Zucchini Bread Day

Zucchini Bread Day is April 25th

A Combination for the Centuries

While many would not think of the combination of a green vegetable and bread, this mixture proves to be one of the most delicious bread mixes. The most avid gardeners may ask why this day is celebrated in the Spring when most batches of zucchini haven’t even begun to grow yet, but the answer is simple. It’s so you can celebrate it before you get sick of an overly abundant crop of zucchini. This plant often produces much more than a single person can use, and oftentimes results in farmers trying to find new ways to use this amazing vegetable. It can be baked, sauteed, grilled, and if you're feeling stealthy, left on the doorstep on a nearby neighbor as a gift.

History of the Zucchini

The Zucchini has a surprisingly long and interesting history. This squash is native to North America and has origins in Mexico dating from 7000 to 5500 BC. It was an important part of the diet of native people and was eaten along with maize, beans, and squashes. This vegetable is still dominant in Mexican cuisine and is considered one of the “three sisters”, which consists of corn, beans, and squash. Many explorers who came to North American brought back with them what they thought were strange foods. The zucchini was one and it eventually found its way to Italy where it was renamed zucchino. The zucchini is well traveled and also made its way to France where it is called the courgette and England where it is called marrow. The name squash itself came from the American colonists. This word is derived from several Native American words to come together to mean “something eaten raw”. Since then, cooks have discovered that while the zucchini can be eaten raw, it is much better cooked or in bread. This vegetable was also beloved by several U.S presidents such as George Washington, who enjoyed growing this vegetable. 

Celebration

The best way to celebrate this holiday is of course to make your own zucchini bread! To do so is simple and will have you celebrating zucchini bread day all year long.

Here's a great recipe to try