Jump for Jelly Beans Day

Jump for Jelly Beans Day is on July 31st in the United States.

Jelly beans are a type of candy, or sweet, primarily made from sugar that have a candy shell surrounding a chewy centre.

Jelly beans are derived from the confection known as Turkish, or Greek, Delight. The first known appearance of jelly beans was during the American Civil War when a confectioner in Boston, William Schrafft, had people send the beans to soldiers. The first actual reference to them as jelly beans was substantially later, in 1905.

Jelly beans come in a wide range of flavours. There are some standard jelly bean types, which basically come in a range of fruit flavours, but there are also gourmet jelly beans.

Gourmet jelly beans, which are normally more expensive, come in a much wider range of flavours, including cocktails, soft drink, tropical fruit and berries. Jelly beans appeared in the Harry Potter series, as Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, which, allegedly, came in flavours including vomit, paper, earwax and dirt.

National Raspberry Cake Day

July 31st is National Raspberry Cake Day in the United States.

A raspberry cake will encompass pretty much any cake that has been made with raspberries. Cakes are, these days, normally sweet baked desserts that are related to bread, although in the past this was not the case. Determining whether a dish is a cake, bread or pastry, though, can be more of a matter of opinion.

Raspberries are an edible fruit, of which there are a number of different varieties, with the red Eurasian raspberry being one of the most common, and certainly one that many people will picture when thinking of the fruit.

A raspberry cake could be made using whole raspberries or preserved ones. Raspberries, in the form of jam, could be used in a sponge cake to separate two layers of sponge. The fruit could also be added to the cake mix directly; for example, by blending the fruit into the cake mix, which will cause the raspberries to permeate the cake and will often give it a pinkish-red colouration. Alternatively, the raspberries could simply be used to decorate the top of a cake. The raspberry cake is therefore quite a versatile creation.

National Cheesecake Day

July 30th is National Cheesecake Day in America.

Cheesecakes, despite their name, are a sweet dish, that may date back to ancient Greece. There are a lot of different possible variations on the cheesecake, with different countries and regions having their own types.

The dish can only have one layer, but two layered cheesecakes are probably the most common, with even more layers being possible.

The "cheese" part of the cheesecake - which is the main part - is made from actual cheese, which is typically a soft cheese of some type, such as cream cheese, ricotta or quark. The soft cheese is often mixed with eggs and sugar.

The two layered cheesecakes also have a thin, bottom layer, which can be made from crushed cookies (biscuits), pastry, sponge cake and graham crackers. Cheesecakes with more than two layers may have a different layer, perhaps of fruit or chocolate, sandwiched between two layers of the cheese, making a cake with four layers, or the cheese layer itself could be made of two different types.

Toppings of various types are also common, as are sauces and syrups. Different flavourings, ingredients and fruit can also be incorporated into the cheese layer. Cheesecakes may be baked in the oven, or not, with the latter often bring simply refrigerated until they solidify.

National Cheese Sacrifice Purchase Day

July 29th is National Cheese Sacrifice Purchase Day in the United States.

If you find the name of this day a little confusing, do not worry. You are not alone in this.

There is general agreement that July 29th is Cheese Sacrifice Purchase Day. What no-one seems to know for certain is just what this day is celebrating.

A fairly plausible explanation is that this is the day that cheese is purchased to be used to bait a mousetrap, which is where the sacrifice part of the name comes in.

Other than that, it's rather hard to see how you could sacrifice a piece of cheese - at least sensibly; it's possible it's one of the bizarre old customs that have made their way down through the centuries.

Perhaps another way of sacrificing some cheese is to simply eat a bit of it.

National Lasagna Day

In the United States, July 29th is National Lasgana Day.

Lasagne (which is the plural form of lasagna) are wide, flat sheets of pasta, and the name is also used to refer to the dish that is made with them.

It is not known how old the dish is, as it could date back to Roman times, or even further back to Ancient Greece, as there are similar names in both languages. There is even a 14th century English dish that is similar to lasagna.

Modern lasagna did not come about until tomatoes were brought back from the Americas, as they are an integral part in most lasagna recipes. The first modern recipe is credited with being created and published in Bologna, Italy.

The dish is made from sheets of lasagne which are then interleaved with layers of sauce. The traditional lasagna dish is made from ragù, bechamel, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, but there are many variants,. with other cheeses such as ricotta and mozzarella being used, and various different meats and vegetables being added. Flavourings such as wine, onion, garlic and oregano are also common ingredients, and the dish is oven baked to cook it.

