Category: February 24

• NATIONAL TARTAR SAUCE DAY – Friday after Lent Begins

  NATIONAL TARTAR SAUCE DAY

  There are many reasons for observing National Tartar Sauce Day the Friday after Lent begins. Things start to get fishy for one. For another, tartar sauce compliments more than just fish. So it’s time to get this celebration started by counting the ways!

  #NationalTartarSauceDay

  Fabulous for dunking fries, fritters, and battered appetizers, tartar sauce adds a zesty tang to fried foods. When used as a sauce, it adds a creamy brightness to fish, chicken, and beef recipes. As a marinade, it’s excellent for grilling, too. Mix it into a pasta or potato salad. Add it to steamed vegetables, and tartar sauce completes a meal.

  But tartar sauce doesn’t stop there! Have a hankering for Tex-Mex? Add some spice and top off your tacos. Are spring rolls on the menu? For sweeter dipping, mix a little coconut extract into the sauce. Turn up the heat with wasabi, but keep it fresh with chopped cucumber. For every season, from shore to garden, tartar sauce adds up to a versatile condiment no matter where you are. How will you celebrate National Tartar Sauce Day?

  HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL TARTAR SAUCE DAY

  • Have a little or a lot of tartar sauce with any part of your meal.
  • Try a new recipe using tartar sauce, like Big Boy Pizza, or create an all-new recipe. 
  • Visit @frischsbigboy on Facebook during Lent to check out new recipes being created by area food bloggers.
  • Share your favorite way to enjoy tartar sauce by using #NationalTartarSauceDay to post on social media.

  NATIONAL TARTAR SAUCE DAY HISTORY

  Frisch’s Big Boy founded National Tartar Sauce Day in 2017 in honor of the tangy sauce that has become more than just a topping for fried fish. Samuel Frisch opened the first Frisch’s cafe in 1905 in Cincinnati. In 1923, son Dave Frisch took over operations with two of his siblings after his father’s death. Then in 1946, Dave Frisch sampled the first Big Boy double-decker hamburger. What proved to be a momentous decision, Dave Frisch makes the Big Boy sandwich using his homemade tartar sauce to replace the original recipe that called for Thousand Island dressing. Dave’s signature tartar sauce becomes a staple on Frisch’s menu. It has been sold in pint jars for the take-home market since 1960. During Lent, Frisch’s tartar sauce is in high demand for its Frisch Fry menu, but its original claim to fame was on the Big Boy sandwich. 

  The Registrar at National Day Calendar® declared National Tartar Sauce Day to be Celebrated the Friday after Lent Begins annually.

  Tartar Sauce FAQ

  Q. What is in tartar sauce?
  A. A basic tartar sauce includes mayonnaise, chopped pickles or relish, capers, dill, and lemon juice.

  Q. How many calories are in a serving of tartar sauce?
  A. Two tablespoons of tartar sauce contain approximately 90 calories.

  February 15, 2017

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  National Day Calendar

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  February 24, National Day, Pop Culture & Lifestyle

• NATIONAL SKIP THE STRAW DAY – Fourth Friday in February

  NATIONAL SKIP THE STRAW DAY

  On the fourth Friday in February, The Coral Keepers ask you to consider a different way on National Skip the Straw Day! For thousands of years, humans have enjoyed slurping a refreshing beverage through a cylindrical tube. If Marvin Stone (the inventor of the first paper straw in 1888) were alive today, he might be shocked to know of the five large areas of the ocean, called gyres, where plastic garbage collects. The sea’s currents create vortexes trapping plastics, and in the collection are plastic drinking straws.

  #SkipTheStrawDay

  Straws and other plastics cause harm to marine life in many ways. Birds, fish, and other sea life consume plastics accidentally or when they mistake it for food. Plastics don’t biodegrade. They break down into smaller and finer, microscopic pieces. When plastics break down, they produce bisphenol A (BPA) which interferes with reproductive systems in marine life. It also produces styrene monomer which is a suspected carcinogen.

  According to the National Park Service, Americans use 500 million drinking straws daily! So, on National Skip the Straw Day that’s potentially 500 million fewer straws that don’t end up in landfills or the ocean.

  We can give you all sorts of other statistics to convince you to Skip the Straw on National Skip the Straw Day (and on other days), but we would rather show you how.

  HOW TO OBSERVE SKIP THE STRAW DAY

  • For most of us, the easiest way is to pick up the glass and tip it back as our parents taught us to do when we were four or five. It may take some practice and maybe both hands.
  • There are other fun, eco-friendly, healthy options for straws, too. Try these:
    • Bamboo straws are renewable, reusable, and biodegradable.
    • Paper straws, while still disposable, are biodegradable and from a renewable source.
    • Glass straws are coming in durable, colorful designs fit for a variety of beverages.
    • Stainless steel straws are an option for those of us who like our cold drinks really cold!

  • Volunteer to help clean up your local beaches, parks, or neighborhoods. Take note of how many straws are included in all the litter.
  • Plan ahead. Do you frequent fast-food restaurants or get beverages to go? You will often receive the straw before you have the chance to say no. Be prepared when you order to request your drink without a straw.
  • Share your solutions and use #SkipTheStrawDay on social media.

  NATIONAL SKIP THE STRAW DAY HISTORY

  The Coral Keepers, students at Whitehall Middle School in Whitehall, MI, along with their advisor, Susan Tate, founded National Skip the Straw Day in 2017 to encourage Americans to give up the straw habit and help spread awareness about the damage caused by disposable plastics. The Registrar at National Day Calendar® declared the day to be observed annually on the fourth Friday in February.

