DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

SWEETS FOR COFFEE LOVERS, PART I!

2012-03-06T23:10:00.001-08:00

Vietnamese Coffee Ice Pops Recipe

A frozen-pop version of the classic iced coffee

Difficulty: Easy | Total Time: 15 mins, plus at least 8 hrs chilling and freezing time | Makes:About 6 (4-ounce) ice pops

Like classic Vietnamese iced coffee, this frozen pop contains strong brewed coffee and sweetened condensed milk. It’s a caffeinated treat that’s not recommended for the kiddies!

Special equipment: You will need freezer pop molds for this recipe. We used these molds, but any kind will work. If yours don’t come with sticks that attach securely, you can buy wooden sticks and insert them about 1 1/2 hours into the freezing time.
This recipe was featured as part of our 7 Ice Pops That Break the Mold.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup strong French roast coffee grounds, such as Café Du Monde, Cafe’de Paris, or Trung Nguyen
2 cups water
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS

Brew the coffee with the measured water. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of brewed coffee.
Place the hot coffee and condensed milk in a measuring cup or a large heatproof bowl with a spout and whisk until evenly combined. Whisk in the cream, cover, and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
Whisk the mixture again and divide among the pop molds. Freeze until solid, at least 6 hours.

Chocolate-Whiskey Cake with Fluthered Cream

This dense, trufflelike cake is made with Irish whiskey and served with whiskey-flavored whipped cream.

Difficulty: Easy | Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins | Active Time: 30 mins | Makes:12 servings

Dense and trufflelike in texture, this festive cake has a hint of whiskey that follows on the heels of the chocolate flavor. The fluthered cream (fluthered is Irish slang for drunk) doubles the boozy kick. For an over-the-top Irish experience, enjoy with an Irish Coffee.
This dish was featured as part of our St. Patty’s Day Recipes photo gallery.

INGREDIENTS

For the cake:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1/2 cup Irish whiskey
1/4 cup brewed coffee, at room temperature
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature

For the fluthered cream:

1 cup cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons Irish whiskey
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

For the cake:

Heat the oven to 325°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Using a pastry brush, coat the inside of a 12-cup Bundt pan with all of the melted butter; set aside.
Place the unsweetened chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to break up any lumps and aerate; set aside. Combine the sour cream, whiskey, and coffee in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, stopping the mixer and scraping down the bowl and paddle after each addition. Add the melted chocolate and beat until just combined, about 30 seconds. Reduce the mixer speed to low and alternate between adding the flour mixture and the sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth out the top, and bake until the top of the cake is puffed and cracked and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 to 65 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Flip the cake out of the pan and serve warm or at room temperature.

For the fluthered cream:

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip on high speed until medium peaks form, about 1 minute. Serve slices of cake topped with fluthered cream.

The Lebowski Shake (a.k.a. White Russian Milk Shake)

If the Dude wanted a shake, he’d totally abide by this one.

Difficulty: Easy | Total Time: 5 mins | Makes:1 shake

If the Dude wanted a shake, he’d totally abide by this one.
This recipe was featured as part of our story on Boozy Cocktail Milk Shakes.

INGREDIENTS

1 (14-ounce) container vanilla ice cream
1 ounce coffee liqueur, such as Kahlúa
1 ounce vodka
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder

INSTRUCTIONS

Place all of the ingredients in a blender. Pulse 8 to 10 times or until mostly smooth. Pour into a chilled glass and serve on a rug that really ties the room together while listening to some Creedence.

Espresso Mud Pie

An easy chocolate cookie crust filled with coffee ice cream and topped with chocolate ganache and whipped cream.

Difficulty: Medium | Total Time: 40 mins, plus crust cooling time and pie chilling time | Makes:1 (9-inch) pie (8 to 10 servings)

Mud pie—not to be confused with Mississippi mud pie, which is a chocolate pie—needs only a chocolate cookie crust, coffee ice cream, and fudge sauce, according to its creator, Joanna Droeger. Here we’ve stayed true to the original with an intense espresso gelato and chocolate ganache, but added a little sweetened whipped cream on top. This easy-to-make pie can be assembled in advance for parties. Note: Unless you want your kids jumping off the walls, we recommend not serving this caffeinated treat to the little ones.
Game plan: Make sure you have enough room in your freezer before you begin. You’ll need a flat area at least 10 by 10 inches to accommodate the pie comfortably.
To slice the frozen pie, warm a sharp knife in hot water for about 30 seconds, then use a kitchen or paper towel to dry the knife. Slice the pie while the knife is still warm, pushing the knife down into the pie and slowly removing it. Clean the knife off and repeat warming, drying, slicing, and cleaning with each cut. If the pie is still too frozen to easily slice, let it sit for another 5 minutes.
This recipe was featured as part of our Make Your Own Ice Cream Treats project.

INGREDIENTS

For the crust:

30 chocolate cookie wafers, such as Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted and cooled

For the ganache:

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

To assemble:

1 quart Espresso Gelato or coffee ice cream

To serve:

1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

For the crust:

Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
Place cookies in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and process until the pieces are about the size of peas. Stop the motor, add the melted butter, and continue to process until the crumbs are fine, about the size of coarsely ground coffee (you should have about 1 1/2 cups). Alternatively, place the cookies in a resealable plastic bag, press out the air, and seal. Using a rolling pin, smash into fine crumbs until uniform. Transfer to a medium bowl, add melted butter, and mix until evenly combined.
Pour crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate and, using the bottom of a cup or your fingers, press firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides. Bake until fragrant, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.

For the ganache:

Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl; set aside.
Place cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Pour over chocolate and let stand until chocolate has softened, about 5 minutes.
Add butter and stir until smooth. Let cool slightly before using.

To assemble:

Place gelato in the refrigerator until slightly softened, about 30 minutes. Place cookie crust in the freezer until chilled, about 30 minutes.
Remove softened gelato from the container and transfer to a large bowl. Stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until it is spreadable but not liquidy. Working quickly, spread the softened gelato into the crust in an even layer (leaving any melted gelato in the bowl). If the gelato in the pie looks like it’s melting, place the pie in the freezer until solid before proceeding.
Pour the warm ganache over the gelato and tilt the pie plate to evenly coat. Immediately transfer the pie to a flat surface in the freezer until completely frozen, at least 3 hours.

To serve:

Let the pie sit at room temperature until the ganache just begins to soften, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine cream, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk until soft peaks have formed (they should droop over like soft-serve ice cream), about 3 minutes; serve atop pie slices. If not serving immediately, tightly wrap the frozen pie in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 1 week.

Irish Coffee

A San Francisco classic made with simply coffee, sugar, Irish whiskey, and cream.

Total Time: Under 5 mins | Active Time: Under 5 mins | Makes:1 drink

The original Irish coffee was a concoction of a bit of whiskey, a generous splash of black coffee, a dollop of whipped cream, and a smattering of genius. Pedigrees for most drinks are dubious at best, but the Irish coffee is well documented. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Stanton Delaplane was served one at Ireland’s Shannon Airport bar in 1952; after returning to San Francisco, he passed the recipe on to barman Jack Koeppler at the Buena Vista and soon to the rest of the country. The story behind this immensely popular beverage is that Irish bartender Joe Sheridan created the rejuvenating brew during World War II to greet weary Yankee travelers arriving by seaplane in the wee hours of the morning. Interestingly, the Irish drank whiskey in tea, but Sheridan apparently knew the American palate and had the wherewithal to substitute coffee.
The best Irish coffee should be treated no differently than the naked brew. Use high-quality, freshly ground and brewed beans, and always whip your heavy cream without sugar right before serving.
This recipe was featured as part of our Hot Boozy Drinks photo gallery.

INGREDIENTS

4 ounces freshly brewed coffee
1 1/2 ounces Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Dollop of freshly whipped cream

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the coffee, whiskey, and sugar in a hot Irish coffee mug; then float whipped cream on top.

Variations:
Italian coffee: Substitute amaretto for the whiskey.
Jamaican coffee: Substitute dark rum for the whiskey.
Mexican coffee: Substitute Kahlúa for the whiskey.

Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream

Flavored with milk chocolate, coffee liqueur, and cinnamon.

Difficulty: Easy | Total Time: 3 hrs 40 mins, plus freezing time | Active Time: 40 mins | Makes:8 servings (6 cups)

This ice cream refuses to be classified—it tastes at once like rich gelato and icy sorbet. Milk chocolate flavors eggy custard for a doubly rich ice cream that then gets spiked with canela and coffee-flavored tequila liqueur.
What to buy: Canela can be found in gourmet groceries, at Latin markets, or online. If you have trouble finding it, you can substitute regular cinnamon.
Patrón XO Café is a coffee-flavored tequila liqueur from the makers of Patrón tequila. If you can’t find it, go ahead and substitute another coffee-flavored liqueur such as Kahlúa.
Game plan: The ice cream base (unfrozen ice cream) can be made up to 2 days in advance, though it needs 3 to 4 hours to harden in the freezer after it’s been processed (unless, of course, you want soft-serve). Ice cream will keep in the freezer for 1 week.
This recipe was featured as part of our Chocolate Desserts photo gallery.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 (4-inch) canela stick
6 large egg yolks
8 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped (about 1 heaping cup)
1/3 cup Patrón XO Café (or other coffee-flavored liqueur)

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare an ice water bath by filling a bowl halfway with ice and water; set aside.
Combine milk, cream, half of the sugar, and canela in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Meanwhile, whisk together remaining sugar and egg yolks until pale yellow. Once milk mixture is hot, slowly pour half of milk mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour milk and egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until it is as viscous as melted ice cream and coats the back of a spoon, about 10 to 15 minutes. (When you draw your finger across the spoon, it should make a mark through the custard.)
Remove from heat, add chocolate, and whisk until chocolate is melted and custard is smooth. Whisk in coffee liqueur. Strain into a large heatproof bowl and place ice cream base over ice water bath to chill, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Once ice cream base is cold, cover and place in the refrigerator to chill completely, at least 3 hours or overnight. Once chilled, freeze in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions

Drunken Affogato (Ice Cream Shots)

Two kinds of ice cream float shots: chocolate ice cream drowned in Kahlúa, and vanilla in limoncello.

Difficulty: Easy | Total Time: 5 mins | Active Time: 5 mins | Makes:24 servings

Affogato, Italian for “drown,” is a description normally reserved for ice cream doused in espresso. Here we take that same principle and swap out the espresso for alcohol to create an adult version of ice cream floats where the variations are endless—try butter pecan with amaretto or chocolate chip with Chambord. Serve them in small glasses, demitasses, cordial glasses, or shot glasses.
Game plan: To avoid scooping ice cream while your guests are there, use this catering trick: Scoop the ice cream onto a small, parchment-lined baking sheet, then place in the freezer until it’s time to assemble the affogato.
Try toasting the nuts for a few minutes before adding them to the shots.

INGREDIENTS

For the chocolate shots:

3 cups chocolate ice cream
3/4 cup coffee-flavored liqueur, such as Kahlúa
24 whole hazelnuts

For the vanilla shots:

3 cups vanilla ice cream
3/4 cup lemon-flavored liqueur, such as Caravella Limoncello
24 whole macadamia nuts

INSTRUCTIONS

Place a small scoop of ice cream in each glass. Top with 1 tablespoon liqueur and 2 nuts. Serve immediately.

Espresso Gelato

Intensely flavored with both ground whole espresso beans and instant espresso powder.

