Celebrate Every Day

Celebrate Every Day


March 20, 2021 – National Corn Dog Day | National Ravioli Day

March 19, 2021

Some Foods Are Born Of A Happy Accident And Others Are Born Out Of Necessity. Today We Celebrate Both!

Welcome to March 20, 2021 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate bragging rights and knowing when to stay silent. 

It’s been said that necessity is the mother of invention. George Boyington would probably have agreed. After years of making money as a bootlegger during Prohibition, he moved to Oregon to embark on a legitimate career. He and his wife opened a hotdog stand on Rockaway Beach, which became very popular with tourists. But when a huge storm came one day and ruined their entire inventory of buns, Boyington’s business was literally washed out for the day. He needed a solution fast, and hit on the idea of deep frying the hotdogs in batter and serving them on sticks. He called this new food the Pronto Pup and watched as they became famous far and wide. Many take credit for inventing the corn dog, but it doesn’t really matter. Not to those of us who are enjoying one of these fairground favorites on National Corn Dog Day. 

Ravioli have been around since the 14th Century, and who could imagine anything better than these pockets of pasta soaking up sauce.  But sometime around the 1940s a ravioli was accidentally dropped into a fryer and a new sensation was born. The incident took place in an Italian American neighborhood in St. Louis, known locally as The Hill.  And here’s where it gets strange.  At least three restaurants claim the accident occurred in their kitchen.  All of the original owners have passed away.  And the only one around to produce any proof is Sicilian, Tony Lombardo.  He proudly displays Lombardo’s 1930s menu that includes the toasted rav. BAM!  On National Ravioli Day get the party started by frying up your own batch of toasted ravs. Just don’t get any bright ideas about claiming you invented them. 

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson.  Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day.