#maple bacon log

[rabbitcruiser]

Maple Syrup Saturday

Maple Syrup Saturday is celebrated every third Saturday of March and this year it will be observed on March 21. It is an annual event organized by the Bubolz Nature Preserve that encourages people to take their sap buckets, tap their own maple tree, and collect sap. After registration, a naturalist accompanies the family and provides them with the guidance to tap their maple tree. It is a fun day full of activities that support environmental education and gives some interesting facts like for example — do you know that it has been 160 years since the first metal maple syrup sap spout was invented?

History of Maple Syrup Saturday

There are many legends and tales surrounding the first-ever time maple syrup was used for food. Some stories say that a woman from a South American Indian tribe had used maple syrup accidentally while preparing food. There are also stories of a woman who used maple syrup for cooking meat.

Throughout the years of history, there were many advancements in the way sap was collected. For example, in the early days, logs were carved out for collecting sap from the maple tree. After a few decades, wooden buckets were invented, which were more convenient to use. Then came the metal buckets, which were useful because the boiling process could be done in the same bucket.

The Bubolz Nature Preserve was established in 1971. The Natural Areas Preservation as it was known back then was a nature reserve founded by a group of like-minded people who wanted to protect natural habitats by allocating green spaces that couldn’t be adulterated by development and pollution. The team was led by Gordon Bubolz. To celebrate the work he did for the development of the reserve, the name was changed to Bubolz Nature Reserve. The reserve invites people to experience living in the woods, away from the city and provides rentals and guided tours. One of its initiatives is Maple Syrup Saturday which was created to encourage families to tap their maple tree and turn sap into maple syrup. Every year families register themselves with the reserve and learn the basics of tapping maple sap.

Maple Syrup Saturday timeline

1600 The First Use of Maple Syrup

This is the first documented time when maple syrup is accidentally used while making food.

1860 The First Metal Spout

The first metal sap spout is made in the U.S. and makes tapping maple sap that much easier.

1971 The Bubolz Nature Reserve

The Bubolz Nature reserve is founded by a team of naturalists, led by Gordon Bubolz.

2000 The Maple Syrup Saturday

The Bubolz reserve invites people to celebrate Maple Syrup Saturday and to learn sap tapping.

Maple Syrup Saturday FAQs

What is a good price for maple syrup?

The price of the maple syrup depends on the grade or the quality. In 2019, the average price of maple syrup in the U.S. was $31.

Where are maple trees found?

Maple trees are found in Asia, Europe, North Africa, and North America. There are about 125 species of maple trees.

What does maple mean in Japanese?

In Japanese, maple trees are known as ‘Kaede,’ which means ‘frog’s hands.’ They are also known as ‘Momiji,’ which means ‘crimson leaves’ or ‘baby’s hands.’

Maple Syrup Saturday Activities

Register for sap tapping

Share it on social media

Learn more about the environment

Register yourself with Bubolz Nature Reserve and get your own collecting bucket. Go on and collect sap from your maple tree and then turn the sap into maple syrup.

Let everyone know the importance of this day. Take pictures of you and your family celebrating Maple Syrup Saturday by collecting sap buckets and visiting nature reserves.

Use this day to expand your knowledge of environmental practices. Learning to tap sap from the tree and turn it into maple syrup is a great skill to have. It is something that inspires the younger generation to do something for the environment.

5 Intriguing Facts About Maple Trees

They come in different sizes

They produce helicopter seeds

They have a long lifespan

They are used to make whiskey

They’ve been here for a long time

Some maple trees grow up to a few feet only while some grow up to 150 feet.

The seeds produced by the maple fruit are winged and are known as helicopter seeds.

Some maple trees can live up to 300 years.

Charcoal from the maple tree is used in the process of making Tennessee whiskey.

Maple trees are one of the first trees that existed, with fossils dating back to 100 million years ago.

Why We Love Maple Syrup Saturday

We get to learn a new skill

We spend time with family

It is a day of learning

This day gives us a chance to learn a new skill. We learn how to tap sap from a maple tree and use it to turn it into maple syrup.

This day provides us with an opportunity to engage in fun activities with our loved ones. Going out on hikes and performing activities together brings families closer.

This day is also educational. It draws our attention to the environment we live in and the steps we must take to protect it. It motivates children to be a part of the campaign that aims to save the environment.

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[rabbitcruiser]

National Doughnut Appreciation Day

November 5 is one of two National Doughnut Days observed by doughnut lovers across the nation. The first Friday in June is the other day doughnuts steal the bakery case spotlight ready to tease their way into white bakery box home!

The history of the doughnut is disputed:

One theory suggests Dutch settlers brought doughnuts to North America much like they brought other traditional American desserts including cookies, apple pie, cream pie and cobbler.

An American, Hanson Gregory, claimed to have invented the ring-shaped doughnut in 1847 while on board a lime-trading ship at the age of 16.  According to Gregory, he punched a hole in the center of dough with the ship’s tin pepper box and later taught the technique to his mother.

Anthropologist Paul R Mullins states the first cookbook mentioning doughnuts was an 1803 English volume which included doughnuts in an appendix of American recipes.

An 1808 short story describing a spread of “fire-cakes and dough-nuts” is the earliest known recorded usage of the term doughnut.

A more commonly cited first written recording of the word is Washington Irving’s reference to doughnuts in 1809 in his History of New York.  He described balls of sweetened dough, fried in hog’s fat and called doughnuts.  Today, these nuts of fried dough are called doughnut holes.

Donut versus Doughnut

Print ads for cake and glazed donuts and doughnuts existed from at least 1896 in the United States.

Peck’s Bad Boy and his Pa, written by George W. Peck and published in 1900, contained the first known printed use of donut. In it, a character is quoted as saying, “Pa said he guessed he hadn’t got much appetite and he would just drink a cup of coffee and eat a donut.”

In 1919, the Square Donut Company of America was founded, offering an easier to package product.

The more traditional spelling is doughnut. However, both doughnut and donut are pervasive in American English.

While doughnuts come in a large variety of recipes, flavors and toppings, just like many pastries, we are only limited by imagination and ingredients at hand.  From syrups and jellies to sprinkles and custards, top them, fill them, bake them or fry them, doughnuts have a mouth-watering way of glazing and dusting their way into our shopping carts and finding their way to the break room at work to share.  

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National Bacon Day

Fry up a crispy, meaty treat for every meal of the day or try weird and wonderful creations like bacon brownies and bacon-flavored floss.

Admittedly, there are very few things in this world that don’t taste better when paired with a bit of bacon. Whether it’s chocolate-covered bacon from the candy shop, bacon cheeseburgers, bacon-wrapped tater tots, or even bacon-covered chapstick, it’s hard to deny that bacon is a delicious tasty treat that had truly gotten its fingers into almost everything!

And now is the time to celebrate, because it’s National Bacon Day!

History of National Bacon Day

The origins of Bacon stretch back into the middle ages, with the name of this delicious meat originating in Middle English from the word “Bacoun”. Following it back, it can be found in France as Bako, Germany as Bakko, and even in old Teutonic as Backe.

All of these words mean “back”, and what does that reveal about bacon? That’s right. It’s made from the back of the pig!

But those listed above are not even the earliest example of bacon. It seems that the first bacon was known to have come from the Romans, and was known as ‘Petaso’.

With a long and delicious history, making bacon has been a popular method of preserving meat and adding a certain flavor to it by soaking it in a specialized brine. In fact, there were even certain breeds of pigs that were specially bred for their copious back meat, including breeds such as Yorkshire and Tamworth.

Although it wasn’t always just the back meat that was referred to as Bacon. At one time the word referenced any kind of preserved pork, but that usage fell out of practice in the 17th Century.

Even today, however, there remain some questionable definitions of “bacon”. For instance, what Americans refer to as bacon is different from their neighbors to the north, the Canadians. And in England, what Americans would refer to as just “bacon” would be called “streaky bacon”, “rashers” or “crispy bacon”.

But no matter the controversy or differences in terminology, bacon is beautifully tasty meat that certainly deserves its own day to celebrate!

National Bacon Day Timeline

1500 BC

Bacon is invented

As one of the oldest cuts of meat in history, bacon during this time may be from the back of the animal or from the belly. It is salted to preserve freshness and is probably very fatty.

12th Century AD

Bacon is a cherished prize

In an effort to encourage peace in households, one English church makes a prize of a side of bacon to any man who does not quarrel with his wife for one year and a day.

1539

Spanish explorer brings bacon to the New World

Hernando de Soto brings a small group of 13 pigs to what would eventually become the United States. This herd grows to more than 700 pigs in 3 years and the pork industry in this region begins.

