Welcome to our series sharing Food Holidays: April 12th, 2022. Did you know today is National Nutty Fudge Day? I don’t know about you but I would love having Fudge with Pecans or Walnuts while I am sure Charlie would prefer Fudge without Nuts. As for David like me he would take either but prefers Fudge with Nuts. How about you. Nuts or no nuts and why?
National Nutty Fudge Day
Its time to sweeten =our taste buds with a Nutty Fudge on National Nutty Fudge Day which falls on May 12th. Every piece of Fudge tastes a little bit better with Nuts on top. That is what this Holiday represents, whichever flavor of Fudge you prefer. Including Chocolate, Vanilla, or exotic flavors. Nutty Fudge Day is all about the making and eating, Nut-filled Fudge.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL NUTTY FUDGE DAY
There’s a bit of back and forth about who first came up with this dessert, or even why it is called ‘Fudge’. While Fudge is thought to be an American invention, Fudges origins are unclear. Multiple stories attribute the invention of Fudge to a letter written by Vassar College student Emelyn Battersby Hartridge, about either her cousin or a schoolmate’s cousin, from Baltimore, Maryland. The letter referred to Fudge the other girl had made and sold for 40 cents per pound. Hartridge recieved the recipe and proceeded to make 30 pounds of Fudge for the Vassar College senior auction.
Another story revolves around a young apprentice Caramel maker who was tasked with stirring the pot of Caramel while his boss was out front serving the customers. Unfortunately, this pot of Caramel was too grainy to serve by the time the boss returned. As the story goes, to avoid wasting the Caramel’ they let the customers have it. The customers were so in love with this Caramel, they named it after the apprentice who accidentally created this Caramel.
Yet another story credits a lecture as being the inspiration behind this dish’s creation which was said that a Virginia college lecture on making Coffee resulted in the students creating Fudge by accident.
The history of the word ‘Fudge’ itself has evolved over the Centuries. First used as a version of the now obsolete ‘fadge’ (which means ‘to make suitable’ or ‘to fit’), the word was initially used as a verb, to mean ‘turn out as expected’ or to ‘merge together’. In later usage ‘Fudge’ was still used as a verb but instead meant ‘to put together clumsily or dishonestly.’ This led to the exclamation ‘Fudge!’ and then finally to the word as we know it.
HOW TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL NUTTY FUDGE DAY
- What better way to celebrate a sweet holiday than to create the recipe the holiday is named after? Get out your favorite Fudge recipe and get to creating! Multiple famous recipes include Pecans or Walnuts but, of course, you can choose to add your preferred Nut to your Fudge.
- Once you’ve mastered the art of creating Nutty Fudge, make a batch to share with family. Homemade Fudge makes for a much more personal gift. Not only does Fudge package well, but Fudge also lasts for longer and, of course, tastes absolutely amazing.
- Get your friends together for a Fudge-themed party. You can organize games like ‘identify the Fudge flavor,’ or even encourage attendees to bring a batch of their favorite Fudge for a ‘Fudge swap.’ Each attendee can leave the party with an easy-to-make Fudge recipe to try at home.
FUN FACTS ABOUT NATIONAL NUTTY FUDGE DAY
- ‘Fudge arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066.
- European Fudge recipes usually just contain Sugar, Cream, and Butter, while American-style Fudge recipes also add Chocolate.
- The largest fudge in the world was created in Ontario, Canada, and weighed in at a whopping 2.61 metric tons, 5,760 pounds. The Fudgetook over a week to create, and used more than 300 gallons of Condensed Milk.
- Traditional Fudge can be stored for a week or two in an airtight container at room temperature, in a refrigerator for two or three weeks, and in a freezer for several months without losing its taste.
- American composer Cole Porter loved Fudge so much, he would ship nine pounds of Fudgeto himself each month from his hometown.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL NUTTY FUDGE DAY
- It’s hard to imagine a world without this Fudge isn’t it? If the stories are true, a twist of fate was the only thing standing between us and a Fudge-free world. This is why we absolutely need to show our love for Fudge by making and eating it. Plus, Fudge is traditionally American so, if you are AMerican, you can feel very patriotic while celebrating this Holiday.
- If you have not taken a moment to stop and think about Fudge do it now. National Nutty Fudge Day is the perfect time to rehash the history of how fudge came to be and how Fudge has evolved over the years.
- No celebration of food is ever complete without a recipe and this holiday offers us the perfect excuse to whip up a batch of Nutty Fudge delights for ourselves.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