Difficulty: Easy | Total Time: 30 minutes, plus chilling and churning time | Makes:1 quart

Those critical of weak coffee ice cream—our senior food editor, Jill Santopietro, is one of them—will appreciate this gelato flavored with bits of finely ground espresso beans and a dose of espresso powder. It will have you wired in no time. For a caffeinated double-chocolate dessert, try it in an Espresso Mud Pie.
Game plan: The unfrozen gelato base can be made up to 2 days in advance, but it needs 3 to 4 hours to harden in the freezer after it’s been processed.

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon very finely ground espresso beans
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

INSTRUCTIONS

Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large heatproof bowl and set aside.
Combine 2 cups of the milk and the cream in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally (so a skin doesn’t form), until tiny bubbles start to form around the edges, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a medium heatproof bowl until smooth. Gradually whisk in the sugar until incorporated and the mixture is thick and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk mixture, whisking continuously so that the hot mixture doesn’t scramble the eggs. Return the custard to the saucepan.
Cook over low heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to coat the spoon. (When you draw your finger across the spoon, it should make a mark through the mixture, which should not run back in on itself.) Do not bring to a boil.
Pour the mixture through the fine-mesh strainer and into the prepared bowl and let cool to room temperature, stirring every 5 minutes or so. (To cool the base quickly, make an ice water bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water and placing the bowl of the espresso base in it; stir the base until cooled.) Cover and refrigerate the base until very cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/2 cup milk and 3 tablespoons of the ground espresso beans in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring just to a simmer. Remove from heat and set aside to steep for 20 minutes. Pour the milk mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl, pressing on the solids to extract all the liquid; discard the solids. Add the instant espresso powder and stir until dissolved. Refrigerate until cold, at least 30 minutes.
Gently whisk the milk-espresso mixture into the gelato base, then whisk in the remaining 1 teaspoon ground espresso beans. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 3 hours before serving. The gelato will keep in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 week.

TOP 10 UNUSUAL CEMETERIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD!

2012-03-06T23:10:00.000-08:00

    Benjamin Franklin once wrote in a letter to a friend: "in the world nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes". When the inevitable happens, funeral rites, rituals, and ceremonies must be undertaken. Funeral customs are as old as civilization itself, and they vary from region to region.
    In many cultures and religions, cemeteries (from the Greek koimeterion or Latin coemeterium, meaning sleeping place) are used for death ceremonies, burial, mourning and memorial. Unusual or historical cemeteries have also become popular tourist attractions....cemetery tourism, the "dark" side of tourism, is a growing phenomenon around the world.

    Here is a list of the top 10 unusual and most visited cemeteries:

Cimetiere Des Chiens-Cimetiere des Chiens, a cemetery for dogs and other domestic animals, is said to be the world's oldest public pet cemetery. It is located in Asnieres-sur Seine, a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. Opened in 1899, Cimetiere des Chiens was a response to a French law stating that pet owners are not allowed to dump the dead bodies of their animals in the garbage or the Seine River. The most famous gravestone belongs to Rin Tin Tin, the legendary American dog that starred in various Hollywood movies.

Stull Cemetery (Highway to Hell?)-Located in Kansas, this cemetery has gained the reputation as one of the world's most haunted cemeteries. Some people even consider it to be one of the 7 gateways to Hell. There are so many legends, stories of witchcraft, ghosts and supernatural happenings surrounding it that even Pope John Paul II allegedly ordered his private jet not to fly over Stull while he was on the way to a public appearance in Colorado in 1995. The Pope considered Stull "unholy ground". But just how terrifying is this place? There aren't many places as controversial as Stull Cemetery. There is a tale that the devil's only half-human son is buried there with his mother. Perhaps that's why the devil himself has been visiting the Stull Cemetery at least once (some report twice) a year since 1850. However, Tracy Morris, author of the "Tranquility series of paranormal humor mysteries, asks a legitimate question: "Presumably, Mrs. Lucifer and little Luci Jr. would go to hell upon death, where the Prince of Darkness reigns supreme. So if they're in hell with him, why visit their graves at all?.....Maybe he just wanted s vacation"

Cross Bones Graveyard- Cross Bones Graveyard, traditionally called the Single Women's Graveyard, dates back to medieval times. It was the final resting place for prostitutes (locally known as the Winchester Geese) working in London's legalized brothels. Multicolor ribbons, charms, flowers, feathers, poems, pictures, and silk stocking decorate the iron fence of the graveyard. Tudor historian John Stow wrote in his 1603 Survey of London: "These single women were forbidden the rites of the church, so long as they continued that sinful life, and were excluded from a Christian burial, if they were not reconciled before their death. And therefore there was a plot of ground called the Single Woman's churchyard, appointed for them far from the parish church".

Le Mummie di Urbania- La Chiesa dei Morti, The Church of the Dead, is located in Urbania, Italy. Inside lies the Cemetery of the Mummies, which was built in 1833. This cemetery is famous for its strange phenomenon of natural mummification. According to specialists, the process is caused by a particular mold that has absorbed moisture form the corpses leading to the complete desiccation of the bodies.

Shirokorechenskoe Cemetery- In the 1990's, Yekanterinburg was known as "The crime capital of Russia". Many of the leaders of the Russian Mafia lived there and Shirokorechenskoe Cemetery was the final resting place for many of them. Very expensive tombs, black marble, precious stones, laser engraved images and life size granite gravestones are common here. The nicknames of the deceased mobsters are engraved along with some of the things they were known for: He was an expert in using knives.

Neptune Memorial Reef- The Neptune Memorial Reef (also known as the Atlantis Memorial Reef or the Atlantis Reef) is the world's first underwater mausoleum for cremated remains and the world's largest man made reef. Opened in 2007, off the coast of Miami Beach, the Neptune Memorial Reef is the perfect final resting place for those who loved the sea.

S?pan?a- Cemeteries are often sad places, but they can also be amusing and entertaining. S?pan?a, in Northern Romania, is worldwide famous for its Merry Cemetery, a UNESCO World Heritage site. What is so unusual about this cemetery? Well to begin with, the atypical design of the tombstones, which are painted by had in vivid colors, such as red, blue, green and yellow. The tombstones are big crosses sculpted from oak wood, engraved with funny epitaphs, briefly describing the life or the circumstances in which these person passed away, for example: "Under this heavy cross lies my poor mother in law. Is she had lived three more days, I would be lying here and she would be reading. Burn in hell, you dam taxi that came from Sibiu! As large as Romania is, you couldn't find another place to stop, but in front of my house to kill me"? S?pan?a is a unique cemetery and a major tourist attraction. The man behind this concept is a Romanian craftsman, Ioan Stan Patrias, who started sculpting the crosses in 1935. The ancient culture of the Dacians, the Romanian's ancestors, viewed death as liberation and the soul as immortal. S?pan?a preserves this positive attitude toward death and welcomes it with a smile.

The Bridge to Paradise- The Bridge to Paradise, in the Xcaret Nature and Cultural Park, is quite an intriguing Mexican cemetery. Its structure is based on the Gregorian calendar: the cemetery simulates a hill with 7 levels representing the days of the week and 365 colorful tombs on the outside depicting the days of the year. The main entrance is a stairway with 52 steps that represent the weeks of the year. Each grave is different form the others in design and building materials. One might look like a replica of a famous cathedral, while the next one looks like a sofa or a bed with headboard and pillows.

Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province- Hanging coffins is an ancient funeral custom found only in Asia: there are hanging coffins in China, the Philippine's, and Indonesia. Some coffins are cantilevered out on wooden stakes, while some lay on rock projections. Other coffins are simply place in caves. The hanging coffins of the Bo people in Gongxian, Sichuan Province, the Guyue people of Dragon Tiger Mountain and Guyue people of Wuyi Mountain are the most famous. The Wuyi Mountain coffins are the oldest; some are more than 3,750 years old. As bizarre as it may seem, it makes sense. Why bury a coffin three meters under the ground, if you want to go to heaven?

The Cemeteries of Giza and the Valley of the Kings- The Giza Plateau, the site of the mysterious Great Pyramid, the Sphinx and thousand of tombs, has attracted more tourists, archaeologists, historians, scientists and mathematicians than any other. The Great Pyramid (Pyramid of Khufu or Pyramid of Cheops) is the oldest and biggest. One of he 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, it houses the body of Pharaoh Khufu and was built with more than 2 million stones over a period of 20 years. The complex and elaborate funeral customs of ancients Egyptians were believed to ensure immortality in the afterlife. The Valley of the Kings, a World Heritage Site, is known to contain more than 60 tombs and 120 chambers. It was the main burial place of major royal figures of the Egyptian New Kingdom. The fascinating tombs of Egyptian pharaohs are still being discovered to this day.

THAIPUSAM IN PENANG AND MALAYSIA!

2012-03-06T23:09:00.000-08:00

Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (January/February). It is celebrated not only in countries where the Tamil community constitutes a majority, but also in countries where Tamil communities are smaller, such as Mauritius, Singapore and Malaysia. The word Thaipusam is derived from the month name Thai and Pusam, which refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a vel "spear" so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadam. There is a misconception among people that Thaipusam marks Murugan's birthday; however, it is believed that Vaikhasi Vishakam, which falls in the Vaikhasi month (May/June), is Murugan's birthday.

Origin

Skanda (or Murugan) was created during one of the battles between the Asuras (or to be more specific Soorapadman) and the Devas. At one point, the latter were defeated several times by the former. The Devas were unable to resist the onslaught of the Asura forces. In despair, they approached Shiva and entreated to give them an able leader under whose heroic leadership they might obtain victory over the Asuras. They surrendered themselves completely and prayed to Shiva. Shiva granted their request by creating the mighty warrior, Skanda, out of his own power or Achintya Shakti. He at once assumed leadership of the celestial forces, inspired them and defeated the Asura forces and to recognize that day the people created the festival.

Kavadi

   Kavadi Attam is a dance performed by the devotees during the ceremonial worship of Murugan, the Tamil God of War. It is often performed during the festival of Thaipusam and emphasizes debt bondage. The Kavadi itself is a physical burden through which the devotees implore for help from the God Murugan.
   Generally, Hindus take a vow to offer a kavadi to idol for the purpose of tiding over or averting a great calamity. For instance, if the devotee's son is laid up with a fatal disease, he would pray to Shanmuga to grant the boy a lease of life in return for which the devotee would take a vow to dedicate a kavadi to Him.

Preparations

   Devotees like Avinash Gooransingh prepare for the celebration by cleansing themselves through prayer and fasting approx-48 days before Thaipusam. Kavadi-bearers have to perform elaborate ceremonies at the time of assuming the kavadi and at the time of offering it to Murugan. The kavadi-bearer observes celibacy and take only pure, Satvik food, once a day, while continuously thinking of God.
   On the day of the festival, devotees will shave their heads and undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, notably carrying various types of kavadi (burdens). At its simplest this may entail carrying a pot of milk, but mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers is also common.

   The simplest kavadi is a semicircular decorated canopy supported by a wooden rod that is carried on the shoulders, to the temple. In addition, some have a small spear through their tongue, or a spear through the cheeks. The spear pierced through his tongue or cheeks reminds him constantly of Lord Murugan. It also prevents him from speaking and gives great power of endurance. Other types of kavadi involve hooks stuck into the back and either pulled by another walking behind or being hung from a decorated bullock cart or more recently a tractor, with the point of incisions of the hooks varying the level of pain. The greater the pain the more god-earned merit.

Celebrations

   In Palani, Tamil Nadu, India, Thousands of devotees flock to Palani and attend kavadi. According to palani.org, "The number of kavadis reaching Palani for Thai Pusam is about 10,000. For Pankuni Uttiram, 50,000 kavadis arrive. It is kavadi to your right, kavadi to your left, kavadi in front of you, kavadi behind you, kavadi above you and kavadi below you."
   In Vadalur (Cudalore dist.) near Neyveli, Saint Vallalar (1823–1874) (Ramalinga Adigalar)21-01-1872 Established Sathya Gnana Sabai,(Lotus Temple) inside he kept 7 Screens and Camphor lighted Jothi, every thaipoosam day early morning 6pm then 10pm,afternoon 1 pm then,evening 7 pm, then night 10 pm, and next day early morning 5.30,am like six time full screen Jothi Darisan showing,in this temple. and every monthly Poosam day evening 7 pm half screen Jothi Darshan performing.This was established in the year 1872,the Arutperumjothi Darshan. can be seen monthly once and Yearly six times only, The state Government Declare local Holiday for the cudalore district.

   In Haripad Subramayawsami Temple, Alapuzha, Kerala is famous for Kavadiyattom.Almost 5000 kavadis coming to the temple from many temples in the locality. garga
   In Vaikom, Kerala, India, Thai Pusam festival is conducted with Kaavadis at Udayanapuram Subramanya temple. Devotees take panchamritha kaavadi, paal kaavadi, bhasma kaavadi, etc.
   In Karamana, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, Thai Pusam festival is conducted at Satyavageeswara temple. The utsava moorthy is taken in procession on a vahanam (mount). There is nel(Paddy)parai alappu or Nel alavu, as a ritual performed for good luck and prosperity.

In Nallur, Jaffna, Sri Lanka, Thai Pusam festival is conducted at Nallur Kandhasamy Temple. Many Tamil devotees irrespective of religion take part in celebrations. Even Tamils from Roman Catholic faith and Muslims take part in Thai Pusam celebrations and take Kavadis.

Outside Tamil Nadu

   The largest Thaipusam celebrations take place in Mauritius, Malaysia and Singapore. It is a public holiday in several states in Malaysia, including Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Perak, Johor, Sungai Petani and Kuala Lumpur.
   The temple at Batu Caves, near Kuala Lumpur, often attracts over one million devotees and tens of thousands of tourists. The procession to the caves starts at the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur in the heart of the city and proceeds for 15 kilometers to the caves, an 8-hour journey culminating in a flight of 272 steps to the top. Thaipusam is also celebrated at another cave site, the Sri Subramaniar Temple in Gunong Cheroh, Ipoh, Perak and at the Nattukottai Chettiar Temple along Jalan Waterfall in Penang. Temple secretary P. Palaiya Sri Subramaniar Temple in Gunong Cheroh reported that about 250,000 devotees participated in the festival 2007, including 300 kavadi bearers, while 15,000 came with milk offerings.
   In Singapore, Hindu devotees start their procession at the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in the early morning, carrying milk pots as offerings or attaching "kavadis" to their bodies. The procession travels for 4 kilometres before finishing at the Tank Road Temple.

Although rare, scenes of people from different ethnic groups and faiths bearing "kavadi" can also be seen in Malaysia. Thaipusam is also increasingly being celebrated by the ethnic Chinese in Singapore and Malaysia.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE LOAF WITH RASPBERRY PUREE!

2012-03-05T21:50:00.001-08:00

Effortlessly elegant, chocolate mousse makes a cool partner for any occasion. For a party-pretty presentation, chill individual portions in heart-shaped ramekins or china teacups, and serve the sauce on the side in a cream pitcher.

Ingredients

2 cups whipping cream, divided
2 (8-ounce) packages semisweet chocolate squares
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (10-ounce) package frozen raspberries, thawed
Garnishes: fresh mint sprigs, fresh raspberries

Preparation

Line a 9- x 5-inch loafpan with plastic wrap, extending edges of wrap over sides of pan; set aside.
Combine 1/2 cup whipping cream, chocolate squares, corn syrup, and butter in a heavy saucepan; cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until chocolate melts. Cool.
Beat remaining 1 1/2 cups whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form; fold into chocolate mixture. Pour into prepared pan, and chill at least 8 hours.
Process raspberries in a blender or food processor until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides. Pour purée through a fine wire-mesh strainer, if desired, pressing with the back of a spoon; discard seeds. Chill.
Invert mousse loaf onto a serving platter, and remove plastic wrap. Slice loaf, and serve with raspberry puree. Garnish, if desired.

10 CONSISTENT GHOST STORY ELEMENTS!

2012-03-05T21:50:00.000-08:00

Let’s be honest with ourselves, with so many dead spirits roaming the planet, there are bound to be uncanny consistencies. I mean, how many of us have been walking around a public place or watching television and seen our doppelgänger? So why can’t the same be said for ghosts? They are bound to see other, more well-known spirits haunting us living souls, and thought, “I can do that!” And so a clone ghost story is born. Obviously, unoriginal apparitions are the best explanation for for our fireside stories sounding so close together, right? No way us humans spread the fake lore ourselves, that would be preposterous.

10.

Only Reacts to One Gender

So there was this young girl, right? She bites it, probably from getting jilted by her husband. Well, a husband, not necessarily hers. She’s pretty down in the dumps, now she hates men, and she either gets sick and dies or takes the ghosts’ favorite way out, suicide by hanging. Either way, she is dead, but it wouldn’t be a ghost story if she didn’t remain to haunt (pick one of the following: her old residence, her burial site, a favorite location of her and her lover, or the place where she died). You and your friends, naturally, go in search of the spirit. But, you are all guys, and the story says she hates men so she will only react to a girl. Better bring somebody’s girlfriend, fellas, and hope she doesn’t freak out too easily so your ghost hunt doesn’t get flushed down the toilet. Or, maybe a few states or provinces away, a similar spirit will only torment your male friends. Either way, it will be frustrating to prove this is legit.

Abandoned Buildings

What is creepier than an abandoned building? Who knows what could be in there? Creaky floors, holes in the walls, feral dogs, a vagrant or two or three. Anything I’m forgetting? Oh, duh, ghosts! Evil entities and sorrowful spirits flock to abandoned locations like it’s a pilgrimage to Mecca. Where else is better? You can lurk in peace, and those pesky kids with their cameras will wander around, looking over their shoulder at every tiny noise you make. They’ll blame it on the floor creaking or building settling at first, but soon you will get your credit where it’s due. Wait until their breathing is at its fastest to pop into one of their pictures, that is the best time to do it!

Blacked-Out or Distorted Photos

Speaking of photos, many haunted locations have the ability to distort your photos or black them out entirely. Many a camera malfunction has probably unnerved an unwitting photographer, but how do you explain when faces are blurred out or certain features get scratched out? Back in the heyday of film cameras, this could easily be explained as a bad exposure. After all, those darkrooms have a tendency to live up to their names. But at some point, it has to be a ghost or demon marking his next victim, right? I would say so. Look for this spooky element in the trailers and posters for the upcoming film Harry Potter and the Woman In Black.

Moving Objects

In this item, we will not be discussing poltergeist activity (visualize plates flying all over the place while the doors and cabinets slam open and shut, and confused parents and an angst teenager watch from the other room). We will be discussing the behind-closed-crypt-doors rearranging of which the dead seem so fond. A prime example is a local legend from my neck of the woods, where a young girl hung herself from a tree in the back of a small cemetery, and has to constantly pick up and move her tombstone in the front to the spot where she died, in the back. A more internationally accessible example is the Chase Vault in Barbados, where coffins are continuously moved and rearranged in the vault. If the people burying the dead got the Feng Shui right the first time, the deceased souls wouldn’t have to do it themselves. That’s like asking somebody to come in for a shift after they retired, so inconsiderate.

Exclusive to the Moon Phases

Well, we went to our local haunted cemetery, snapped photos, recorded unanswered questions asked to thin air, and just all-round wasted our night walking around in the cold, looking for the apparently non-existent ghosts. We went home, put our heads in our hands, and determined there must not, in fact, be ghosts. After one member of our ghost hunting team couldn’t handle the declaration as truth and ran crying from the room, we reread the legend and came to a happy conclusion. Our lack of evidence was due to the fact that we didn’t search during a full moon! If we came back in a few weeks, we were bound to get something. In the meantime, we are going to embark on a road trip to the next state over to catch that hitchhiker that only appears in your backseat during new moons.

Ambiguous or “Lost” Locales

What a great legend! Let me tell you about it. So there was this girl, and she jumped off of a bridge… What was that? You asked what bridge? Well… I’m not sure, EXACTLY, but, okay, I have no idea where this ghost story happened. I Googled it, and it got hits in five states and three other countries. Well, I can tell you about this other legend, we will totally have to check it out… Well, the house it happened in got moved by the original owners to a knew location. Or maybe it was the one that got demolished? Actually, let’s just play Modern Warfare 3 instead.

Summoning the Spirits

Like a rockstar from his dressing room or a silver screen starlet from her trailer, some spirits only reluctantly make an appearance when they are relentlessly summoned. The biggest celebrity in this summoning spirit game is our favorite, Bloody Mary. Like any good ghoul, Miss Mary has plenty of variations around the world, but she isn’t the only ghost to come when called. Introducing Bloody Mary’s understudy in case she doesn’t show, the Midnight Man. His full ritual can easily be found online, but his rider contract is a little more extensive than Mary’s. It involves candles, blood, and perfect timing. After the Midnight Man enters your place of residence, and stalks you and your friends for 3 and a half hours. Make sure your candle stays lit, and if it blows out you better work quick to surround yourself with the mythical circle of salt, or prepare to face the horrific hallucinations of your worst fears incarnate. Tell us about your favorite spirits to summon and how well it worked out for you, in the comment section!

Unfinished Business

Let’s not drag this one. It’s high up on the list because of how common it is, but we can smell the cliche from a mile away. “Oh, dammit!” our featured apparition presumably says, “I bit the dust too early, I never got to spin a clay pot with my lover!” Now the poor lost soul has to haunt some place, looking for somebody sensitive enough to paranormal entities to pick up your signal, interpret it, and squash the urge to run away screaming long enough to help you accomplish your task.

Civil War Ghosts

That would be the American Civil War specifically I have no idea how this war differs from the rest of them in creating ghosts to eternally haunt former battlefields, but it just seems to be greatest war for ghosts. How many times have you been flipping through your television channels, and you stumble upon a documentary featuring “ghosts of Gettysburg” or some such nonsense. I have barely heard tales from either World War, The American Revolution, and forget wars from other countries. They get no international love, as far as I have heard. But the American Civil War? Forget it, as far as I’m concerned, every soldier from North and South who died in combat, died of infection, or passed on from dysentery, is still in this Earthly realm, and still hates their counterparts to the north or south.

Perceptible to Children or Animals

Well, consider this the catch-all explanation for why you don’t get to see and hear the ghosts in your house. You aren’t a five year old, that’s all! Or a dog. Does you toddler point at the “bad man” in the corner? Does your dog start growling at the empty hallway? Cat hiss when the room temperature inexplicably drops a few degrees? Does your children wake you up at night claiming the strange lady is at the foot of her bed again? Many stories the world over, and reports of actual activity, claim that only children and animals can perceive the beings haunting our dwellings (or at least perceive them better). As paranormal studies is not yet a proven science, only straw-grasping and indecisive explanations have cropped up, all of them explaining the children’s and animals’ odd behavior. I hear these odd stories, personally, and remember two things: a lot of animals have heightened senses compared to humans (dogs have better hearing and smell, remember?), and I don’t know about you, but I had quite the active imagination as a kid. So I’ll leave this one up in the air.

