With the discovery of radium by Marie Curie in 1898, many people began to tout it as a revolutionary health find. It was used by health spas in baths, treatments and procedures, and people were using it in everything from water jugs to toothpastes to suppositories! (I think that right there deserves an “OMG!,” how about you?)
As the video above illustrates, people of the early 20th century were quite taken with the supposed benefits of this pretty much unkown element and until people became severely ill (and of course, died) it was used indiscriminately.
It’s not surprising then that it …read more

It’s National Donut Day! As Sandy points out, National Doughnut Day was established in 1938 by the Chicago Salvation Army to help raise funds during the Depression and to honor the Salvation Army workers who prepared doughnuts for thousands of soldiers during World War I. It’s always the first Friday of June each year.
Image details: Health Food Junk Food served by picapp.com
Did you know that? I didn’t!
Following is a recipe that I’ve used several times. Keep in mind, this is in no way any kind of gourmet doughnut. Don’t look at the can of biscuits and go “pshaw!” because …read more

Today is National Devil’s Food Cake Day! Yeah, I don’t know who comes up with these but I’m not going to complain!
Devil’s Food Cake is traditionally a rich chocolate layer cake paired with chocolate frosting and is thought of as the counterpart to Angel Food Cake. Makes sense, right?
The first known recipe for Devil’s Food Cake in the U.S. dates back to 1905, and it’s called Devil’s Food Cake not only because of the inclusion of real chocolate in the recipe, but because the baking soda causes the cocoa to redden when baked!
Devil’s Food Cake
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 …read more

Happy National Chocolate Chip Day!
NCCD always falls on May 15th and is intended to celebrate the wonderfulness that is chocolate chips and their popularity in our cooking and baking. While there is no congressional record or proclamation that today is officially a “national” anything, it’s still a valid holiday in my book! And of course, there are ecards.
The above video gives you some great tips on how chocolate chips should be added to baked goods. I’ve always kept my chocolate chips in the freezer by default (they get too melty in the cupboard), so I was glad to see …read more

Arguably one of those most popular comedy bits of all time, the 39th episode of “I Love Lucy” featured Lucy and Ethel working at a chocolate factory, wrapping chocolates as they came down a conveyor belt. The episode is technically titled “Job Switching” but is better known as “Candy Factory.”
It was filmed May 30, 1952 and entails Ricky and Fred thinking that housework is much easier than earning money. Lucy and Ethel feel the opposite so the boys try doing the housework while the girls attempt to hold down a job at a candy factory.
[info via Lucy Library]

Yes, for real! Today is National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day! National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day always occurs on March 24 and is a day to celebrate the great combo of the dried fruit and chocolate.
However, even though the day is referred to as “National,” there are no records of it being a legitimate holiday. You can send an e-card, though!
Are you a fan?
Chocolate Covered Raisin Clusters
1 (6 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate bits
1/3 c. butter
16 lg. marshmallows
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 to 3 c. raisins
Heat chocolate bits, butter, and marshmallows in 3 quart saucepan over low heat, stirring …read more

Chocolate goes well with many holidays, and for good reason! But sometimes I wonder why it’s bigger for some holidays (Valentine’s and Easter) and not others (Fourth of July or Thanksgiving). Anyway, I dug up a little history to explain why chocolate and Easter go so well together:
“It was at about this time (early 1800’s) that the first chocolate Easter egg appeared in Germany and France and soon spread to the rest of Europe and beyond. The first chocolate eggs were solid soon followed by hollow eggs. Although making hollow eggs at that time was no mean feat, because the …read more

Brownies, like many other great inventions, are said to have been the mistake of a careless cook who forgot to put baking powder into a chocolate cake recipe. She ended up with what we now call brownies, and thank heavens she didn’t just toss the pan out without trying them first!
I was watching Food Network last night and caught Alton Brown doing an episode on cocoa, which included him to making the brownies below. I’ve made these before (but didn’t get pictures of them) and they’re delicious!
Cocoa Brownies
Soft butter, for greasing the pan
Flour, for dusting the buttered pan
4 large eggs
1 …read more

Tiramisu is an Italian cake made with mascarpone, custard, and lady finger biscuits dipped in espresso and topped with cocoa.
Tiramisu is said to have originated in Treviso at “Le Beccherie” restaurant by confectioner Roberto Linguanotto. The original cake contained no alcohol as children were expected to consume it, but that’s changed over the years with the addition of rum and Marsala wine in most recipes.
The cake is believed to be a recent invention as there is no record of it before 1983, though other layered cake recipes have been around for decades and the belief that the cake …read more

I’ve often wondered why some holidays lead the pack for chocolate consumption while others aren’t even on the radar. Of course, Valentine’s Day comes out on top, but why?
Since the days of the Aztecs chocolate has been used as a gift. Chocolate is more than food, it not only fills your belly but also makes you feel so good.
Elaine Sherman wrote “Chocolate is heavenly, mellow, sensual, deep, dark, sumptuous, gratifying, potent, dense, creamy, seductive, suggestive, rich, excessive, silky, smooth, luxurious, celestial. Chocolate is downfall, happiness, pleasure, love, ecstasy, fantasy … chocolate makes us wicked, guilty, sinful, healthy, chic, happy.” …read more