National Food Truck Day / Southern Food Appreciation Day

National Food Truck Day

October 11

The Food truck industry is now $2 billion-plus in estimated revenue in cities across the U.S. Compared to 2014, the industry’s overall revenue has grown 300% in the last three years. Less than $100,000 can kickstart a food truck that makes $250,000 to $500,000 per year. Most likely consumers to purchase a meal from a food truck are aged 18 to 34, followed by 54 percent of diners aged between 35 and 44 years old. Millennials are widely considered the “food truck generation” with 47% having eaten from a food truck at some point. Over 90 percent of diners rated food truck quality as excellent or good. Starting and maintaining a food truck for one year generally requires an entrepreneur to complete 45 separate government-mandated procedures and spend $28,276 on permits, licenses and ongoing legal compliance. The number of government hoops, procedures, and regulations that food truck owners must jump through, is rapidly slowing the industry’s growth.

Southern Food Appreciation Day

October 11

Although Southern cooking differs in regions, such as fried chicken and fried green tomatoes in the deep south to barbeque in Texas, there are some region-wide staples to be thankful on Southern Food Appreciation Day. Sweet tea is a long-time staple of the South. It is made with black tea and is always served cold. Sugar is added while the tea is still hot, creating a sugar syrup that is diffused throughout the tea. Redeye gravy is made with pan drippings (usually from frying country ham) and leftover coffee. Black-eyed peas are small beige beans that have a round black “eye” at the pea’s inner curve. These can be bought fresh or dried. Pot likker is the liquid from cooked greens. This was drunk or made into a type of gravy.

Today’s Birthdays of Note….

Luke Perry – Actor – born in Mansfield, Ohio

Eleanor Roosevelt – First Lady – born in New York City, New York

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