Lasagna is a versatile and filling dish, with it being possible to make a recipe to appeal to most people's tastes. It is also the favourite food of the cartoon cat Garfield.

National Milk Chocolate Day

July 28th is National Milk Chocolate Day in the United States.

The name "chocolate" refers to a wide range of products that are derived from the cocoa, or cacao, bean and then mixed with fat, such as cocoa butter, which is also extracted from the cocoa bean, and sugar.

Chocolate comes in a number of different classifications, depending on the proportion of cocoa used to make it. This classification is often regulated by governments, and can vary from region to region - "milk chocolate" can refer to a different product in the United Kingdom and Ireland than it does in the rest of the European Union, or the United States, falling between the two definitions.

Milk chocolate is chocolate that has been sweetened with, not surprisingly, milk. This milk can be in multiple forms, such as powder, liquid or condensed. Solid milk chocolate was first made by the Swiss Daniel Proctor using condensed milk in the 1870s, although it had been available as a drink for some years prior to that.

In the US. milk chocolate is a product that contains at least 10% chocolate liquor, which contains both cocoa solids and cocoa butter in roughly even proportion, and at least 12% milk solids. In the UK, milk chocolate must contain cocoa solids of at least 20%, which in the rest of Europe would be called family milk chocolate, as European milk chocolate must have at least 25% cocoa solids. Family milk chocolate has 23% milk solids, whilst milk chocolate has 14%.

The differences in cocoa to be found in chocolate from different countries and regions show why European chocolate is often more highly prized - it simply contains more chocolate. Indulge with some good quality European milk chocolate.

National Crème Brûlée Day

Varaine [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]

July 27th is National Crème Brûlée Day in the United States.

Crème brûlée is a French name that translates out to mean "burnt cream." It is also called crema catalana, Trinity cream and sometimes as crème anglais, although crema catalana is a more specific type of the dish from the Catalan region of Spain, and Trinity cream is another dish that is named after Trinity College, Cambridge.

This is a dessert that is made from a custard base - a name that is used to refer to a variety of dishes made using egg yolk and cream or milk - that is then topped with a layer of hard caramel. Caramel is formed by heating sugar to 170 °C (340 °F), and has a distinctive brown colouring.

The dish is normally served in individual ramekins. The custard base of the dish is normally flavoured with vanilla, but other flavourings can also be used. Crema catalana, for example, is flavoured with orange or lemon zest and cinnamon, but other flavouring such as liqueurs, coffee, nuts, herbs and chocolate are also used.

The caramel topping for the custard can be pre-made disks that are placed on the dish before serving or, alternatively, the sugar used can be sprinkled directly on to the custard and then caramelised, using a blow torch.

National Bagelfest Day

July 26th is National Bagelfest Day in the United States.

Bagels are a type of bread product that apparently first originated in Poland as a competitor to a type of unleavened bread eaten during Lent, and became a staple of the East European diet before spreading to other countries, especially the United States.

Bagels can, at their base, be used in either savoury or sweet dishes. They have a distinctive toroid shape, with a hole in the centre, and can have other ingredients added to the mix, such as herbs and spices, and are frequently topped with seeds.

Bagels are normally cut in half to serve, and are frequently toasted. They can then be topped; at their simplest, such as with a cinnamon bagel, this can simply be with butter. Alternatively, both plain and savoury bagels can be topped with things such as cream cheese and smoked salmon, or even more complex recipes. They can then be either eaten like open sandwiches, or placed back together like a regular sandwich.

National Hot Fudge Sundae

In the United States, July 25th is National Hot Fudge Sundae Day.

The hot fudge sundae is just one of many different possible variation on the sweet ice cream dessert called the sundae. One of the primary differences of this dessert, and the subsections of sundaes of which it is a part, is the use of a heated sauce or syrup. Sauces and syrups are an integral part of the sundae, but these are usually cold. In this particular one, the sauce is heated first, creating a contrast between the cold of the ice cream and the heat of the sauce. With the sauce being hot, this dessert needs serving, and eating, quickly, or the ice cream will begin to melt.

The traditional hot fudge sundae uses vanilla ice cream, but other flavours can be used. This would normally be served in a sundae glass, with sprinkles, the "hot fudge" (which is actually hot chocolate sauce), whipped cream and nuts, all of which is then topped with a single maraschino cherry, a preserved and sweetened cherry.

National Ice Cream Month

July is National Ice Cream Month in the United States.

