Birthday cakes have been a part of birthday celebrations in Western European countries since the middle of the 19th century. However, the link between cakes and birthday celebrations may date back to ancient Roman times.
In classical Roman culture, 'cakes' were occasionally served at special birthdays and at weddings. These were flat circles made from flour and nuts, leavened with yeast, and sweetened with honey.
In the 15th century, bakeries in Germany began to market one-layer cakes for customers' birthdays in addition to cakes for weddings. During the 17th century, the birthday cake took on its contemporary form. These elaborate 17th century cakes had many aspects of the contemporary birthday cake, like multiple layers, icing, and decorations. However, these cakes were only available to the very wealthy. Birthday cakes became accessible to the lower class as a result of the industrial revolution and the spread of more materials and goods. So, it has become the cultures and traditions to celebrate the birthday with delicious cake and beautiful wishes.
In many cultures the person whose birthday is being celebrated is invited to make a wish, and blow out candles. Though the exact origin and significance of this ritual is unknown, there are multiple theories which try to explain this tradition.
Greek origin story
One theory explaining the tradition of placing candles on birthday cakes is attributed to the early Greeks, who used candles to honor the goddess Artemis' birth on the sixth day of every lunar month. The link between her oversight of fertility and the birthday tradition of candles on cakes, however, has not been established.
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Get the excitement and great taste of beef tacos without the work of making individual tacos. This Beefy Taco Bake is a great start to a Mexican potluck menu and is sure to make your family happy and your life easier!
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 (10-3/4-ounce) can condensed tomato soup
- 1 cup salsa
- 1/2 cup milk
- 6 (6- to 8-inch) flour or corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
- Preheat oven to 400º. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet, brown ground beef over medium-high heat, stirring until crumbled; drain. Stir in soup, salsa, milk, tortillas, and 1/2 cup cheese; spoon into prepared baking dish.
- Cover and bake 30 minutes, or until hot. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese, and serve.
1962 – The Rolling Stones perform their first ever concert, at the Marquee Club in London.
Thank God for George, or what would I take pictures with???
1864 – George Washington Carver, American botanist (d. 1943)
- Complete heterochromia – one iris is a different color from the other.
- Partial heterochromia or sectoral heterochromia – part of one iris is a different color from the rest of the iris.
- Central heterochromia – an inner ring is a different color than the rest of the iris.
