It is a beautiful day today, March 27th. First because of National Cherry Blossom Day. On March 27, 1912 the Mayor of Tokyo gave 3020 Cherry trees (He started with 2000 earlier that unfortunately were burned because of customs finding bugs in the roots) to Washington D.C. to plant around the Tidal Basin. Thus began a Cherry Blossom event in two countries. I have visited Washington DC several times to tour the Cherry Blossom Festival with my sister and her family. It is beautiful sight to see.
I have also visited Iwakuni Japan, however I missed the celebration, by about five days. Blossoms were just beginning to bloom when we visited the famous Aioi Bridge. A good friend of mine from Japan then sent me this Japanese book (It did have English subtitling). “The Wealth of Cherry Trees”, by Toru Ando published 1989. This book is an amazing tribute to flowering Cherry trees in Japan. The author/photographer has highlighted many very old and respected individual trees, along with views of various wild trees, and groves of Cherry trees. This is a wonderful book.
There is a book on cherry trees-American style in my library. This is the one that bears fruit, “The Cherry and Its Culture” by V.R. Gardner, published 1939 by Orange Judd publications. It is for farmers or amateurs on how to raise/grow cherry trees. The author states that
“The cherry has never been a contender with the apple, the grape, the banana, and the orange for first rank on cultivated fruits-probably it never will. There is (however) in the fruit itself a certain sprightliness of flavor…that will continue to make it popular. The demand will grow rather than decrease.”
When others are celebrating Cherry Blossoms, I am actually celebrating Lilac Blossoms. My tree blooms at the same time, and ohhh, the fragrance. So I will also add this book “Lilac Culture” by John C. Wister, published in 1930. This book, even over ninety years old, will help anyone “who wants to plant at least one Lilac on their property.”
Today is also International Whisk(e)y Day. I have several books to follow that topic. First is “The Calvert Party Encyclopedia-Your complete Guide to Home Entertaining” published 1960, by Calvert American Whiskey. This little paperback book actually has tons of valid information for hosting a great party including a chapter of “Around the World in 31 Drinks.”
The second book “…from Little Acorns…” by Samuel Bronfman. The subtitle being “The Story of Distillers Corporation-Seagrams Limited. This book was published in 1970 by Seagrams Distillers, for the Presidents eightieth birthday. He (Samuel Bronfman-the president) wrote this history of the Seagrams Company, having been the president for 46 years. At the time, Seagrams was the largest whiskey company in the world.
It is an interesting story, not only of how this one man grew the company so large first in Canada, but how he invested, and bought companies in countries around the world, including several in Scotland, including Chivas Regal. When American Prohibition ended in 1933, he immediately bought office space in The Chrysler Building in New York, and two distilleries, one in Lawrenceburg, Indiana for Bourbon, and one in Relay, Maryland for Rye Whiskey. The story of Seagrams Whiskey is very interesting. I am not sure who the audience was for the book, or if it was even for sale. It might have been given at the Seagram Annual Report meeting of 1970.
Whether we call it Booze and Blossoms, Flowers and Firewater, Whiskey and Woods, or, Cherry trees and Moonshine teas, March 27th is quite the day to celebrate. If I may paraphrase a traditional old Wassail song:
“Cherry tree, Cherry tree, we all come to wassail thee,
Bear this year and next year to bloom and to blow,
Hats full, caps full, three cornered sacks full,
Hip, hip, hip, hurrah,
Holler boys, holler hurrah!”
What is wassailing? According to the National Trust In England:
“The purpose is to encourage the spirits into ensuring a good harvest the following season. It takes place on the twelfth night after Christmas and involves a visit to a nearby orchard for singing, dancing, drinking and general merrymaking.”
Who knows were we end up when discovering new books. Thanks for reading.
Librarytomes 