This high-quality gingerbread house is “haunted” for Halloween.

Designed exclusively for Mackenzie Ltd., purveyors of fine gourmet foods, this spooky house is 100% edible.

Handmade with quality gingerbread, creepy (and tasty) characters decorate the house, along with candy corn, gumdrops, and other treats.

Delightful and delicious for kids and adults alike, the gingerbread house gets five-star reviews from givers and recipients alike.

The recipients will like it so much, it may become your annual Halloween gift!

Get yours here.
 
 
> The history of the gingerbread house.

> The history of Halloween.

> The history of the Jack o’Lantern.

> The history of Trick or Treat.
 
 
 
 

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[1] Nibble, nibble, little mouse. Who’s that nibbling at my house? (photos © Mackenzie Ltd.).

[2] Up-close and personal with yummy ghouls.

[1] Apple cobbler, one of our Top 10 desserts (photo © Pillsbury).

[2] Banana pudding, layered with whipped cream and Nilla wafers (photo © M. Sheldrake | iStock Photo).

[3] Fudgy brownies (photo © Cafe Delites).

[4] Carrot cake with a whopping four layers and cream cheese filling and frosting (photo © Sweet Street Desserts).

[5] Cheesecake with blueberry topping (photo © Pixabay | Pexels).

[6] Chocolate mousse (photo © Morton’s The Steakhouse).

[7] Crème brûlée (photo © Mad Max Chef | Unsplash).

[8] Key lime pie (photo © La Tourangelle | Facebook).

[9] Lemon bars (photo © King Arthur Baking).

[10] Rice pudding. Here’s the recipe (photo © Cafe Delites).

[11] Runner-up: pecan pie (photo © Sara Cervera | Wesual | Unsplash).

[12] Runner-up: blondies (photo © King Arthur Baking).

Updated September 2026

October 14th is National Dessert Day. How about a dessert party? More specifically, a potluck dessert party?

Here’s how we put one together (and there’s a second opportunity on September 4th, National Eat An Extra Dessert Day):

• Last month we asked a dozen friends and neighbors to name their favorite desserts, noting that we’d have a potluck dessert party on National Dessert Day.
• We assigned the desserts, told everyone to have an early, light dinner, and to arrive for dessert at 8 p.m.
• We provided after-dinner drinks: Cognac, liqueurs (Amaretto, Bailey’s Irish Cream, Frangelico, Grand Marnier, Kahlúa, Sambuca), Port, and sherry, plus coffee and tea.
• Everything is self-service. We turned the dining room table into a buffet table.

Below:

> Dessert party: what we served.

> The year’s 200+ dessert holidays January through July.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The year’s 200+ dessert holidays August through December.

> The history of dessert.

> The history of sugar.
 
 
OUR 10 PARTY DESSERTS

How to choose which desserts to include was a task, but we made practical decisions. Self-service had to be easy, meaning pies were out; different people making their own cuts would make a mess.

• Cakes and pies were made in sheet pans and cut into squares for easy self-service.
• Fruit pies wouldn’t work in this manner, but cobblers will, and they deliver the same flavors as pie.
• Favorites like chocolate soufflé and lava cake were sidelined because they deflate.
• Similarly, scooping ice cream requires effort and can make a mess. Better to throw a separate make-your-own-sundae party.

Thus, this list of finalists. (The corresponding photos are at left.)

• Apple Cobbler
• Banana Pudding
• Brownies
• Carrot Cake (squares)
• Cheesecake (squares)
• Chocolate Mousse
• Crème Brûlée
• Key Lime Pie
• Lemon Bars
• Rice Pudding

 
 
DESSERT HOLIDAYS

How many dessert holidays are there? In American cuisine alone, almost 200 (114 on this page alone, January through July), not counting baklava, cannoli, and other international favorites.

The list of holidays is so long that we’ve divided it. HHere’s Part 2, August through December.

Note that some of these holidays may not seem like “dessert.” Our thought was, for example:

• If it’s a jelly bean holiday, use them to garnish a cake or cupcakes.
• If it’s a waffle holiday, serve them a la mode with dessert sauce.
• Et cetera.

 
January Dessert Holidays

• January 2nd: National Cream Puff Day
• January 3rd: Fruitcake Toss Day¹
• January 5th: National Whipped Cream Day
• January 6th: National Walker’s Shortbread Day
• January 13th: National Peach Melba Day
• January 15th: National Strawberry Ice Cream Day
• January 22nd: National Blonde Brownie Day
• January 23rd: International Sticky Toffee Pudding Day
• January 23rd: National Pie Day
• January 23rd: National Rhubarb Pie Day
• January 26th: National Peanut Brittle Day
• January 27th: National Chocolate Cake Day

 
> Beyond dessert: more January food holidays.
 
