By Haddon Libby
Looking for something to do during these sweltering desert days?
On Thursday, July 13th many food items are celebrated with special day of recognition. Somehow the 13th is Beans ‘N’ Franks Day, French Fry Day and Beef Tallow Day. For those unfamiliar with beef tallow, this is the fat that drips from beef while being cooked – consider it Crisco for meat eaters. You get extra points on the LDL (bad cholesterol) calculator if you can fry your potatoes in beef tallow and pour over the top a nice mix of beans and franks. Be sure to keep a distance from open flames while digesting.
If celebrating with cuisine like this is not to your tastes or against doctor’s orders, you could also celebrate International Rock Day and Embrace Your Geekness Day. It seems some celebrate rocks while others celebrate the music form on this day. The Teletubbies have even done a special episode for this day.
Not enough rock talk for you? Did you know that there are three types of rocks – igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic. Dust off your inner geek and look up what those rock types are.
The food to eat on Friday the 14th is a kebab for Kebab Day. The day is also Bastille Day or independence day in France. The French call the special day Le 14 Juliet as it celebrates the country’s independence from monarchal rule under Louis XVI aka The Last. Seems like the French were copying our Le 4 Juliet that happened only a few years earlier.
The food choices on Saturday the 15th are a kid’s delight with Orange Chicken Day and Gummi Worm Day. If that isn’t enough to make it a fun enough day for the kiddies, it is also National Be a Dork Day. If you want to add an educational element, it is National Pet Fire Safety Day.
I know what you are thinking – how can I teach my cat to be careful with matches? In reality, this is a day created by the Kennel Club and ADT Security in 2009 to help pet owners learn steps to take to keep their pets safe in the event of a fire. What is the safe exit for a fish? I’m guessing the toilet.
Things start getting weird on Sunday the 16th. Somehow, we are supposed to appreciate Artificial Intelligence, Guinea Pigs and Snakes all at once. Guinea pigs are the equivalent to chicken in Peru although it is said to taste like rabbit. It may seem hard to believe but snake is eaten in many parts of Asia including Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines. People say it tastes like a mix of chicken and fish and is best prepared as you might make a fish stick or chicken tender. Yum!
I personally plan on eating some of these other national days on the 16th -spinach, cherries, corn fritters and ice cream.
On Monday the 17th, our only food option is peach ice cream. It is also Tattoo Day, Emoji Day, Hug Your Kids Day. Let’s see how many of these you can do to start the week.
Tuesday the 18th starts the Islamic New Year that is also called Hijri New Year. The Hijri calendar runs 354 or 355 days – 11 days shorter. This calendar has been used since 622AD when Prophet Mohammed and his followers traveled from Mecca to Medina.
Foods to celebrate are caviar and sour candy. If you plan on buying Beluga caviar, the going rate is $70 for 4 ounces. Four ounces of Sour Patch Kids are only a dollar.
On Wednesday the 19th, we can celebrate with a Hot Dog and a Daiquiri. While the first time Hot Dog Day was celebrated is hard to pin down, the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council promotes it with gusto. Based in Washington DC, Eric Mittenthal is its President. Would you have ever thought that hot dogs have lobbyists?
Stay cool everyone!
Haddon Libby is the Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Winslow Drake Investment Management. For more information on our award-winning services, please visit www.WinslowDrake.com.
