ARAQUIO FESTIVAL FROM THE PHILIPPINES!!

some of the moors costumes

    Araquio festival is a celebration traditionally held every May in Nueva Ecija. The festival dates back to the Spanish colonial period and is celebrated with a theatrical/religious presentation similar to Spanish zarzuelas, dramatizing the spread of Christianity in the country and the war between Christians and Muslims.

Some of the Costumes

History and Customs

    The name Araquio is said to have come from "Heraclio", the name of a bishop during the time of Constantine the Great. The first Araquio presentation took place in the town of Peñaranda, Nueva Ecija over 120 years ago. Before modern musical instruments were available, the bands used instruments made from indigenous materials like bamboo. According to Francisco Vergara Padilla, director of the Araquio group in the barangay of St. Tomas in Peñaranda, during his grandfather's time they used basins and utensils as substitutes.

    Araquio is usually presented in May, during the feast of the Cross. The date of the feast varies from one town to another. This festival starts with a mass and ends with the elaborate Flores de Mayo celebration. Each performing group is given a day or two to perform in the town plaza, making it a weeklong presentation. Local wealthy families usually make it their spiritual duty to sponsor the festival, sometimes giving no less than fifty thousand pesos.

Performances

    Festival performers sing, act and dance while a brass band plays. The choice of songs and choreography varies, but the script has remained the same since the tradition started. It tells of the feud between Muslims and Christians that started over territory. In the play, Christians use the power of the cross, symbolizing their faith, to defeat the Muslims, who later retaliate by stealing the cross. After many battles, the cross is recovered, and the Muslims are Christened.

    Normally, there are 16 performers in each Araquio group. Nine of these play Christians led by Reyna (Queen) Elena and Haring (King) Constantine. The Reyna Elena has two servants, Laida and Blanca. The rest are soldiers named Alberto, Arsenio, Rosauro, Fernando and Leonato. The Muslim group, on the other hand, is composed of seven people, led by Ordalisa or Erlisa and the Emperor. Their soldiers are Emir, Dublar, Marmolin, Engras and Sagmar. The male Muslims wear red costumes with feathered headdresses, while the male Christians wear either blue pants and white top or black pants and blue top. The female costumes are similar for both Muslims and Christians, except that the Christian women wear a sash or "banda" while the Muslim women wear feathered headdresses similar to their male counterparts.
    The players stand on an elevated stage, either wood or concrete, during their performance. The presentation also allows for crowd participation. The band plays on and the performers continue their choreography but pause their dialogue to give way to the dancing audience.

CHRISTMAS CANDY CHEESECAKE!

Christmas Candy Cheesecake

Each year around the holiday season I get the sensation that time is speeding up. Today I'll be RSVP-ing to Christmas parties and tomorrow I'll be wishing you a Happy New Year! So, even though it's not yet December I've decided to start my Christmas baking full force.

One sweet treat I love to take to holiday parties is cheesecake.  It feeds a crowd and is always well received. This is probably the fluffiest baked cheesecake I've ever made!  I was really surprised because it wasn't as dense as others I've retrieved from a water bath.  It has a shortbread cookie crust and a sweetened sour cream layer on top that holds on your choice of Christmas candies.

You can really put your own individual stamp on this cake by using a mixture of your favorite candies. Kids will love to help with the decoration and there's really no way to mess it up!  

I used dark chocolate M&M's, Sixlets, coconut Ferrero Raffaello confections, gumdrops, jelly beans, jimmies, confetti quins and soft puffy peppermints. Even though I fully encourage you to go crazy with the adornment, I would like to recommend using candies that are all relatively soft.  Hard candies are not welcome to this party.

Cheesecake isn't the only Christmasy thing I've been whipping up lately! I've been on a very special project  for Sony Pictures and their Arthur Christmas Blu-Ray, DVD release that happened on November 19th.   You can find a link for the full Arthur Christmas cake tutorial on their Facebook page HERE.

I had a blast making this cake, and the movie could not be more adorable. Even if you don't have kids it's a lot of fun to watch (I appreciated some of the adult humor that kids might not catch). Bryony the elf especially captured my heart - I highly recommend!

A few more words about the cheesecake. A good leak-proof springform pan is important! Otherwise you'll end up with a soggy mess, no cheesecake to eat and ultimately time wasted. I use this 9-inch Nordic Ware Leakproof Springform Pan for most all of my cheesecakes.

