There’s National Peanut Butter Day, and there’s National Chocolate Day. But today, July 23rd is National Peanut Butter & Chocolate Day.

Far beyond grabbing a Reese’s peanut butter cup (or the gourmet version from chocolatier Michael Recchiuti), check out these delicious peanut butter and chocolate recipes from The Nibble archives.

> The history of the peanut butter cup.

> The history of peanut butter.

> The history of chocolate.

> The history of candy.
 
 
MORE PEANUT BUTTER & CHOCOLATE RECIPES

(OR IF YOU PREFER, CHOCOLATE & PEANUT BUTTER RECIPES)

CAKE & PIE RECIPES

 
 
CANDY RECIPES

 
 
COOKIE RECIPES

 
 
ICE CREAM RECIPES

 
 
PLUS

 
 
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*Brownies are categorized as bar cookies. They are finger food, eaten without a fork.

[1] Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeye Cake. Here’s the recipe (photo © King Arthur Baking).

[2] Frozen Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie. Here’s the recipe (photo © Tieghen Gerarad | Half Baked Harvest).

[3] Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake. Here’s the recipe (photo © Plugra).

[1] Mango-Tomatillo Guacamole. The recipe is below photo © Chef Ingrid Hoffmann | Facebook).

[2] Champagne mangoes (their proper name is Ataulfo) are in season from late February to early August. They’re a smaller variety but with a creamier texture—the larger varieties tend to be fibrous (photo © I Love Mangoes).

[3] Tomatillos look like cherry tomatoes when they’re out of their husks, but the husks are a dead giveaway that they’re related to gooseberries (photo © Sunbasket).

[4] The Hass avocado is a smaller variety, but it has the creamiest flesh that’s perfect for guacamole (photo © Hass Avocado).

July 22nd is National Mango Day. Add some mango to your guacamole with this Mango-Tomatillo Guacamole recipe.

We’ve previously published a recipe for Tomatillo Guacamole, which replaces the red tomatoes in guacamole with green tomatillos.

Although they look like green cherry tomatoes, tomatillos are not green tomatoes but are related to the gooseberry. Here”s the difference between tomatoes and tomatillos.

Now, we add another ingredient to guacamole: diced mango, which adds bites of sweetness. The recipe is courtesy of Chef Ingrid Hoffmann.

The history of mangos is below.

For the plural form, both mangos and mangoes are correct.
 
 
RECIPE: MANGO-TOMATILLO GUACAMOLE

Tortilla chips are a classic pairing, but you can serve this guacamole as a topping or as a side with grilled chicken and fish, as an added layer to sandwiches, burgers, and even hot dogs. Stir some into Greek yogurt for a savory yogurt treat, dip, and sauce.

Why Hass avocadoes? There are larger avocados, but the Hass has the creamiest flesh: perfect for guacamole. Here’s more about them.
 
Ingredients For 2 Cups

 
Preparation

1. MASH the avocados with a fork in a medium bowl, leaving them still a bit chunky.

2. FOLD in the tomatillos, mango, onion, chile, cilantro, and mint. Add the lemon juice, and gently mix to evenly distribute the ingredients. Season with salt.

3. LAY a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to discourage discoloring, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. Serve with the chips for dipping.
 
 
MANGO HISTORY

While it may not look like a relative, the mango (Mangifera indica), is a member of the cashew family (Anacardiaceae*). It is one of the most widely cultivated tropical fruits of the tropical world.

The mango tree is considered indigenous to southern Asia, especially Myanmar and the Assam state of India, and numerous cultivars have been developed. Mangoes are a rich source of vitamins A, C, and D.

The word “mango” came to the English language from the Portuguese manga, from the Malay mangga.

Mangoes originated in India more than 4,000 years ago. They spread gradually throughout Asia and then to the rest of the world.

Due to the mango’s large center seed, the fruit could not be transported by birds and relied on humans to transport them across the world.

Mangos are a sacred fruit in Buddhism. The spread of Buddhism across Southeast Asia resulted in the spread of mangoes.

Persians carried mangoes across western Asia and planted seeds in east Africa in the 10th century.

The Portuguese disovered the fruit when they came to Kerala in 1498 for the spice trade. The tree was not introduced into the Western Hemisphere until about 1700, when it was planted in Brazil.

From Brazil mangoes spread throughout the Americas. They reached the West Indies about 1740 [source].

They were first planted in Barbados in 1742 and by the early 19th century were being grown in Mexico. Mangoes were not really grown in the U.S. until the 1800s.

Mango flavor has been described as a mix of oranges, peaches, and pineapples. Today most mangoes found in American grocery stores are grown in Florida, Mexico, Haiti, and South America. However, Asia grows 75% of all mangoes worldwide. India is the top producer [source].
 
 
> The history of avocados.

*The Anacardiaceae family also includes tasty foods like the Peruvian pepper, pistachio nuts, and the spice sumac. But it also includes poison ivy and poison oak. Here’s more about it.