Ice cream is a frozen dessert dish that previously was known as both cream ice and as iced cream. It is normally made from dairy products, which is where the cream part of the name comes from, but it is easy enough to find non-dairy alternatives these days. Although ice cream is a frozen dessert dish, the precise meaning of the name can vary from country to country.

The early versions of ice cream were made using snow and ice, and had more in common with sorbets, which are essentially flavoured frozen ice, than they did to the modern version of the ice cream. The first recipes for modern ice cream appeared in Britain in the 18th century.

Many different flavourings can be added to ice cream, some of them rather unusual, like bacon, as well as the more common fruit and chocolate flavours. Ice cream is popular in the summer months, so July is a good time to celebrate it, and it can be eaten by itself, in cones, or as an accompaniment to other dishes.

National Vanilla Ice Cream Day

July 23rd is National Vanilla Ice Cream Day in America.

Ice cream, at least in the United States (the actual meaning and name can vary from country to country) is normally made from dairy products - milk or cream - although non-dairy alternatives are available. This base is then mixed with other ingredients, for flavour, colour and sweetening, and then stirred whilst cooling so that air is added and ice crystals are broken up to create a semi-solid foamed product. The consistency can vary a lot.

With vanilla ice cream, the main additional ingredient is vanilla. Vanilla is a flavouring derived from a type of orchid and actually means "little pod." The pods are harvested, but the genuine flavour is the second most expensive spice after saffron due to how labour intensive the vanilla is to grow. Because of this, most vanilla ice cream does not use vanilla pods, but instead use cheaper substitutes such as vanilla essence.

Vanilla ice cream, despite how boring it may seem to be compared to other flavours available, regularly tops the list of the most popular ice cream flavours in North America (and other parts of the world).

National Penuche Fudge Day

Today is July 22nd, and that makes it National Penuche Fudge Day in the United States.

Penuche fudge can just be referred to as penuche, as it is more an item related to fudge than actually being a type of fudge., although it does share many similarities. Penuche's primary ingredients are butter, milk and brown sugar - normal fudge usually is made from white sugar, so the brown gives it a different flavour, and colour - but other ingredients such as nuts like pecans are often added. The brown sugar is caramelised, which for brown sugar means that it should be heated to 160°C (320°F) as brown sugar is a type of sucrose, but one which contains a percentage of molasses, a very dark brown type of sugar.

This candy is most popular in New England and the Southern United States - in the latter it is more commonly known as brown sugar fudge candy - but it can be found in other regions. It is also used as a flavour for boiled icing. The name has been linked to a former ice hockey player, Mark Penuche, as well as being derived from a Spanish word meaning raw sugar.

National Junk Food Day

Today is July 21st and that makes it National Junk Food Day in the United States.

So, what is junk food? It's a pejorative term for food that has little or no nutritional value, and which also tends to be high in things such as calories, sugar, salt and fat. In other words, it tends to taste nice, which is why it is so appealing.

The term "junk food" is believed to have been coined in 1972 by Michael Jacobson, a Ph.D. in microbiology and the director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest at that time - a non-profit group that promotes healthier, and safer, foods - and who is also credited with creating the term "empty calorie."

Junk food typically includes foodstuffs such as fast food, especially that which is fried, snack foods, especially salted ones, sweets or candies, sweet desserts and many carbonated soft drinks that tend to be high in sugar.

Eating the occasional item of junk food is not normally a series problem - the real problem arises when every day is junk food day, and it becomes a lifestyle, rather than a treat.

Treat yourself today with some junk food, but balance it with something healthier, such as fruit and vegetables.

National Lollipop Day

Today is July 20th, which makes it National Lollipop Day in the United States.

Lollipop, in this case, refers to the confectionery item, rather than to the frozen snack sometimes known as an ice lolly.

At its most basic, a lollipop is a piece of candy (a sweet) on a stick. With this being such a simple idea, it isn't known when exactly the lollipop was first invented - there are a number of different claims in the US alone, although the first, "modern," lollipop was claimed to have been invented in 19008 by George Smith. With sweets and candies of various types dating back thousands of years, the lollipop is undoubtedly much older as, indeed, the name dates back to the end of the 18th century at the least. They have also been used for medicinal purposes.

The modern lollipop comes in many different sizes, shapes, flavours and colours, and usually involves sucrose, flavouring and corn syrup mounted on a stick, which is then consumed by licking it. Boiled sweets on a stick are one of the most common types of lollipop, but there are many others, some of which will appeal more to some countries than others - such as lollipops that have insects inside of them.

National Hot Dog Month

July is National Hot Dog Month in the United States.