I also use this roasting pan with a rack insert made by Martha Stewart (only at Macy's) for the water bath.  The cheesecake pan can sit level on the rack while I pour in the hot water to the suggested depth. After the cheesecake has baked, I don't have to risk burning myself with hot water - I can just lift out the rack and allow the cheesecake to cool on the rack insert on my stove-top.  

Christmas Candy Cheesecake

This recipe is adapted from Taste of Home 100 Best Desserts. I've changed the graham cracker crust to a shortbread crust. If you prefer the former, you can substitute the 2 cups shortbread cookie crumbs for 2 cups graham cracker crumbs. I used Walker's brand shortbread cookies and a food processor to make my crumbs.
**This cheesecake should chill overnight, so plan ahead.
                                                                                                                                [click for printable version]

Crust:

2 cups shortbread cookie crumbs

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

6 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Securely wrap two squares of aluminum foil up and around the sides of a 9-inch spring-form pan.  The crust is very buttery and the aluminum foil will prevent butter from seeping out of the pan and onto your oven floor.  It will also be extra insurance against water seeping into the crust when it's baking in the water bath. 
3. In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, brown sugar and cinnamon; stir in butter. Press onto bottom and 1-1/2 in. up the sides of the spring-form pan. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and transfer to wire rack.  Let cool completely.

Cheesecake filling:

4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Add beaten eggs and mix on medium-high speed until incorporated. Pour into the partially baked shortbread crust. 
2. Place cheesecake pan in a larger baking pan and add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. Note: I used the hot water that comes from my tap because it is very hot indeed.  This is a short-cut I use sometimes, but I usually put on a large pot of water to use for the hot water in the water bath.
3. Reduce oven heat to 325° and bake for 1-1/2 hours or until center is just set. 

Sour cream topping:

2 cups (16 ounces) full fat sour cream

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Your choice of Christmas candies

1. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and sugar and stir until smooth. Spoon the mixture over the surface of the hot cheesecake and spread with the back of the spoon to cover.  Bake for 5-7minutes longer.
2. Remove spring-form pan from water bath.  Allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Loosen cheesecake from the sides of the pan with a knife, but do not remove the collar. Refrigerate overnight. Open the collar of the spring-form pan and remove.  Garnish with your choice of Christmas candies.

Supplies:
Ferrero Rafaello 15PC
Wilton 6 Color Christmas Sprinkle Mix
Sixlets in Jars Holiday Set - 3 Colors
Trader Joe's Citrus Gum Drops
9-inch Nordic Ware Leakproof Springform Pan

CHILDREN'S DAY FESTIVAL FROM TURKEY!

   Children's Day Festival (English: International April 23rd, Children's Day Festival; Turkish" Uluslarasi 23 Nisan Cocuk Senligi) is a festival which is celebrated on April 23rd each year in Turkey.  This festival is gathering the children from a ll over the world under the motto of "Love, Friendship and Peace".  The festival is organized by Turkish Radio and Television Corporation.

History

   The April 23rd Children's Festival , a children's festival which was gifted to Turkish children by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Republic of Turkey, to mark the opening of the Assembly.  The festival has been celebrated internationally since 1979.  The Children's Festival was first celebrated in Turkey on April 23rd, 1920, when the Turkish Grand National Assembly was opened.  The festival intend to contribute creation of a world where children can live peacefully by developing sentiments of fraternity, love and friendship.

   The greatest aspiration of Ataturk, who saved his country from occupations and introduced reforms in all fields hence changing the viewpoint of the nations it was modernization, in other words, an industrialized country that the industry of the Republic which it was founded on was out of date and poorly equipped, Ataturk endeavored to achieve modernization through educational reform, and thus entrusted Turkey to the children and the youth.  Ataturk knew that modernization could not be achieved in a rapid way; therefore, he presumed that the Turkish children educated at schools resting upon positive sciences could attain his goals.  He believed his nation and lived for what he believed.  This is the main philosophy of the April 23rd festival.  As can be seen, the educated children and youth have made great contributions to the creation of modern Turkey.  Present day Turkey has evolved over the years and has attained a level of a modern state.

   As UNESCO proclaimed 1979 as the International Year of the Child, director of children's programs of TRT Ankara Television Tekin Ozertem and his assistant Canan Arisoy, developed a project aimed at embracing all the children in the world.  Upon approval of the project by top executives of the TRT Corporation, preparation for the organization commenced. Thus, the first celebration of TRT International April 23rd Children's Festival took place on April 23rd, 1979 in Turkey, with participation of five countries, namely Russia, Iraq, Italy, Romania and Bulgaria.  Today, TRT International April 23rd Children's Festival is celebrated every year with participation of approximately fifty countries.  From 1979 to 2000, celebrations were performed in the capital city of Ankara.  In the following years, celebration took place in Turkey's various major cities such as Izmir, Istanbul and Antalya.  Nane Annan,  wife of the former U.N. Secretary, General Kofi Annan, became the honorary guest of celebration on April 23rd, 2000.  In her speech at the gala, Mrs. Annan expressed her pleasure at participating in the celebration and passed greeting form her spouse Kofi Annan.  Mrs. Annan also called on the entire world to say "Yes" to the aspiration of children.

After her speech, "the common declaration of the children from forty countries", which was approved by the children at the International Children's Congress on April 18th, and was read in English and Turkish.  The declaration was presented to Mrs. Annan to hand it over to Kofi Annan.  Children aged between eight and fourteen attend the festival.  The program covers from April 16th to the 26th.  The invited groups are made up of nearly twenty children and six executive leaders.  By April 15th, guests arrive in the city where the celebrations will take place.  TRT appoints a guide for each groups and the guide enable coordination with group leaders.  Through primary schools in the festival city, each group is entertained by families of their

Turkish peers in a warm and affectionate gathering.  In this way, children of the world recount positive traits of the Turkish nation to their own families and friends when they return to their home countries.  This makes the Turkish people gratified.  Festival Week begins with a Parade.  During the parade, guests wear their traditional outfits, perform their traditional music and dance on the largest street in the city.  In the days following, guest countries perform shows in large parts and embrace in the culture of the Turkish people.  Festival week continues with the children's visit to the mausoleum of Ataturk, the leader who gifted this festival to the Turkish children.  Then, the children are welcomed by the President of the Turkish Republic, the President of the Turkish Naitonal Grand Assembly, and the Director General of TRT.

   On the day before the festival, all the children gather to rehearse.  When the big day comes, the gala of the festival takes place.  In the gals, which lasts nearly four hours and it broadcat live, all the groups wear their national constume's and present three minute performances, accompanied with their traditional music.
   The gala continues with the children convey the greeting that they have brought from their home countries, and ends with a hand in hand dance of all the flowers of th world, in the name of peace and friendship.  Through picnics and excursions on the 24th and 25th.  On the last day of the festival, the children sense that it's coming to an end, some burst into tears, knowing that they have to leave behind new friendships they have made with their Turkish bothers and sisters.

SOFT ALMOND SUGAR COOKIES!

Soft Almond Sugar Cookies

**UPDATE:  A few commenters noted that they had issues with the cookies spreading a bit more than what was depicted in the photos.  A few also mentioned that the cookies were a bit on the salty side.  I've revisited this recipe as of tonight, 11/12/2012, and have posted a new and improved version that gives you the soft, chewy cookies you're seeing in the photos.  A little more cake flour and corn starch, and a little less salt fixed the issue.  Thank you so, so much for your patience :)

This past weekend the hubby and I went to eat Sunday lunch with my family.  My mom and sister were in charge of the salad and lasagna (both were amazing by the way) so that left the dessert to me.  I always love whipping up anything with sugar, so this was fine with me :)

I had originally planned on taking Irish Car Bomb Brownies, but those were a HUGE flop (I'll share more about that later this week).  So I was back to square one.  I didn't want anything super heavy since we were already eating lasagna, and I thought about doing a cookie since I haven't blogged many such recipes.

I feel like the sugar cookie is something that, for the most part, everyone loves.  Some people have different aversions when it comes to things like oatmeal raisin (raisins?  ew!) or chocolate chip (some like thick and fluffy, others like thin and "greasy"), but no one can really complain when it comes to good 'ole plain sugar cookies.

I like my sugar cookies thick, fluffy, chewy and soft.  Cornstarch is an ingredient that keeps baked goods from spreading, so I knew I wanted to add some into this recipe to keep the cookies from getting too flat.  I played around with the proportions and ingredients (using both cake flour and all purpose) and settled on the recipe below.

I love me some almond flavoring, but you could definitely flavor these to your liking.  I love the twist that almond extract gives these cookies, but using another extract won't affect the texture of the cookie.

