NATIONAL COCONUT CREAM PIE DAY

National Coconut Cream Pie Day on May 8th celebrates its own slice of deliciousness. This delicious pie is made with a sweet coconut cream filling. Pie lovers know a thick layer of real whipped cream topped with toasted coconut make this pie irresistible.

There are plenty of pie holidays on the National Day Calendar. In fact, every month includes at least one. The last pie holiday we celebrated was National Blueberry Pie Day, kicking off the blueberry season. However, unlike blueberries, coconut trees produce their fruit all year long. And the milk and meat are processed for canning and drying, making it easily accessible for year-round baking.

If you save your celebrating for the pie holidays, this is the only one in May. The next one doesn't come along until June 9th on National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day, and for pie lovers, that's a bit of a wait. Bake up a coconut cream pie. It won't take long, and you won't be disappointed. If you need a recipe, we found one for you to try. Share your favorite recipes, too!

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The first Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show opens at Gilmore's Gardens in New York City. Thirty-five breeds were represented by approximately 1,200 dogs.

In Atlanta, Ga, Dr. John Pemberton launched his altered, alcohol-free tonic called Coca-Cola. In face of prohibition, Pemberton's elixir sold as a temperance drink, though another ingredient contained a form of cocaine (the coca plant is a source). Eventually, a process removing the cocaine from the coca leaves left Coca-Cola free of the schedule II drug.

World War II in Europe officially comes to an end with the unconditional surrender of Germany. Victory in Japan would come three months later.

Nancy Mace graduates from The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. She is the first woman to graduate from the military college.

While the exact date of her birth is uncertain, history records Phillis Wheatley as the first African American woman to publish a book of poems. She was educated by her Boston slave-holders and soon after the publication of her first book Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, was emancipated.

In 1863, the Swiss businessman co-founded the International Committee for Relief to the Wounded. The organization is known today as the International Federation of the Red Cross.

Harry S. Truman took office after the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945. Within a few months, the war in Germany ended, atomic bombs ended the war in Japan, and the Cold War began. In 1948, Truman famously defeated Thomas Dewey by a narrow margin for reelection. He set out to create social reform with his New Deal and supported the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The American-born sumo wrestler emigrated to Japan. In 1993, he became the first non-Japanese-born sumo wrestler to earn the rank of Yokozuna - the highest rank in Japan's national sport.

Keep this chocolate pie in reserve for that horrible
moment when the coconut cream pie disappears.

Not Nearly Enough Chocolate Cream Pie
Chocolate graham crust, decadent chocolate cream filling, fresh whipped cream topping.

Ing Crust 1 1/2 cups chocolate grahams, about 10 crackers 8 tbl butter, plus more for greasing 1/4 cup dk/brown sugar 1 tbl Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa

Filling 3 1/2 cups half-and-half 8 tbl butter, in chunks 2/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch 9 egg yolks 9 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped 1 1/2 tsps vanilla

Topping 2 cups heavy cream 2 tbls sugar 1 tsp vanilla dark chocolate or choc/chips garnish

Instructions Crust: Butter bottom and sides of 9-inch pie plate. Set aside. Heat butter and brown sugar in a saucepan until sugar dissolves.Pour the mixture into a medium bowl and combine with the chocolate graham cracker crumbs and cocoa, until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Transfer the crumbs to a 9-inch pie plate. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crumbs to the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Bake until set, about 10-15 minutes. Let the crust cool while you make the filling.

Filling: Heat half and half to simmer. Remove offheat. In a large heat-proof bowl, whisk smooth sugar and cornstarch, add egg yolks and whisk smooth. Pour the hot half-and-half into yolk mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Keep pouring, whisking constantly, until you’ve added all the hot half-and-half. Once all of the half and half has been added, pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until bubbles rise to the surface and mixture is very thick, about 3–4 minutes. (coats back of a spoon).

Remove pan from heat and add the butter and chopped chocolate to the hot mixture in small handfuls. Mix together until thoroughly incorporated. (it should look like a big pot of hot chocolate pudding) Stir in the vanilla and whisk to incorporate, then immediately pour the filling through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Spatula strained filling into the baked/cooled crust. Press saran directly on the surface and refrigerate til filling is cold and firm, at least 4-24 hours.

Topping: When ready to serve, whip heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla to stiff peaks. Spread over chilled filling; garnish w/ chocolate. Serve immediately.

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