1997

National Bacon Day is created

Although some disputes exist about the origins of National Bacon Day, one story goes that two friends want a gift-giving day at the end of the year that is unrelated to religion. Naming it National Bacon Day includes paying homage to famous cartoon character Homer Simpson and his love for bacon.

2005

Chocolate covered bacon is created

While no one is quite sure who came up with it, bacon and chocolate meet to create a delicious treat. It seems to have appeared first in the United States, but may have had other origins that are undocumented.

How to Celebrate National Bacon Day

This is easily one of the tastiest days that anyone can celebrate! Consider these ideas to honor the day, or come up with some other creative ideas of your own:

Eat Lots of Bacon

The best way of celebrating this dedication to swine delicacies is by indulging in the delicious treats that come from those favorite four hooved friends. A great start would be by going to an all-you-can-eat breakfast place that has bacon on the menu. These do exist and they are great!

Then, later in the day, head on out to a favorite lunch stop and get a club sandwich or another bacon-y treat. Some might prefer a cheeseburger with extra bacon! Whatever bacon-y goodness is chosen, be sure to share it with friends and loved ones so they, too, can enjoy National Bacon Day!

Try a Unique Bacon Treat

There’s certainly more to bacon than just meat on meat. Bacon is an open-minded kind of food and has already been known for being part of any of the three major meals of the day. But in recent years it has expanded even more! There are bacon chocolate milkshakes, bacon-flavored lubes, bacon-flavored chewing gum, and a million other variations. Bacon-flavored dental floss, bacon jelly beans, maple bacon lollipops, bacon peanut brittle and even bacon mayonnaise (“Baconnaise”) to spread on sandwiches. This day offers no shortage of opportunities for trying something new!

Get Creative with Bacon

For those who love to spend time creatively in the kitchen, this is the perfect opportunity to make some unique bacon creations! Get inspired by these ideas and then come up with some other clever ones too:

Bacon Brownies. The combination of bacon and chocolate might seem strange to some people, but those who have tried it usually fall in love with the decadent contradiction between sweet and savory. This treat is easy to make, just by adding some tiny morsels of crispy bacon to a chocolatey brownie recipe.

Bacon Sushi. Get rid of the raw fish and seaweed and, instead, use this favorite food! Actually, people who want to can keep the raw fish, or just use rice and veggies as fillings. Simply replace the nori with bacon.

Bacon Tacos. Taking the breakfast burrito to new heights, this idea actually weaves bacon into a tortilla to be used as the taco shell. Then fill with normal taco fillings for a delightful departure from the usual Tex-Mex game.

Bacon Cookies. Following along the lines of the brownies above, cookies made with bacon are a strangely more-ish treat. Make a typical chocolate chip cookie recipe and then add in chopped slices of crispy bacon. Divine!

Join the Bacon of the Month Club

The celebration of bacon doesn’t have to be limited to only one day! Take it all throughout the year by joining a Bacon of the Month Club. A few different companies will send a different variety of bacon to your door each month–it’s not even necessary to leave home!

Don Some Bacon Themed Garb

To really get into the spirit of the holiday, a great idea would be to get one of the hundreds of bacon-themed pieces of clothing that are now available. There’s bacon underwear and bras, pants and pajamas, hats, socks, and sunglasses. If it can be worn, it has been made with bacon patterns applied to it. So get out there and celebrate National Bacon Day, and have a delicious day!

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[rabbitcruiser]

National Bacon Lovers Day

It’s National Bacon Lovers Day on August 20. Arguably our favorite in-office holiday, no smell on Earth is as attractive as the thin-sliced bacon sizzling in a pan and served with anything at hand. Bacon is the hero of every meal it’s incorporated into. No wonder it’s been such a massive part of western cuisine since 1500 B.C. This means, for thousands of years, we have relished the sweet-savory smell of bacon frying, and the chewy taste too. One could argue that it’s now coded into our D.N.A., a historic love for bacon.

History of National Bacon Lovers Day

While bacon has been a part of our diet as a species since 1500 B.C., pigs were domesticated from around 8500 B.C., so for seven thousand years, humans had bacon right under their noses, and didn’t know it. The term ‘bacon’ is used more precisely today than it was until well into the 16th century, before which it referred to any cut of pork. The process of curing bacon for human consumption has also been refined over the centuries but has remained relatively the same. The only difference today is that the standards of hygiene have improved, and the scale of bacon production and consumption has risen astronomically.

Bacon was such a desirable cut of pork that in the 12th century, a church in the English town of Great Dunmow challenged the married men to a wager of sorts. If a man could go a complete year and a day without quarreling with his wife, a side of bacon would be their prize. Thus was the birth of the term “bring home the bacon,” widely used today to describe a person who can take care of their family financially.

Fast forward a couple of centuries to when the industrial revolution takes the pork industry to a completely new level of production. Before then, bacon and other pork products were once produced at home. Most people kept private pigs and regularly slaughtered their stock for consumption. Even in urban environments, it was common for people to keep pigs in their basements. However, in the 1930s, this was stopped. The late 1700s saw the rise of commercial pig farming and bacon production. With rising population rates and an increase in available machinery, bacon was one of the first food items to be mass-produced. It is still widely a household favorite to this day.

National Bacon Lovers Day timeline

1490 Cuba Gets Some Royal Pigs

At the insistence of Queen Isabella of Castille, Christopher Columbus transports eight pigs to the island of Cuba.

1539 Pigs in America

Hernando de Soto offloads 13 pigs in Tampa Bay, and many escape from Spanish activity.

1770 Load Up The Trucks

John Harris sets up the first large-scale bacon curing business in the English town of Caine in Wiltshire.

1883 The Pig Industry

Oscar Mayer, an industry leader in bacon curing and production, is established in the United States.

1980 You Had Me At Bacon

Hardees adds bacon to their menu as a topping, one of the first fast-food companies to do so.

National Bacon Lovers Day FAQs

Can I eat bacon raw?

No, uncooked bacon can cause illnesses. Please, prepare your bacon properly before eating.

What’s the best thing to eat bacon with?

There is no right or wrong answer here. It’s up to you because there is no such thing as food that doesn’t pair well with bacon.

What’s the best type of bacon?

Traditionally, back bacon is the best cut, but strictly speaking, the pig determines the superiority of bacon.

National Bacon Lovers Day Activities

Have an English breakfast

Be creative with it

Wrap some bacon, and donate it

It's Bacon Lovers Day, so we have to eat the stuff! Let's not forget where it all started, back bacon with a side of eggs and some pieces of toast, and voila.

Bacon is one of the most versatile meat there is. It makes everything taste better. Would you like bacon with that olive? Yes, please!

Bacon is a relatively inexpensive cut of meat, and it does have decent protein and fat content for a family that might need the calories. Spread a little National Bacon Lovers Day spirit, and give to the less fortunate.

5 Ways Bacon Impacts Our Lives

Living in America

It's breakfast meat

That’s a lot of bacon

We love bacon, it won’t go

The meaning of the word

268.04 million Americans consume bacon annually.

Of all the bacon produced in the United States, 70% is consumed at the breakfast table.

The amount of bacon produced in America each year exceeds two billion pounds.

In the 1980s, health movements attempted to change the story around bacon, and bacon sales took a hit.

Bacon means “meat from the back of an animal.

Why We Love National Bacon Lovers Day

It’s bacon

A chance to have a family meal

Bacon in the office

We don’t care how it's prepared. As long as it's well cooked, we’re in. We just love bacon.

Breakfast is often had in a rush, and not as a family. On National Bacon Lovers Day, you can enjoy a group morning meal that honors one of our favorite cuts of meat.

Any reason to bring bacon to work is a reason to celebrate. Bacon is highly prized, and we can’t wait to share our love for it with our office family.

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National Greasy Foods Day

Deliciously satisfying bites with a hint of indulgence, these comfort eats are a guilty pleasure that never fails to hit the spot.

”Greasy food might not be good for your body, but it does wonders for the soul. A healthy diet may prolong your life, but what would you have to live for? What is the point of living to a hundred if you have to subsist on bland food? One may as well die of boredom.” ~ Jessica Zafra

The world is full of a veritable cavalcade of delicious foods, and the vast majority of them are filled to the brim with fats and grease! While those who are on a crusade for better health often find themselves avoiding these amazing foods in favor of a thinner waistline, Greasy Food Day encourages us to take a day off from that diet and remember the good things in life.

Otherwise, as Ms. Zafra says, what else are we living for?

On this day, it’s time to celebrate living for Greasy Food!

History of Greasy Food Day

These types of food certainly get a lot of hate from health fanatics, those delicious meals that make everyone’s mouths and souls sing out loud with joy. Granted, this day definitely wasn’t started by a doctor or nutritionist who was on a health food kick.

Whether talking about the rich stretchy cheese that graces the tops of people’s favorite pizza dishes, or the flavorful and delicious sub sandwiches that are shiny with grease as they are unwrapped, greasy foods can truly be said to be one of the greatest things in life. (That is, at least, while they are being eaten. For some people, that doesn’t necessarily hold true afterward when their stomachs are all tied up in knots.)

Now it is true that greasy food should be consumed in moderation, but sometimes moderation is a thing for the other 364 days out of a full year.

Greasy Food Day encourages everyone on earth to indulge in their favorite things and remember what it was like to truly be able to enjoy anything without consequence.

What’s your favorite greasy food? Juicy hamburgers? Hot dogs bursting with flavor? Sausage Rolls? Maybe some Canadian will enjoy the overwhelmingly flavorful and greasy dish that is poutine?

Whatever the chosen poison, Greasy Food Day is the perfect excuse to dive in and enjoy it like there’s no tomorrow. Get ready to celebrate with Greasy Food!

How to Celebrate Greasy Food Day

Enjoy a Greasy Food Meal

Go out to that special dive restaurant and order your favorite greasy dishes, and don’t forget to bring some napkins! Sometimes nicknamed a “Greasy Spoon” these restaurants are all about cooking with the tastiest of fats. Almost everything is deep-fried in oil until deliciously crisp, and often dripping with grease.

Whether french fries, onion rings or a greasy slice of pizza, this day is all about enjoying the drip. So pop into that restaurant and order up all the things that would normally be on the list of “no-nos”.

Enjoy the Greasiest American Foods

This day is all about paying heed to greasy foods. But even among them, some are greasier than others. Try out these ideas for how to bag the absolutely greasiest foods that American Culture has to offer:

Philly Cheesesteak. Cooked properly, this sandwich will require not only a pile of napkins but also perhaps a bib in order to eat it without getting extremely messy. Beef steak, chopped and cooked over a grill is made even greasier with the addition of cheese and onions.

Buffalo Wings. Named after the city in New York in which they began, these chicken wings are dipped in batter and deep fried before being coated in a buttery hot sauce. Finish it off with a dip in some blue cheese or ranch dressing.

Cheese Curds. How to take cheese and make it fattier? Deep fry it! A Wisconsin favorite (perhaps due to its dairy production) these little balls of cheese are dipped in batter and then, of course, deep fried to perfection. For an Italian twist on this northern favorite, try fried Mozzarella sticks.

Watch One (or Both) of the Grease Films

In keeping with the theme of the day, while downing those greasy foods, why not take in the guilty pleasure of watching one of these Grease themed films?

Grease (1978). This American musical romantic comedy film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton John is what drove the careers of these two to the top. Based on the 1971 stage musical of the same name, this story of two young high schoolers who fell in love has been a hit for generations.

Grease 2 (1982). Quite a bit less popular than the first (possibly due to the absence of Newton-John and Travolta), this followup film didn’t score well at the box office. It was okay for Michelle Pfeiffer, however, and her career moved forward because of this.

Make Some Greasy Food at Home

Is your favorite greasy food a family recipe? Alright then! It’s time to get the family together and celebrate Greasy Food Day with a rich dish that is steeped in tradition. And be sure to pass that on to the kids so they can continue the celebration once you’re gone. Rich greasy food is often a comfort food for many people, so don’t let anyone tell you that you don’t deserve a bit of comfort. In fact, get as comfortable as you like on Greasy Food Day!

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Buy a Doughnut Day

Doughnuts, or "donuts" as they also are known, are deep-fried yeast pastries. The first doughnuts in America, in fact, were little "nuts" of dough, and they were brought to New England by the Pilgrims, who had  learned to make them while they were in Holland from 1607-1620. The  first mention of doughnuts in print was in Washington Irving's 1809 book  History of New York, which talks about Dutch settlers to New  Amsterdam in the seventeenth century. By the middle of the nineteenth  century, doughnuts with a punched out center became the norm, and  doughnut corers were even being sold by mail order catalog!

By the twentieth century, many variations of doughnuts became popular, including iced, jelly or cream filled, and dusted with powdered  sugar or cinnamon. Glazed is the most popular doughnut, and doughnut  holes have been around since at least the 1960s. Doughnuts are often  sold at doughnut shops, the most popular being Dunkin'. On Buy a Doughnut Day, they are bought wherever they can be found.

