
Ice Cream Day - December 13
ReplyDeleteWhen you get the urge for a snack on a hot, humid summer night, what's the first thing that comes to your mind? That's right....Ice Cream! Therefore, it's only fitting that ice cream be given it's own special day. On this day, we hope you enjoy an ice cream cone, a sundae, or a milk shake. Set the diet aside and splurge a little...have one of each!
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed July as National Ice Cream Month. He also established National Ice Cream Day as the third Sunday in the month.
Ice cream is nutritious. A little heavy on the sugar and calories, ice cream is otherwise good for you. Its base ingredient is milk, which is loaded with healthy vitamins and minerals.
Did you know? Charles E. Minches of St. Louis, Missouri is credited with inventing the ice cream cone. On July 23, 1904 at the World's Fair in St. Louis, he filled a pastry cone with two scoops of ice cream to make the first ice cream cone. There is some controversy over this claim. Italo Marchiony of New York City filed a patent for the ice cream cone months before the fair opened. And, he was selling lemon ice in comes as early as 1896.
About Ice Cream Day in December: There is also a celebration of Ice Cream Day on Decmeber 13th. We found no factual information about this day. We suspect that it evolved from some local event. Perhaps a school ice cream social somehow took on an undocumented, national recognition as a special day.
Amy Lynn Hartzler (née Lee; born December 13, 1981), known professionally as Amy Lee, is an American singer-songwriter and classically trained pianist. She is co-founder and lead vocalist of the rock band Evanescence. She cites influences ranging from classical musicians such as Mozart to modern artists Björk, Tori Amos, Danny Elfman and Plumb. Along with her contributions to Evanescence, Lee has also participated on numerous other musical projects including Walt Disney Records' 2008 release of The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack. Lee has performed collaborations with artists such as Korn, Seether, and David Hodges. Lee is also the American chairperson for the international epilepsy awareness foundation, Out of the Shadows. Revolver Magazine named Lee the #1 Hottest Chick in Hard Rock for their 2011 annual issue and she appeared on the front cover. In February 2012, VH1 placed Amy Lee at #49 in the Top 100 Greatest Women in Music.
ReplyDelete