This month celebrates lots of national food holidays. Our blog today is going to highlight some of those holidays and give you great recommendations for books that pair well with each. I hope you are hungry!
July 6: National Fried Chicken Day. Fried chicken is a staple at every summer picnic across America. From my own experience, the chicken is usually purchased from a name brand such as KFC or Walmart. Rarely do I get to enjoy some home cooked fried chicken. Check out Fried and True by Lee Schrager for 50 different fried chicken and sides recipes. Interested in chicken on the lighter side? Weightwatchers Ultimate Chicken Cookbook has more than 250 healthy recipes with chicken.
July 9: National Sugar Cookie Day. Anybody and I mean anybody can make sugar cookies. For the novice baker, I would suggest purchasing the already prepared dough from the store. All you do is put the pieces on a cookie sheet, bake and decorate! Decorating after all is the best part. Whether you are using icing from the can or making your own, it’s always fun. If you love decorating sugar cookies take a look at 50 Deliciously Decorative Cookies by Fiona Pearce. This book is full of creative cookies. For a twist on a cookie, try Smart Cookie by Christi Johnstone. It’s decorating without the baking!
July 12: National Pecan Pie Day. I still remember the first time I ever tried to bake a pie. It was a sad looking apple pie, but it tasted great. Over time my pies improved and today they are absolutely gorgeous. Making a pie from scratch may seem daunting, but I encourage anyone who has interest to give it a try. We have the perfect book to get you started! Pie School by Kate Lebo includes 50 different pie recipes and all her pie baking secrets.
July 19: National Ice Cream Day. Nothing says summer like a scoop of ice cream on a hot day. If you love ice cream you definitely want to read Scoop Adventures by Lindsay Clendanial. In her book are the best ice cream recipes from each of the 50 states. In the Quad Cities we are home to an ice cream establishment that is known throughout the country. To learn more about its history visit the Whitey’s Ice Cream.
July 30: National Cheesecake Day. Cheesecake is much easier to bake than a pie and comes in just as many wonderful flavors. You will need a springform pan which can be purchased anywhere that sells baking pans. Once you have that, you are good go. The Cheesecake Bible by George Geary contains 200 different recipes for making cheesecake. You can be making your own cheesecake in no time! If you’d rather go to a restaurant, try the Phoenix in Davenport. They have excellent cheesecake.