Today is August 9, and while not generally recognized as quite as significant day as August 6, it played a major role in history. I’m sure you’re aware that on this date in 1945, the US dropped the second atomic bomb, “Fat Man,” on Nagasaki, Japan. Even though it doesn’t get the recognition that the first bomb, dropped on August 6, gets — it’s really the one that “sealed the deal,” prompting the surrender of Japan to end World War II.
Of course, August 9 is noted for other things, too….
Construction of the Tower of Pisa began in 1173 — it took two centuries to complete.
In 1483, this date marked the opening of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.
And in 1944, Smokey Bear debuted as spokesman for fire prevention for the US Forest Service. (Smokey was named after a NYC fireman — Smokey Joe Martin.)
For you stair haters, on this day in 1859, inventor Otis Tufts patented the first elevator in the US. His patent paperwork calls the invention the “vertical railway elevator.”
And I should mention that in 1974, Vice President Gerald Ford was sworn in as the 38th President of the United States after Richard Nixon handed in his resignation.
So — with all these momentous events occurring on this day, it should have a special name, don’t you think? Well, in fact, it does. It’s National Rice Pudding Day. Yep, you heard that right — rice pudding gets its own day!
Historians are divided over whether rice pudding originated in China or India. Obviously rice is a core staple in both those countries, so it’s possible/probable that rice pudding could have been invented in either country.
When the dish first came on the scene, it was called rice “porridge, or “pottage” — not pudding. The original recipe hasn’t changed much over the years — water, milk, or cream is mixed with rice and then heated, either by boiling or baking…. that results in rice pudding.
Until the 1800s, rice pudding was considered to have medicinal properties. Today almost every country has rice pudding, or some version of it.
A.A. Milne, the author of of Winnie the Pooh, wrote a poem called Rice Pudding, in 1924. It’s supposedly one of the author’s most-loved works.
In Sweden, rice pudding is a popular dish at Christmas. An almond is traditionally hidden inside the pudding, and the person who eats it will probably get married the next year.
So today you can commemorate, or celebrate the historical events that happened on this date by eating rice pudding — or — celebrate National Rice Pudding Day…. by eating rice pudding.
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