Food Holidays: October 26th, 2021

Good morning, I would like to ask you to check out the Holidays celebrated today and let me know which one you most want to celebrate. Being National Mincemeat Day and National Pumpkin Day Charlie and I’ve decided to sit these celebrations out. Why David has asked if we could get him a Pumpkin Pie for Dessert this evening. Since David took such good care of me when I was sick I think surprising David with a Pumpkin Pie would be a nice THANK YOU!!

National Mincemeat Day

National Mincemeat Day is on October 26. Did you know the Original Mincemeat recipe is more than 500 years old, and Mincemeat used a mixture of Diced Fruit, Meat, and distilled Alcohol. Mincemeat was used as a Pie filling. Mincemeat contains an interesting mix of Spices that are not usually used for Meat, including Nutmeg and Cinnamon. The fruits used are the same as those in many traditional Fruit Cakes. Although it is widely known in Australia, the U.S., and South Africa, Mincemeat is a strange taste combination for many people. National Mincemeat Day is dedicated to this interesting recipe.

HISTORY OF NATIONAL MINCEMEAT DAY

In the 15th Century, bakers used to preserve meat with Fruits and Spices. Mincemeat Pies were made using this filling. Initially, Vinegar and Wines were used for the fermentation of the preserve. Nuts, Clove, Mace, and Cinnamon were widely used in Medieval Times.

Later, people started using distilled Alcohol and Brandy to make minced Meat. In Europe, Mincemeat came to be known as a wholesome food found in old-fashioned, rural homes. England saw Mincemeat as a traditional Yuletide treat.

In the 19th Century, the way that Minced Meat was prepared changed slightly. Raisins, Apples, and Candied Lemon Peel were added to the recipe. Apple Mincemeat, which was made without Meat, was regarded as a healthier and more hygienic alternative. In the twentieth Century, any similar recipe, even the ones made without Meat, came to be referred to as Mincemeat. Similar to Spirits, Mincemeat was aged so that the flavors would deepen. It was also done to change the texture of the mixture by breaking down the proteins present in the meat. It is said that properly preserved Mincemeat can be stored for about 2 to 3 years.

Though the origins of National Mincemeat Day are not known, this Holiday is widely celebrated in the United States and around the world. Mincemeat is a favorite during the Holiday Season. Especially during Thanksgiving, where Mincemeat is served with Cheese or Apple Pie.

HOW TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL MINCEMEAT DAY

1. What better way to celebrate National Mincemeat Day than to make Mincemeat. If you don’t know the recipe, ask some of your family members or friends to help you find a recipe. There are recipes online that will help you make Mincemeat.
2. If you want to take the celebrations to the next level, you could organize a competition for the best Mincemeat recipe. It would be fun to create recipes using Mincemeat. Giving the creators of the recipes a new experience and broaden there taste horizon.
3. Not many know people know its National Mincemeat Day. You could create a recipe using Mincemeat to share with your workers to get people more interested in the Holiday.

5 FACTS ABOUT MINCE PIE

1. Mincemeat had to be stirred clockwise. It was believed that stirring the Mince Pies anti-clockwise would bring bad luck.
2. Each family member stirred the recipe, Because it was believed that if each member of the family took turns to stir the Mince Pies, it would bring joy and happiness to their home.
3. Mincemeat was eaten for good health, It was believed that eating Mince Pies every day for the 12 days of Christmas would bring good health.
4. Mincemeat is associated with Christmas. It is said that the Spices used in Mince Pies, such as Cloves and Cinnamon, were among the gifts presented to baby Jesus by the Wise Men.
5. The earliest known Mince Pies were oval, symbolic of the shape of baby Jesus’s crib.

WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL MINCEMEAT DAY

1. Mincemeat Pie is eaten warm. You can serve Mincemeat Pie with gently melting Ice Cream or Butter/Buttered Rum, which is a winning combination.
2. In the 1650s, it was illegal to eat Mincemeat Pies in England, since Oliver Cromwell tried to stop gluttony in the Country.
3. National Mincemeat Day is the perfect opportunity to learn more about this recipe. Expand your knowledge of interesting combinations of food in general. Dig deeper into the history of this age-old recipe and discover new recipes’

National Pumpkin Day

If you are in love with the yellow delight, of Pumpkins, then you will be pleased to celebrate National Pumpkin Day on October 26^th every year. There is no recorded reason on why we celebrate the National Pumpkin Day and yet there is no reason why we shouldn’t. For this is among the most beloved Gourds in the world. With the Pumpkin grown in almost every Continent, you can celebrate this Holiday every year. They also make for the ideal storage crop to tackle Winter and when the Harvest is scarce. Filled with Fiber and Nutrients, it is justified to celebrate a day honoring the Pumpkins.