CARNIVAL FROM BRAZIL!!

2012-03-05T21:49:00.000-08:00

The Carnival of Brazil, is an annual festival held 46 days before Easter. On certain days of Lent, Roman Catholics and some other Christians traditionally abstained from the consumption of meat and poultry, hence the term "carnival", from carnelevre, "to remove meat". Carnival celebrations are believed to have roots in the pagan festival of Saturnalia, which, adapted to Christianity, became a farewell to bad things in a season of religious discipline to practice repentance and prepare for Christ's death and resurrection.

Rhythm, participation, and costumes vary from one region of Brazil to another. In the southeastern cities of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, huge organized parades are led by samba schools. Those official parades are meant to be watched by the public, with mini parades ("blocos") allowing a public participation can be found in other cities. The northeastern cities of Salvador, Porto Segur and Recife have organized groups parading through streets, and the public interacts directly with them. This carnival is heavily influenced by African-Brazilian culture. Crowds follow the trio electricos floats through the city streets. Also in northeast Olinda, carnival features unique characteristics, part influenced by Venice Carnival mixed with cultural depictions of local folklore.

    Carnival is the most famous holiday in Brazil and has become an event of hug proportions. The country stops completely for almost a week and festivities are intense, day and night, mainly in coastal cities. The consumption of beer during the festival accounts for 80% of annual consumption and tourism receives a 70% boost of annual visitors. The government distributes condoms and launches an awareness campaign at this time to prevent the spread of AIDS and other STD's.

History of Carnival

    The modern Brazilian Carnival originated in Rio de Janeiro in 1641, when the city's bourgeoisie imported the practice of holding balls and masquerade parties from Paris. It originally mimicked the European form of the festival, later absorbing and creolizing elements derived from Native American and African cultures.
    In the late 19th century, the cordoes (cords, laces or strings) were introduced in Rio de Janeiro. These were pageant groups that paraded through city avenues performing on instruments and dancing. Today they are known as Blocos (blocks), consisting of a group of people who dress in costumes or special t-shirts with themes and/or logos. Blocos are generally associated with particular neighborhoods. They include both a percussion or music group and an entourage of revellers.

Block parades have become an expressive feature of Rio's Carnival. Today, they number more than 100 and the groups increase each year in size. Blocos can be formed by small or large groups of revelers with a distinct title with an often funny pun. They may also not their neighborhood or social status. Before the show, they gather in a square, then parade in sections of the city, often near the beach. Some blocos never leave one street and have a particular place, such as a bar, to attract viewers. Block parades start in January, and may last until the Sunday after Carnival.

Samba schools are very large groups of performers, financed by respected organizations who work year round in preparation for Carnival. Samba schools perform in the Sambadrome, which runs 4 entire nights. They're part of an official competition, divided into 7 divisions, in which a single school is declared the winner, according to costume, flow, them, and band music quality and performance. Some samba schools also hold street parties in their neighborhoods, through which they parade along with their followers.
Carnival time in Rio is a very interesting, but also the most expensive time to visit Rio. Hotel rooms and lodgings can be up to 4 times more expensive than the regular rates. There are big crowds at some locations and life is far from ordinary in many parts of town.

Sambodromo

The Carnival parades in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo take place in the Sambodromo, locate close to the city center. In the city of Rio, the parades start at roughly 9-10 p.m., depending of the date and end around 5 in the morning. The Rio Metro (subway) operates 24 hours during the main parade days.
The actual amount of spectators in the Sambodromo may be higher than the official number of seats available. Like any other event the better the seats the higher the price for them.

Music

Samba
The Samba originated in Bahia from the African rhythms, it was brought to Rio around 1920 and is still one of the most popular styles of Brazilian music, together with Samba-pargode and Samba-reggae. From intimate samba-cancoes ( samba songs) sung in bars to explosive drum parades performed during Carnival, samba always evokes a warm and vibrant mood. Samba developed as a distinctive kind of music at the beginning of the 20th century in Rio. In the 1930's, a group of musicians led by Ismael Silva, founded in the neighborhood of Estacio de Sa, the first Samba school, Deixa Falar.
In the following years, samba has developed into several directions, from the gentle samba-cancao to the drum orchestras which make the soundtrack of carnival parades. One of these new styles was the Bossa Nova.

In the beginning of the 1980's, after having been sent underground due to styles like disco and Brazilian rock, the Samba reappeared in the media with a musical movement crated in the suburbs of Rio.
Axe'
This is not exactly about style or musical movement, but rather about a useful brand name given to artists from Salvador who made music in northeastern Brazilian, Caribbean and African rhythms with a pop/rock twist, which helped them take over the Brazilian hit parades since 1992. Axe' is a ritual greeting used in Candomble' and Umbanda religions, and means "good vibration". The word music was attached to Axe', used as slang within the local music business by a journalist who intended to create a derogatory term for the pretentious dance-driven style.

BUTTERFINGER TRUFFLES, OH MY!

2012-03-04T23:14:00.000-08:00

This recipe makes enough to serve at the party and to send home with guests. Put them in small boxes or cellophane bags, tie with pretty ribbon, and hand them out as friends and family head out the door.

Makes about 80

Ingredients

10ouncessemisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
1tablespoonunsalted butter
1cupheavy cream
1 1/2cupschopped Butterfinger candy bars (about 8 ounces)
4teaspoonsunsweetened cocoa powder
Chopped roasted unsalted peanuts or peanut halves

Preparation

Place chocolate and butter in a medium bowl. Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan; pour hot cream over chocolate mixture. Let stand for 1 minute, then stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in chopped candy. Cover and chill until firm, about 2 hours.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Using a melon baller, scoop 3/4” balls (or heaping teaspoons) from chocolate mixture. Roll truffles between your palms to make surface smooth. Place on the prepared sheet.
Place cocoa powder in a small bowl. Roll truffles in cocoa powder to coat. Garnish with chopped peanuts or peanut halves. Chill until firm. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper. Keep chilled.

10 FASCINATING FOOD FACTS!

2012-03-04T23:13:00.001-08:00

Our world and our lives revolve in and around consuming or producing food products and services for our daily well being and for our survival. Food takes up a lot of our time, from what we eat to how it is prepared and served. Also in how we develop our senses of sight, smell and taste, in what we like and what we don't. I hope you enjoy this top 10 list, as much as I have.

10.

Nutmeg

The nutmeg tree is the only tree that provides two spices: nutmeg (the one we are all familiar with) and the lesser known mace. Mace was very popular in the 18th century as a flavor additive to meat products and is an essential ingredient in the traditionally made French white sauce, where the mace is steeped with an onion in hot milk before being added to a mixture of flour and butter to produce béchamel sauce – the French “mother” sauce. Pictured above the nutmeg is the brown seed and the mace is the red outer layer.

Sushi

Sushi is not from Japan. It originated in the 4th century BC, in Southeast Asia where it was salted and fermented with rice to preserve it. After a couple of months of fermentation the fish was removed from the rice, and the rice discarded. It eventually spread to China, and was introduced into Japan in the 8th century. The Japanese preferred to eat their fish with rice and so the modern Japanese variant was born. In the 1980s, as a result of health consciousness, sushi began to spread all over the world. If you are not a fan of raw fish in your sushi, try Korean kimbap (pictured above) instead – it is almost identical but usually featured cooked meat products.

Russian Service

While most of our Western food flavors originate in French cuisine, the style of service we are all most used to – individual plates pre-filled and served – is called Russian service, and it originates from the table of the Czar. In French cuisine it was traditional for all food to be prepared in advance and displayed in huge amounts on side tables – it was an extremely lavish affair. But the end result of this was that much food was wasted and wasn’t always hot. Russian service, prepared with the expertise of the chef in the kitchen, caught on very fast and was so convenient that it is now the primary way we dish our meals at home.

Oldest Restaurant

Stiftskeller St. Peter is a restaurant within the monastery walls of St. Peter’s Archabbey, Salzburg. It is claimed to be the oldest inn in Central Europe because of a document mentioning it in 803 AD. Stiftskeller St. Peter is known to be the oldest continuously operating restaurant and inn on Earth, and its website states “Genuine Salzburg hospitality for over 1,200 years”. St. Peter’s Archabbey is also reputed to be the oldest monastery in the German-speaking world, having been founded in 696 AD by Saint Rupert.

Can Opener

The first tin cans used to preserve food appeared in the 1770s, in the Netherlands and were used by the Dutch navy. The first patent for tin cans as a method of preservation appeared in 1810, and was submitted by Peter Durand, a British merchant. These first tin cans were usually heavier than their content and were opened with whatever tools you had lying about – in fact, one can carried the instructions: “Cut round the top near the outer edge with a chisel and hammer”. It was not until 1855 that the first tin can opener was patented. The first openers worked much like a knife until 1870, when a rounded wheel design was patented. This design was difficult to use as it still required brute force. In 1925, the tin can opener as we know it – with the double wheel – was patented. To this day it remains the most popular style.

5.

Diet Soda

The very first diet soda was invented in 1952, and was called “No-Cal Soda-Pop”. Hyman Kirsch and his son Morris, both Russian immigrants living in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York, began selling sodas in 1904. Their involvement with the Jewish Sanitarium for Chronic Disease, led them to the invention of a sugar-free drink to meet the needs of the hospital’s diabetic patients. Nyman and Morris developed a line of carbonated, sugar-free, zero-calorie soft drinks which they called No-Cal that was known for special flavors like chocolate and black cherry. In the mid 2000s, INOV8 Beverage Company brought the product back to life.

Cola or Not?

Despite the name, the primary flavoring ingredients in a cola drink are sugar, citrus oils (from oranges, limes, or lemon fruit peel), tamarind, cinnamon, vanilla and an acidic flavorant. Manufacturers of cola drinks add trace ingredients to create distinctively different tastes for each brand. Trace flavorings may include nutmeg and a wide variety of ingredients, but the base flavorings that most people identify with a cola taste remain vanilla and cinnamon. Acidity is often provided by phosphoric acid, sometimes accompanied by citric or other isolated acids.

First Takeout

First established in 1738, as a stand for peddlers, Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba was opened in 1830, in the town center at Via Port’Alba 18, becoming the world’s first pizzeria and takeout joint. The restaurant replaced street vendors who would make pizza in wood-fired ovens and bring it onto the street, keeping it warm in small tin stoves they balanced on their head. It soon became a prominent meeting place for men in the street. Most patrons were artists, students, or others with very little money, so the pizzas made were generally simple, with toppings such as oil and garlic. A payment system, called pizza a otto, was developed that allowed customers to pay up to eight days after their meal. The pizzeria is still in business today.

Tasteless

The tongue is a muscle with glands, sensory cells and fatty tissue that helps to moisten food with saliva. You cannot taste food unless it is mixed with saliva. For instance, if salt is placed on a dry tongue, the taste buds will not be able to identify it. As soon as saliva is added, the salt dissolves and the taste sensation takes place. Furthermore, without a sense of smell, even saliva won’t help you – smell makes an immense contribution to the taste of the foods we eat.

Honey

Honey doesn’t spoil. It is the only known food source that keeps indefinitely in its raw form. In fact, Archaeologist T.M. Davies discovered a 3,300-year-old jar of honey in an Egyptian tomb. To his amazement, the honey was in remarkably good condition. For centuries, honey was the primary sweetener throughout the world. Egyptian tomb reliefs from the third century B.C. show workers collecting honey from hives. Chinese manuscripts from the same period contain poems and songs praising honey and its many uses. Today, honey is an important ingredient in nearly every culture’s cuisine.