  Skip the Straw FAQ

  Q. Who can participate in Skip the Straw Day?
  A. Anyone! Even if you don’t use straws, you’re already celebrating the day. Keep it up!

  Q. Do paper straws last very long?
  A. Paper straws are a single-use option. Since paper is biodegradable, it is one way to replace single-use plastic straws.

   

  February 8, 2017

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  National Day Calendar

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  February 24, Health & Awareness, National Day, Pop Culture & Lifestyle, Registrar

• NATIONAL TORTILLA CHIP DAY – February 24

  NATIONAL TORTILLA CHIP DAY

  National Tortilla Chip Day on February 24th celebrates a crunchy chip that provides a multitude of ways to enjoy it! The day also shares the chip’s history and many ways to enjoy this delicious snack food. 

  #NationalTortillaChipDay

  Everyone loves tortilla chips! We most commonly served them with salsa, chile con queso, guacamole, cheese dips, or other dips. Tortilla chips are made from corn tortillas cut into wedges and then fried. The tortillas are made from corn, vegetable oil, salt, and water. Typically made with yellow corn, tortillas can also be made with white, blue, or red corn.

  Even though tortilla chips have always been considered to be Mexican food, known as tostadas, they were first mass-produced in Los Angeles in the late 1940s. Rebecca Webb Carranza receives credit for making the crisp chips popular. She and her husband operated a deli and tortilla factory in Los Angeles. And its creation happened almost by accident!

  

  When is National Nachos Day?

  Inspiration struck when the tortilla manufacturing machine discarded the misshapen tortilla. Carranza realized they could be cut into triangles and fried. She then sold them for a dime a bag at the El Zarape Tortilla Factory. Carranza received the Golden Tortilla Award in 1994 for her contribution to the Mexican food industry.

  The United States is one of the primary markets for tortilla chips. 

  Another favorite dish made with tortilla chips is nachos.  Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya created the dish we call nachos around the year 1943. The tortilla chips are served with melted or shredded cheese. Additional toppings are often added, such as meat, salsa, refried beans, tomatoes, diced onion, lettuce, olives, jalapenos, guacamole, and sour cream.

  HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL TORTILLA CHIP DAY

  • Celebrate by eating tortilla chips!
  • Make some nachos.
  • Make homemade tortilla chips.
  • Invite friends and family to enjoy tortilla chips with your favorite toppings.
  • Visit a local restaurant with the best fresh-made chips. Don’t forget to give them a shout-out, too!
  • Use #NationalTortillaChipDay to post on social media.

  NATIONAL TORTILLA CHIP DAY HISTORY

  Nacho sure who originated this day, but we’re pretty sure they loved tortilla chips! We’ll let you know when we know more.

  Tortilla Chip FAQ

  Q. How many calories are in a tortilla chip?
  A. One tortilla chip contains approximately 10 calories.

  Q. Are there grain-free tortilla chips?
  A. Yes! Visit National Grain-Free Day for some ideas.

  Q. Who celebrates National Tortilla Chip Day?
  A. Anyone who likes tortilla chips celebrates the day. You might even find deals at restaurants and pubs to make the celebration even better!

  February 24th Celebrated History

  1864

  Rebecca Davis Lee Crumpler attained her medical degree from the New England Female Medical College becoming the first African American woman to become a physician. Following her graduation, Dr. Crumpler dedicated her practice to the care of newly freed slaves. She would return to Boston and carry on her practice there.

  1867

  High drama continues in the hallowed halls of government when the House of Representatives impeaches President Andrew Johnson. How did Johnson become the first president to be impeached? He was charged with violating the Tenure of Office Act which Congress passed in the spring of 1867. The act was designed to prevent the Democratic president from replacing Cabinet members selected by the assassinated President Abraham Lincoln and making it difficult for Radical Republicans to further their path of Reconstruction. Johnson removed Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, motivating the House to bring charges of impeachment against the president. However, the Senate would find Johnson not guilty six weeks later.

  1980 

  In a come-from-behind win, the U.S. Olympic hockey team wins gold at the Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, New York. Coached by Herb Brooks, it was only the second gold in the team’s Olympic history.

  1992 

  Eric Clapton unplugs and wins six Grammys. Clapton won both Album and Record of the Year for Tears in Heaven. Other nominees in those categories included Billy Ray Cyrus, Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson, k.d. lang, and Vanessa Williams.

  February 24th Celebrated Birthdays

  Winslow Homer – 1836

  The American realist painter is best known for his seas-side paintings. As a print-maker during the American Civil War, he supplied illustrations for Harper’s Weekly freelance artist from the war front.

  Chester Nimitz – 1885

  Admiral Nimitz commanded the Pacific Fleet during World War II. President Harry Truman would tap Nimitz and General Douglas MacArthur to accept Japan’s formal surrender.

  Steve Jobs – 1955

  Anyone who has made it to the 21st century has been influenced by the apple…the Apple. Partial credit for that influence goes to Steve Jobs. Jobs, alongside Steve Wozniak, brought to life the Macintosh, the first successful personal computer, and co-founded Apple Computers in 1976.

  Paula Zahn – 1956

  For more than four decades, the award-winning journalist and primetime host has been interviewing presidents and soldiers and educators alike.

  Stella Young – 1982

  The journalist, comedian and disability advocate left a legacy in her wake when she died in 2014 at the age of 32. Young gave voice to what those in the disability community were thinking and empowered them to demand change. She used eye-opening humor to point out the flaws of the able-bodied logic while spurring conversation in the hopes of transforming the way the world looks at disability.

  June 11, 2014

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  National Day Calendar

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  February 24, National Day, Pop Culture & Lifestyle