National Coq Au Vin Day falls on May 29 each year, and we couldn’t be more grateful for yet another day dedicated to French food. Not only does this holiday expand our cultural horizons, but our waistline, too! The name of the dish literally means ‘rooster-in-wine’ and it could not be simpler, since it originally was a dish made by French peasants. You may have heard the phrase “A chicken in every pot”, erroneously credited to President Hoover. The real propounder was King Henry IV of France, who wished that all his subjects would have a chicken in their pots every Sunday. Pronounced ‘cuhk oh van,’ it’s a dish made of chicken braised in a garlicky, mushroomy, bacon-lard sauce; with plenty of wine added.
Learn About Composting Day
Get out your gardening gloves — May 29 is National Learn About Composting Day! We all want to do our part to conserve natural resources and reduce our carbon footprint. Composting is not only an environmentally safe fertilizer but it can help you save water, energy, fuel, and money! It also keeps toxins from getting in our run-off and groundwater through the use of chemical- based commercial fertilizers. The use of a natural fertilizer made from compost will make your garden hospitable to wildlife helpers like honeybees, hummingbirds and of course, worms!
So, what it compost? Compost is organic matter that has decomposed. In a garden, decomposition is a good thing! Compost can be made from kitchen scraps, lawn clippings, newspapers, leaves wood chips, coffee grinds — almost any food products except for processed foods (no Twinkies in the compost!) and meat or fish products. Composting saves resources, and because of its high nutrient content, it adds to soil stability and reduces soil disease. It will help your garden grow lush and promote healthy growth in seedlings and plants. It’s for all these reasons gardeners call compost “black gold”. Composting allows you to accomplish the big environmental three: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
Don’t Fry Day
Don’t Fry Day is celebrated on the Friday before Memorial Day (last Monday of May), which falls on May 22 this year. And yes, the pun is intended. It has been designated by the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention as a reminder for everyone to protect their skin as they usher in the summer and prepare to enjoy the great outdoors. It is also to raise awareness about sun- safety methods and all the harmful effects that overexposure can have. According to the organization, the motto for National Don’t Fry Day is ‘Slip, slop, slap and wrap’ — slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen with the appropriate SPF (30 +), slap on a wide-brimmed hat, and wrap some cool shades on those eyes!