When we think about gingerbread, we often think of the holidays. That’s when this spicy and flavorful treat is most popular. However, there is nothing wrong with enjoying it any time of the year. And, that’s exactly why today is National Gingerbread Day. This June 5 holiday encourages us to bake and serve up a bread with the great flavor of ginger.

The ginger plant is native to Asia, where it has been consumed as a food and used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. Chinese cooking uses ginger in many ways for main meals as well as desserts and other sweets. Ginger is common in many alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, with ginger ale readily coming to mind. The first gingerbread recipe dates back to 2,400 B.C. So, people have enjoyed the spicy flavor for a very long time. 

Today is Go Barefoot Day, a June 1 holiday. By the title of this holiday, you might think it’s all about shedding your footwear and going barefoot in the park or at the beach. After all, Memorial Day is in the rearview window, which means unofficially summer has begun. However, this holiday is much more than that. It’s a charitable event to promote an important cause. According to Soles4SHoes, the creator of this holiday, the objective of this day is to collect and donate shoes and other footwear to those in need who go barefoot every day because they have no shoes. Sometimes called National Go Barefoot Day, you can do your part and have fun on this day, too.

Going barefoot today shows your support for the plight of those less fortunate. An estimated 300 million children go barefoot every day. They have no shoes or footwear. So clearly the need is great. What are you going to do about this problem?

Are you a bootlegger? Or, perhaps you just enjoy a nip or two of white lightning from time to time. If so, you’re gonna just love this drinking holiday. Today is National Moonshine Day. On this June holiday, we grab a jug of hooch and enjoy a few swigs. If it’s an illegal batch of white lightning, we won’t tell the Feds. And, if you’ve got a still up on the hill, we will just look the other way. Or, perhaps we will join you there.

Craft distilleries aside, moonshiners make their firewater in a still hidden up in the hills. Because it is illegal, they work under the cover of darkness with only the light of the moon to help them see what they are brewing. On this holiday, perhaps they will let you mix up a batch of corn mash to begin the process. Better yet, volunteer to do the quality control work and test the product as it comes out of the still.  

Bottoms up as you chug a lug with the jug!

Songs of the Day:

• Moon River, Andy Williams (1961)
• Bad Moon Rising, Creedence Clearwater Revival. (1969)

Eggs are a wonderful, and nutritious food. Researchers and nutritionists have determined that the good health benefits of eating them exceed the bad. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s all celebrate and enjoy National Egg Day.  On this June 3 holiday, break out of your shell and celebrate this incredible, healthy food holiday.

In 1968, the American Heart Association recommended limiting consumption to just three eggs per week. The concern was the high level of cholesterol in them. Years later nutritionists have determined the health benefits outweighed the bad. The high level of protein is good for your bones and muscles. They contain essential vitamins and micronutrients, most notably vitamins A, D, and E. It contains antioxidants that can slow down the aging process and improve vision. It has Omega-3 fats which are good for your heart. And, some studies suggest eating them can help you to lose weight 

So, with all of this goodness inside of a thin shell, be a good egg and eat lots of them today, prepared in your favorite way(s).

Chocolate candy lovers rejoice! Today is a sweet day. It is National Fudge Day. On this June 16 holiday, we celebrate this irresistible, fabulous, sugary sweet confection. A great way to enjoy this holiday is to go to a candy store that makes fresh fudge right in front of your eyes. Can you pass up the opportunity to sample some fudge when you enter a candy shop? We think not. And, once you’ve tasted a sample or two, it’s nearly impossible to walk out of the store without buying some to eat later at the beach or in front of the television as a late-night snack. 

The meaning of the word has changed over time. In the 17th century, well before the candy was first created, the word “Fadge” was used as a verb meaning “to clumsily fit together or adjust”. A form of this meaning is in use today. For example, we may be working on a difficult estimate and decide to “fudge it”. In the early 1800s, the word meant a “hoax or to cheat”. To this day, kids use the term “Oh, Fudge” as an expletive. Of course, today it has a much sweeter meaning, bringing thoughts of decadent joy.

Fudge is enjoyed around the world. It is a very versatile candy, too. Flavors and varieties are almost unlimited. Can you think of a food item to put into a batch of fudge? How about a combination of items? chances are someone is already ahead of you and has successfully given it the taste test.

For the Record: The largest slab of fudge ever made weighed 5,760 pounds. The Northwest Fudge Factory produced this slab of fudge in Levack, Ontario, Canada, on October 23, 2010.