Pumpkins are also widely celebrated as part of Thanksgiving and Halloween Celebrations which is another reason why they’re to be celebrated on National Pumpkin Day.

How to celebrate the National Pumpkin Day

Also known Autumn Squash, National Pumpkin Day celebrates the sweet-savory yellow fruit, which is the first sign of the upcoming Autumn. You definitely don’t want to be left behind in celebrating this unofficial Holiday celebrating Pumpkins. Here are a few ways in which you can celebrate National Pumpkin Day.

1. Pick up a Pumpkin. Then carve your own version of the Jack-O-Lantern.
2. You can paint Pumpkins in your choicest of colors to decorate your home.
3. Use Pumpkins to decorate this Halloween.
4. Bake a Pie with Pumpkin and share the Pie with friends and family.
5. Try making different recipes with different parts of the Pumpkins. Share your creations online using #NationalPumpkinDay.
6. You can be part of Pumpkin Chucking Day in your Town which can be fun.
7. You can watch movies that feature Pumpkins as the main part of the movie. Just remember some of the movies may be scary and they do have Pumpkins playing a pivotal role.
8. Spread the word about the best features of Pumpkin on your Social Media Account y and remember to use #NationalPumpkinDay on your posts.

On this National Pumpkin Day let the creative Artist within you take over. Carve out your favorite design on the Pumpkins. Do share your pictures with the carvings and tag them with #NationalPumpkinDay online.

Interesting facts about National Pumpkin Day:

On the National Pumpkin Day, let us get to know interesting facts about Pumpkins. If you are wondering whether Pumpkins are a Vegetable or a Fruit, the yellow Pumpkin falls under the Fruits category for sure. We categorize Pumpkins as Vegetables because Pumpkins give a savory taste. Here are more interesting facts you ought to know about Pumpkins on this National Pumpkin Day.

• It was in the fairy tale of Cinderella that Pumpkins made their very first appearance. Earlier they were referred to as pompions which later evolved into Pumpkins in the 17^th Century.
• There is also a theory that the word is derived from the Greek word “pepon” referring to the same Fruit.
• The yellow Pumpkins were first referred to as gros melons by a French Explorer in the year 1584.
• The Pumpkin Jack-o-lanterns that you see nowadays came very late into the making. The initial ones were made by the Irish with Turnips, and Potatoes while in England, large Beets were used for the purpose.
• When the custom of the Irish made its way into America, they shifted to Pumpkins instead of Potatoes and Turnips as the yellow Fruit was easy to carve into.
• It was believed that lighting up embers within the Beets or the Jack-o-lanterns will ward off the evil Spirits. This is probably why Pumpkins are used mostly during Halloween festivities.
• Pumpkins are a part of Thanksgiving meals ever since it was served in the first of the Thanksgivings in the 1620s.
• Pumpkin is probably the only one to grow in almost every continent excluding the Icy Antarctica of course.
• The Country of the US alone produces nearly 1.5 billion pounds of Pumpkins every year.
• The heaviest of the Pumpkin weighed about 2600 pounds. This was from Germany, and the Pumpkin was presented in the year 2016 and in the month of October.
• It was in the Colonies where the Pumpkin Pie originated. It is made with full Pumpkins, where the top has been removed along with the seeds. The Pumpkins are then filled up with Spices, Milk, and Honey and then baked to make the tasty Pumpkin Pie.
• The largest of Pumpkin Pies was baked and the Pie weighed about 3699 pounds.
• There are many different Pumpkin-flavored products released over the years including Coffee, Cereals, and dog food. The Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks introduced in the year 2003 is quite popular.
• Pumpkins are rich in Iron. Pumpkins take as much as 3-4 months to grow. Even the flowers on the Pumpkin Vines can be consumed.
• From Seeds, Skin, Leaves, and Pulp every part of the Pumpkin is edible. With nearly 90% of a Pumpkin Water content, Pumpkins are among the lowest-calorie foods.

History of the National Pumpkin Day:

There is no specific date or reason behind the celebration of National Pumpkin Day. What we do know is the History of Pumpkins and how they’ve evolved. Pumpkins have been in existence forever and were even part of the first Thanksgivings. Pumpkins have definitely come a long way since then, accepted as part of Halloween Celebrations and even part of Starbucks menu now. As far as the History of Pumpkins go, we do know that Pumpkins are more than 9000 years old and are native to the Western Hemisphere. The Pumpkin was grown by the Native Americans along the Riverbanks along with Beans and Maize. Pumpkins are also the most versatile of the Gourd family. Pumpkins are loved by everyone.

Twitter Hashtags: #NationalPumpkinDay #PumpkinDay

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates