Welcome to Friday Food Reviews where I will be covering a different food or product each week and looking at… what are they? where do they grow, what can we substitute them for in a recipe, are they safe to eat, how to store them, how to use them, cook them, anything connected to that food. or product..all the why’s and the wherefores…it will, of course, be mainly my own opinion or a known fact…good or bad…there may even be a tried and tested recipe…or three…
This week as it’s the 1st of July I will be running through what this month will be bringing to the kitchen…or to the world and it may be that it is something which will make a blog post for some of you but I have picked ones which I feel are important or that I and many of you may have an interest in…believe me when I say there are many more I could have chosen …
First on the agenda is Plastic Free July…of course there are some easy steps we can take although I’m sure many of you do these already but when buying fruit or vegetables opt for loose produce with no packaging and take or buy reusable mesh bags instead…Ditch the cling film and cover your bowl with your leftovers with a plate instead…Beeswax wraps or vegan alternatives are the best way to stop cheese or sandwiches drying out and can easily be moulded around awkwardly shaped items…
Did you know?
Many tea bags are still sealed with non-biodegradable plastic glue? Loose leafed tea is not only higher quality but has less packaging and has a far better flavour if you are only making one cup a tea ball or brewing basket fits the bill…
The Puri Rath Yatra festival will begin on 1st July. It is one of the most famous festivals of Odisha and is even celebrated in other parts of the country. On this day, the devotees pull the chariot of the trinity- Lord Balabhadra, Lord Jagannath and Devi Subhadra. It is a nine-day festival which celebrates the beauty and flavours of India. Here’s a list of recipes that you can make during Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra. Do try out these recipes and let me know which one you liked the most…I have picked two for me to try (when I get home from the UK) Santula/Mixed veg curry and Chhena Poda which is Odisha’s famous traditional dessert. It is a form of fresh roasted homemade cottage cheese baked with sugar.,,it looks and sounds delicious…
https://newsletters.cookpad.com/en/in/newsletter/
1st-31st is National Picnic Month in the Uk…
When tomboy George in “FiveGo Off in a Caravan” said ” I don’t know why but the meals we have on picnics taste so much better than we have indoors… whatever the weather us Brits love a picnic!
1st-7th July is Clean Beaches Week in the US…
Beautiful beaches should be clean…find a bin or take your rubbish home it isn’t difficult…
3rd July is International Plastic Bag Free World…
I have noticed that plastic bags are creeping back on the scene since covid and they are not all recyclable…I have numerous cloth or reusable [plastic bags in so many places now so I don’t forget and its second nature…
4th-10th July is National BBQ Week in the UK…
What can I say make the most of the sunshine days and dust off the BBQ…food tastes so much better…
7th July is World Chocolate Day…
Chocolate anyone?… Please head over to Norah’s blog and learn how we can teach children about the pleasures of chocolate and more…there are lots of fun facts and history https://norahcolvin.com/2022/07/01/chocolate-anyone-readilearn/
10th July is International Don’t Step on a Bee Day…
This one flummoxed me a little…it seemed a strange title…however it certainly caught my eye and made me read on…Don’t Step On A Bee Day is observed every year on July 10 in the United Kingdom. Bees have been around for centuries and are closely related to wasps. They are mostly found in every part of the world that has insect-pollinated flowering plants. Bees are essential to our survival and play a big role in balancing our ecosystem. They are great pollinators, produce honey, and give us food. This day marks the importance of the existence of these insects and the work that they do.
Human beekeeping has been practised since the times of ancient Egypt and ancient Greece. Bees have even made an appearance in mythology and folklore from ancient times to the present day.
In honour of these important living creatures, Don’t Step On A Bee Day was created by Thomas and Ruth Roy and is particularly celebrated in the United States and the United Kingdom. Often misinterpreted as a day that is only focused on not willingly stepping on bees or harming them, the day holds a greater significance. While it is important that one is aware that walking barefoot may increase the chances of a bee sting, it is also necessary to remember the many benefits that bees bring…
11th July is an International Special Day to Raise Awareness of Population Issues.
This event has been celebrated for almost three decades and the aim is to focus the world’s attention on the importance of population issues. The Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme recommended its introduction in 1989.
Sunday, July 17th…
For me, any day is ice cream day…and July has many…a bit of history which shows that ice cream has been around for a long time…
The Persian Empire was known to put snow in a bowl, pour concentrated grape juice over it, and eat it as a treat thousands of years ago. They would climb to mountain tops and harvest the snow from their peaks in the summertime. They would then keep the snow in underground chambers, known as a yachal, to keep it cold from the earth.
Around 697 AD, the Chinese in the Tang Dynasty took to freezing dairy with salt and ice. Although the invention of ice cream dates thousands of years back, many culinary businesses give credit to Antonio Latini from Naples, Italy, who created a milk-based sorbet in the 17th century.
In the U.S., the first ice cream shops were opened by the Quaker Colonists, who brought their ice recipes with them to the new world…Anyone for a cornet or a bowl of ice cream?
24th July is International Tequila Day…
Don’t mind if I do…x
24th July- 7th August is National Marine Week (UK)
National Marine Week is The Wildlife Trusts’ nationwide celebration of all things marine. Despite the name, it lasts 15 fun-filled days to allow for the variation in tide times around the country.
25th-1st August is National Preserving Awareness Week…
Encouraging those that have the skills to take some time to help those that don’t…with the shortages that are here or on the horizon preserving food is something we all should be aware of how to do as it may become a necessity..
26th July is International Day for Mangrove Eco-Systems…
There are many mangrove swamps here and they fascinate me they are eerie and so beautiful.
The International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem is celebrated every year on 26 July, and aims to raise awareness of the importance of mangrove ecosystems as “a unique, special and vulnerable ecosystem” and to promote solutions for their sustainable management, conservation and uses.
Thank you for joining me today on the 1st of July…I hope that at least one of these has given those of you who blog an idea for a blog post if so I am happy to promote your post…if not then enjoy your chocolate and a bowl of ice cream and maybe participate in one of these days…Take care see you tomorrow for Saturday Snippets…xx
Retired? No one told me! 