On This Day: January 19th … Strange Holidays
National Popcorn Day
National Tin Can Day
World Quark Day
After the last several days it is a bit refreshing to have just a few to look into. Quark somehow puts me in mind of Qwerty on the keyboard. I think I’ll start with that one first.
And here we go.
World Quark Day
Well, this was a surprise. My initial thought this might have been some sort of Star Trek, Babylon-5, or even a Star Wars tribute for some obscure character I never heard of before.
On January 19th, World Quark Day officially celebrated quark and its many benefits.
Quark is a European superfood staking its claim on supermarket shelves around the world. Quark is a delicious high-protein, low-fat alternative to soft cheese and yogurt that can be used for baking, cooking, and blending.
Quark or quarg, is a type of fresh dairy product made by warming soured milk until the desired amount of curdling is met, and then straining it. It can be classified as fresh acid-set cheese. Traditional quark can be made without rennet, but in modern dairies small quantities of rennet are typically added.
There are no limits when using quark. If the menu calls for sweet or savory, hot or cold, quark cheese works well in place of almost any dairy. Replace cream cheese or sour cream with quark. By substituting with quark, enter the world of healthy, low-carb, low-fat culinary delights. Experience quark smoothies, cheesecakes, dips, and spreads. Quark’s versatility might surprise you.
The Queen of Quark (Queen??), a healthy eating enthusiast and author, born in beautiful Bavaria, Germany, introduced World Quark Day in 2019. She shares quark’s countless benefits, through her blog and on social media while connecting with Quark fans from all over the world to support clean eating habits via www.queenofquark.com.
National Popcorn Day
Strangely, National Popcorn Day is in January, yet National Popcorn Month is October. According to tradition, it is celebrated on January 19th each year. There is some suggestion that Popcorn Day may, at one point, have been tied to the Superbowl. I did find one reference to it being on January 30th.
The word “corn” in Old English meant “grain” or, more specifically, the most prominent grain grown in a region. When Native Americans introduce their most common grain, maize, to early Europeans, they aptly applied the word “corn.”
As early as the 16th century, the Aztecs used popcorn in headdresses worn during ceremonies honoring Tlaloc, their god of maize and fertility. Early Spanish explorers were fascinated by the corn that burst into what looked like a white flower.
Popcorn started becoming popular in the United States in the middle 1800s. It wasn’t until Charles Cretors, a candy-store owner, developed a machine for popping corn with steam that the tasty treat became more abundantly poppable. By 1900 he had horse-drawn popcorn wagons going through the streets of Chicago.
At about the same time, Louise Ruckheim added peanuts and molasses to popcorn to bring Cracker Jack to the world. Then in 1908, the national anthem of baseball was born. Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer wrote “Take Me out to the Ballgame”. From that point onward, popcorn, specifically Cracker Jack, became forever married to the game.
The microwave oven spurred the next big advancement for popcorn. With the invention of the microwave, a whole new market opened for the snack food. Magnetrons, a technology produced by Raytheon Manufacturing Corporation for the military during World War II, were later used to develop microwave ovens. Percy Spencer was the man who made it happen. He used popcorn in his initial experiments during the microwave’s development.
Today, Americans consume 13 billion quarts of popcorn a year, more than any other country in the world. A majority of the popcorn produced in the world is grown in the United States. Nebraska leads the corn belt in popcorn production.
Besides, who doesn’t love popcorn with salt and melted butter. Today (or any other day) why not pop up some fresh popcorn, kick back and enjoy.
" I had popcorn all over the place. So I decided I might as well be in the Processing Business." –Orville Redenbacher
National Tin Can Day
Made of tin coated steel or aluminum, the humble tin can is perhaps one of the greatest inventions in history. It revolutionized the storage of perishable foods. Tin cans are part of virtually everyone's lives. It changed the way we store food, and allowed for safe, long term storage of so many foods.
The tin can was invented in the early 1800's. Several people claim to be the inventor and/or the holder of the first patent. The first tin cans were produced in England.
Philippe Henri de Girard of France, is credited with being the first creator. French Inventor Nicholas Appertin came up with the canning concept in 1809. Peter Durand of England patented the tin can in 1810. On January 19, 1825, Ezra Daggett and Thomas Kensett received the U.S. tin can patent. The celebration of National Tin Can Day is in recognition of this event.
While the tin can was invented in the early 1800, it wasn't until 1858, nearly 50 years later, that Ezra Warner invented the can opener. Prior to that, tin cans were hacked, chopped, and chiseled open.
The Tin Can Day Motto: Yes, we can.
For many decades, the tin can was used and then discarded. A precious few cans had a second use as target practice. Today, the tin can has received the respect it is due. It is a valuable commodity that is now recycled, keeping it from the waste stream.
Did you know that tin cans were once sealed with lead, causing many cases of lead poisoning.
Then there is the childhood game of “Kick the can.” Anyone remember doing that?
More strange holidays are coming!