I'm not trying to toot my own horn, but these are the best sugar cookies I've ever had.  No lie.  I made them pretty small, but I'm sure you could make them larger if you were willing to adjust the baking time.

Enjoy!

Soft and Chewy Almond Sugar Cookies CCK Original
(Printable Recipe)
1 1/2 C white sugar
2/3 C unsalted butter (cold)
2/3 C shortening (room temp)
2 eggs
2 tsp almond extract
2 3/4 C cake flour
1 C all purpose flour
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
sugar in the raw (I like raw sugar for this, but any coarse sugar  or sprinkles would work)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare baking sheet.

Cream sugar, butter and shortening.  Stir in eggs and almond extract.  Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt and add to butter/egg mixture.

Use electric mixture to ensure dough is thoroughly combined.

Chill dough in fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll 2 tsp of dough (I used a small cookie scoop to make things easier) into a ball and roll in raw sugar.  Place on prepared pan.

Bake cookies for 7 minutes.  Remove from oven and gently press the tops of the cookies flat with the back of a spoon while they are still warm and pliable.  (The cornstarch keeps them from spreading so they will be mounded up).

Return bowl of dough to fridge in between baking batches.

Remove to cooling rack.  Allow to cool completely.

A tip:
~DO NOT bake longer than 7-8 minutes!!  They may seem under-baked, but when they cool they will firm up.

MILK CARTON POTS!

Milk cartons used as molds create cube-shaped hypertufa vessels, each sized for a single succulent. The tint variations are achieved by mixing in masonry stains.

HOW-TO

Pots with a Personal Touch: Hypertufa1

Years ago at a flower show, a group of rustic garden containers caught my eye. They were made from a stonelike material known as hypertufa, which mimics a type of rock.
As a crafts editor for Martha Stewart Living and a ceramicist, I was intrigued to learn that the planters were composed of just three accessible, inexpensive substances: perlite, Portland cement, and peat moss.
When I realized pots so impressive could be shaped using basic molds, they became even more appealing. It's not often that a process as rudimentary as making mud pies yields such a sophisticated result.
Faux Bois Planter Mold
Leaf-Embossed Tabletop Mold
More Container Garden Ideas
Hypertufa was developed in the 1930s to replicate the stone troughs that were popular among English gardeners in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The lightweight stand-ins were not only easier to come by, but also easier to transport. Thanks to their porous nature, the pots were ideal for plants needing good drainage. Hypertufa containers are still practical in the garden and simple to create.
To make a pot, you'll need to fashion a mold from a pair of vessels -- the mixture is poured between them. I experimented with various objects, such as milk cartons and metal bowls, and also constructed wooden molds. Because the medium captures subtle textures, baskets and leaves can be rendered in "stone," while clean-lined molds offer a sleek, modern look.
After making many containers and a couple of tabletops, I found the process quite rewarding. It is not an exact science, which is part of the fun: Every pot has the potential to surprise.

BASIC HYPERTUFA HOW-TO

1. Choose mold: Make a mold from two nested vessels, so you can pour the mixture in the space between them. Both should have sides that are straight or taper out; the gap between them should be at least 3/4 inch for smaller vessels and 1 1/2 inches for larger ones.
2. Mix materials: Wearing gloves and a dust mask, mix equal parts white Portland cement (gray can be substituted for nontinted vessels), perlite, and peat moss in a large bin; stir in masonry stain if desired. Add water gradually to reach the desired consistency.
3. Fill mold: Coat vessels with mold-release spray. Pour mixture into the outer mold to a 1-inch depth for smaller vessels or a 2-inch depth for larger ones. Set interior mold inside, centering it (you can fill it with sand to steady it). Continue adding mixture between vessels. Tap exterior with a rubber mallet to minimize bubbles. Cover with plastic; let set.
4. Finish hypertufa: After removing mold, drill holes into the bottom of pot using a masonry bit, for drainage; smooth the top edge of pot with a planer file. Wrap it with plastic, and let cure for several weeks.

FLAT-WEAVE BASKET HYPERTUFA

Flat-weave baskets gave these large containers their checkered finish. A spray of New Zealand flax underplanted with oxalis provides a touch of drama.

Directions

Mix 8 quarts peat moss, 8 quarts perlite, and 8 quarts portland cement. Add water until mixture has the consistency of cottage cheese. Makes 1 basket (12 by 13 inches).

Set Time and Release

Let set for 36 hours, then gently remove interior container. After another 12 hours, cut away basket.

WICKER BASKET HYPERTUFA

Cast in wicker baskets, these pots feature a ribbed pattern that contrasts with the delicate violas inside.

Directions

Wrap exterior of basket with duct tape to help prevent leaks. Mix 8 quarts peat moss, 8 quarts perlite, and 8 quarts portland cement. Add water until mixture has the consistency of cottage cheese. Makes 3 to 4 baskets (3 1/2 by 14 inches).

Set Time and Release

Let set for 36 hours, then gently remove interior container. After another 12 hours, cut away basket.

MILK-CARTON HYPERTUFAS

Milk cartons used as molds create cube-shaped hypertufa vessels, each sized for a single succulent. The tint variations are achieved by mixing in masonry stains.

Directions

Mix 3 quarts peat moss, 3 quarts perlite, and 3 quarts portland cement. Mix in 13 1/2 tablespoons masonry stain (1 1/2 tablespoons per quart). Add water until mixture has the consistency of cottage cheese. Makes 3 to 4 small boxes (4-inch cubes or 4 by 4 by 5 inches).

Set Time and Release

Let set for 24 hours, then gently remove interior container. After another 24 hours, tear away carton.

BOWL HYPERTUFAS

These rounded pots owe their smooth, elegant forms to a kitchen workhorse: the metal mixing bowl, in two sizes. Masonry stain added to the basic hypertufa formula imparts a cool blue hue. Mixed groupings of dwarf plants -- confiers, ground covers, and hostas -- fill the hemispheres.

Directions

For a 6-by-11-inch bowl, mix 2 quarts peat moss, 2 quarts perlite, and 2 quarts portland cement; for a 7-by-14-inch one, use 3 quarts of each. Mix in masonry stain (1 1/2 tablespoons per quart). Add water until mixture has the consistency of cottage cheese.

Set Time and Release

Let set for 36 hours, then gently remove interior container. After another 3 days, turn bowl over, and tap bottom with a rubber mallet to remove hypertufa.
Get the How-To for the Faux Bois Hypertufa
Get the How-To for the Leaf Tabletop Hypertufa

SOURCES

Peat moss (#809383) and perlite (#809352), by Miracle-Gro, from Home Depot. Gray Portland cement and carpet tape (#50-605), by Roberts, from Home Depot. White Portland cement, available at masonry supply stores. Universal Smooth-on Mold Release (#66MR1), from the Compleat Sculptor,sculpt.com. Nasum basket (flat-weave), from Ikea. Mason stains, fromeceramicsupply.com. Wicker baskets, from B&J Florist Supply, 212-564-6086. Texture mat, in wood-grain pattern (PA 02-4), from chineseclayart.com. 1/4-inch Plexiglas, by Stanley, from Home Depot. Surform Plane Type, regular cut blade (#185515), by Stanley, from Home Depot.

BADWATER ULTRAMARATHON!!

   The Badwater Ultra marathon describes itself as "the world's toughest foot race". It is a 135-mile course starting at 282 feet  below sea level in the Badwater Basin, in California's Death Valley, and ending at an elevation of 8360 feet  at Whitney Portal, the trail head to Mount Whitney. It takes place annually in mid-July, when the weather conditions are most extreme and temperatures over 120 °F, even in the shade, are not uncommon. Consequently, very few people—even among ultramarathoners—are capable of finishing this grueling race.

     Course

    Originally, the run was conceived as being between the lowest and the highest points in the contiguous United States:  Badwater, Death Valley (−282 ft) and Mt. Whitney's summit (14,505 ft). The two are only eighty miles apart on the map, but the land route between the two points is substantially longer, 146 miles, because of detours around lakebeds and over mountain ranges. Additionally, since the finish-line is 11 miles  from the nearest trailhead, anyone who competes over the 146-mile  race-distance must be capable of a total physical effort of 157 miles. Due to the two mountain ranges that must be crossed between Badwater and Whitney, the course's cumulative elevation gain exceeds 19,000 feet.
   In later years, as the United States Forest Service required summit permits to climb Mt. Whitney, the official course was shortened to end at Whitney Portal. The Badwater-to-Portal course is 135 miles  long, with 13,000 feet  of cumulative elevation gain. Forest Service regulations do not allow competitive events in the John Muir Wilderness; however, many runners choose to continue tradition and complete the ascent to Mount Whitney's summit on their own.