Prior to the creation of the hot dog, there was the similar sausage called the frankfurter - named after the city of Frankfurt in Germany, in which it originated - which dates back to at least the 13th century, and which still exists today.

The modern American most likely originated in the US in the 19th century. The "dog" part of the name, which has since stuck, was originally a pejorative, as manufacturers were commonly accused of using dog meat in their recipes. Fortunately, standards have been tightened up a bit since then.

The modern hot dog is normally made from either beef or pork trimmings, often with added flavourings. They are commonly eaten as a snack food, especially in hot dog buns - a type of finger roll - and are then topped with other things, such as fried onions and sauces, although additional toppings are quite common, too, such as cheese and chilli.

National Caviar Day

July 18th is National Caviar Day in the United States.

Celebrating this day has the potential to become very expensive.

Caviar itself are a type salt-cured roe - or fish eggs. To be called caviar, the fish eggs must come from the sturgeon, and roe from any other type of fish are a caviar substitute. This doesn't stop some of these substitutes as being advertised and sold as caviar.

Traditionally, caviar comes from wild sturgeon in the Black and Caspian Seas, the species of which are Beluga, Ossetra and Sevruga, although there are other types of sturgeon such as the Sterlet.

Caviar has long been associated with Russia, and its precursor and successor states, but it is also available from other countries, with Iranian caviar being some of the most expensive.

True caviar is expensive anyway and, due to this expense, has long been linked with royalty and wealth.

National Peach Ice Cream Day

National Peach Ice Cream Day is on July 17th in the United States.

Yet another day that celebrates a particular flavour of ice cream, rather than celebrating ice cream in general. This time it's peach.

Ice cream, a frozen dessert which is usually, but does not have to be, made with dairy products, is flexible in that it can be flavoured in many different ways, simply by adding different ingredients to the base recipe. For peach ice cream, this can be done by simply adding flavouring to the mix or, alternatively, could also use instead, or as well, actual pieces of peach. Generally, the first type of ice cream tends to be cheaper than the second.

Peaches themselves are a fruit which first came from China but has since spread all across the world. China is still, by far, the world's largest producer of peaches, and a significant proportion of the remaining supply comes from various countries surrounding the Mediterranean.

National Corn Fritter Day

National Corn Fritter Day is on July 16th in the United States.

A type of savoury snack, corn fritters are believed to have originated in the Southern United States, where they are a traditional snack, although they have since spread from there.

Corn fritters are made using corn kernels - the seed of the maize plant which is also commonly eaten as corn on the cob - together with flour, milk, eggs and melted butter. There is no one way of cooking corn fritters, as they can be shallow or deep fried as well as baked. Even though they are considered to be a savoury snack, many ways of serving them involve sweet ingredients, such as topping them with jam, fruit, honey and cream.

Another cooking option is to use creamed corn instead of corn kernels, bake them, and serve them with maple syrup.

National Gummy Worm Day

July 15th is National Gummy Worm Day in the United States.

Gummy worms, which are also known as gummi worms, are one of a range of candies (sweets), rather than being an unusual way of preparing actual worms so that they are edible - candied insects and other things are common in some countries.

Gummy, or gummi, candy comes in a wide variety of different shapes and colours. Gummy worms are, not surprisingly, those that come in the shape of worms. These edible worms are made from a gelatin base and were originally made by the German company Haribo. The worms come in a range of different colours and can vary in size. In addition, they come with different coatings - sugary coatings being a popular one. These coatings can alter the flavour of the worms, as well as how sweet or sour they are.

National July Belongs to Blueberries Month

July is National July Belongs to Blueberries Month in the United States.

This is one of the weirder names for celebratory months.

Blueberries are a type of berry which is native to North America, but has since been spread around the world to other countries and continents. The berries themselves are small and indigo in colour - which is closer to purple, to blue, so they are more like purpleberries.

In the northern hemisphere the fruiting season of blueberries lasts from May to August, so celebrating them in July makes sense, as this is the typical peak of the season.

Blueberries can be eaten raw, but they are also popular as ingredients and flavouring in other dishes. Blueberries are a fruit that is sometimes referred to as being a "superfruit" due to the large range of micronutrients present in them.

National Beans 'n' Franks Day

July 13th is National Beans 'n' Franks Day in the United States.

Beans 'n' franks is a dish made from hot dogs and baked beans. It is also known as beanie weenies, which is a trademark, and is similar to pork & beans, but it's not known what the exact origins of the dish are.

