July 12, 2022 - National Pecan Pie Day | Eat Your Jello Day

Welcome to July 12th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate satisfying your sweet tooth and playing with your food. Pecan pie has been a Southern favorite since the 1800s, though its origins are a bit of a mystery. It all began with a simple custard of sugar, eggs, nuts, sweet milk and flour in a recipe that was published as Texas Pecan Pie. A version of this pie can be traced to Louisiana in the early 1800s but the Texas version was published in 1897 and folks began copying it ever since. Then in the 1930s the wife of an executive at Karo syrup company was said to have discovered a new use for corn syrup. She claimed to be the creator of the recipe that is now printed on every bottle of Karo syrup. It might not be an actual conspiracy but on National Pecan Pie Day go ahead and celebrate your favorite recipe that sums up the phrase, as sweet as pie. Jello has been a popular dessert with families everywhere. What you may not know is that Jello also played a part in one of the most beloved movies of all time. In the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy and friends arrive at the Emerald City and meet the Horse of a Different Color. Because all film effects were practical at the time, the horse needed to be colored for each shot. Paint wasn’t a good choice because it would hurt the animal. But then someone came up with the idea to make a paste out of Jello powder and covered the horse’s body. This safe and easy solution was perfect—except for the fact that the horse kept licking it off between takes. On Eat Your Jello Day, it’s okay to celebrate by playing with your food! 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