A Celebration of Our Independence!


For most the 4th of July is represented by fireworks, flags, and barbeques. Here's a fun way to dress up your fruit platter. Using a small cookie cutter, cut out heart and star shaped fruit and skewer them. Put your kids to work to create these adorable and colorful fruit kabobs. It's fun to come up with different pattersn. Be playful and feel free to add grapes, pineapple, kiwi, strawberries, anything you want!

Colorful fruit looks delightful on our white creamware pieces. Or place on our George Washington's Prosperity pattern - MV1600

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Here are some fun facts about the celebration:
In July 1776, the estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation was 2.5 million.
The nation's estimated population on this July Fourth is 311.7 million.

Source: http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb11-ff13.html

$190.7 million
The value of fireworks imported from China, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imports ($197.3 million ) in 2010. U.S. exports of fireworks, came to just $37 million in 2010, with Japan purchasing more than any other country ($6.3 million).

 

$74 billion
Dollar volume of trade last year between the United States and the United Kingdom, making the U.K., our adversary in 1776, our sixth-leading trading partner today.

More than 81 million
Number of Americans who said they have taken part in a barbecue during the previous year. It's probably safe to assume a large number of these events took place on the Fourth.

Although we do not have a fixed menu for the celebration of the Fourth, you can almost count on traditional favorites such as hamburgers and hot dogs, chicken, ribs, garden salads, potato salad, chips and watermelon. Following is a summary of where these foods come from:

  • There's a 1-in-6 chance the beef on your backyard grill came from Texas. The Lone Star State is the leader in the production of cattle and calves.
  • The chicken on your barbecue grill probably came from one of the top broiler-producing states: Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, North Carolina and Mississippi.
  • The lettuce in your salad or on your hamburger probably was grown in California, which accounts for nearly three-quarters of USA lettuce production.
  • Fresh tomatoes in your salad most likely came from Florida or California, which, combined, produced more than two-thirds of U.S. tomatoes. The ketchup on your hamburger or hot dog probably came from California, which accounts for 95 percent of processed tomato production.
  • As to potato salad or potato chips or fries, Idaho and Washington produces about one-half of the nation's spuds.
  • For dessert, six states — California, Florida, Texas, Georgia, Arizona and Indiana — combined to produce about 80 percent of watermelons last year.
  • And the apples in your apple pie? They most likely came from Washington or New York, the two top apple producing states.