National Watermelon Day
August 3
They are called watermelons they are 92 percent water, making them a perfect refresher for those hot summer months. They come in 1200 different varieties and tend to be grouped into four main categories: seeded (or picnic), seedless, icebox (also known as mini, or personal size) and yellow/orange. One of the most popular varieties is the Crimson Sweet, a seeded melon with deep red, sweet flesh. Contrary to what you might have heard, seedless watermelons are the result of hybridization, a perfectly natural phenomenon that farmers can nevertheless capitalize on. A couple of decades ago, seedless watermelons were hard to find, but today they make up around 85 percent of those sold in the U.S.
White Wine Day
August 3
The oldest winery that we know of is Armenian, dated to 4100 BCE. The Phoenicians spread wine around the Mediterranean in the tenth century BCE, introducing the drink to the ancient Greeks, who in turn inspired the Romans to become wine fanatics and grow grapes across their empire. The color of a wine is determined by the contact that the grape juice has with grape skins – this also impacts the levels of tannins in the finished product. Red wine can only be made from blue or purple-skinned grapes. White wine can also come from these darker grapes, but only if the juice is separated from the skins. There are approximately 1,300 varieties of grapes used in wine production. There were 10,043 wineries in the U.S. in 2019 and 85% of the wine was produced in California.
Today’s Birthdays of Note….
Martha Stewart – TV Personality – born in Jersey City, New Jersey
Tom Brady – Pro Football QB – born in San Mateo, California