 
February Dessert Holidays

• February: Celebration of Chocolate Month
• February: Great American Pie Month
• February, second full week: National Jell-O Week
• February 1st: National Baked Alaska Day
• February 2nd: National Crêpe Day
• February 3rd: National Carrot Cake Day
• February 3rd: National Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day
• February 4th: Medjool Date Day
• February 5th: National Chocolate Fondue Day
• February 5th: World Nutella Day
• February 6th: National Frozen Yogurt Day
• February 8th: National Pączki Day²
• February 10th: National Cream Cheese Brownie Day
• February 12th: National Plum Pudding Day
• February 16th: National Tim Tam Day
• February 19th: National Chocolate Mint Day
• February 20th: National Cherry Pie Day
• February 21st: National Sticky Bun Day
• February 23rd: National Banana Bread Day
• February 28th: National Chocolate Soufflé Day

 
> Beyond dessert: more February food holidays.
 
 
March Dessert Holidays

• March, first full week: British Pie Week
• March, third full week: American Chocolate Week
• March 1st: National Fruit Compote Day
• March 2nd: National Banana Cream Pie Day
• March 3rd: 33 Flavors Day [Ice Cream]³
• March 4th: National Pound Cake Day
• March 6th: National White Chocolate Cheesecake Day
• March 10th: National Blueberry Popover Day
• March 11th: National Oatmeal Nut Waffles Day
• March 13th: National Coconut Torte Day
• March 15th: National Pears Helene Day (Poires Belle Hélène)
• March 19th: National Chocolate Caramel Day
• March 20th: National Macaron Day
• March 22nd: National Bavarian Crêpes Day
• March 24th: National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day
• March 25th: International Waffle Day
• March 26th: National Nougat Day
• March 28th: Eat an Eskimo Pie Day
• March 28th: National Black Forest Cake Day
• March 29th: National Lemon Chiffon Cake Day

 
> Beyond dessert: more March food holidays.
 
 
April Dessert Holidays

• April, first full week: National Bake Week
• April 3rd: National Chocolate Mousse Day
• April 5th: National Caramel Day
• April 20th: National Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Day
• April 23rd: National Cherry Cheesecake Day
• April 28th: National Blueberry Pie Day

 
> Beyond dessert: more April food holidays.
 
 
May Dessert Holidays

• May: National Chocolate Custard Month
• May, last week: National Doughnut Week (U.K.)
• May, 3rd Sunday: National Baking Week (U.K.)
• May 1st: National Chocolate Parfait Day
• May 2nd: National Truffle Day
• May 3rd: National Chocolate Custard Day
• May 8th: National Coconut Cream Pie Day
• May 9th: National Butterscotch Brownie Day
• May 11th: Hostess Cupcake Day
• May 12th: National Nutty Fudge Day
• May 13th: National Apple Pie Day
• May 17th: National Cherry Cobbler Day
• May 18th: I Love Reese’s Day
• May 19th: National Devil’s Food Cake Day
• May 19th: World Baking Day
• May 21st: National Strawberries and Cream Day
• May 22nd: National Vanilla Pudding Day
• May 26th: National Blueberry Cheesecake Day
• May 26th: National Cherry Dessert Day
• May 31st: National Macaroon Day

 
> Beyond dessert: more May food holidays.
 
 
June Dessert Holidays

• June: National Frozen Yogurt Month
• June 1st: National Hazelnut Cake Day
• June 3rd: National Chocolate Macaroon Day
• June 6th: National Applesauce Cake Day
• June 7th: National Chocolate Ice Cream Day
• June 7th: National Donut Day
• June 9th: National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day
• June 11th: National German Chocolate Cake Day
• June 12th: National Peanut Butter Cookie Day
• June 14th: National Strawberry Shortcake Day
• June 16th: National Fudge Day
• June 17th: National Apple Strudel Day
• June 20th: National Kouign Amann Day
• June 21st: National Cookie Dough Day
• June 21st: National Peaches ‘N’ Cream Day
• June 22nd: National Chocolate Eclair Day
• June 23rd: National Pecan Sandies Day
• June 25th: National Strawberry Parfait Day
• June 26th: National Chocolate Pudding Day
• June 27th: National Ice Cream Cake Day
• June 29th: National Almond Buttercrunch Day

 
> Beyond dessert: more June food holidays.
 