Tins of beans 'n' franks are commercially available pre-made, with some tins of baked beans having small sausages already added to the beans, and this is certainly the easiest way of "making" the dish. Alternatively, they can be made at home by simply cooking both beans and sausages separately and mixing them together when cooked. The baked beans could be made from scratch, too - as could the hot dogs, but the latter is a bit more time consuming. Buying the pre-made tins is definitely the easiest way of preparing the dish.

National Pecan Pie Day

National Pecan Pie Day is on July 12th in the United States.

This is a type of sweet dessert pie whose primary ingredients - for the filling, at least - are corn syrup and pecans. Other types of sugar syrup may also be used, and it is traditionally served with either whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

The earliest definite references to pecan pie date back to the late 19th century, making this quite a modern type of pie, and it is strongly associated with the United States, especially the Southern U.S. It is also a dish which is strongly associated with both Christmas and Thanksgiving in America.

The association with the U.S. is not surprising, as the pecan nut comes from the pecan tree, which is a type of hickory native to the Americas. Pecans also would appear to be a genuine, botanical, nut, not just a culinary one.

National Blueberry Muffin Day

July 11th is National Blueberry Muffin Day in the United States.

There are two main types of muffin, the American muffin, which is an individual sized quick bread that is very similar to the cupcake, and what is called the English muffin (outside of the UK anyway), which is a flattened disc shape of leavened bread. This particular day celebrates a variety of American muffin. These can be both sweet and savoury; a blueberry muffin is naturally a sweet variety.

Blueberries are a type of fruit - which tend to be indigo-coloured, rather than blue - that is in season at this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere. The blueberry muffin will have blueberries mixed into the batter; it may also have a centre of blueberry preserves, which can be injected into the muffin.

National Baked Bean Month

July is National Baked Bean Month in the United States.

Baked beans have a name that does not actually describe them accurately, for they are stewed, not baked. They are served in a sauce.

There are many different varieties and types of baked beans across the world, which use some of the many different varieties of bean available. In the UK, the most popular type of canned baked bean is that based on the American Heinz Baked Beanz, and its derivatives and imitators. These baked beans are haricot beans which have been stewed in a tomato and sugar sauce. They are an important part of the Full English breakfast, are frequently eaten on toast, and are actually more popular in the UK than they are in the US.

Tinned baked beans are available in many different types. They can come in different sauces, be made from different varieties of beans - sometimes several in one tin - and can have other ingredients added to them. Small sausages added to cans of baked beans are popular in the UK.

National Sugar Cookie Day

National Sugar Cookie Day is on July 9th in the United States.

As can be guessed from the name, sugar cookies are a type of cookie - or biscuit, depending on your location.

Sugar cookies are one of the most simple and basic types of cookies around, as they lack the extra ingredients used in other recipes. They could be considered to be the cookie foundation on which all others are created. The ingredients to make them are simply eggs, flour, sugar, butter, vanilla and a raising agent, such as baking powder or baking soda.

One mixed, the cookies can be made into various different shapes. They are popular in the US during the Christmas and Halloween holidays, when they would normally be cut into appropriate shapes. They are simple enough to make at any time of year, though. Although probably in different shapes.

National Milk Chocolate with Almonds Day

July 8th is National Milk Chocolate with Almonds Day In the United States.

This is another one of the more specific celebratory days, as it's not just chocolate with nuts, but chocolate with a specific type of nut.

The precise definition of milk chocolate does vary between countries and regions. The US definition is different to the one of the European Union, and the British standard milk chocolate is different to both. The definition is based on the percentage of cocoa solids that is present, and the US has a fairly low requirement of only 10%. The difference between milk and regular chocolate is that the former is sweeter and has had milk - whether powdered, liquid or condensed - added to it.

Almonds themselves are not actually botanical nuts - they are a drupe - and the outer shell is discarded. They are therefore considered to be a culinary nut. The almonds are added to the chocolate mix, although they are often crushed or chopped, rather than whole. This type of chocolate is most commonly seen in bar form.

National Strawberry Sundae Day

July 7th is National Strawberry Sundae Day in the United States.

This is yet another day celebrating yet another flavour of the sundae. Sundaes are an ice cream dessert that are topped with syrup, sauces and fruit, although what depends on the recipe, of which there are many. Sundaes in general are believed to have originated in the 19th century United States, although their precise origins are disputed.

In this particular sundae recipe, strawberries are, not surprisingly, an important component, along with the ice cream. Before the strawberries are added to the sundae, they are usually chopped up, sugared, and left to stand for at least an hour to create a sweet syrup. The flavour of ice cream used can vary, but vanilla is the most common one. Another regular component of the strawberry sundae is strawberry syrup, especially if the strawberries weren't sugared beforehand.