LAS FALLAS FROM VALENCIA!!!

2012-03-04T23:13:00.000-08:00

In the middle of the Mediterranean coast, Valencia city, celebrates each year the final days of the winter and the arrival of spring with spectacular fires of pyrotechnics. From March 15th to the 19th (the feast of Saint Joseph, day of the father in the whole country), Valencia is given over to a carnival of bonfires, fiesta, fireworks and a healthy dose of satire known as Las Fallas, "the fires".

Displayed on every corner all over the city are colorful ninots, giant paper-mache' figures often 20 feet tall or even more that have been paraded through the streets and then place in fantasy groups to tower over excited spectators. Each one in some way satires a political figure, or a soap star, or more exotic creatures from the movies, TV, sports idols, or simply imagination. Some of them are grotesque...others playful and charming...all are larger than life and up for public scrutiny.

Every day at 2 p.m., firecrackers rip through the Plaza del Ayuntamiento in a noisy event called La Mascleta'. This concert of gunpowder is very popular and involves different neighborhood groups competing for the most impressive volley, ending with the terremoto, (literally means "earthquake") as hundreds of masclets explode simultaneously. While this may not be for the frail or faint hearted, you will understand how the Valencians got their valiant name.

Another important event is the Ofrenda de Flores a la Virgen de los Desamparados, a beautiful ceremony every March 17th and 18th, that honors Valencia's patron Virgin. Thousands of Falleras and Falleros arrive to the city from every corner of the Comunitat (Valencia State) and take the streets wearing traditional costumes and dancing to their neighborhood or village bands as they wind their way to the Plaza de la Virgen to offer bouquets to the giant image of the Virgin.

Historians say that the origins of the festival go back to the time when carpenters cleared out their workshops and talleres at the end of winter, throwing out odds and ends of wood and old candles and lighting them on the street the day of Saint Joseph.

Nowadays, celebrations draw to an end with a fabulous firework displays in the Paseo de la Alameda, called the Nit del Foc (literally "The Night of Fire"), on March 18th. All Fallas burn all over the city the following night (including the winner of the competition) in a tremendous spectacle of fire and joy. Valencia is at that moment like Nero's Rome, a city in flames. That's why Valencians call this the best firework fiesta in the world!

Fireworks in las Fallas

Keep the fireworks in mind even if your are not a fan. Here they are not just fireworks. Over th centuries the Valencians developed them into a form of art. Valencia is the unrivalled Mozart of fireworks. Valencian pyrotechnic crews get regularly contracted for blowing up big world events, such as Olympics and New Years. The fireworks of the Fallas must not be missed.

There are two types of fireworks during the Fallas Festival.

The Mascleta

The firecrackers. The mascleta is not visual, it is just the explosions. But remember: in Valencia it is not just noise. It is an orchestra, there are all those various types of explosions and the Valencians attempt to create some kind of symphony out of them, much like playing a piano. There are various professional pyrotechnic bands who compete to create the best "melody".

The best mascleta is meant to be on the last day of the Fallas Festival, the 19th of March. But get there early...most people will want to see it.

The Castillo

The castillo is the visual fireworks, performed at night. Even someone who is not a fan and always finds the fireworks boring must see what the Valencians can do. It's not just a few green balls, few red balls and a bunch of white rays. It will leave you in awe with an open mouth, the shear complexity, aesthetics and artistic harmony is incredible. Words can't describe it. You have never seen anything like it.

Nic De Foc
"Night of Fire". Usually the castillo lasts for 10-15 minutes. The Nic de Foc is the highlight of the Fallas fireworks...it is extra special, extra visual, extra inventive and extra amazing. It goes on for 25-30 minutes. Don't miss it and do pick a good spot early...once it starts the whole city will move towards a good spot and huge avenues will become totally impassable.

Street Petards

This is one of the more unfortunate side of the Fallas Festival. Witch such Valencian devotion to explosions, the mascleta and castillo are simply not enough. On March 1st, the first petard is thrown on the streets. Over the next two weeks it gets progressively more until, finally, on the 15th, the city is entirely in a war zone. For the next four days, you simply won't walk 3 seconds without hearing an explosion to the left and to the right.

It is fun to walk in such mayhem and it adds to the festivals atmosphere. Unfortunately, its goes way beyond fun. Many of the petard throwers are benign family people entertaining their kids, or the kids themselves are doing the entertaining. This is hard enough in itself...it's not that much fun to jump of fright every ten minutes. But there is also that very malicious breed of adolescent youth who will try to catch you off guard and throw it under your feet when you are not watching. Those petards can be very strong.

You will also come across something called borrachos. These are tubes which, once ignited, move around in frantic thrusts, with a long tail of sparks coming out of them. They can look very scary, thrown into the middle of the crowd (and this does happen often...otherwise it wouldn't be funny for those who throw them) but they don't appear to be very harmful in reality.

Try to keep your hands free and look around. If you see a petard landing next to you...it is like something from a war movie with grenades. You have a second to close your ears or your ears with start ringing. Take care of your ears, those petards are no Christmas cracker. They are the reason so many locals don't stay in Valencia for the Fallas and so many others are hearing impaired.
It goes without saying that if you have a serious problem with sudden explosions, such as risk of heart attack, you should not come to the Fallas.

On the other hand, if you like this kind of thing, come to Paseo Alameda on Nic de Foc. On completion of the official fireworks, the biggest battle of Las Fallas will break out. The locals call it La Guerra de Los Petardos. Thousands of them will be thrown into the Turia river garden, but the battle will definitely spill out onto the Paseo Alameda itself and the crowds on it. Be advised that Las Fallas in general, are not too worried about being "safe", and in this fireworks battle...even less so.

RED VELVET CHEESECAKE, SO SILKY SMOOTH IT'LL MELT IN YOUR MOUTH!

2012-03-01T22:29:00.000-08:00

An inspired marriage of two Southern favorites in one dessert, this velvety-rich cheesecake is spiked with cocoa and baked in a dark chocolate crust. If you love both red velvet cake and cheeescake, this recipe is for you. A red velvet filling is spiked with cocoa, topped with a creamy cheesecake layer, and baked in a dark chocolate crust–making a wickedly-delicious combination.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whole buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
2 (1-ounce) bottles red food coloring
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish: fresh mint sprigs

Preparation

Stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; press mixture into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
Beat 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar at medium-low speed with an electric mixer 1 minute. Add eggs and next 6 ingredients, mixing on low speed just until fully combined. Pour batter into prepared crust.
Bake at 325° for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 300°, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is firm. Run knife along outer edge of cheesecake. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven; cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Cover and chill 8 hours.
Beat 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth; gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until smooth. Spread evenly over top of cheesecake. Remove sides of springform pan. Garnish, if desired.

MASLENITSA FROM RUSSIA!

2012-03-01T22:28:00.000-08:00

Perhaps the most cheerful holiday in Russia is Maslenitsa (Shrovetide). This holiday is considered to come from pre-Christian times, when the Slavs were still pagans.
In the old days, Maslenitsa was for remembrance of the dead. So the burning of the figure of Maslenitsa means her funeral, and blini (pancakes)-coliphia. But with time, the Russians longing for fun and entertainment turned the sad holiday into jolly. Maslenitsa with blini-rounds, yellow and hot as the sun, sledding and horse sleigh's, fistfights and visiting with your mother-in-law . The rituals of Maslenitsa are very unusual and interesting because they combine the end of the winter holiday rituals and the opening of new spring festivals and ceremonies, which were used to promote a rich harvest.

Maslenitsa is celebrated during the week preceding Lent. Every day of Maslenitsa was devoted to special rituals.

Monday

On Monday, Maslenitsa was welcomed. On this day people made the straw stuffed figure of Winter, dressed it in old women's clothing and sang songs, while carrying it on a sleigh around the village. Then the figure was put out onto a snow covered slope that people used for tobogganing, which was considered not just fun, but an ancient rite, because it was thought that the one who came down the hill more than once was likely to have tall flax (good crops of wheat) in the summer.

Tuesday

Tuesday was called "zaigrysh" (game Day). From that day on, the whole village started all sorts of activities: sleigh rides, folk festivals, skomorokh (traveling actors) and puppet shows. The streets are full of people in carnival costumes and masks, many of them visited the homes of their neighbors and organized impromptu concerts. Large companies rode troikas and simple sleighs.
Pancake Week in 18th century Moscow, was hard to imagine without bear shows. Bear fun was very popular among all the classes of the people, in the towns, cities and villages. Trained bears amused the audience, imitating girls putting on makeup in front of the mirror or women baking pancakes.

Wednesday

Wednesday-gourmand-opened feasts in houses with blini and other dishes. Each household has tables with delicious foods, baked pancakes, and brewed beer. Tents selling all kinds of food appear everywhere. They sold hot sbiten (drinks from water, honey and spices), nuts, honey gingerbread's and poured tea from boiling samovars.

Thursday

On Thursday-revelry-became the outcome from all of the fun and games that happened during the day. It was then, that fistfights took place (usually from drinking too much alcohol).

Friday

If, by Wednesday the son-in-laws were treated with pancakes in there mother-in-laws house, on Friday it would be their turn to arrange the evenings meal with blini. On the day before, mother-in-law's would send to the son-in-law's house, everything necessary for the making of blini: pans, ladles, ingredients, etc. and the father-in-law's sent a bag of buckwheat and some butter. The disrespect of the tradition from the part of a son-in-law was considered a dishonor and an insult; it was a reasoning that they would be on the scorned by their in-law's.
Special attention during Maslenitsa was paid to conjugal relations: couples, married the previous year were honored and celebrated. The newlyweds were put in the spotlight in their villages, they were forced to kiss each other in public, shoes and straw were sometimes thrown at them. Sometimes people could come to the home of the newlyweds and kiss the young wife. Tradition required that they dress semi-formal and go out to public meeting places in a painted sleigh, pay a call to all who had visited their wedding, and go down the icy slope under the accompaniment of a folk song. Maslenitsa was the time for mutual visits of families, which recently became related.

Saturday

Saturday was devoted to relatives paying a visit to the young couples homes.

Sunday

Sunday was named "forgiveness" day. On that day people asked each other for forgiveness for all grievances and troubles from the previous year. In the evening, people went to cemeteries and "bid farewell" to the dead. On the last day of Maslenitsa, comes the most interesting event-saying goodbye to Maslenitsa-a solemn burning of the stuffed figure of winter. People throw the remnants of pancakes and food into the huge bonfire , telling their children that all the nourishing food disappeared into the fire and to prepare for Lent.

The end of Maslenitsa

Maslenitsa ends with the first day of Lent-making a clean Monday, which was considered the day of purification from sin and fasting from forbidden foods. On Clean Monday, people usually took baths or showers; women wash dishes, cleaning the grease and the remains of the forbidden food.

5 CATEGORIES OF TASTY CHOCOLATE TREATS TO DIE FOR!!

2012-03-01T22:26:00.000-08:00

I know there are thousands, if not millions of chocolate lovers out there. I happen to be one of those people and have tried several different chocolate treats in my lifetime. So what do I consider to be the top chocolate treats? I find that there are several different chocolate treat categories and there are treats in each category that are better than the rest. This article will stick to foods you can buy in almost any grocery store. These chocolate treats are low in price but high in taste.