How to Observe Buy a Doughnut Day

Celebrate the day by buying a doughnut—or maybe a few. You could buy one at a grocery store, bakery, or doughnut shop. Perhaps you could get one at one of the best doughnut shops in your state.

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National Fast Food Day 

National Fast Food Day celebrates fast food restaurants and the food that they sell. Fast food usually consists of prepackaged and ready-made food that can be quickly cooked—often by deep frying or microwaving—and eaten; most is designed to be eaten on the go, and does not require cutlery. Common fast foods include burgers, french fries, fried chicken, fish and chips, pizza, tacos, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, sandwiches, and ice cream. Fast food is typically high in sugar, salt, saturated fat, and calories, and is linked to many health problems. Fast food restaurants usually sell food at either a counter or a drive-through. Franchising, where there is uniformity in food and presentation between restaurants, is an important aspect of fast food. Besides franchise restaurants, gas station and convenience store food is sometimes seen as fast food, as is some food from street vendors.

The roots of fast food can be traced back to ancient Rome. Thermopoliums were small shops that sold food—such as hot sausages and bread—on-the-go. Urban apartment dwellers of the middle and lower classes often ate these foods. During the Middle Ages, vendors sold food to people in larger cities such as London and Paris. After 1860, fish and chip shops became prevalent in the United Kingdom, and became popular with the working classes. By the 1920's there were more than 35,000 of these shops.

The term "fast food" may first have been used in America by George G. Foster, who in his book, New York Slices, published in 1848, referred to the fast paced food in New York City's business district. An automat, a cafeteria with vending machines with pre-made food, was opened by Horn & Hardart, in 1902, in Philadelphia. A decade later they opened one in New York City, which created a sensation, and many more were built across the country, leading to the popularity of automats during the 1920's and 1930's.

Technological, social, and economic changes in America led to a boom in fast food restaurants by the second half of the 20th century. Following World War I, automobiles became popular and affordable, and curb service restaurants were created in the 1920's. During the post-World War II economic boom, people spent more and bought more, creating a culture of consumerism that led to both men and women working outside the home. Eating outside the home—which was once a luxury—thus became commonplace, because of expendable cash, and in some instances because it was a necessity. By 1951 Merriam-Webster had added "fast food" to their dictionary.

Franchising, which brought uniformity in the practices of particular restaurants, also fueled the boom of fast food. A&W opened in 1921, and became a franchise in 1923. Many see it as the first fast food restaurant. White Castle also opened in 1921, in Wichita, Kansas, and sold hamburgers for five cents each. They standardized the food production of fast food hamburger restaurants, which other restaurants, such as McDonald's, built on. McDonald's was created by two brothers, Richard and Maurice McDonald, in 1940, in San Bernardino, California. Originally it was a drive-in that focused on barbecue, but once the brothers saw the popularity of their hamburgers, they closed for three months, and reopened in 1948 with a new focus. Besides hamburgers, their menu included french fries, shakes, coffee, and Coca-Cola, and they served their food in a paper wrapping. At fifteen cents, their hamburgers were about half the price of ones available at diners. Ray Kroc made a franchise agreement and opened McDonald's restaurants in Illinois, and in 1961 he bought out the brothers. In 1953, another important hamburger based fast food restaurant was started in Florida, and would eventually be known as Burger King. Not all early fast food focused on hamburgers though, as the Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise opened in 1952.

Today the United States has the largest fast food industry in the world. There are close to 200,000 fast food restaurants in the United States, where over 50 million customers are served every day. About 44% of Americans eat at a fast food restaurant each week, and 11% of the calorie intake of adults in the United States comes from fast food. American fast food restaurants are now in over 125 countries, and the intake of fast food worldwide continues to rise. But, fast food has not expanded without criticism. Besides facing criticism for the nutritiousness of its food, the industry has also been pilloried for paying its workers low wages, usually without benefits. Over half of fast food workers are on some sort of public assistance, which has cost taxpayers 7 million dollars annually.

How to Observe National Fast Food Day

Celebrate the day by eating fast food, as you finally have a good excuse to do it! Order fast food at a counter and eat it inside, or go through a drive-through and eat your food somewhere else. There are many restaurants you could choose from. If you are not one to eat fast food, you could watch Super Size Me, or read Fast Food Nation, or watch the eponymously titled film that was based off the book.

