26 February

Eaten by humans for approximately 9000 years, the humble pistachio has been a popular snack for millennia, providing health boosting benefits alongside a unique flavour and a smile.

Named the 'happy nut' by China and the 'smiling nut' by the Middle East due to the shape and opening of their shells, pistachio nuts not only bring out a smile but also offer a host of health benefits. Full of nutrients, vitamins, healthy fats and as much protein in a serving as an egg, enjoying pistachios as part of your diet can help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Getting into those shells can act as a workout for the hands too!

Native to areas of the Middle East, the pistachio nut is one of only two nuts mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible. One reference mentions The Queen of Sheeba actually forbidding peasants to grow pistachios and keeping them strictly for the Royal Court alone.

Romans were likely responsible for bringing pistachio nuts into Europe and it was a few hundred years later that they landed on American soil where up until the 1980's they were dyed red to hide imperfections. This unsurprisingly left residue on the hands and faces of consumers so eventually they were sold in their beautiful natural green colour.

The pistachio is a versatile nut that can be enjoyed on their own, as a flavour for ice cream, crushed over sweet or savoury dishes, or in a cocktail such as the Lone Oak which features a delicious pistachio syrup.

For Pete's Sake Day

A day for people named Pete to celebrate themselves? Nope. For Pete's Sake Day is a day to express frustration, exasperation or impatience without using profanity. So, if you're tired of using the same old curse words, this day is for you.

We all have those moments where we feel like we're about to lose it. We might stub our toe, spill our coffee, or get stuck in traffic, and we just want to scream out a few choice words. But, in the interest of being polite, we hold back (sometimes).

That's where For Pete's Sake Day comes in. It's a chance to let off some steam and vent your frustrations without offending anyone. You can shout out "For Pete's Sake!" at the top of your lungs, and people will understand that you're frustrated, without you resorting to profanity.

You might be wondering where the name comes from. Well, there are a few theories. Some people believe it comes from the phrase "For pity's sake," which has been around since the 16th century. Others think it might be a reference to Saint Peter, who was known for his impulsive behaviour and occasional outbursts.

Whatever the origin, For Pete's Sake Day is a fun way to blow off some steam and express yourself without getting in trouble. And speaking of fun ways to blow off steam, how about a For Sake's Sake? This aromatic, subtly orange-influenced sake and rum-based Martini-like cocktail is delightful - so, fortunately, profanities are not required here.

The Grand Canyon became a National Park this day

One of the world's most beautiful natural wonders was designated a National Park by the US Congress on this day in 1919.

The formation of the Grand Canyon National Park is thought by many to be one of the earliest successes of the environmental conservation movement - without this status, it's possible that a dam might have been constructed along the course of the Colorado River.

The breathtaking mile-deep gorge of the Grand Canyon, with its stunning striations of colour, was formed as the Colorado River eroded through the uplifted Colorado Plateau.

A vodka and orange liqueur based Grand Cosmopolitan doesn't look quite as marvellous as the Grand Canyon at sunset but its lovely red colour does go some way in that direction.

The Titanic's sister ship was launched today

Until about April 1912, it seemed like a great idea to belong to the same family of ships as the famous "wonder ship" Titanic. After that, however, some rapid design changes were in order. So it was only on 26th February 1914, that the second and last of Titanic's sister ships, the Britannic, was finally launched.

Before the owners had even finished fitting out the ship, however, the First World War broke out. Rather than transporting emigrants and the super-rich between London and New York, Britannic was turned over to carrying wounded soldiers.

She managed five trips more than the Titanic. On her sixth, while off the coast of Greece, an explosion hit - and, amazingly, she sank even more quickly than the Titanic, in under an hour. Thanks to lifeboats, though, almost everyone on board survived - over a thousand people were saved. One of the more famous? Violet Jessop. A stewardess, she had survived the Titanic sinking - and survived the Britannic by jumping from a lifeboat that was about to be sucked into the ship's propellers. We are toasting her with a Violet Affinity.