April 20, 2022 - National Banana Day | National Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Day

Welcome to April 20, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate a mysterious fruit and a cake that says Aloha. Today we celebrate one of the most popular fruits in the world. The banana. But despite how common it is, our friend the banana has been keeping plenty of secrets. First of all, they grow from bulbs not seeds. Also they are technically considered berries. And did you know that they don’t grow on trees? It turns out that banana “trees” are actually big herbs. What else are they hiding? Well, in the early 1900s, bananas became such a hot commodity that war broke out between the United States and Honduras! Thankfully we came to a peaceful resolution. On National Banana Day, we celebrate this international fruit that was once a hotbed of controversy. Pineapples have been a symbol of hospitality for centuries and for this reason they are given to guests as a present. The problem is that not everyone knows how to carve this spiky fruit. Pineapple upside down cake to the rescue! With its sweet caramelized topping and cherries peeking through the golden rings, your guests will know you thought of them and baked a perfect cake. The origins of this cake date back hundreds of years to when folks cooked in cast iron skillets. A simple way to bake was to line the skillet with fruit and pour batter over the top. When the cake is done it is inverted on a platter and the results bring an instant smile to camp chefs and home cooks alike. On National Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Day, celebrate friendship with a cake that says Aloha, no matter where you live. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices