23rd February : Significance - Page 2

The first dog biscuits were developed in the mid-19th century by American manufacturer James Spratt. He came up with the idea after he visited Liverpool in England, where he observed stray dogs hungrily tucking into ship's biscuits. The first Spratts biscuits were produced in London, with a secret recipe including both meat and vegetables.

Today, dog biscuits are often used in training and as rewards in the show ring. There are even special types of biscuit which clean dogs' teeth - so giving your best friend a treat can help to keep him healthy!

Though many people believe chill originated purely in Mexico, modern thinking suggests that it was actually created in Texas and is a blend of Native American, Spanish, and Mexican cuisines. This claim is supported by the fact that the first ever written reference to chili occurred in San Antonio in 1828.

Though not an official public holiday, Chilli Day is widely celebrated with many restaurants offering free samples of their own unique recipes. Others mark the day with a huge chill party for family and friends - or simply make sure they have chilli for lunch!

Banana bread first started to become popular back in the 1930's, during the Great Depression. Cultural historians suggest that resourceful and creative housewives of the era created the recipe as a way of not wasting over-ripe bananas. In fact, the riper the bananas, the better the taste of the banana bread, so it ended up being a very clever creation! It is traditionally known as a "quick bread", but is actually more like a cake in both texture and flavor.

Extremely easy to make, banana bread is still a favorite way to quickly bake up a special treat for the family. Modern-day bread also include the addition of chocolate chips, nuts, or even dried fruit. Why not experiment and come up with a bespoke banana bread recipe that everyone will love?