September 26, 2021 – National Piano Month | National Pancake Day

This Breakfast Has Been Around Since The Stone Age!

Welcome to September 26th, 2021 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate tickling the ivories and an ancient breakfast.

Before the piano arrived on the scene, the most popular keyboard instrument was the harpsichord. It made beautiful music, but its volume could not be varied while playing.  Composers and musicians wanted an instrument with the ability for more controlled expression.  This led Bartolomeo Cristofori to create an instrument that allowed musicians to alter volume and tone with the force of their fingers.  He called it the piano. Well, technically he didn’t name it the “piano.”  The original name was much longer.  We’ll spare you the Italian name, but it translates to “soft and loud keyboard instrument.”  September is National Piano Month and thanks to Mr. Cristofori, we can celebrate beautiful music in every genre from Classical to Rock.

Today we celebrate a 30,000 year old breakfast food, the pancake.  That’s right, the Stone Age folks were eating pancakes. Scientists even found pancakes in the stomach of Otzi the Iceman, who dates back 5,300 years!  You would think after all this time we would be tired of this food, but pancakes are still loved around the world today.  Most cultures have some variation, although not all of them are for breakfast.  You have probably heard of hot cakes or johnnycakes, which are also called crepes, latkes and blinis. You get the picture.  Even Shakespeare wrote about pancakes. On National Pancake Day, celebrate with a short stack or piled mile high. Everyone loves a flapjack!   

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


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