National Animal Cracker Day!

Journalist Rocky the Squirrel here –

Keeping his paws on the nuts of the world.

April 18th. is National Animal Cracker Day.  Isn’t this fantastic!!  Elephants, lions, tigers, bears and monkeys oh my.  These are small little sweet cookies shaped like zoo animals.  They were first brought to the United States during the 1800’s.  The demand for these wonderful little cookies skyrocketed and demand was over the roof!

Stauffer’s Biscuit Company was the first company to produce animal crackers in 1871 in York, Pennsylvania.  Other local bakeries came together under the National Biscuit Company or “Nabisco Brands”.  In 1902, the famous Barnum’s Animals circus theme box came out.  Bacon’s mom says that she remembers her parents bringing her these little boxes as a treat.

Did you know that since their start in 1903, there have been 37 different animals included in the Barnum’s Animal Crackers?  Today, more than 40 million packages of animal crackers are sold each year around the world.

I think Bacon does his share in the intake!  They are one of his biggest treats that his mom has to get him in the economy size!  I can’t tell you how many of these huge buckets that he has gone through in his day.  In fact, this one is what the Easter bunny brought him and it’s almost gone.  Time to reload.

So on this National Animal Cracker Day – enjoy a box OR TWO of these sweet delectable bits.  Just remember though, if you are going to eat in front of the pig, you have to share!

 

Travels in Chicago

Last week we talked further about our trip to Chicago, Illinois and a visit to a little restaurant called Portillo’s.  Portillo’s has great Italian beef sandwiches… however, they also have great dogs.  You might be asking yourself at this point just how good is the food at this joint?  Well, I can tell you a short story and you decide.  We went one day to try this restaurant and its great food.  The next morning we planned to eat at a different restaurant after my sister ran an errand.  While my sister was running her early morning errand, a decision was voted on in her absence.  When my sister returned, we explained to her that the breakfast place was a most followed by a second breakfast back at Portillo’s.  Yep, you heard that right… a second breakfast.  That’s how great Portillo’s is to eat.  Now don’t worry, the first breakfast place will be highlighted next week.  But this week, let’s finish up Portillo’s.

They have awesome dogs!  My hub *had* to try an original Chicago style dog.  It came with mustard, relish, celery salt, freshly chopped onions, sliced red tomatoes, kosher pickle and sport peppers on a steamed poppy seed bun.  Doesn’t it look awesome?  Of course we learned really quick that a true Chicagoan refers to this style of a hot dog as “dragging the dog through the garden“.  Fitting huh?

Now, I found fascination in the char-grilled Maxwell Street polish sausage dog.  You can also get this dog filled high with grilled onions.  This day, I passed on the onions and just went mustard and sausage dog.  I couldn’t get enough of these dogs!!  You could hear and feel the ‘snap’ of the casing of the sausage.  That is a true sign of greatness in my book.

It didn’t matter which side you go on these dogs, both of them were great on their own… even if it was a second breakfast of the day – giggles.