March 28 is National Black Forest Cake Day. It celebrates that baked delight composed of layers of chocolate cake, whipped cream, and cherry filling…and sometimes a little bit of cherry liqueur. The cake originated in German in the 1930s and is popular in German communities on both sides of the Atlantic. For a recipe, click here.

^{(photo © istockphoto)}

March 26 is Prince Kuhio Day in Hawaii. The day commemorates the birth of Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana’ole in 1871. Kuho was prince to the throne of Hawaii when the island nation was overthrown by American residents in 1893.

Kuhio was imprisonned after the uprising. Upon his release, he traveled throughout the world in a sort of self-imposed exile. The draw of the islands was too compelling, however, and Prince Kuhio returned in the early 20th century. He was elected to the US Congress in 1903 and served there until his death in 1921.

Prince Kuhio Day is a legal holiday in Hawaii.^{(Hawaii State Archives photo)}

Today is National Chocolate-Covered Raisin Day. Why not? To celebrate, here’s a recipe for chocolate-covered raisin cookies, courtesy of the people at CDKitchen.com:

Chocolate-Covered Raisin Cookies
2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking soda
1 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
1 cup Butter or margarine, softened
1 cup Brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup Granulated sugar
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 1/2 cup Chocolate-covered raisins

Directions:
Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. Cream butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Mix together dry ingredients with butter mixture. Mix in chocolate-covered raisins.

Drop rounded heaping teaspoons of batter onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degreesF for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes 10

^{(photo © istockphoto)}

Spring officially arrived at 1:28am on March 20. Listen to Chris Brown’s ode to the event, accompanied by pictures of spring flowers popping up all over the country.

May your First Day of Spring be a happy one!

Today, March 19, is the day that the swallows traditionally return to the Spanish mission in the California seaside town of San Juan Capistrano, located between Los Angeles and San Diego.

The celebration of the swallows’ return began early in the 20th century when the Mission’s pastor observed that the birds arrival coincided with St. Joseph’s Day (also March 19). The Mission hosts a Swallows Day celebration each year with music and pagentry, a symbol of spring and rebirth. This year the event was held on March 15 to avoid conflicting with Holy Week, but will return to March 19 in 2009. The Mission will hold a press conference and ring the bells today to welcome the birds.

^{(photo © 2005 Robert A. Estremo/cc license)}

March 14 is White Day in many Asian countries, including Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Celebrated a month after Valentine’s Day, it is a day when men repay the attention and generousity shown them by women on February 14 (traditionally a day when women give men presents) by giving chocolate and other gifts of affection.

White Day began in 1978 in Japan and is gradually becoming popular throughout Asia.

^{(photo © Livvy/cc license)}

March 12 is Girl Scout Day. It’s the anniversary of the day that the Girl Scouts were founded in 1912 in Savannah, Georgia by Juliette Gordon Low (in the center of the above picture).

About much more than cookies, there are more than 3.7 million Girl Scout members today and more than 40 million American women have been Girl Scouts during their youth. Girl Scouts are also a part of the larger, worldwide Girl Guide organization that has over 10 million members in 145 countries.

March 11 is Johnny Appleseed Day. It honors one of America’s most beloved legends, that of the simple, somewhat eccentric itinerant farmer, Johnny Appleseed, who walked through the Ohio Valley barefoot with a pot on his head, planting apple seeds.

The true story, that of John Chapman, is only a little less sensational. The religious apple farmer introduced that fruit to much of Western Pennsylvania, Northern Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Those states’ thriving apple industries owe much to Johnny Appleseed. He passed away suddently on March 11, 1845, after catching a fever.

^{(photo © 1871 Harper’s Monthly)}

March 10 is Harriet Tubman Day. The day marks the anniversary of the abolitionist’s death in 1913. Harriet Tubman, born in slavery in 1820, escaped to freedom in Philadephia via the Underground Railroad in 1849. She almost immediately returned to guide other slaves to freedom, leading 13 missions and never losing a passenger.

Tubman also served as a Union spy during the Civil War, funded and opened the first old-age home for African-Americans, and worked for women’s suffrage in the early 20th century. When she died, she was given full militray honors.

^{(photo © 1880 HB Lindsley)}

March 8 is International Women’s Day around the globe. This day, begun in 1908 celebrates the achievements of women throughout the world as well as works to draw attention to the plight of some women and challenges faced in many countries. To commemorate the day, there are 611 events planned in 52 countries. For a complete list and for more information, see the International Women’s Day Web site.

March 8 is also Mother’s Day in Russia. It’s a day to honor the women in one’s live–mothers, grandmothers, and daughters. It’s traditional in Russia to give red roses on this day.

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