   Early History

   The hike between Badwater and Mount Whitney (via the treacherous salt flats in Death Valley) was first made in 1969 by Stan Rodefer and Jim Burnworth of San Diego.
   Al Arnold first attempted running the route in 1974 but was pulled off the course after eighteen miles with severe dehydration. After vigorous sauna-training and desert-acclimatization, he attempted the run again in 1975. This time, a knee injury aborted the run at fifty miles. In 1976, training injuries kept him from even beginning his annual attempt on the course.
   In 1977 he successfully pioneered running the course, summiting Whitney eighty hours after his start at Badwater. Arnold has never returned to the course, except to receive the Badwater Hall of Fame Award.
   The second Badwater-to-Whitney running was completed in 1981, by Jay Birmingham.

   In 1987, the crossing became an official, organized footrace. Five runners competed the first year. During the early years of the race, no particular route between Badwater and Whitney was specified and runners attempted various "shortcuts" between the start and finish. Adrian Crane, one of the competitors in the inaugural race, even used cross-country skis to cross the salt-flats at Badwater.
   AdventureCORPS manages the competitive race from Badwater to Whitney Portal. The course route is specified, and the race is held annually. The field is invitation-only and limited in size. Demand to participate in the race usually far exceeds available spots. Rules have changed somewhat over the years: afternoon starts have been discontinued; the use of intravenous fluids now disqualifies a runner.

   Course support is not provided. Each runner must arrange for his or her own support crew and vehicle. The crew provides their runner with his or her needs, including water, ice, food, gear, pacing, and first aid.
   Runners who complete the course in sixty hours receive a commemorative medal; runners who complete the course in forty-eight hours receive a belt buckle. No prize money is awarded.
   The record for the 146-mile  race was set in 1991 by Marshall Ulrich: 33 hours and 54 minutes. Records for the current 135-mile course are 22 hours 51 minutes 29 seconds (men), set by Valmir Nunes, and 26 hours 51 minutes 33 seconds (women), set by Jamie Donaldson.
   In the last few years, 70 to 80 people have competed in each race, with 20–40% failing to reach the finish line. There have been no fatalities.

   Multiple Crossings

   In 1989, Tom Crawford and Richard Benyo completed the first double crossing (which became known as the "Death Valley 300"), running from Badwater to Mount Whitney's summit and back to Badwater again.
   In 1994, Scott Weber completed the first Triple Crossing going from the Mount Whitney Summit to Badwater, then returning from Badwater to the Mount Whitney summit, then going from the Mount Whitney summit back to Badwater in 10 days. The first leg of the Triple was also done solo unassisted with Weber pushing an unmodified "baby jogger" cart with his supplies from oasis to oasis spaced from 20 to 30 miles  apart. Weber completed the majority of the triple unassisted and solo being met once or twice a day by Ben on the second leg and for 100 miles of the third leg. Faced with the necessity of completing the Triple before August ended, Weber abandoned his cart at mile 390 to be fully crewed by Denise Jones. Completing this Triple and adding the Badwater race from the previous month made Weber the first runner to complete four full crossings of the Badwater-Mount Whitney summit course in a single July-August window. He remains the only runner to have done a multiple crossing with a solo unassisted section of 146 miles or greater.

   In 2001, Marshall Ulrich was the first runner to complete the "Badwater Quad", consisting of two back-to-back Death Valley 300s for a total of four consecutive Badwater/Whitney transits. He completed the course, a distance in excess of twenty-two marathons, in ten days.
   In 2003, Sawyer Manuj became the first Asian-American to complete the Badwater duo.
    Unassisted solo crossingsIn 1994, Scott Weber became the first runner to cross from the summit of Mount Whitney to Badwater course solo without a crew. He did so by pushing a 'baby-jogger' cart with his supplies going oasis to oasis (20-30 miles  apart). Weber then continued on to complete 2 additional crossing with minimal support until being crewed full-time for the final 45 miles of this 438+ mile journey.

   Unassisted "self-contained" Solo Crossings

   In July 1999, Marshall Ulrich became the first and only runner to complete the 146-mile  Badwater-to-Summit course without a crew or resupply, denying himself the use of artificial shade or outside aid of any kind. Starting with 225 lbs of gear and water loaded in a modified baby jogger, he pushed and pulled the cart to the Whitney trail head, then continued on to the summit with a pack. He reached Whitney's summit in seventy seven hours and forty six minutes.

