September 24, 2021 – National Punctuation Day | National Cherries Jubilee Day

Welcome to September 24th, 2021 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate perfect punctuation and dramatic desserts. Anna: To my parents, Ayn Rand and God!!!! Marlo: Why are you yelling? Anna: I’m just reading the script! Marlo: Maybe you should dial down the exclamation points. Anna: Haha. Hilarious, Marlo. Well, today is National Punctuation Day and that first sentence opens up a big debate about using the Oxford comma. Marlo: Okay, I’m in on that debate. I don’t use the last comma in a series before the word “and.” Anna: Yeah! Neither do I, but defenders of the Oxford comma will site this sentence as an argument that the last comma before “and” is needed; “To my parents, Ayn Rand, and God,” so that the reader knows I am dedicating this to three separate people and not to my parents who happen to be Ayn Rand and God. Marlo: Okay, that’s way too nerdy for me. John: Without question. Anna: Ugh!!!! Nothing says celebration like the word jubilee. But how did this word get attached to cherries and set on fire for dessert? For that story we look to the renowned chef Auguste Escoffier. In honor of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee event, the chef combined her love of cherries with a simple syrup and warm brandy which he lit on fire for a dramatic finish. It turns out that Escoffier had a knack for making ladies feel special. He designed the dessert Peach Melba for Nellie Melba and a macaroon for Sarah Bernhardt bearing her name. On National Cherries Jubilee Day, celebrate something special with a flaming dessert that has passion written all over it! 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