Updated April 11, 2024
- 2000 BC – Raisins are produced by the Ancient Egyptians.
- 1800s – Spanish missionaries bring grapes to the United States, setting up vineyards.
- 1873 – When it is discovered that producing raisins will make higher profits, the raisin industry is born.
- 1968 – The popularity of trail mix skyrockets with the addition of chocolate-covered raisins.
(April 30, 2018) April 30 recognizes another food holiday known as National Raisin Day. Raisins are tiny sundried grapes. While sunlight dries most grapes naturally in vineyards, some are mechanically dehydrated. People have been enjoying raisins for as long as grapes have been growing. Raisins are naturally low in fat and contain healthy nutrients. California produces the majority of the world’s raisin supply.
April 30 is both National Oatmeal Cookie Day and National Raisin Day. To celebrate them together, try this delicious Oatmeal Raisin Cookies I recipe.
Use #NationalRaisinDay on social media to share your love for raisins!
HISTORY
The first National Raisin Day was celebrated in 1909 and promoted by the raisin growers of California. Advertisements placed in papers and on the radio, flyers delivered door to door leading up to the day included recipes, deals, and announcements reminding everyone to celebrate National Raisin Day on Friday, April 30th. When the day arrived, restaurants, dining cars, hotels and steamships around the country included dishes featuring the dried fruit. Schools, local and state governments were involved providing education and information about the quality of California raisins and their health benefits. What started out slowly, soon exploded into an annually celebrated event.
From Foodimentary:
Here are today’s five things to know about Raisin
- In 1873, a freak hot spell withered the grapes on the vine. One enterprising San Francisco grocer advertised these shriveled grapes as “Peruvian Delicacies” and the rest is history.
- It takes more than 4 tons of grapes to produce 1 ton of raisins.
- The finest raisins come from Malaga in Spain.
- Raisin – comes from the Latin racemus and means “a cluster of grapes or berries”.
- Fresno, California is the Raisin Capital of the World.
Fun Fact:
Raisin colors vary by drying process. For example, a dark purplish/black raisin is sun-dried. A light to medium brown raisin is mechanically dehydrated in special drying tunnels. A golden to bright yellow raisin is mechanically dried and treated with sulfur dioxide to retain color and a green raisin is dried by air in adobe houses.
Golden raisins are made by treating the raisins with a lye solution, sometimes with lye and then burning sulfur, and sometimes with sulfur dioxide.
