world nutella day

Curling around my feet, the steam-wraith from a noxious Paris metro grate. A February drizzle taps my shoulders, dots my scarf, and makes the plastic-wrapped, heat-lamped sidewalk dining areas of cafes look heart-breakingly inviting. An emergency siren see-saws through the night. I decline to duck through a plastic draped doorway for an order of pot au feu, crème brûlée, and a robust Bordeaux. Wrapped in my chilled, bare hands is a pocket of gooey goodness that rivets me to the metro grate. A freshly made, paper-wrapped Nutella crêpe.

World Nutella Day came and went this past Saturday, February 5th. If you weren’t among the millions of fanatics who paid homage to this creamy, hazelnut spread, I suggest you indulge this week in a bit of revisionist history. Pick a day, any day. Crack open a jar of Nutella. And proceed to slather. Slather here, slather there, slather anywhere. Your thighs are just begging you to try the Nutella Banana Whole Wheat Pizza. Or the Chocolate Nutella Cookies. Make sure you have a glass of milk for the perfect accompaniment.

Yesterday, I paid homage to a Parisian memory cemented a decade ago when I tasted my first Nutella Crepe to go.

Perhaps I’m so devoted to food because of its noteworthy ability to preserve memories. The sautéed mushroom appetizer devoured in a pub in Edinburgh, Scotland. The creamy divinity of Bacalhau Com Natas in Coimbra, Portugal. The vinegary twang of Southern Barbecue on Edisto Island, SC. And of course, the steaming Nutella Crepe of Paris. Yup. My mouth is officially watering.

I find that these food-laced memories make the weekly mundanity of “What Are We Having For Dinner?” a tad easier to bear. It’s certainly possible that today’s Black and Gold Stew could be a memory in the making. (Especially if the Steelers show up to play in tonight’s game. Maybe you’ve heard of it. It’s super, it’s a bowl, and no, it doesn’t contain my homemade granola.)

So I’ll be the first to ask about dinner at your house this week. What memories do you have in the making?

Monday

Slow Cooker Black and Gold Stew (I substitute raw cheddar cheese and grass-fed beef)

Tuesday

Salmon with Whipped Cream and Mushrooms (a dash of sherry added to the whipped cream is luxurious)

Wednesday

Dinner with friends
Barefoot Contessa’s Lemon Yogurt Cake

Thursday

Penne-Wise Pumpkin Pasta

Friday

Steak Fajitas

Saturday

Breakfast for dinner (and a use for the leftover Nutella spread): Nutella Flapjacks

Sunday

Wild Salmon with Pearl Couscous and Oven Roasted Tomatoes

World Nutella Day can live in all of our hearts and memories through the coming year until the sixth annual World Nutella Day rolls around about this time next year. The World Nutella Day website has an extensive, and I mean exhaustive, list of recipes from culinary bloggers around the world. Dive in and slather.