July 21st is National Lamington Day. What’s a lamington? It’s a sponge cake dipped in chocolate and topped with desiccated coconut that Australians enjoy at breakfast, afternoon tea, or dessert. A kitchen accident, it is one of Australia’s most famous desserts (the other is the Pavlova).

The classic Lamington can be single squares or layers with filling—whipped cream or jam (photo #2). Beyond squares, cooks have made Lamingtons in the shape of pies (photo #3), circles (like whoopie pies—photo #4), and loaves.

Sometimes called the national cake of Australia, you’re not likely to find Lamington’s on the shelf in the U.S., it’s the day to bake a recipe and invite your friends for tea.

A recipe is below.

(Editor’s note: In Australia, lamington is spelled with a small “l.” The Nibble’s policy is to capitalize all proper nouns. We’re sure that Lord Lamington would appreciate it.)
 
 
THE HISTORY OF THE LAMINGTON

The Australian cake was invented in Queensland, Australia. A recipe appeared in the Queensland Country Life newspaper as early as 1900.

According to Queensland Government House, the Lamington was created by the chef of the state’s governor, Lord Lamington, Charles Wallace Alexander Napier Cochrane-Baillie. But it may not be that simple.

The story is that the governor ordered his favorite yellow sponge cake to be served to guests at Government House in Brisbane when a maid-servant accidentally dropped the cake into melted chocolate.

When his Lordship was told of the accident, not wanting to waste the cake, he recommended that the cook roll the squares in coconut shavings to make a less messy finger food to eat with afternoon tea. The error was proclaimed magnificent by all [source].

How do you drop an entire plate of sponge cake squares into melted chocolate? It’s one of those far-fetched stories, but then, that’s how chocolate ganache was invented.

In addition to National Lamington Day, there is the Australian Lamington Appreciation Society (ALAS), which is committed to the preservation of the Lamington and the celebration of Lamington Day.

However, there is controversy.

Research in neighboring New Zealand notes the earlier presence of the Wellington, a double-layer sponge dessert, covered in shavings of coconut intended to imitate the snow-capped mountains of New Zealand.

“What we have here is conclusive evidence that the Lamington cake was in fact a product of New Zealand” [source]. Them’s fightin’ words!

And there’s even more shade!

Lord Lamington was not the most accomplished of governors. Extensive research by the Governors of the Australian Colonies and States produced evidence that Lord Lamington had only “one, single, solitary, positive achievement of any Governor since the First Fleet arrived in 1788,” and that was the creation of the world-famous Lamington [source].

Eating is the best revenge. Try the recipe below.
 
 
PAUL TULLY’S TRUE-BLUE DELICIOUS AUSSIE LAMINGTON RECIPE

This recipe is from Paul Tully, a city councilor in Queensland, “a fanatic devotée of the Lamington,” and creator of the Australian Lamington Appreciation Society.

You can make superfine sugar by processing granulated sugar at high speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Stop before the sugar turns into powder. Let the sugar dust settle for 30 seconds, then remove the lid.
 
Ingredients For The Cake

 
Ingredients For The Chocolate Icing

 
Preparation

1. BEAT the eggs well, gradually adding the sugar until dissolved. Add the milk and vanilla extract and then stir in the flour. Whip the butter into the mixture.

2. POUR the batter into a cake pan or Lamington baking dish and bake in a moderate oven of 180 degrees Celsius for 35 minutes. Allow the cake to cool for at least 10 minutes and then stand for 24 hours preferably in the refrigerator, before applying the icing.

[1] Lamingtons cut, dipped, and coated with coconut. Here’s the recipe (photo © Jamie Oliver).

[2] A Lamington can be a single layer or a filled “sandwich” (photo by Monica Shaw | Wikipedia).

[3] A Lamington doesn’t have to be square. Here’s the recipe for this Orange Lamington (photo © SBS).

[4] Lamington whoopie pies (photo © Frankie Magazine).

[5] Desiccated coconut (photo © Jalpur | Amazon).

3. MAKE the icing. Stir the cocoa and powdered sugar vigorously in a large bowl. Add the milk, butter, and boiling water, warming the chocolate mixture over very low heat until it has a smooth creamy texture.

4. CUT the sponge cake into equal two-inch squares. Using a fork or thin skewer, dip each piece into the chocolate mixture, ensuring that the mixture is liberally and evenly applied.

5. DIP each piece into the desiccated coconut, allowing the Lamingtons to cool on a wire tray for several hours.

By the way, the dessert is so popular that Australians can buy a “Lamington pan,” a shallow cake pan that’s 30.5 x 20.5 x 2.8 cm. In inches, that’s 12 x 8 x 1 inch
 
 
WHAT IS DESICCATED COCONUT?

Desiccated coconut is fresh coconut that has been shredded or flaked and dried. It is typically unsweetened.

Shredded coconut is dried but does retain some moisture. Here are the different types of coconut and their uses.

[2] You can make any flavor float with the soda of your choice. Here, orange soda and vanilla ice cream create a “Creamsicle” ice cream soda (photo © Jarritos Mexican Soda | Unsplash).

