Posted on 03/24/2025 1:01:46 PM PDT by Red Badger
NATIONAL CHOCOLATE COVERED RAISIN DAY
When it comes to a National Day, a chocolate-covered raisin or a box of them is worth celebrating. On March 24th, National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day celebrates raisins coated in a shell of either milk chocolate or dark chocolate.
#ChocolateCoveredRaisinDay
Moviegoers have been snacking on chocolate-covered raisins for many, many years. Somehow, popcorn, a box of chocolate-covered raisins go together perfectly. It doesn't matter the kind of movie either. Chocolate-covered raisins are also a conventional bulk vending item across the country.
More than 1 million Raisinets are produced per hour.
In some countries, chocolate-covered raisins are known as Raisinets. Raisinets produced the first and one of the most popular brands of the product. Currently made by Nestle, they are the third-largest selling candy in United States history. The Blumenthal Chocolate Company introduced the Raisinets to the United States in 1927, and then in 1984, Nestle acquired the brand. However, a large number of other brands produce chocolate-covered raisins for us to enjoy.
Raisins are an excellent source of calcium, potassium, iron, fiber, and vitamin B. When you combine the raisins with dark chocolate, you have a great-tasting, healthy snack.
HOW TO OBSERVE CHOCOLATE COVERED RAISIN DAY
Enjoy your favorite brand of chocolate-covered raisins.
Find a recipe and make your own chocolate-covered raisins.
Use #ChocolateCoveredRaisinDay to post on social media.
Certified Chocoholic
CHOCOLATE COVERED RAISIN DAY HISTORY
National Day Calendar continues to research the origins of this snack food holiday.
Chocolate Covered Raisin FAQ
Q. What kinds of chocolate are raisins covered in?
A. Raisins can be covered in either white, milk, or dark chocolate.
Q. How many calories are in a serving of chocolate-covered raisins?
A. A 1/4 cup serving of chocolate-covered raisins contains approximately 190 calories.
March 24th Celebrated History
1882
Robert Koch reports that he isolated and grew tubercle bacillus.
1958
The U.S. Army drafts Elvis Presley.
1989
The Exxon Valdez spills 270,000 barrels of oil into Alaska's Prince William Sound causing the worst oil spill in history. The environmental and economic costs were devastating.
1993
Eugene and Carolyn Shoemaker and David Levy discover a comet orbiting Jupiter when they take a photograph using a Schmidt telescope.
2002
Halle Berry wins the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Monster's Ball. It is the only time the Academy has awarded an Oscar to an African American leading lady in its history to date.
March 24th Celebrated Birthdays
Harry Houdini - 1874
One of the world's most renowned magicians, Harry Houdini was known for his escapology. Houdini developed a range of stage magic tricks and made full use of a variety of conjuring techniques. They included fake equipment and collusion with individuals in the audience. He was both a savvy businessman and an exceptional showman.
Dorothy Height - 1912
During the Civil Rights Movement, Height played a pivotal role, serving as president of the National Council of Negro Women. She spoke on behalf of both African Americans and women in her efforts for equality. Height has been the hero of many generations of racial minorities as she advised presidents and government committees. Three presidents honored her with medals. The first in 1989, President Ronald Regan presented Height with the Citizens Medal Award. In 1994, President Bill Clinton presented her with the Medal of Freedom. President George Bush honored her with the Congressional Gold Medal in 2004.
Louie Anderson - 1953
The Emmy-winning American comedian and actor developed his career throughout the 1980s, '90s, and early 2000s. Anderson earned his first two Emmy's for an animated series he created and produced for Fox in 1995 called Life with Louie. In 2016, he landed the role of Christine Baskets on the comedy series Baskets. The role led to his third Emmy win.
Jim Parsons - 1973
The award-winning American Actor is best known for his role as Sheldon Cooper in the long-running comedy series The Big Bang Theory. He can also be seen in The Boys in the Band, Hollywood, and A Kid Like Jake.
Peyton Manning - 1976
The American quarterback played 18 seasons in the National Football League. Manning played his first 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts during his career. In 2007, he led the Colts to a Super Bowl win, beating the Chicago Bears 27-17. Manning became a Denver Bronco in 2012. He would bring home his second Super Bowl ring in 2016 by defeating the Carolina Panthers 24-10.
Notable Birthdays for March 24
Rufus King (1755-1827) - Delegate to the Continental Congress and one of the signers of the U.S. Constitution.
Matilda Joslyn Gage (1826-1898) - Activist of women and Native American rights.
John Wesley Powell (1834-1902) - First explorer of the Grand Canyon.
Augustine Sackett (1841-1914) - Inventor of drywall.
Frank Weston Benson (1862-1951) - Realistic and Impressionist painter.
Charles Daniels (1885-1973) - Olympic gold medal swimmer who created the front crawl swimming style.
John Rock (1890-1984) - Co-developer of birth control.
Lucia Chase (1897-1986) - Ballerina who co-founded the American Ballet Theater.
Ub Iwerks (1901-1971) - Animator and co-creator of Mickey Mouse.
Janet Harmon Bragg (1907-1993) - The first female Black aviator to hold a commercial pilot's license.
Clyde Barrow (1909-1934) - Bank robber, outlaw and half of the crime duo Bonnie and Clyde.
Joseph Barbera (1911-2006) - Co-founder of the Hanna-Barbera animation company.
Dorothy Height (1912-2010) - Credited with being the first leader in the civil rights movement.
Lawrence Ferlinghetti (1919-2021) - Co-founder of the City Lights Bookstore (San Francisco).
Norman Fell (1924-1998) - Actor fondly remembered for his quirky role as Mr. Roper on the Three's Company.
Byron Janis (1928-2024) - Considered one of the most influential pianists of the 20th Century.