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National Maple Syrup Day

Many people, even lovers of this delicious liquid gold, don’t know maple syrup has its own day dedicated to learning about and celebrating it!

So, before delving into the history of and the most popular thing to put on pancakes, waffles, French toast and more, it’s probably a good idea to take a moment to thank the maple trees for the sap that becomes the sweet syrup that everyone knows and loves today!

That’s the whole focus of National Maple Syrup Day!

History of National Maple Syrup Day

National Maple Syrup Day was created to celebrate the amber substance people have all come to know and love. Much of the maple syrup that most people experience today is almost always manufactured in Canada, but even the United States has its own maple syrup production area–mostly surrounding the northeastern states, such as Vermont, but also other northern states, like Michigan.

Maple syrup is a substance that’s usually made from the xylem sap of a few different varieties of the maple tree, including the sugar maple, red maple, or black maple tree, although it can be made from other species of maple as well. In cold climates, these trees store starch in their trunks and roots before the winter. The starch is then converted to sugar that rises in the sap in late winter and early spring, bringing with it a delightfully sweet flavor.

Maple trees are tapped by drilling holes into their trunks and collecting the exuded sap. This sap is then processed by heating it to evaporate much of the water, leaving the concentrated syrup. In earlier times, maple syrup was first collected and used by the indigenous people of North America.

According to aboriginal oral traditions, as well as archaeological evidence, maple tree sap was being processed into syrup long before the Europeans arrived in the region. Perhaps the Europeans, who eventually settled there, actually learned the refinement process from the indigenous people who had been living on that land for centuries.

Legends exist of when maple syrup was first created, one of the more popular legends tells of how maple sap was used in place of water to cook venison served to the chief of the tribe.

Another story of the Chippewa and Ottawa peoples goes that one of their gods saw that his people were becoming too lazy to hunt and only wanted to drink the maple syrup directly from the trees. So he cast a spell on them to make them watery, requiring them to work hard prior to being able to enjoy the syrup!

Now, the Canadian province of Quebec is by far the largest producer of maple syrup, contributing to more than seventy five percent of the world’s output of maple syrup. After Canada, the United States takes a close second.

How to Celebrate National Maple Syrup Day

To celebrate this day, all it takes is to find a few ways to indulge in this rich, tree-blood based syrupy delight! Try out these different ideas or come up with some other unique ways:

Enjoy Maple Syrup for Every Meal

Start by making a breakfast that would go well with real maple syrup. For example, pancakes, waffles, French toast, and crepes would all be an excellent choice to start off this National Maple Syrup Day celebration.

For lunch, make a PBMS (Peanut Butter and Maple Syrup) sandwich. Instead of jelly, we will use maple syrup in its place, and enjoy the rich, sweet goodness.

For dinner, it would be possible to use maple syrup as a glaze for ham (not just for the holidays), as a side dipping sauce for sushi, or even a topping for vegetables (such as carrots or sweet potatoes) for anyone who might feel like it.

Learn Fun Facts About Maple Syrup

Get on board with National Maple Syrup Day by sharing interesting facts and tidbits that many people won’t know about it. It’s a great way to learn a bit more and educate the people around you as well! Here are a few fun facts to get started with:

One gallon of maple syrup requires gallons of syrup to make. This is because the sap comes out of the tree very watery and requires a heating process to turn it into actual, pure maple syrup. And since a single tree produces between 5 and 15 gallons of sap each year, it can take a few trees just to produce one gallon of syrup.

Maple trees that make syrup are pretty old. In fact, they usually are not ready to be tapped for syrup until they are around 45 years of age. That’s pretty old to just be getting started in a career. The good news is that a maple tree can yield sap for around 100 years–so their life span is pretty good!

Retrieving sap from maple trees requires particular weather conditions, where the ground is very cold at night and then warms up during the day. These fluctuations in temperature creates positive and negative pressure to get the sap flowing.

Indigenous people not only taught the European settlers about making maple syrup, but they also taught them to preserve meat through the use of maple curing, which is functional and delicious.

Stay Healthy with Maple Syrup

While some people might avoid maple syrup because it is a bit on the sugary side, those are not empty calories (like maple-flavored syrups). Maple syrup actually offers a few different nutrients to the body, such as zinc, calcium, potassium and magnesium, as well as antioxidants. As long as it is used in small quantities, maple syrup can be a smart way to provide a bit of sweetness to a healthy diet.

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