Many dishes are prepared or served for a special occasion or historic event. Especially children enjoy these special meals or snacks. It is also a good occasion to talk about cultural and historical aspects of life in general and food in particular, whilst enjoying the delicious dishes.

Today is Federal Territory Day in Malaysia. The Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya celebrate this holiday with fireworks, parades and cultural shows.

On Japan's National Foundation Day, it is celebrated that the first emperor Jimmu founded the nation. The holiday was proclaimed in 1872 when Japan switched to the Gregorian calendar.

On the 20th of February 1935, Caroline Mikkelsen from Denmark was the first woman to arrive in Antarctica, together with her Norwegian husband. I have no idea why anyone wants to go there.

Today is Groundhog Day. I have always seen this as a fantasy of the film makers, but in a number of American and Canadian villages the groundhogs really runs their races each year.

On the 12th of February (now Union Day) 1947 the "Panglong Agreement" was signed in Burma (Myanmar). The Burmese government agreed with some border tribes that now they all lived in one and the same country.

Today in Bangladesh it is "Amar Ekushey". In 1947, 4 students were killed in their struggle for the mother language, and all over the country you see the "Shahid Minar" statues erected to remember them.

Setsubun in Japan means the turn of the season but it is actually only celebrated with regard to spring, on 2 February. A bean throwing ceremony is carried out to chase the evil spirits away.

On the 13th of February 1668, Portugal was (re-)recognized by Spain as an independent country. After it had conquered the world, Portugal had been in the Iberian Union for a number of years.

22 February was George Washington's birthday (1732-1799). The War of Revolution against Great Britain was won under his leadership and he became the first president of the USA.

On 4 February 1948, resulting from peaceful negotiations with Great Britain, the island of Ceylon became independent. In 1972 it was called Sri Lanka.

Do you want to celebrate Valentine's Day today? Then spoil your partner with delicious chocolate based dishes. And if you have enough of her/him, this pie also serves its purpose.

22 February is also the liturgical feast of Saint Peter, who has a chair in the Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. Centuries ago, agricultural laborers used this feast day often to change jobs.

On 5 February 1740, San Marino again became an independent republic, having struggled free from a war between popes. St. Agatha is the patron saint of the enclave.

Guyana became a republic (and independent from Great Britain) on the 23rd of February 1970. The festival "Mashramani", meaning "a job well done" is celebrated yearly for that reason.

On 6 February, in New Zealand "Waitangi Day" is celebrated, on this day in 1840 the document was signed that initiated the creation of the country. Pavlova was created in a hotel in Wellington.

"Total Defense Day" is for 15 February 1942, when the British surrendered Singapore to the Japanese. They returned in 1945, but only in 1959 Singapore could arrange their own Defense.

On 7 February 1907, 3,000 women walked the Mud March from Hyde Park to Exeter Hall in London, to advocate for women's suffrage. It took years before women were allowed to vote and run for office in the majority of the countries.

On 16 February 1923, Howard Carter found the grave of Tutankhamen in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. He had been looking for years but the grave was hidden under another grave. You can see some  contents in the National Museum in Cairo.

The People Power Day is a Filipino commemoration of the 1986 People Power Revolution or so called Yellow Revolution, (since they carried many yellow ribbons). This was a non-violent demonstration against Ferdinand Marcos.

In the USA, "National Cabbage Day" is celebrated, a holiday of which nobody knows the origins nor the purpose. Still a good occasion to eat red cabbage salad.

St Maron was a saint who lived in the 5th century in Syria. His followers are known as the Maronites and this catholic faith is popular in the Lebanon nowadays. Today is St. Maron's day.

Gambia only in 1965 became independent of Great Britain, on the 18th of February. As the country was an important hub in slave trade, it had been occupied first by  Portugal and then by the British.

27 February 1844, the Dominican Republic gained independence from Haiti, (to be snatched up by Spain). The "Trinitarians", a secret society founded by Duarte, stood at the cradle of this independence.

On the 10th of February 1931, New Delhi was made capital of India. Even though New Delhi had been an important city for a long time, when the British ruled India, they selected Calcutta for that purpose.

Multatuli (Dutch writer Eduard Douwes Dekker) died in 1887. The name of his novel Max Havelaar (on colonial scandals and coffee trade) lives in a coffee brand. Worldcook as a coffee addict celebrates this day.

On 28 February 1980 there was a referendum in which the inhabitants of Andalucía voted in favor of a statute that made their region an autonomous community in Spain.