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8 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JANUARY 2016 Did You Know? By Micki Rosen Did you know that Jan. 4 is Spaghetti Day? One of the world's favorite dishes, spaghetti is more than deserving of its own little holiday. And because it is both simple and delicious, spaghetti is the perfect dish to make to bring out your inner chef, even if you don't have all that much cooking experience. Many people don't know that the first historical reference to boiled noodles suggests that the Arabs invented the dish thousands of years ago, long before it became a staple of Italian cuisine. Pasta has been sold in stores since at least the 5th century A.D. Of course, today we associate pasta with the Italians, who revolutionized the dish and invented a wide variety of pasta shapes. The first Western pasta was likely long, thin forms made in Sicily around the 12th century. In Italian, "spaghetti" means "little lines." The popularity of pasta spread across the whole country of Italy after the establishment of pasta factories in the 19th century. The steady flow of Italian immigrants to the United States brought traditional Italian dishes with it; spaghetti was offered in restaurants here as early as the 19th century. Did you know that Jan. 17 is Kid Inventors Day? Kid Inventors Day was created several years ago by people who wanted to celebrate the achievements of the youngest inventors as well as encourage more children to be creative. The date chosen to celebrate this day, Jan. 17, was no accident — it is the anniversary of Benjamin Franklin's birthday. Due to his countless other achievements, many people don't know that when Franklin was just 12 years old, he invented the world's first swim flippers. Over the centuries, other children have invented many other things we continue to use today, such as popsicles, the trampoline and ear muffs. Perhaps one of the most impressive things invented by a child is Braille, the language of the blind used the world over, which was invented by blind teenager Louis Braille. Did you know that Jan. 25 is Irish Coffee Day? 1942 proved a fortuitous year for transatlantic travelers wearied by the cold and damp conditions of an Irish winter. Thanks to the innovative imagination of bartender Joe Sheridan, they were soon to have their cockles delightfully warmed by an almost decadent blend of fine Irish whiskey with the irresistible taste and aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Combined with the subtle sweetness of brown sugar and sipped through the luxurious density of whipped cream, it was a recipe that would become a global hit that needed no specific weather conditions to be enjoyed. Did you know that Jan. 29 is Puzzle Day? Puzzle Day honors puzzles of all size, shape and form. Crossword puzzles are by far the most common. Sudoku, a number puzzle, is a more recent puzzle rage. There are puzzles to fit the needs of every person, and every skill level. Puzzles are a favorite pastime of millions of people, young and old. Some people like the challenge of completing them and graduating to ever more complex puzzle solving levels. Others do puzzles to keep their mind sharp or to learn new words. And some people do them just for fun! Did you know that Jan. 29 is also Freethinkers Day? Freethinkers Day falls on the birthday of Thomas Paine, whose work and publications promoting a philosophy of Enlightenment heavily influenced the course of the American and French revolutions. Embrace Freethinkers Day by questioning the status quo and constructing logical and reasonable arguments against ingrained behavior.

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