The foods of Yom Kippur
Ten days after the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah, which began on September 25) is Yom Kippur, the most holy day on the Jewish calendar. It is the last of the ten days of penitence, and this year begins at sundown on…
Holidays & Celebrations
Mooncakes with a twist
The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, which this year falls on 10 September, is the second most important festival in China after Chinese New Year. The holiday is also celebrated by many other Asian countries, such as…
Celebrate Bastille Day with French food and drink
Food, drinks, and fireworks in July aren’t limited to the United States. Ten days after America’s Independence Day, the French also have their own red, white and blue holiday. Called Bastille Day by English speakers,…
World Chocolate Day is here
Today is World Chocolate Day! The middle of summer is a brave choice to host this food holiday in the Northern Hemisphere, but there is a reason: it's celebrated on 7 July because that is allegedly the date that…
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo
Before I begin extolling the virtues of celebrating Mexican food for Cinco de Mayo, I want to make sure that everyone knows that this holiday is NOT Mexican Independence Day. What Cinco de Mayo does commemorate is the…
Sweets for Eid al-Fitr
Muslims around the world are celebrating the end of Ramadan with Eid al-Fitr celebrations. Food is at the forefront to celebrate the end of Ramadan fasting. The foods eaten vary depending on the culture of the local…
Jazz up your juleps
Few celebrations have a cocktail that is as strongly associated with the day as the Kentucky Derby is with the mint julep. In one week (May 7), the 148th edition of "The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports" will be run, and…
Anzac Day is a food tradition worth celebrating
While many “holidays” about food are completely fabricated events to promote a product, some foods are associated with real holidays that have a more noble purpose. This is the case with the Anzac biscuit, made to…
Foods to celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year
March 20 marks the beginning of Nowruz, the traditional Persian New Year festival celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan, and the Kurdish regions of Iraq, Turkey and Syria, throughout Central Asia, and by members of the…
Celebrate Pi day with pie!
I usually forget about the "National Pie Day" that occurs in January, but that is okay since the logical choice for the day is Pi day, which is today. What better way to celebrate the mathematical constant that is such…
Mardi Gras returns to New Orleans
Tomorrow is Fat Tuesday (aka Mardi Gras) and festivities are in full force in New Orleans after a pause in 2021 due to Covid. Celebrated as the last extravagance before the austere days of Lent, Mardi Gras features…
Get ready for SuperBowl Sunday
In just over a week, the larges sporting event in the United States will take place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, as the Cincinnati Bengals face off against the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI. Not only…