MDBCs 14 Nov 2023

We didn't think there could be a better food holiday than Guacamole Day until we came across Spicy Guacamole Day! The unofficial holiday celebrates the spiced up version of the delicious Mexican dip made of mashed avocados, Guacamole.

Mexican

A party favorite today, guacamole has been a part of traditional Mexican cuisine since the 16th century, when it was made and eaten by the Aztecs as a sauce.

Avocados are fruits native to Mexico and Central America and botanically come from the same family as camphor and cinnamon.

How to Celebrate?

Celebrating Spicy Guacamole Day is easy. All you need is a lot of avocados, chilies and spices. Here are some ways to spice up your bowl of delicious guacamole:

Add lots of chilies, may we suggest jalapeños, and spices like cumin to your favorite guacamole recipe. Jalapeños not hot enough for you? What about adding some red chili flakes to the dip?
Guacamole goes well with almost everything you can think of - so celebrate this holiday by pairing all your meals with spicy guacamole. Add it to your egg and bacon breakfast menu or make savory pancakes and top them with some spicy guac. Make a guacamole pizza for lunch and a spicy guacamole soup for dinner.

Did You Know…

…that scientifically avocados are considered to be berries?

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Pickle Day

November 14 is Pickle Day, a day to stock up your larders and pantries with pickles and add to pickles to every meal you eat.

Also known as National Pickle Day in the United States, the unofficial holiday was first celebrated in 2001 in New York.

Kills Harmful Bacteria

In common usage, the term pickles is usually used to refer to cucumbers that are preserved in brine – salted water – with spices and herbs. In general, however, pickles are vegetables, fruits and other food items that are preserved in brine, salt and oil, or vinegar. The process is called pickling, an dit kills bacteria in food, either by immersing them in an acidic solution, such as vinegar, or by fermentation. This increases the lifespan of the food item and also changes its texture and taste.

The phrase getting into a pickle is also sometimes used for when someone gets into trouble.

Consumed Since Antiquity

Humans have been making pickles since antiquity. It is believed that ancient Egyptians were the first ones to use the pickling process by preserving cucumbers brought from India. The Romans believed in the healing powers of pickles, while sources suggest that Cleopatra credited her beauty to the consumtion of pickles.

Many Different Kinds

Today, pickles are made all over the world and usually consumed as accompniments to main meals. In India and South Asia, where pickles are called achaar, vegetables and fruits are pickled in oil, salt and a variety of spices. In Korea, cabbage and chilis are fermented with salt to make kimchi, while people in Turkey, Iran and other Middle Eastern countries pickle a variety of vegetables including carrots, tomatoes, eggplants, turnips, and olives.

Pickles are also widely eaten in Europe. In the United Kingdom, pickled eggs are a popular bar food, while pickled herrings are easily available in Scandinavia and the Netherlands. In the US pickles are usually served with sandwiches and in burgers.

How to Celebrate?

With pickles, of course! Have pickles with all your meals and for all your snacks during the day.
Get together with family and friends and spend the day pickling your favorite vegetables. Don't forget to share with others!

Did You Know…

...that in the old days, Christopher Columbus used pickles as a way to ward off scurvy among his crew on the Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria?

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A family is at the dinner table. The son asks the father, “Dad, how many kinds of boobs are there?”

The father, surprised, answers, “Well, son, a woman goes through three phases. In her 20s, a woman’s breasts are like melons, round and firm. In her 30s and 40s, they are like pears, still nice, hanging a bit. After 50, they are like onions.”

“Onions?” the son asks.

“Yes. You see them and they make you cry.”

This infuriated his wife and daughter. The daughter asks, “Mom, how many different kinds of willies are there?”

The mother smiles and says, “Well, dear, a man goes through three phases also. In his 20s, his willy is like an oak tree, mighty and hard. In his 30s and 40s, it’s like a birch, flexible but reliable. After his 50s, it’s like a Christmas tree.”

“A Christmas tree?” the daughter asks.

“Yes, dead from the root up and the balls are just for decoration.”

***

A teacher is teaching a class and she sees that Johnny isn't paying attention, so she asks him, "If there are three ducks sitting on a fence, and you shoot one, how many are left?"

Johnny says, "None."

The teacher asks, "Why?"

Johnny says, "Because the shot scared them all off."

The teacher says, "No, two, but I like how you're thinking."

Johnny asks the teacher, "If you see three women walking out of an ice cream parlor, one is licking her ice cream, one is sucking her ice cream, and one is biting her ice cream, which one is married?"

The teacher says, "The one sucking her ice cream."

Johnny says, "No, the one with the wedding ring, but I like how you're thinking!"

***

A man kills a deer and takes it home to cook for dinner. Both he and his wife decide that they won't tell the kids what kind of meat it is, but will give them a clue and let them guess. The dad said, "Well it's what Mommy calls me sometimes."