When it comes to raisins, there are generally two groups of people: those that love them and those that believe they ruin a perfectly good Oatmeal Cookie. But love ’em or hate ’em, April 30th is National Raisin Day, and this wrinkly fruit is also celebrated annually throughout the entire first week of May.
But, whether you find them irresistible, or believe they’re just humiliated grapes, it’s hard to deny the impact these sweet snacks have had on history, pop culture, and cuisine. Raisins show up throughout history and literature as a healthy, transportable snack for everyone from the Egyptians to Christopher Columbus to George Washington, and of course, those little red raisin boxes are a classic symbol of most American’s childhoods.
Here are some more reasons why you should celebrate the raisin:
1. Nature’s healthy jellybeans?
Perhaps. Raisins can be up to 72% sugar by weight, making them a sweet and satisfying snack. But unlike jellybeans, raisins are have nutritional value. They boast cancer-fighting antioxidants, provide an excellent source of fiber and iron, and contain no cholesterol, no fat, and no added sugar.
2. Raisins make perfect Food Combos
Raisins and oatmeal cookies are one of the culinary world’s great pairings, but it’s just one of many. The most obvious? Cereal, of course! Post and Kellog’s can fight over who got there first, but there’s no denying that Raisin Bran remains one of the best-loved cereals in the United States. Some other fan favorites: rugelach, cinnamon raisin bread, rum raisin ice cream and trail mix.
You can even eat them with every meal. For breakfast, why not some cinnamon rolls topped with raisins? For lunch, make a nice Waldorf salad and swap out those grapes for a few of the sun-dried variety. Finally, why not top dinner off with a little bit of bread pudding? Oh, and don’t forget the Raisinettes next time you’re watching a movie – at home or in the theater!
3. The California Raisins
Over half of the world’s raisins come from California. Although Napa is known worldwide for its wine-producing grapes, the Golden State’s raisin capital is actually the city of Selma— just southeast of Fresno. This area produces over 350,000 tons of raisins annually.
In 1986, when advertisers for Sun-Maid made a commercial on behalf of the California Raisin Advisory Board and came up with an idea for the new raisin commercial, saying, “We have tried everything but dancing raisins singing ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine’,” The California Raisins were born. To everyone’s amazement, the commercial featuring a band of claymation raisins became wildly popular, paving the way for several future commercials and opportunities through other media. In 1987, the Raisins appeared in the Emmy Award-winning A Claymation Christmas Celebration, singing the Christmas carol “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”. And in 1988, CBS aired a primetime TV special called “Meet the Raisins!,” a musical mockumentary that was nominated for another Primetime Emmy Award.
The California Raisins released four studio albums on Priority Records between 1987 and 1988, and their signature song, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”, even landed on the Billboard Hot 100. However, the Raisins would continue to make their strongest impression through animated endeavors, and the characters proved popular enough that they were used to endorse Post Raisin Bran cereal.
4. You can make your own!
Want to make your own raisins in the sun? All you need are some grapes from the local grocer and sunny, dry weather. First, get red or green grapes and remove the large stems from the fruit. Chances are you don’t have a food dehydrater handy, so you will need to place the grapes on a rack and leave them out in the sun for a few days. Finally, place the shriveled grapes in an airtight container and you have a namesake snack!
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