June (2012) Fun Food Holidays

June is bustin' out all over......and you will be, too, if you celebrate all the month has to offer.

I have no earthly idea why the first month of summer is also dedicated to a food usually associated with fall and winter holidays, but there it is; June is National Turkey Lover's Month, so gobble some up.

June is also the month in which we celebrate steakhouses, seafood, fresh fruits and vegetables, papaya, iced tea, and candy. And, of course, it is also National Dairy Month.

We start the month with a tribute to hazelnut cake on June 1 and then quickly follow that with a helping of rocky road ice cream on its nationally dedicated day of June 2.

Whether hazelnut or any other variety, you have break some eggs to make a cake, so get cracking on June 3, National Egg Day.

June 4 is a big food day, combining cheese, frozen yogurt, and cognac all on the same day, but probably not on the same plate.

Get a jump on the Christmas season and begin building your gingerbread house on June 5, National Gingerbread Day.

What is it with cake and ice cream this month? June 6 is National Applesauce Cake Day and June 7 is National Chocolate Ice Cream Day.

Grab a jelly-filled doughnut in honor of its special day on June 8 and follow it up with a celebratory slice of strawberry-rhubarb pie on June 9.

I planted same basil the other day. It's doing well, but I don't think it will be ready to harvest in time for Herbs and Spice Day on June 10. But that won't keep me from enjoying some iced tea or a black cow, companion beverages that share the day. And in case you didn't know, a “black cow” is made not with Angus beef, but with root beer and ice cream.

More cake! National German Chocolate Cake Day is June 11 and the 12^th is a good day to grab some peanut butter cookies.

Okay, I'm serious about this one. June 13 is Kitchen Klutzes of America Day and you can even send your favorite kitchen klutz an online greeting card at either http://www.bluemountain.com/ecards/june/on-this-date/pn/6-13-kitchen-klutzes-of-america-day/card-3004600 or http://www.americangreetings.com/ecards/celebrate-the-date/6-13-kitchen-klutzes-of-america-day-ecard/pn/3004600. Really.

Haul out your American flag for Flag Day on June 14 and celebrate with a slice or two of strawberry shortcake because it's also National Strawberry Shortcake Day.

Enjoy some lobster on June 15, some fudge on June 16, and on June 17 you get the chance to make your mama happy. It's Eat All Your Veggies Day. And as a reward for eating your veggies, chow down on apple strudel, also recognized on that day.

International Picnic Day is June 18. Making sure your picnic basket contains a cherry tart will enable you to cover two bases at once.

How about a nice dry martini? One would certainly be in order on its designated day, June 19.

A couple of delicious summer treats mark the beginning of summer; the vanilla milkshake is feted as summer begins on June 20 and peaches and cream are the order of the day for June 21.

Onion rings and chocolate eclairs share the day on June 22. Probably not in the same sitting, though.

Enjoy some pecan sandies on June 23 and some pralines on the 24^th.

Strawberry parfait rules the day on June 25, then the next few days belong to pudding; chocolate pudding on the 26^th, Indian pudding on the 27^th, and tapioca on the 28^th. Well, the 28^th is not technically a celebration of tapioca pudding, just tapioca.

Some almond buttercrunch is called for on June 29 and cap off June on the last day of the month by grabbing an ice cream soda in celebration of National Ice Cream Soda Day.

Happy summertime eating!