National Fried Chicken Day

July 6th is National Fried Chicken Day in the United States.

This is one of those days with a more obvious celebratory food. Fried chicken is, as you might expect, chicken that has been fried. Although it possibly isn't quite as simple as that.

Fried chicken is also known sometimes as Southern fried chicken from its association with the American South, even though chicken fritters are a centuries old dish. In the US, they are actually linked to Scottish immigrants to what would become the United States.

The reason why it isn't quite as simple as chicken that has been fried is that the chicken, which is usually in small pieces, separated at the joints but with skin and bones left, is first coated. This can be in flour, or batter, which may have flavourings such as herbs and spices added to it, and then deep fried.

The fast food chain, Kentucky Fried Chicken, or KFC, is probably one of the best known brands worldwide.

National Apple Turnover Day

National Apple Turnover Day is on July 5th in the United States.

The turnover is a type of filled pastry dish that is frequently, although it doesn't have to be, triangular in shape. These can be both sweet and savoury; the apple turnover is, fairly naturally, a sweet turnover.

A square of pastry - shortcrust and puff pastry are the most commonly used types - has the filling, in this case apple, placed on it, and the square is then folded over and sealed, which leads to the triangular shape. A variant would be to use a circle, which would create a half moon shape. Once sealed, the turnover is cooked, which is usually by baking but can be by frying. The cooked turnover is then frequently served hot.

Turnovers, and similar dishes, come in regional variations all over the world.

National Caesar Salad Day

National Caesar Salad Day is on July 4th in the United States.

This salad is not named after Julius Caesar or later rulers of the Roman Empire, but is actually named after an Italian immigrant to the United States, Caesar Cardini. So it is named after a Caesar, just not the most famous one. Cardini ran a number of restaurants in the US and Mexico, and the salad was created in the 1920s and is attributed to him, although other members of his staff have claimed to have created it.

The most basic variety of the salad is made from croutons, parmesan cheese (also called Parmigiano-Reggiano, a name that is becoming more common), egg, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, black pepper and a sturdy variety of lettuce known as romaine or cos.

Building from the basic Caesar salad recipe, other ingredients may also be added. One of the most common is chicken, but other meats may also be added, as can shellfish and fish.

National Eat Beans Day

July 3rd is National Eat Beans Day in the United States.

There are many more different types of beans to eat than Heinz Baked Beans, even if the latter may be one of the best known types. The term "bean" is used to describe the seed of a wide variety of plants, some of which are eaten by people, some by animals and some by both. Some beans are not described as such, such as the peanut.

Beans are generally a quite nutritious food - and a useful part of any vegetarian diet, with soybeans being a favourite - which contain soluble fibre and protein. Not every bean can be eaten as-is - some, such as red kidney beans, contain harmful toxins which must be destroyed by cooking before the bean can be eaten.

Beans can be eaten both hot and cold; they are a good addition to salad dishes.

National Culinary Arts Month

July is National Culinary Arts Month in the United States.

The most basic definition of the culinary arts is the preparation and cooking of food, but it doesn't end there.

Those who study the culinary arts will learn more than that. They will learn how to make dishes not only tasty but also attractive - diners are quite visual, and something that looks awful but tastes nice will not be as popular as a dish that is both. In addition, students can learn about diet and nutrition and how it related to food preparation. Around the world, there are many different places to study the arts, and these can be highly rated internationally.

Most students of the culinary arts will use their knowledge professionally, working at places such as restaurants, but the average person can learn them too, simply to make their own cooking skills better. Amateur chefs who only cook for family and friends may still have been trained.

National Gingersnap Day

July 1st is National Gingersnap Day in the United States.

Gingersnaps are a type of cookie, or biscuit, that are also known as ginger nuts and ginger biscuits.

The main flavouring of gingersnaps is, not surprisingly, ginger. Ginger is a spice that comes from the rhizome of the ginger plant. Other spices may also be used in the cookies, such as nutmeg and cinnamon.

There are many different recipes for the biscuits, and there are many regional variations, predominately in the Baltic countries, the US and the countries of the former British Empire. The US variety tend to be drop cookies, and round, but there are other shapes. Round is one of the most common, but Scandinavian varieties, and other Baltic countries, tend to be cut into shapes, and also thin, whilst the US variety is much thicker. US gingersnaps can also have maple syrup added to them.