   Badwater Solo Ultra Marathon 135/146

   In 2005, in response to the desire of local and non-elite runners to test themselves against the course, Hugh Murphy initiated the Badwater Solo Ultra 135/146.  Runners attempt the course during the months of July and August and have their completion verified and published by Murphy. Runners are encouraged to include the Whitney summit as part of their transit, but credit is given for either distance. In compliance with National Park and Forest Service permitting rules, this is not a competitive race but a "solo" crossing with a support crew (as in, "not a part of the official race", which is not to be confused with Weber or Ulrich's use of "solo" to designate an unassisted crossing).
    In  2007, then-19 year old Ben Eakin completed his first solo crossing, having only finished 2 marathons and 1 50K prior to doing so. Eakin completed the solo from Badwater to the summit of Mount Whitney, to become the youngest male to complete the lowest to highest course, as well as the first type-1 diabetic.
      In   2005, Barbara Szeprethy, then 24, is the youngest woman to finish the course, 3 times total, in consecutive years.

Death Valley Cup

   Any competitor who completes both the Badwater Ultramarathon and the Furnace Creek 508 bicycle race (also held in Death Valley) during the same calendar year is awarded the Death Valley Cup.

 Badwater World Cup BWWCBadwater World Cup (BWWC) consists of:

• Badwater ( race in the desert)
• Brazil 135 Ultramarathon ( race in the mountains)
• Arrowhead ( race in the snow)
• Europe 135

          .

COLORFUL SPIRAL COOKIES! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!

Colorful Spiral Cookies

Just try to be in a bad mood around one of these. Impossible!

I was naturally drawn to these because of the bright, eye-catching swirl, not to mention the jumbo sprinkles-encrusted edges!  If anything, these should be the SB mascot, because they are everything I love.  Bright, happy, buttery and delicious. Also versatile!
I spied these first here, (green-tea version) and then here (peppermint version).  I've looked at these countless times, and I'm not sure why I didn't make these earlier.  Maybe because the dough is made in the food processor and I really hate digging / lugging that thing out of my pantry. I soon vowed to make my food processor more accessible because it did all of the work! Now I kinda wish all doughs could be made in the food processor.

Another thing I love about these is that they are SLICE and BAKE. You could easily put the unused portion in the freezer for later.  

I won't go much into preparation here, because that's all in the recipe, but here are some pictures to give you an idea of the process.

I wanted to make my dough even on all sides, so I trimmed some away to make an even roll.

I used Wilton's rose gel food coloring.  I like gel coloring for this because it doesn't add much moisture to the dough. You can use any kind of extract for flavoring.  I used Strawberry, and the whole house smelled like baked strawberry shortcake.  Very yummy!    

You'll then encrust the dough with jumbo (or other) sprinkles.  I cut my roll in half, and rolled one half in smaller sprinkles. The above kinda looks like a sprinkle-coated ham doesn't it?


Speaking of ham...

Some of you may wonder why there are so many pictures of my dog, Biscuit, included in my posts.  The truth is, he is stuck to me like glue!  He never leaves my side, and he always watches patiently in a chair as I work on projects and take photos. While editing photos, I rarely have a group that doesn't include him sticking his head (and nose, see above) where it doesn't belong.  He's never been alone for any extended period of time. I have a day job working from home for a Pathology company, and this has made him my constant companion.

I'll say "Biiiissscuit...no-no!"  and he'll look at me like this...

...and all my disciplinary plans fly out the window.

I think this version turned out cute too, although I really like the larger jumbo non-pariels better.  I realize some people have an aversion to sprinkles, or a mind-set that they are only for kids, or that they just plain taste bad.  Some do taste bad!  The jumbo sprinkles I used are from Wilton. They are fruit-flavored and very tasty, but there are other sprinkles you could use - just think of the variations!  Crushed pistachio nuts with a green-pistachio spiral, or crushed oreos with a chocolate spiral.  I can't wait to try them all!

I couldn't stop taking pictures, they are just so bright and happy!

I suppose I should stop getting carried away with the photos and post the recipe.  Here it is!


EDIT 12/19/11 -PLEASE READ:
I have reviewed this recipe, and cannot recommend another method other than making it in the food processor.  Making it in the Kitchenaid was problematic and I ended up with a poorly rolled, tough cookie. The cookie itself is a French sable/shortbready-tasting cookie.  It's subtly sweet, so if you are a fan of drop cookies with lots of sweetness and chocolate chips etc., then this may not be the cookie for you.