[2] A milkshake differs from a float by substituting milk for the soda water, and blending of the ingredients together (photo © Friendship Dairies).

June 20th is National Ice Cream Soda Day, another word for a float. A glass is filled with soda, then scoops of ice cream are added, which have the effect of floating in the soda. Hence: ice cream float. You can add whipped cream, sprinkles and a cherry (similar to photo #1), or just enjoy it au naturel* (photo #2).

When was the last time you had an ice cream soda?

Check out the recipe below, from QVC’s David Venable, which is more layered than most.

A typical strawberry float is made with strawberry soda pop and two scoops of strawberry ice cream, with an optional garnish of whipped cream and a whole strawberry. At soda fountains, soda water from the fountain tap and strawberry syrup from a pump were used to create the strawberry sodas.

While the servants of wealthy families had long hand-whipped heavy cream and crushed strawberries in a bowl of ice (the ingredients were combined in a smaller bowl that was nestled in the bowl of ice), the first printed reference to strawberry ice cream dates to 1813.

Then, First Lady Dolley Madison, who first brought ice cream to the White House, served strawberry ice cream at the second inauguration of President James Madison.

In fact, she is credited for originating the flavor, which was served during her husband, President James Madison’s, second inaugural banquet at the White House [source].

> The history of the ice cream soda.

> The history of ice cream.

> The history of strawberries. National Strawberry Ice Cream Day is January 15th.

> The differences between an ice cream soda/float, milkshake, and malted milk are below.
 
 
RECIPE: STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM SODA (A.K.A. FLOAT)

Ingredients For 2 Servings

 
Preparation

1. STIR together the jam and water in a mixing bowl. Set aside. In another mixing bowl…

2. STIR together the soda and Jell-O. Set aside.

3. DIVIDE the strawberry ice cream between two large glasses. Top the ice cream with the soda mixture, then the whipped topping, dividing both evenly between the glasses. Drizzle the jam mixture overtop and garnish each with a whole strawberry.

Trivia: In modern times, red food color is sometimes added to give the strawberry ice cream a deeper color.

Here are more David Venable Recipes on QVC.

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*In France, au naturel means cooked or served plainly. When used to refer to people, it means nude.

In previous years we’ve celebrated National Hot Dog Day, the third Wednesday in July, with articles about regional hot dog toppings, like:

 
A word from the restaurant industry:

“Don’t be fooled,” says Restaurant Hospitality, a website that advises independent restaurateurs.

“A closer look at which toppings customers specify when they purchase hot dogs indicates that most stick with old standbys, even when more exotic options can readily be had.”

Well sure: Most people stick with what they’re used to. But NIBBLE readers may be more adventurous…or is that adventuresome†?

Our own favorite toppings used to be what Mom served in our house: sauerkraut and green pickle relish with grainy deli mustard (Dad liked French’s yellow mustard, and often topped his dogs with both).

But give us a gourmet dog with bacon and blue cheese or pimento cheese and jalapeño, and we’ll have seconds. That goes for every hot dog topping in this article.

What about people who frequent hot dog restaurants? JJ’s Red Hots of Charlotte, North Carolina, offers this list of toppings in order of customer preference:
 
 
TOP 10† HOT DOG TOPPINGS PER JJ’s

1. Mustard
2. Onions
3. Chili
4. Slaw
5. Pimento cheese
6. Relish/pickles
7. Bacon
8. Sauerkraut
9. Salsa
10. Caramelized onions

Wait, JJ’s: What happened to ketchup? Don’t people in North Carolina like it?
 
 
HOW TO GARNISH A HOT DOG: THE PROPER ORDER

There is a proper order to topping a hot dog, according to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council. Condiments should be applied in the following order and always on top of the dog, not between the dog and the bun:

 
 
MORE CREATIVE HOT DOG IDEAS

 
 
HOT DOG TRIVIA

According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council:

 
 
MORE HOT DOG FACTS

[1] It makes you want to have one of each: chili, relish, bánh mì, and German-style hot dogs (photo © Gelson’s Markets).

San Francisco Hot Dog[/caption]
[2] This San Francisco hot dog culls the Bay Area’s abundant produce with a carrot, cucumber, and radish salad and herb mayonnaise (photos #2 and #4 © Applegate Organic and Natural Meats).

[3] Tommy Bahama tops hot dogs with (1) guacamole, diced tomato and jalapeño, (2) plum tomato, red onion and piquillo peppers, (3) bibb lettuce, red onion and mustard, and (4) plain old yellow mustard.

[4] This Atlanta dog is topped with Vidalia onion and peach relish.

> The history of hot dogs, including how the frankfurter became the hot dog.

> Why are hot dogs sold in packs of eight, while hot dog rolls are sold in 10-packs: The mystery revealed.
 
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*Adventurous means someone without fear and ready to accept challenges or adventures, usually with excitement. Adventuresome is someone willing to undertake adventures.

†There are regional preferences, of course: Pimento cheese is popular spread in the South; and of course, ketchup, which many Americans prefer to mustard on their dogs, is not on JJ’s Top 10 list.