Life in the U.S.A …as always, this most American of holidays will be marked by parades, fireworks and backyard barbecues across the country.
In July 1776, the number of people living in the colonies was about 2 1/2 million.
In July 2007, the population of the U.S. is almost 301,139,947 million.
HOT DOGS
150 million hot dogs (all varieties) are expected to be consumed by Americans on this holiday in 2006. (That’s one frankfurter for every two people.) There’s more than a 1-in-4 chance that the hot dogs made of pork originated in Iowa, as the Hawkeye State had a total inventory of 15.2 million market hogs and pigs on March 1, 2006. This represents more than one-fourth of the nation’s total. North Carolina (8.5 million) and Minnesota (5.8 million) were the runners-up.
BAKED BEANS AND CORN ON THE COB
The odds are better than 50-50 that the beans in your side dish of baked beans came from North Dakota, Michigan or Nebraska, which produced 60 percent of the nation’s dry, edible beans in 2005. Another popular July 4th side dish is corn on the cob. Florida, California and Georgia together accounted for 51 percent of the sweet corn produced nationally in 2005.
POTATO SALAD & POTATO CHIPS
Potato salad and potato chips are popular food items at July 4th barbecues. One-half of the nation’s spuds are produced in Idaho or Washington.
BEEF
Total production of cattle and calves in Texas in 2005 WAS 7.3 million pounds. Chances are good that the beef hot dogs, steaks and burgers on your backyard grill came from the Lone Star State, which accounted for over one-sixth of the nation’s total production. And if they did not come from Texas, they very well may have come from Nebraska (4.5 billion pounds) or Kansas (4 billion pounds).
Blog picture from my kitchen: Fruit parfait and my Peach Cobbler.
Ingredients for 4th of July Fruit parfait.
1 8-ounce carton vanilla yogurt
1/4 teaspoon almond extract or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 of an 8-ounce container frozen whipped dessert topping, thawed
3 cups fresh raspberries and/or cut-up fresh strawberries
3 cups fresh blueberries
Directions
1. In a large bowl, stir together yogurt and almond extract or vanilla. Fold in whipped topping.
2. To serve, in six 12-ounce glasses or dessert dishes, alternate layers of the berries with layers of the yogurt mixture. Makes 6 servings.
Daisy Says: Sweet Liberty.
