National Walnut Day
May 17
Technically a walnut is the seed of a drupe or drupaceous nut, and thus not a true botanical nut. It is native to the region stretching from the Balkans eastward to the Himalayas and southwest China. Walnuts are one of the oldest tree foods known to man, dating back to 7000 B.C. 99% of walnuts in the US are grown in California’s Central Valley. Walnut trees produce, on average, 3,500 pounds of walnuts per acre. Walnut trees take about 5 years before they are considered productive, after which they produce an annual crop for 30 to 40 years. It takes about 170 days for a walnut to develop and mature on a tree. Walnuts are harvested between September and November.
National Cherry Cobbler Day
May 17
A cobbler is a deep dish (casserole or soufflé dish) fruit pie (peach is most common) with only a top biscuit dough crust. Fruit cobblers can be made with almost any fruit, singly or in combination. The cobbler takes its name from the biscuit dough crust on top – it is rough looking or ‘cobbled.’ It originated in the U.S. sometime in the early to mid-19th century.
Today’s Birthdays of Note….
Derek Hough – Dancer – 34 – born in Salt Lake City, Utah
Jim Nantz – Sports Commentator – 60 – born in Charlotte, North Carolina
