October 30, 2022 - National Cookbook Month | National Candy Corn Day

Welcome to October 30, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate culinary adventures and a season of sweets. No matter how crazy or inventive recipes from today’s top chefs seem to be, they’d have a hard time rivaling anything in the Libro de arte coquinaria. This 15th-Century cookbook was compiled by the chef of an Italian cardinal and is housed in the Library of Congress. So what makes this particular book so special? Well, for starters, it is the first known cookbook to list both ingredients and instructions. And it’s also full of wild recipes like “How to Dress a Peacock With All Its Feathers, So That When Cooked, It Appears to Be Alive and Spews Fire From Its Beak.” That’s literally the title of the recipe. Try to top that, Food Network. During National Cookbook Month, take a walk on the wild side and try a new adventure. Candy corn was invented in the 1800s and originally called Chicken Corn. At the time, most Americans were farmers and candy shaped like vegetables were all the rage. During World War II, sugar had to be rationed, so the makers of candy corn cut back production and limited sales to the Fall. Trick or treating became popular around the same time, so candy corn became synonymous with Halloween. These days you can find all kinds of varieties including pumpkin spice and caramel apple. If you’re a fan then indulge your sweet tooth on National Candy Corn Day. And if not celebrate the fact that it’s only around a short while. 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