 
July Dessert Holidays

• July 5th: National Apple Turnover Day
• July 7th: National Strawberry Sundae Day
• July 8th: National Chocolate with Almonds Day
• July 8th: National Ice Cream Sundae Day
• July 12th: National Eat Your Jell-O Day
• July 12th: National Pecan Pie Day
• July 15th: National Tapioca Pudding Day
• July 21st: National Ice Cream Day
• July 21st: National Lamington Day [Australia]
• July 22nd: National Penuche Fudge Day
• July 23rd: National Vanilla Ice Cream Day
• July 25th: National Hot Fudge Sundae Day
• July 26th: National Coffee Milkshake Day
• July 27th: National Crème Brûlée Day
• July 28th: National Milk Chocolate Day
• July 30th: National Cheesecake Day
• July 31st: National Jump for Jelly Beans Day

 
> Beyond dessert: more July food holidays.
 
> Continue to Part 2, August through December.

¹January 3rd is National Fruitcake Toss Day, commemorating the first fruitcake available for mail order. It was baked at the Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, Texas, in 1896. Every year in Manitou, Colorado, hundreds of people gather to compete to see who can throw their fruitcake the highest or the greatest distance. Hopefully, the fruitcakes are wrapped and can be eaten afterwards, or else fed to the birds.

²Pączki (POHNCH-key) are filled donut-like pastries found in Polish cuisine, filled with jelly, custard, or other sweet filling. They are a specialty pastry reserved for once a year in honor of Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras), the precursor to the Lenten season, and the last day to indulge in foods before the traditional 40-day period of fasting before Easter. Pączki are made from a different dough than donuts, an especially rich dough that contains eggs, fats, sugar, yeast, and sometimes milk. They can be glazed, or covered with granulated or powdered sugar.

³33 Flavors Day is dedicated to ice cream! Some sources say that the holiday takes place on the anniversary of the opening of the ice cream shop, Baskin Robbins. Baskin Robbins is known for its 31 flavors, not 33, so it is unclear why the day is called 33 Flavors Day.
 
 

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National Pasta Day is October 17th, and rice noodles may not be what you’d immediately think of. But this recipe is special, delicious, and packed with protein from tuna.

Thanks to Tonnino for the recipe (photo #1). We’re a big fan of their premium tuna in jars—plus, the regular tuna varieties are joined by those packed in flavored olive oil. Check out the Tonnino website. We’ve noted the different flavors below.

Food trivia: Pasta isn’t Italian. Pasta dough originated in China in the form of dumplings and thin noodles (i.e., the thin pasta that is called linguine or vermicelli in Italy.

> The history of pasta.

> The different types of pasta.

> All of the year’s pasta holidays are below.

> Pumpkin pasta recipes for fall are below.
 
 
RECIPE: RICE NOODLE SALAD WITH TUNA

Tonnino offers tuna in olive oil, tuna in spring water, and 10 tuna flavors in infused olive oil. See them below.

Amazon sells the Ginger Soy Tonnino Tuna in six-packs. It’s easy enough to use all six. Or, share them with friends.

Prep time is 10 minutes, cook time is 10 minutes.

The infused oil from the tuna provides dressing, but for more dressing (which we wanted), see this ginger soy dressing recipe.
 
Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the ginger soy dressing, if desired. Set aside.

2. COOK the rice noodles according to package directions, then rinse them with cold water. Set them aside in the colander to cool to room temperature.

3. ASSEMBLE the plates: romaine, noodles, tuna.

4. GARNISH with fresh chopped herbs (cilantro, basil, and mint) & chopped peanuts or cashews
 
 
TONNINO TUNA VARIETIES

 
The difference between albacore and yellowfin tuna:

 
 
A YEAR OF PASTA HOLIDAYS 

Ready, set, get your forks!

 
And how could we leave out:

 
 
MORE: PUMPKIN PASTA & PIZZA RECIPES
FOR FALL

[1] Tonnino’s Ginger & Soy Tuna and rice noodles combine into a delicious pasta salad (photos #1 and #3 © Tonnino).

[2] Rice noodles are used instead of Italian-style wheat pasta (photo © Sun Basket).

[3] Tonnino Ginger Soy Tuna is one of 10 flavors made with infused olive oil.

[4] Cilantro and lime are also popular Vietnamese garnishes (photo © Lindsay Moe | Unsplash).

[5] Bean sprouts are optional but provide a satisfying crunch with very few calories. If you like things hot, you can also add sliced jalapeños. (photo © Connor McManus | Pexels).

[6] A similar salad with grilled shrimp. Here’s the recipe (photo Recipe Tin Eats) .

[7] And another take: Vietnamese rice noodle salad with chicken. Here’s the recipe (photo © Drizzle And Dip).

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