Bob Mackie (1940-Still Living) - Fashion designer to the stars.
R. Lee Ermey (1944-2018) - Marine drill instructor turned actor who played Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in the movie Full Metal Jacket.
Robert T. Bakker (1945-Still Living) - American paleontologist who studied dinosaurs.
Kitty O'Neil (1946-2018) - Stuntwoman and race car driver who held the record as the fastest woman in the world (land speed) until 2019.
Tommy Hilfiger (1951-Still Living) - Fashion designer and founder of the Tommy Hilfiger Corporation.
Louie Anderson (1953-2022) - Comedian.
Donna Pescow (1954-Still Living) - Actor who played Annette in Saturday Night Fever.
Jim Parsons (1973-Still Living) - Actor who played Sheldon on the sitcom The Big Bang Theory.
Alyson Hannigan (1974-Still Living) - Actress who played Michelle in the American Pie series and Lily in the t.v. series How I Met Your Mother.
Peyton Manning (1976-Still Living) - NFL quarterback nicknamed the "Sheriff."
Memorable Events for March 24
1868 - The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company is formed.
1900 - Ground is broken for the new underground "Rapid Transit Railroad," linking Manhattan and Brooklyn.
1942 - The U.S. government begins moving native-born citizens with Japanese ancestry into detention centres (Executive Order 9066) in order to prevent acts of espionage during the war.
1944 - A total of 76 allied prisoners of war break out of the German camp Stalag Luft III.
1945 - British, US & Canadian paratroopers participate in the largest one-day airborne operation of all time to land in Northern Germany.
1947 - Congress proposes a two-term limit for the Presidency.
1958 - Elvis Presley joins the Army.
1966 - Selective Service gives college deferments based on academic performance.
1977 - Lily Tomlin becomes the first woman to sing a solo on Broadway.
1989 - Exxon tanker 10.8 million gallons of crude oil in Prince William Sound (AK).
2018 - U.S. military use drones for the first time to bomb Al-Qaeda.
Another Chocolate Day Ping!.................
I’m having some double-dipped chocolate coated peanuts. Do they count?
Close enough for Government work!.....................
used to love raisins, as a kid...
i still wonder why raisins in call raisins and not dried grape.
From Merriam Webster:
Middle English, from Anglo-French, grape, raisin, from Latin racemus cluster of grapes or berries
From Wiktionary:
From Middle English raysyn, borrowed from Anglo-Norman reysin (“grape, raisin”), from Late Latin racīmus, from Latin racēmus. Possibly a distant cognate of Persian رز (raz, “vine”).
Raisins are yummy, but chocolate covered raisins stick to your teeth and cause cavities. And plain raisins do to a lesser extent. Kids love them.
Some health freaks don’t eat anything that isn’t good for them. I’m one of them.
Just keep them away from the doggies.
Shiraz is a city in present-day Iran, and the name refers to the wine produced around the city.
The earliest reference to Shiraz is on Elamite clay tablets dated to 2000 BC, found in June 1970 during digging for the construction of a brick kiln in the southwest corner of the city. The name Shiraz also appears on clay sealings found at a 2nd-century CE Sassanid ruin, east of the city.
The name "Shiraz" is an alternative name for the Syrah grape, mostly used in Australia and South Africa. The name "syrah" was apparently altered in English on the mistaken notion that the grape was brought to Europe from the Middle East by Crusaders
I didn’t realize that until I saw it today. Bad for cats, too.
For the same reasons dried plums are called “prunes.”
Or why coriander is not called “dried cilantro seeds.”
You wanted logic? It’s the English language!
In U.S. English, coriander refers to the plant, while cilantro refers to its leaves.
But cilantro is also the Spanish word for the whole plant.
Clear as mud.
Right you are. Here’s some more fun info from Grok in response to “Does “coriander” refer to the entire cilantro plant or just the dried and crushed seeds?”
The term “coriander” can be a bit of a linguistic chameleon, depending on where you are and what you’re talking about. In American English, “coriander” typically refers specifically to the dried and crushed (or whole) seeds of the Coriandrum sativum plant, while “cilantro” is used for the fresh leaves and stems—the green, herbaceous parts often chopped into salsa or sprinkled on tacos. So, in the U.S., if you buy “coriander” at the spice rack, you’re getting seeds, not the whole plant.
But zoom out globally, and it gets messier. In British English, Indian English, and many other places, “coriander” often encompasses the entire plant—seeds, leaves, stems, and all. You might see “coriander leaves” on a UK recipe or hear an Indian chef call the fresh greens “coriander” without batting an eye. The seeds might be specified as “coriander seeds” or “ground coriander” to distinguish them, but the plant as a whole falls under the coriander umbrella.
Botanically, it’s all one plant: Coriandrum sativum, an annual herb in the parsley family (Apiaceae). The seeds and leaves just play different culinary roles—seeds bring a warm, citrusy, nutty vibe to spices like garam masala or pickling blends, while the leaves deliver that pungent, love-it-or-hate-it freshness (some folks swear it tastes like soap, thanks to genetics). Historically, the plant’s been around forever—coriander seeds were found in Tutankhamun’s tomb, and the name traces back to the Greek kóriannon, possibly linked to a word for “bedbug” due to the seeds’ funky smell when unripe.
(”some folks swear it tastes like soap, thanks to genetics” — another example of the “asparagus urine” effect!)
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I’ve liked cilantro from the first time I had it in a dish. It was different for my husband - it tasted ‘soapy’ to him, at first; but now he likes it.
So, I don’t know how much is really ‘genetic’ and how much is just an acquired taste.
I remember I first had cilantro on a Vietnamese “Bahn Mi” pork sandwich maybe 40 years ago. It was the perfect complement to that sandwich!
It goes very well with lots of dishes, Asian, Indian, Mexican.
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