National Margarita Day is Friday, Feb. 22. It might seem odd that I would post this — I don’t like tequila. But when I saw the list of sponsors for the day — see below — I had to stand up  and take notice. So come Friday, make mine one of those blackberry delights  from Longhorn Steakhouse with vodka — not tequila.

As my cartoon friend, Speedy Gonzales would say, “Andele, Andele! Arriba! Arriba!”

Pam Parker has written about real estate and home decor in the tri-state region for more than 20 years. She is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa. She is the mom of three, stepmom to three and step-grandmom to one.  

Yes it is a Hallmark holiday — National Candy Corn Day is Oct. 30. I’m not a fan of candy corn, but I did find links to candy corn cocktails, so read on.

From the website 9 Things You Didn’t Know About Candy Corn, here’s some other fun stuff about the good stuff:

Candy manufacturers sell from 9 to15 billion kernels of candy corn annually.

A handful has about 28 grams of sugar per serving.It’s fat free and about 140 calories.

Candy Corn Cordial, an adult beverage, is made with vodka and floating candy corn. Lots of other martini/candy corn recipes exist. Check these links out at DrinksMixer.com, about Cocktails and Pillsbury, to name a few.

Candy corn was involved in a destructive industrial fire in 1950 at Goelitz’s New Jersey factory. Gustav Goelitz started making candy in 1869 in Belleville, Ill. Today, the fourth generation of the Gustav Goelitz family is still making candy under the Jelly Belly name. See how candy corn is made right here in a Food Network video.

In the 1880s, Wunderle Candy Company made candy corn. George Renninger is often credited with creating it, but no one really knows who made it first.

If you don’t like candy corn, the National Confectioners Association has more holidays for us. Oct. 31 is National Caramel Apple Day, National Candy Day is Nov. 4 and Nov. 7th is National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day.

I think I like these holidays.

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

It’s appropriate food for thought, today.

There were years that I gave up chocolate for the 40 days of Lent. I even got my kids to do it with me a few times. After a few of those adventures, my family and co-workers (at several different companies over the decades), begged me to never give up chocolate again. I obliged.

I’ve also given up wine, beer and vodka. Not all within the same 40 days, mind you. All but one kid in the Eckert-Parker brood is over 21 now, and I am guessing I won’t get any company on a liquor-less Lent.

Chocolate and booze are optional sacrifices, but meat-free Fridays have been an almost lifelong habit. After all, meatless Fridays were a part of life when I grew up — not just Lent. We ate tuna casseroles, meatless pizza and fish sticks, fish sticks, fish sticks ever since I can remember. I maintained meatless Lenten Fridays raising my kids. When they got old enough to read the rules on Lenten sacrifices, they realized that they didn’t have to do the meatless thing until they were 14. I told them it was a tradition, and we weren’t breaking tradition.

I did draw the line at fish sticks though. I’ve permanently given up fish sticks, but McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish on Ash Wednesday and every Friday for the next month is all right with me. Last year was a beerless lent, and I think it’s time for a repeat — a time-honored tradition my parents started. One thing’s for sure. It won’t be a chocolate-free lent.

Would you like that cleaner shaken or stirred?

Well, who knew that vodka could clean chrome plumbing, freshen clothes and more? I learned all about it on CBS’ morning show yesterday. Now, I know rubbing alcohol does the same thing, but with a somewhat nasty medicinal odor.

No olives or lemon twist required for cleaning. And keep the flavored stuff out of the cleaning category. The best part of this TV segment was that a shot of vodka and a teaspoon of sugar will give extra life to cut flowers. Well, I’ll drink to that.

Watch the segment on vodka’s little known uses here.