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July 30:

July 30: “In God We Trust”

On this day in 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a law officially declaring "In God We Trust" to be the nation's official motto.

The first paper money with the phrase "In God We Trust" was not printed until 1957.

Do you know when the phrase "under God" was inserted into the pledge of allegiance?

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/president-eisenhower-signs-in-god-we-trust-into-law

July 29:

July 29: National Lasagna Day

Several origin stories surround lasagna, and a couple point to Ancient Greece as the birthplace of this cheesy comfort food - including one that the name stems from the type of serving dish, lasonon, used to bake lasagna. Now characteristic of central Italy, lasagna has many flavorful variations, depending on the region.

What better place to celebrate this special day than Muriale’s Restaurant! At Muriale’s, “their sauce is their signature.” They have been serving southern Italian cuisine since 1969.

Muriale’s Restaurant is featured in the 101 Unique Places to Dine in WV brochure produced by the West Virginia Division of Tourism. Stop by the visitor center to pick up your FREE copy to see their other 100 recommendations.

July 28:

July 28: National Dance Day

National Dance Day was created by Nigel Lythgoe, executive producer and judge for the So You Think You Can Dance television series. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, a long-time proponent of healthy lifestyles, introduced a National Dance Day resolution to promote dance education and physical fitness across the U.S.

National Dance Day is an annual event and "grassroots initiative to encourage the nation, young and old, to move!" in the United States.

The Dizzy Feet Foundation has commissioned two routines for this year, including a Hip-Hop Master Class and, for the first time, a Zumba routine.

July 27:

July 27: Bugs Bunny made his cartoon debut

Bugs Bunny was “born” in 1940 in Brooklyn, NY. His accent is a cross between a Brooklyn accent and a Bronx accent.

The character Bugs Bunny was influenced by an early Disney character, Max Hare. Bugs Bunny appeared in his first short cartoon in 1938, entitled Porky's Hare Hunt. The cartoon short was directed by Ben “Bugs” Hardaway and Cal Dalton. Porky Pig was a hunter against a prey (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck) which was more interested in driving Porky crazy rather than run away from him.

Bugs Bunny made his second cartoon appearance 1939, in a cartoon entitled Prest-O-Change-O, in which he plays the rabbit of a magician who is never seen on camera.

Bugs Bunny's fourth and probably most memorable appearance was in the 1940 short cartoon entitled Elmer's Candid Camera, in which both characters would meet and start a long war that is still very much alive today. The personality in which Bugs Bunny is famous for emerged in 1940 on Tex Avery's Wild Hare.

It was in this episode that for the first time, Bugs Bunny would come up out of his rabbit hole and utter the now famous quote "what's up, Doc?" to Elmer Fudd. On Bugs Bunny's seventh television appearance, he finally got the name Bugs Bunny.

In 1942 Bugs Bunny would undergo a few redesigns to his front teeth to make them stand out more; his head was also redesigned to look more round.

Bugs Bunny was also very popular during World War II, appearing in a two minute U.S war bonds commercial called Any Bonds Today. In 1944 Bugs Bunny was at odds with a group of Japanese soldiers, Bugs was praised for this during World War II, but the cartoon has since been pulled from distribution due to its stereotypes.

Check out this War Bond commercial: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xg14p_u-s-war-bonds-commercial-bugs-bunny_news

http://voices.yahoo.com/the-history-bugs-bunny-complete-history-of-65160.html

July 26:

July 26: First U.S. Post Office opens

Stamp use in the United States started in 1847

On this day in 1775, the U.S. postal system is established with Benjamin Franklin as its first postmaster general. Prior to that, mail was typically left at inns and taverns.

Among other improvements, Franklin also debuted the first rate chart, which standardized delivery costs based on distance and weight.

July 25:

July 25: National Culinary Arts Month

“You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients” – Julia Child

This month-long celebration is to promote awareness of professional cooks and chefs and their contributions to new culinary trends and dining excellence. So dine out during the month of July and remember to thank your favorite chef!

Considering a future in the culinary arts? Know that employment in Food service is typically not very sensitive to economic conditions, and rates of employment are expected to remain consistent, according to the US Dept. of Labor. In fact, according to National Restaurant Association, the restaurant industry employs an estimated 13 million people, or 9% of the U.S. workforce and is expected and is expected to add almost two million jobs over the next decade.

The nationally recognized Culinary Arts specialization (accredited through the American Culinary Federation) at Pierpont Community & Technical College provides an outstanding foundation for students interested in pursuing a career in the food service industry.

Find out more at http://www.pierpont.edu/schoolofhumanservices/academics/culinary-arts

Fancy yourself as a home chef? See what you need to know about a safe work station at: http://wvde.state.wv.us/player.php?m=f&vid=nutrition/01-workstation-setup

July 24:

July 24: National Drive-Thru Day

A drive-through, or drive-thru, is a type of service provided by a business that allows customers to purchase products without leaving their cars. The format was first pioneered in the United States in the 1930s.

The first recorded use of a bank using a drive up window teller was the Grand National Bank of St. Louis, Missouri in 1930. The drive up teller only allowed deposits at that time period.

Drive through service in the U.S became popular in the restaurant industry in the 1940s. California sunshine and a love affair with automobiles spurred the growth of roadside businesses catering specifically to motorists after WW II.

Today drive thru service is offered in a wide array of industries – everything from alcohol, postal services, coffee, prescriptions, marriages (mostly in Las Vegas), funeral homes and dry cleaners.

Celebrate this invention and enjoy the beat of the Drive Thru Rap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWTYyx6PLZY

Which drive thru service do you use most often?

July 23:

July 23: Vanilla Ice Cream Day

Eating ice cream too fast causes what's known as brain freeze or an ice cream headache. The nerve center that is located above the roof of the mouth reacts to the cold by dilating the blood vessels in your head. Cure this by placing your tongue on the roof of your mouth to warm the nerve center and speed up recovery.

Vanilla ice cream isn't credited to a single inventor, but several countries had their own recipes. The first documented use of ice cream or its variant came from Alexander the Great, who reigned in 336 B.C. to 323 B.C. He ordered treats of flavored ice with fruit and honey toppings. Only the rich and privileged could have this treat because it required access to specially designed cellars underground. Arabs used sherbet, made of ice and sugary syrup, to cool body temperature and heal the sick.

The origins of ice cream, made of ice and milk, were in China. Marco Polo discovered the recipe for creamed ice from Kublai Khan (1214-1294) when he visited China during the 13th century. He brought this recipe to Italy, and this formula spread throughout the world. It first emerged in France, and then England; each country modified the recipe along the way. Mexico first exported vanilla to Asia and Africa during the 16th century, and vanilla soon became one of the flavors used in ice cream.

Original vanilla and French vanilla are the two distinguished types of vanilla ice cream. Both use vanilla beans, but French vanilla uses a custard base of egg yolks in the recipe, giving the ice cream a darker hue and floral fragrance. Credit for the French vanilla recipe comes from France, and Thomas Jefferson is credited with bringing this recipe to the United States. Original vanilla ice cream recipes use vanilla with cream and sugar, whereas some recipes in the French style use butter instead of cream.

Read some interesting facts about vanilla at http://www.ice-cream-recipes.com/about_vanilla.htm

http://www.ehow.com/about_4728539_vanilla-ice-cream.html