Today is a great food holiday. It is Italian Cannoli Day. A Cannolo is a true culinary delight. These wonderful cookies are filled with calories, and they are carb-rich. But, put aside your diet on this June 16 holiday. You don’t want to pass it by without enjoying a few cookies. A thousand or so years ago, this cannoli cookie was first created in Italy. A cookie this good cannot be kept secret for very long. It is popular around the world. Now you find them in Italian bakeries, Italian restaurants, delis, as well as the bakery department of your local grocery store.

Cannoli is not hard to make. They are tubular-shaped pastries. First, the dough is shaped and fried. Then, it is stuffed with a filling consisting of ricotta cheese and sugar. Depending upon what recipe you choose to use, you can include a wide variety of other ingredients to the filling, including chocolate chips, nuts, lemon or orange zest, and even bits of fruit. Finally, you can be creative when decorating the outside of the cannoli. Here are some ideas: dust them with powdered sugar, drizzle chocolate over them, or place pieces of fruit or a sprig of mint aside of the cannoli.

People enjoy cannoli any time of the year. Along with other Italian cookies, they are a “must-have” at weddings, funeral receptions, banquets, and any type of party or celebration. If you’re organizing the event, buy plenty of extras, as they go very fast.

One Big Cannolo: The largest cannolo ever was made on November 9, 2014, by the Lactalis American Group, Inc., at the Feast of Little Italy Italian Festival in Jupiter, Florida. It weighed 262.5 pounds.

Milk, it does a body good. Except if you’re lactose intolerant, that is. Because this healthy and nutritious drink is so good for you, it is only fitting that World Milk Day exists to celebrate its benefits and the entire dairy industry. This June 1 holiday was created by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to promote the industry and the goodness of milk. 

Since its inception in 2001, this holiday has continued to grow in participation. Over 100 countries now celebrate World Milk Day. Led by diary companies and organizations, this holiday features campaigns to promote various aspects of the dairy industry and dairy products. Each year a theme is established. Organizations then create campaigns centered around the theme for the year. Educational programs, seminars, efforts to improve the dairy industry, and other activities are held on this holiday.

Have it your way today. You can select from whole milk, 2%, 1%, or skim milk. If you’d prefer, add some chocolate syrup to it. New dairy products come on the market constantly for you to sample. And, certainly enjoy the many products made from milk. This includes butter, cheese, and ice cream. On this holiday, you should enjoy dairy products at all meals and snacks.

Without a doubt, many of you who read about this holiday initially think “What a dirty bird. Why do we have Pigeon Appreciation Day?” After you finish reading this article, you will likely become a fan of pigeons and celebrate this June 13 holiday. For example, we will describe to you how a single pigeon is credited with saving the lives of 194 American servicemen during World War I. That alone is a reason to celebrate pigeons in my book.

Pigeons get a bad rap, largely because there are so many of them on city streets scrounging for a free meal. But they are not dirty birds and do not spread disease as some believe. Pigeons are entertaining to watch. Just sit on a park bench and watch them in action. And while you are watching, feed them. Chances are they will remember you the next time you sit on a park bench. They remember the hand that feeds them.

Perhaps the best example of how people love pigeons is in the movie Mary Poppins (1964). In the movie, she is the nanny for two children who go on to feed the birds as Mary Poppins sings “Feed the Birds, Tuppence a Bag”. Do you know what those birds were? You guessed it, pigeons. 

Did You Know? “Tuppence” is another word for two pence. It’s 3-4 U.S. cents.

The original World War II D-Day occurred on June 6, 1944, On this historic day Allied troops invaded the beaches of Normandy, France. It is the largest amphibious assault in world history. This massive, bloody battle was the turning point of the war in the European theater.  

On this day, 156,000 troops from the United States, Great Britain, and Canada stormed five beaches. American troops landed on Omaha and Utah beaches. At the same time, British troops landed on Gold and Sword Beach. And, Canadian forces landed on Juno Beach. 4,000 Allied troops died on these beaches on D-Day, and 2,000 of them were American.

Please take a moment of silence today, and thank the many soldiers who fought and died for our country on D-Day.

The 1970s was a world a crazy time. A lot was wrong with the world and the country. But, something good came out of these tumultuous times. People became aware of the harm being done by humans to our environment. And so, the United Nations created World Environment Day. This June 5 holiday seeks government and political action to change our environment for the good. One could argue not a lot of progress has been made. On the contrary, positive steps are being made. It’s just not as much or as quickly as we desire.

World Environment Day focuses attention on important environmental issues. It is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.”

The United Nations selects a different theme every year. Each year, a different city is selected to host World Environment Day celebrations.