Eat Up, It’s Tapioca Day

Today is Tapioca Day and National Paul Bunyan Day. So you need to celebrate with a big bowl of tapioca pudding. You need to do this because I can't stand the taste or texture of tapioca pudding. It's one of the few sweet desserts that I'll gladly pass up.

Did you know that according to DaysOfTheYear.com, tapioca is "starch that is extracted from Manioc, otherwise known as ‘Cassava’. This plant is most commonly known as the source of the translucent beads in Tapioca pudding." This same starch "when it’s extracted from the green branched variety of the plant, it is the source of a potent cyanide based poison, and must be processed to remove this before it becomes edible." I knew there was a reason that I disliked it so much.

Since I'm a Minnesotan, I was glad to see that it's also National Paul Bunyan Day. A day set aside to remember the stories that surround this American folklore hero and his trusted sidekick, Babe the Blue Ox. Ever since I first heard of his feats of strength and determination, I've enjoyed the stories that have been told of this mythological gentleman. How many places have you seen Paul and Babe? I've seen him in Brainerd, Bemidji and Akely, Minnesota, how about you?