March 1, 2022 - National Minnesota Day | National Peanut Butter Lover's Day

Welcome to March 1st, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate a city build by sinners and saints and good old monkey butter. “Pig’s Eye” Parrant arrived in Minnesota in the 1830s, selling whiskey to settlers and soldiers at Fort Snelling. This man with a “dubious reputation" set up shop nearby at Fountain Cave, using the spring water for distilling alcohol. After Pig Eye built a saloon to peddle his wares, people began coming to the area and soon it grew into a proper town. For years, this place was referred to as Pig’s Eye. That is until the Catholic Church moved in and built a house of worship. The new pastor wasn’t thrilled with a town named after such a scoundrel and proposed that it be renamed after St. Paul. On National Minnesota Day, we celebrate the North Star State and its capital city, founded by Pig Eye and named after a Saint. Many of the folks who fought during World War II have passed away, but the great war passed on some unexpected food staples that live on to this day. While food items such as hamburgers, cream and butter were in short supply during the war, one item was never rationed: good old peanut butter. Known by soldiers as monkey butter this wasn’t the smooth, creamy type that some of us prefer. To sweeten their sandwiches and keep them from sticking to the roof of their mouths, soldiers added jam. The PB and J became popular with the kids back home, and peace time brought up a new generation of monkey butter fans. On National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day celebrate this lunchtime staple with a tall glass of milk. 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