Candy bars: We've all tried several varieties of this chocolate treat, but which ones are the best? Throughout my life, my tastes have changed and I've had several different favorites. My favorites lean now to either the milky way bar , with it's chocolate and caramel, or a nice big snickers bar, with the chocolate and caramel and a little dose of peanuts to go with it.

Ice Cream: Let's face it, just plain old chocolate ice cream is wonderful. It's right up there with vanilla. Vanilla you say? But I thought this was about things chocolate. You're right, but vanilla is like a canvas of a painting you can add anything to it to make it whatever flavor you're craving at the time. Anything from hot fudge to chocolate chips, a little or a lot, it's up to you to decide. When we talk ice cream it's all about the quality of it and the QUANTITY of it. We can go to the local market and get anything from rocky road to brownie batter ( chocolate ice cream with chunks of brownies. The ice cream world is your oyster, shuck it and eat it all up!!!

Cookies: When most of us think of a cookie, it's probably a nice, chewy, gooy, dunk in your milk, chocolate chip cookies. My family can't even wait for them to go into the oven, they'd rather eat cookie doe instead. You can make up a batch of them and after they come out of the oven, take some chocolate chips, put them in a microwave safe bowl, and when the chocolate has melted, dip half of the chocolate cookies in it for a little bit of a chocolate high!

Snack Cakes: Nothing says comfort food more than a box of individually wrapped ding dongs or ho ho's! A couple of them with a glass of ice cold milk hits the spot. I don't think there's a snack cake made that isn't good.

Candies: When you think of loose chocolate candies, does anything come to mind? Anyone?? Anyone??....You in the back row, with your hand up, what is it?.......I box of See's candy sir! Nuts and chews if you please!!.....Good answer! Good answer!
Anything from truffles to chocolate covered almonds with caramel and everything in between. Like Forrest Gump always says, "Life is like a box a chocolates! You never know what you're gonna get!" So be sure that it's a good quality chocolate, not a box of some unknown companies chocolates that you got at the Dollar Store (that sure doesn't taste like the chocolate I'm used to!).
While there are several other chocolate treat categories, these are some of the best. I hope this article made you think of all of the different flavors and smells coming this holiday season and make sure you eat it in moderation. So next time when you're having a craving for more of that ding dong or those nuts and chews, there will be some more for you to eat, that little stash you keep for yourself, your family doesn't know about.

TOP 10 WAYS TO SAY THANK YOU!

2012-02-29T22:56:00.000-08:00

Lets face it, everyone likes to be appreciated. Whether it is friends, couples, parents and children, an encouragement of gratitude, even a "Thank You", certainly brightens up the day. Some of us may not be used to it or even if we are, it certainly doesn't get heard or said enough. Perhaps we don't quite know how. Here are 10 great ideas that will get you started in the right direction.

Say it with a Smile- Smile more! We are endowed with a powerful and contagious gift. Everyone can do it, and yet we tend not to do it enough. Remind yourself. The more often you smile, the brighter your thank-you becomes.

Write a Note- For a moment, remember your middle school years. What did half the classes do behind the teacher's back? Write and pass notes, of course! It was fun. Write thank you notes even for the small things that people do. Be specific and authentic. A thank you note is a very special way to show your gratitude.

Give a Gift- To say thank you is a gift in itself. Whatever your purpose, make the gift an interesting one. Is a major holiday coming up? Maybe you can wrap the gift in a holiday related fashion, or put it in a cute gift bag. You can make the gift a funny one. Go for it! The gift doesn't necessarily have to be flamboyant, just make it something meaningful, something from your heart. Even a thank you card can last a lifetime.

Recognize Publicly- Whether you smile, write a note, or give a gift, you can do it in two major ways. The first is to recognize someone in front of others. Special celebrations such as a graduation or birthday party, are great times for public recognition. You can thank someone for playing a part in your own achievements. If you ever happen to write a book, the acknowledgements page is a great way to say thank you. Even to say thank you in the presence of good friends is memorable.

Appreciate Privately- Words of gratitude said in private can be very special. A thank you in a small circle of close friends is a great way to show gratitude. It is also a perfect way to express appreciation for one's spouse. When you say thank you to those that are close to you, even when they are only acquaintances or co-workers, you begin to develop an attractive personality. People appreciate it when someone can notice the small things they do. It brings them a world of pleasure.

With a Handshake- This is the general form of greeting in America. You can also express gratitude with the same gesture. You may accompany the handshake with a few words of encouragement or even a simple thank you. Remember to smile, keep your posture, and shake hands like you mean it.

With a Kiss- If you ever decide to visit France, you will find that the French are genial with their greetings. A kiss in the moment of gratitude may be acceptable depending on the cultural context and circumstance of the event. When it is between spouses in private, it can be a passionate kiss. When done in a public setting, it may be quick and cheerful. Depending on the setting and purpose, a kiss is a great way to say thank you, a moment one may be reluctant to ever forget.

Give a Pat on the Back- A friendly gesture, it is great as a sign of support and is a perfect way to show gratitude. When a job is well done, a pat on the back by someone in a "higher position" may very effectively portray one's gratitude. Specifically coaches make it popular. Whether it's a great play or a thank you for effort in class, a pat on the back is a great tool for showing thankfulness.

With a Hug- Everyone at times need a hug. The reasons for doing so can be endless, but a very meaningful reason would be to say thank you. Depending on the situation, a hug can be a great way to say thank you. The perfect moment offers perfect
opportunities.

Do Something Special- Get creative! Think about what is meaningful to the person you want to thank. What will make them smile as if they won the lottery? Do they have specific hobbies or interests? How can you make them feel special or appreciated? For what do you want to thank them? What will be your great idea? As long as you express the message and the person understands it, you accomplished your goal. Do the best you can and don't be afraid to experiment with multiple ways. When you appreciate others, appreciation is bound to return to you.

NATIONAL HOLIDAY'S FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2012!

2012-02-29T22:41:00.000-08:00

It's another new month. Let's see what March 2012 has in store for us!

March 1st, National Pig Day-To celebrate National Pig Day, go out and buy some bacon or a ham and pig out. Everybody give a shoutout OINK! OINK! OINK! Or if you're from Arkansas....SOOEEE!

March 2nd, Name Sake Day

March 3rd, National Anthem Day-Go out to a sporting event and listen to an anthem....Just as long as Christina Aguilera isn't singing it...If she is, might want to give her the words to it!!!

March 4th, Dentist's Day- Go out and get a new toothbrush. If you have a Dental appointment on this day, remember....rinse then spit!

March 5th, Name Tag Day

March 6th, U.S. Snowshoe Day

March 9th, False Teeth Day-Go to Grandma and Grandpa's house and hide their teeth. Or you can say a solemn prayer of thanks to George Washington, the father of false teeth.

March 10th, Learn What Your Name Means Day

March 11th, Paper Day- What day goes by when we don't use paper? How about a don't use paper day or save a tree from the paper mill day.

March 14th, Potato Chip Day-This will be a big day for all of the snackers around the world.

March 15th, Buzzards Day-This holiday should coincide with road kill day.

March 16th, Lips Appreciation Day-Pucker up honey, I'm gonna plant a nice wet kiss on you today.

March 17th, St. Patrick's Day-Don't forget to wear something green and don't drink too much. If you don't drink, go out and have a nice dinner of corned beef and cabbage! I will also be having a story about the history and folklore of St. Patricks' day coming soon....so stay tuned.

March 18th, Rubber Band Day-Get your child a rubber band gun and let him wreak havoc on your pets and his siblings.

March 19th, Swallows Return to San Juan Capistrano Day

March 20th, Kiss Your Fiance Day-It could be a nice day to kiss your wife today also!

March 22nd, International Goof off Day-I always look forward to a day where I can goof off and not have to ask permission to do it! YYYYYAAAA!!!

March 23rd, Near Miss Day-A good day to almost get a traffic ticket.

March 24th, Kick Butts Day

March 25th, Letting Go of Stuff Day- The day that every hoarder refuses to celebrate.

March 26th, Make Up Your Own Holiday Day- Isn't that how we get all of these other non-national holidays? We just need something to celebrate 24/7/365 days of the year!!

March 27th, Viagra Day- For all of the older people in the world....just don't hope a STIFF wind starts blowing.

March 28th, Weed Appreciation Day-Oh those poor, poor weeds.

March 30th, Doctor's Day- Help your doctor out and go get some kind of exam today...so he can pay his bills.

March 31st, National She's Funny That Way Day-The only time of year that we need to laugh at our significant others jokes.

Week Long Celebrations in March

The first week in March is National Author and Illustrator Week. Be sure to visit the library and check out some of your favorite authors and illustrated books.

The first week in March is National Shoe Week. As winter is coming to an end and spring is just around the corner, go through your closet and get rid of those worn out shoes or if you have children, they are probably growing out of some. Give those to a charity for the less unfortunate.

The third week in March is National Bubble Week. Celebrate with a bubble bath for you, your kids or maybe that dog in the family that hasn't had a bath in about 2 or 3 months.

Month Long Celebrations in March

March is Let's Go Fly a Kite Month, National Umbrella Month, National Frozen Foods Month and National Crafts Month. So many celebrations, so little time to do them in.

MARCH 2012 NATIONAL FOOD HOLIDAYS, THESE WILL MAKE YOUR TASTE BUDS JUMP FOR JOY!!

2012-02-29T22:40:00.000-08:00

Holidays are always fun to celebrate, but why wait a few months for the next major one to arrive when you could be enjoying some nice edible food holidays everyday of the month?

March 1st, National Peanut Butter Lover's Day- This has to be one of the greatest national food holidays of the year, or at least for the month of March. Go and make a couple of PB and J sandwiches for lunch on this day.

March 2nd, National Banana Creme Pie Day-While it still may be a little cold outside, why not enjoy a tropical banana cream pie for dessert....if you want a little more tropical, add some coconut.

March 3rd, National Cold Cuts Day-This national food holiday is perfect for an evening when you're too tired to cook. Just stop by your local deli and pick up some favorite sliced meats and some soup.

March 4th, National Pound Cake Day-What could be more delicious than a piece of pound cake served with some strawberries and whipped cream.

March 5th, National Cheese Doodle Day-This national food holiday is easy to celebrate. Grab your favorite cheese doodles and a soda and crash on the couch and watch some t.v.

March 6th, National White Chocolate Cheesecake Day-This is another national food holiday of pure pleasure for the stomach.

March 7th, National Crown Roast of Pork Day-This isn't something you wear on your head. This is more upper crust food, usually done around Thanksgiving or Christmas. Just take the easy way out and barbecue some nice, thick pork chops.

March 8th, National Peanut Cluster Day-Sure you can go out and buy them....but why not try and make some, they really aren't that hard.

March 9th, National Crabmeat Day-Seafood is such a wonderful food to help you forget about the chilly nights. Make a seafood stew with crabmeat in it.

March 10th, National Blueberry Popover Day-Popovers are good on their own....add some blueberries and enjoy them even more. Served with some bacon, eggs, and cereal.

March 11th, Oatmeal-Nut Waffles Day-A not too guilty about something that's good for your body.

March 12th, National Baked Scallops Day-If crab wasn't enough to get you over your cold weather blues, why not have some scallop fettuccini.

March 13th, Coconut Torte Day- I'm not crazy about coconut. But if you like it go get some Hostess Sno-balls and pig out.

March 14th, National Potato Chip Day-This has to be what a majority of people have been waiting for. Make yourself a sandwich, some soup and grap a bag of your favorites.....

March 15th, National Pears Helene Day-I'm not much of a fan of them either...maybe you could poach some for you and your sweetie...with some vanilla ice cream.

March 16th, National Artichoke Hearts Day-My wife loves these, I'll give her a shout out for this one....HHHHEEEEYYYY!

March 17th, Corned Beef and Cabbage Day- Let us give thanks to the Irish for this one.

March 18th, Oatmeal Cookie Day-What better way to celebrate this one....by making a big batch with your children.

March 19th, National Chocolate Caramel Day-Go out and split a candy bar with yourself.

March 20th, National Ravioli Day-Go open a can of them, pop it in the microwave and watch a little t.v.

March 21st, California Strawberry Day-Slice up a bowl full of them, put them over some ice cream and drizzle a little chocolate of the whole thing....YYUUUUMMMM!!

March 22nd, Coq Au Vin Day-If you don't like complicated dishes that require a full day in the kitchen, do yourself a favor and head to a nice French restaurant and leave it to the experts.

March 23rd, National Chip and Dip Day- Another day for snackers around the world to unite, raise a chip high in the air and dunk it in some tasty dip.

March 24th, National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day-Time to hit the candy isle for this one, or go out and see a movie, they usually have them there.

March 25th, Pecan Day-Stop by the bakery on the way home and pick up a Pecan pie.

March 26th, Spinach Day-Also known as Popeye Day, UUUKKK!! UUUKKK!!UUUKKKKAAAA!!!..."He's strong to the finish, that's why he eats his spinach. He's Popeye the Salor Man"!!!

March 27th, National Spanish Paella Day-Takes alot of time to make...you may want to go out and have someone make this for you.

March 28th, National Black Forrest Cake Day- Chocolate...Chocolate...Chocolate!!!

March 29th, National Lemon Chiffon Cake Day-I've got to love that lemon cake!!

March 30th, Turkey Neck Soup Day-I think on this day, all of the turkeys are hiding until Thanksgiving...they don't want to loose their necks quite yet.

March 31st, Tater Day-What day isn't a good day to have some Taters!! You'all agree with Me??

NEVERMORE HALLOWEEN WREATH!

2012-02-28T22:53:00.001-08:00

This diy comes from www.kdatydidandkid.com . Very cool, I like this!

Nevermore Halloween Wreath {Tutorial}

One of my favorite holidays is just around the corner--Halloween! I love everything about it, from the chill in the air, to crackly, curled up leaves on the sidewalks, to costumes and spooky decor. In the spirit of the holiday, I decided to craft a goth-like wreath for the front door, using stuff I found at the local dollar store.

It cost all of 3 bucks to make, but I think the finished result looks quite elegant, almost like a feather boa.

Here's the wreath hung on the back door

I purchased a foam wreath, a fake raven, and a roll of black crepe paper (it also came with an orange roll, but I need to figure out something to make with that). I also used scissors and Glue Dots that I had on hand to use for adhesive, but you could certainly use hot glue, a stapler, or other binding agent (within reason).

I'm a big fan of black birds, crows, ravens, etc., so I thought this bird would look spooky perched on the wreath.

Now I can't get Edgar Allen Poe out of my head: "Quoth the raven, "Nevermore!"" Hence I leave you with the Nevermore Wreath.

So here's what I did:

STEP ONE
Cut a length of crepe paper, roughly a yard long. Fold it in half and cut it at the end, fold it again and again until you have a bunch of pieces that are 3-4" long (on the left, in photo below). You could cut them individually, but I find that the folding method makes quicker work of it.

Holding the stack of crepe paper as seen above (on the left), cut out a shape that looks rounded like a feather. Get rid of those points on the end like in my photo!

Ah, much better. Also, cut a stack of ones just slightly smaller. The variety helps make it look nicer, in my opinion.

Now you have a stack of "feathers" to start adhering to your wreath form. I made more stacks periodically while creating the wreath.

STEP TWO
Before assembling your wreath, I highly suggest spray painting it black or wrapping crepe paper around it (gluing periodically as you go) to hide the green. An unfortunate result of gravity, the crepe paper feathers will "wilt" after a week or two of hanging up.

Once your wreath is ready to go, Glue your feather shapes onto the wreath. I started in the middle and worked my way to the outside, layering as I went. The Mini Glue Dots were really handy with this project.

I kept up this pattern of layering all the way around the wreath, making sure to glue the next line of feathers overlapping the previous line by about a half inch.

It's slow and steady work, but in all this entire wreath took me about an hour to do.

STEP THREE
Once you've made it all the way around, it's time to close the gap.

Gently tuck in some more feathers underneath the row you first started with. You might have to hold the wreath vertically and let those first feathers fall open to get the finishing feathers tucked inside (and glued, don't forget that!)

Fill in any other gaps or places you might see the green wreath peeking through.

The raven, minding the gaps

STEP FOUR

Ta da! The wreath is done!

Now time to attach the bird. He has wired feet, so this is an easy task.

I clipped the wire a bit and just stuck the wire into the wreath where I wanted him.

STEP FIVE
Add a ribbon. If I had found a nice, black, satin-y ribbon at the dollar store, I would have bought it. I thought I had some at home, but didn't (too many funeral gift wrapping projects--kidding!), so I just made a crepe paper ribbon.

Take a long piece (about a yard) and two shorter pieces (6") of crepe paper.

Fold the shorter piece into a loop and secure.

Pinch the "tube" in the middle, creating a bow tie, and secure the other short piece around the middle to hold it. Glue or tape it around the back.

Cut a notch on each end of the longer streamer to make it fancy,

and glue to the back of the bowtie. Pin or glue the entire ribbon onto the foam wreath.

STEP SIX
Add a piece of coordinating ribbon or a hanging hook to the back. I simply stuck two pins into the ribbon through the back of the wreath for hanging.

Fluff out your feathers, and display most graciously, I mean, ghoulfully!

I can't wait to hang it up this Halloween! I have a feeling I might just have to make one for the back door too.

*FOR A LITTLE TASTE OF NEW ORLEANS, TRY MAKING A MARDI GRAS KING CAKE!

2012-02-28T22:50:00.000-08:00

Mardi Gras King Cake

This frosted yeast bread is the highlight of any Mardi Gras party. If you want to hide a token inside, do so by cutting a small slit in the bottom of the baked cake...and remember to warn your guests!

This frosted yeast bread is the highlight of many annual Mardi Gras parties. If you want to hide a token inside, do so by cutting a small slit in the bottom of the baked cake…and remember to warn your guests!

Prep: 40 min. + rising Bake: 20 min. + cooling

Yield: 24 Servings

Ingredients 40 20 60 I

1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
1/2 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cans (12-1/2 ounces each) almond cake and pastry filling
GLAZE:
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 tablespoons water
Purple, green and gold colored sugar

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, shortening, sugar, salt, egg and 2 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll one portion into a 16-in. x 10-in. rectangle. Spread almond filling to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal. Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet; pinch ends together to form a ring. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. For glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough water to achieve desired consistency. Spread over cooled cakes. Sprinkle with colored sugars. Yield: 2 cakes

Note: This recipe was tested with Solo brand cake and pastry filling. Look for it in the baking aisle.

MARDI GRAS FROM NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA!!!

2012-02-28T22:48:00.000-08:00

The origins of Mardi Gras can be traced back to Medieval Europe, though we have no written record of how that really transformed into the current Mardi Gras of today. But the origins of the Mardi Gras we celebrate today....with Kings, Mardi Gras colors, and brass bands....are traced to New Orleans.
Although we can trace its history to the Romans, a French-Canadian expolorer, Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieur de Bienville, landed on a plot of ground 60 miles directly south of New Orleans in 1699 and called it "Pointe due Mardi Gras". He also established "Fort Louis de la Louisiane" (which is now Mobile) in 1702. In 1703, the tiny settlement of Fort Louis de la Mobile celebrated the very first Mardi Gras.

In 1704, Mobile established a secret society (Masque de la Mobile)....similar to those who form our current Mardi Gras Krewes. It lasted until 1709. In 1710, the "Boef Graf Society" was formed and paraded from 1711 through 1861. The procession was held with a huge bull's head pushed along on wheels by 16 men. This occurred on Fat Tuesday.
New Orleans was established in 1718 by Jean-Baptise Le Moyne. By the 1730's, Mardi Gras was celebrated openly in New Orleans...but not in parade form. In the early 1740's, Louisiana's Governor The Marquis de Vaudreuil, established elegant society balls...the model for the New Orleans Mardi Gras balls of today.

    The earliest reference to Mardi Gras "Carnival" appears in a 1781 report to the Spanish colonial governing body. That year, the Perseverance Benevolent & Mutual Aid Associaiton is the first of hundreds of clubs and carnival organizations formed in New Orleans.
    By the late 1830's, New Orleans held street processions of maskers with carriages and horseback riders to celebrate Mardi Gras. newspapers began to announce Mardi Gras events in advance.
    In 1871, Mardi Gras's second "Krewe" is formed, the Twelfth Night Reveler's, with the first account of Mardi Gras "throws".

    1872, was the year that a group of businessmen invented a King of Carnival-Rex-to parade in the first daytime parade. They introduced the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold, the Mardi Gras song, and the Mardi Gras flag.
    In 1873, the first floats were constructed entirely in New Orleans instead of France. In 1875, Governor Warmoth of Louisiana signs the "Mardi Gras Act" making it a legal holiday in Louisiana, which it still is.
    Most Mardi Gras Krewes today developed from private social clubs that have restrictive membership policies. Since all of these parade organizations are completely funded by its members, we call it the "Greatest Free Show on Earth"!

History Behind the King Cake

As part of Christian faith, the coming of the wise men bearing gifts to the Christ Child is celebrated twelve days after Christmas. We refer to this as the Feast of Epiphany or Little Christmas on the Twelfth Night. This is a time of celebration, exchanging gifts and feasting. Today, the tradition continues as people all over the world gather for festive Twelfth Night celebrations. A popular custom was and still is the baking of a special cake in honor of the three kinds called "A King's Cake".
Inside every cake is a tiny baby (generally plastic now, but sometimes this baby might be made of porcelain or even gold). The tradition of having King Cake Parties has evolved through time, and the person who receives the slice of cake with the baby is asked to continue the festivities by hosting the next King Cake party.

Originally, King Cakes were a simple ring of dough with a small amount of decoration. Today's King Cakes are much more festive. After the rich Danish dough is braided and baked, the "baby" is inserted. The top of the ring or oval cake is then covered with delicious sugar toppings in the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold.

In more recent years, some bakeries have been creative with stuffing and topping their cakes with different flavors of cream cheese and fruit fillings.

January 6th, the Twelfth Night after Christmas, is also the day Mardi Gras season begins. Mardi Gras Day is always 47 days prior to Easter Sunday (Fat Tuesday is always the day before Ash Wednesday).

So, in Louisiana, especially, Mardi Gras season and King Cakes go hand in hand with literally hundreds of thousands of King Cakes consumed at parties and office lunch rooms every year.
Ordering King Cakes over the Internet has now become an annual tradition by consumers all around the world...and many of the bakers offer them year around. After all, you can't have a Mardi Gras party without a King Cake.

MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE, OOOOOHHH EEEEE!

2012-02-27T22:07:00.002-08:00

Everyone loves a sheet cake. Try classic Mississippi Mud Cake--a luscious combination of sweet chocolate, crunchy pecans, and gooey marshmallows.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, melted
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
1 (10.5-ounce) bag miniature marshmallows
Chocolate Frosting

Preparation

Whisk together melted butter and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in flour and chopped pecans. Pour batter into a greased and floured 15- x 10-inch jellyroll pan.
Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; top warm cake evenly with marshmallows. Return to oven, and bake 5 minutes. Drizzle Chocolate Frosting over warm cake. Cool completely.
Note: 2 (19.5-ounce) packages brownie mix, prepared according to package directions, may be substituted for first 7 ingredients. Stir in chopped pecans. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Proceed with marshmallows and frosting as directed.

TOP 10 MOST DISGUSTING CANDIES!

2012-02-27T22:07:00.000-08:00

Candy is normally a tasty little sweet treat designed to give pleasure to all. However, that is not always the case, as this list proves. For some unknown reason, some candy manufacturers have recently started producing the most disgusting candies you could image (they must be running out of ideas). Here is our list of the most disgusting candies you could ever eat.

10.

Ear Wax Candy

I don’t care how this candy tastes, who in their right mind would enjoy scraping ear wax out of a plastic ear for eating? The whole idea just makes me want to gag! It even comes with its own swab. How many kids are going to start digging in their ears after they run out candy I wonder? Smart.

Candy Scabs

The gross factor in these candies is not their flavor, but the fact that they are designed to look like scabs – complete with plasters. I could possibly cope with that, but just imagine this scenario: Johnny and Jimmy are playing hide and seek. Jimmy hides in the bush that his dog Rover just recently pooped in. Jimmy inadvertently gets Rover’s poop on his hand and doesn’t realize it. They finish playing and mommy gives them some Candy Scabs to eat. Jimmy sticks it on his hand, pulls it off, and…. I think you get the picture. Dumb idea.

Dubbel Zout

The first thing this Dutch candy has going against it is that it is licorice flavored. I know a lot of people like the taste of licorice, but a lot of people voted for George Bush too – it doesn’t make it right. The next problem here is that this is licorice made with an enormous amount of salt. That’s right – it is salt “candy”. Add to that the fact that it looks like something you would expect to find on the floor of an English nightclub, and you have the makings of one of the worst candies ever.

Hotlix Candy

Okay – it is sweet – I will give them that, but inside each of these tasty candies is a REAL LIFE scorpion. Yup – when you lick through the sugar coating, you get to chow down on scorpion guts. Whoever came up with this candy needs to be forced to eat some Dubbel Zout.

Gorilla Boogers

We are really walking a thin line with this one – gorilla boogers are sweetened dried black beans (popular in Asian cooking). I was on holiday in korea once and had some of their sweet bean candy (they beat the beans to a pulp then shape it in to small bite sized pieces). It tasted like dirt. These boogers are made from the same beans. They taste like dirt too. Sweetened dirt. Enough said.

5.

Ant Candy

Like the scorpion candy above, this is basically a lump of melted sugar with a bunch of dead ants thrown in to it. Of all the things in the world that they could have thrown in to their candy, what the hell made them choose ants. How does this stuff get past the FDA?

Jane-Jane Tasty Tuna Tidbits

Tuna was invented by mother nature for hippy vegetarians and people trying to shed some fat – so how has it managed to find its way in to candy? The main ingredient in these little blobs of sugary disgustingness is tuna. After that comes a bunch of chemicals of unknown origin, and finally sugar. Seriously – who would eat fish flavored candy?

Crick-Ettes

Just because Moses and the Jews ate locusts in the desert doesn’t mean anyone should do it now! These are real crickets sprinkled with a variety of flavors. I realize that chips (which they are similar to) are not usually labeled as candy, but they are so gross (and both are equally bad for you) that they deserve a spot here. Anyone that eats these things by choice deserves to be hit with a plague of boils.

Durian Candy

Durian fruit is a common fruit in Southeast Asia. To people unfamiliar to it, it usually evokes feelings of utter disgust. One food writer said: “its odor is best described as pig-shit, turpentine and onions, garnished with a gym sock.” You are not even allowed to bring this stuff in to hospitals or hotels in South East Asia. In Singapore, they have signs that forbid you from taking it on the public transport system (see here). That is how disgusting it is. So, it makes a lot of sense to make candy out of it. Not. But there you have it – someone has done it. This one was nearly number 1 on the list, until we discovered BeanBoozled…

BeanBoozled

BeanBoozled are jellybeans made by the company that brought us Gourmet JellyBeans. In a box of BeanBoozled we find 10 colors of beans and 20 flavors – every color has one tasty flavor, and a disgusting flavor – the idea is that you never know whether you are about to get a good one or a bad one. This makes it ideal for party games. So – why is this number one on the list? After you read the selection of “bad” flavors, you will understand: Skunk Spray, Moldy Cheese, Baby Wipes, Rotten Egg, Vomit, and more. And guess what? They really taste like their names. Next time you are watching a movie in the dark with friends, slip a few of these in to their bag of jellybeans for a great gag (literally).

THE CARNEVALE DI VIAREGGIO FROM ITALY!!!

2012-02-27T22:05:00.000-08:00

    The Viareggio Carnival was established in 1873 when some of the local "signori" decided to organize a Sunday a little different from the rest, by inventing a procession of decorated floats which travelled up and down the main street of the city. On the occasion , a masked protest was also organized by a number of citizens, as they were forced to pay too many taxes and as a result the chief tax collector was certainly made fun of!! The parade was liked alot, not only by the patrons but also by the citizens and the idea of making floats that interpreted humor and dissatisfaction of the people and the events that came about in that year.
   Carnival of Viareggio celebrating 139 years of life and activity under the sign of a vivid tradition such as the long – established European tradition of Carnival festivals, is no doubt one of the best known events in Italy.
    Carnival of Viareggio since it was born it has been acquiring a strong touristic value and attracts every year more than one million spectators gathering to attend the magic of the great parade of big floats in papier – maché.
    In 2012, the usual five carnival masked parades are planned for February 5th, 12th 19th 21th 26th and March, 3th, on the extraordinary Liberty style staging along the seaside avenues of Viareggio. Every evening, there are carnival celebrations in all of the city's different quarters.

             Real travelling theatres - the allegorical papier-maché floats are the product of the unequalled creativity, of the extraordinary sculpture and painting skill of Viareggio ‘magicians’, and are the highest example of this popular art whose language has spread all over the world.
The parades take place in a ring-like circuit 2 km. long, on the seaside avenues of Viareggio, best known as La Passeggiata.
    Here the floats move among the spectators, who can attend the show with no barriers, becoming in turn the protagonists of the parade.
    During the Carnival period, Viareggio and his Passeggiata change into a true open air Museum where people coming from all over the world meet to enjoy together.
The parades also include folkloristic bands and performers with the most original masks, offering excitement, culture and tradition in a wide programme of entertainment and fun for children and adults

Viareggio

   The popular seaside town of Viareggio is situated on the Tuscany coast. Viareggio and the resorts "Torre del Lago Puccini", "Lido di Camaiore", "Marina di Pietrasanta" makeup about 20 kilometers of the Versilian Riviera (or Riviera della Versilia).
Viareggio has most of the usual attractions of a typical Italian seaside resort.
    The town's symbol, heart of its history, is the “Torre Matilde”, built by the Senate of Lucca in 1550. In 1601 Viareggio, that was already a township, was declared a free port, and in 1617 it became the chieftown in the Vicaria del Litorale (the coastal viacariate).
    The birth of the first bathing establishment dates back to 1823. We owe the building of Viale dei Tigli to Maria Borbone, through which she could reach the centre, leaving from her villa situated in the East pinewood. In fact, the touristic activity began in Viareggio right in this period. Many men of culture stopped for a time in this area: the poet Percy B.Shelley, Lord Byron, Manzoni, Puccini and D'Annunzio.
    The city is 23.76 miles to Pisa, 17.67 miles to Massa, 29.87 miles to Livorno, and 59.5 miles to Firenze.
    The 3 Km modern promenade, where the parade takes place, is one of the focal point of the city, characterized by shops, cafes, refreshment points and Liberty style buildings.
Viareggio is now a tourist seaside resort with beaches and hotels boast ancient tradition.

Since then Viareggio has become the home of the Italian Carnival, with its masked parades characterized by allegorical floats in papermache'. These floats are true works of art to which the local float makers dedicate an entire year of workmanship to. There is not one politician, entertainer, or intellectual that has not been a target (protagonist) of one of these floats, which almost comes to life during the parade by the moving arms, opening and closing mouths and rolling eyes. On every float, young people and children find a place from which to throw confetti and shooting stars to the crowd. During the entire period, masked balls and parties in the various "rioni" (quarters, districts) are organized as well as numerous sport and cultural events.

The official Viareggio Carnival mask is the "Burlamacco", a clown which wears clothes. Checkered overalls, taken form the Harlequin's costume, a white ponpon stolen from Pierrot's big puffy blouse, a white gorget-"Captain Scary" style, a red headband and a black mantle. The name Burlamacco derives from Buffaimacco a Florentine painter and a character in the "Decamerone". However, it is also said to be linked to the Lucchese surname Burlamacchi.

3D STAR ORNAMENT!

2012-02-26T21:46:00.001-08:00

This comes fro www.sawdustandpaperscraps.com . These are really cool and could be used all year round with different types of papers and card stock.

3D Star Ornament Tutorial

Last year was Madison’s last year in elementary school and my last year as room mom. {Sniffle, they grow up so fast!}
I wanted to come up with an ornament craft that was different and unique and could be beautiful, fun, funky…whatever, depending on the combination of cardstock the kids chose.
I bought a book of thick patterned cardstock from Hobby Lobby when it was on sale for 1/2 off and split it with my friend who was room mom in another class {at another school}so this craft cost $5 for my whole class {about $.25 per child}.
How to:
1. Cut out 6 identical stars. {I cut a quite a few in different papers to give myself options when I started glueing it all together.}

{I used the die cut machine at the school as I had to cut out about 140 stars. You could use “clip art” in a Word document to create a template to cut out by hand if you don’t have a machine or access to one.}
2. Draw a line in between two legs into the center of the star.
3. Cut along this line.

Do this on all 6 stars.

4. Glue the two “cut legs” together creating a 4 point star that cups inward.

Do this to all 6 stars!

*Edit: Fold the star to create creases from the center of the star to each leg joint. As seen in the picture below.
5. Start connecting 4 point stars by gluing one leg of two different stars together.

6. Now glue 2 legs on another 4 point star…

to 2 legs on the “star ball” you just started.

7. Continue gluing 2 legs of a 4 point star onto the “Star Ball”, like you just did.

8. On the last two 4 point stars, you have to change it up a bit. On the second to last one, glue 3 legs to the “star ball”.

9. This will create an perfect hole for the last 4 point star to fit in. Just glue all 4 sides and insert!

10. Punch a hole and attach a ribbon or hanging string.

Now, you could stop here, but I don’t like the white edges.

So I used an ink pad and a Sharpie to distress them!

I had to use the Sharpie to get into the corners.

And that’s that!
I hope it made sense because it is difficult to “explain” step by step instructions without using my hands.
Do I need to make another video? You know you loved that Twang!

p.s. For Maddie’s class, I also punched a whole in the leg opposite the hanger so the kids could hang a circle with their picture and write the date on the back.

WANNA MAKE SOME CHOCOLATE CHUBBIES?

2012-02-26T21:46:00.000-08:00

Loaded with the nutty crunch of walnuts and pecans, these irresistible cookies are crisp on the outside, and brownie-rich on the inside. The secret is stirring the dough just long enough to moisten the dry ingredients.

Ingredients

6 (1-ounce) semisweet chocolate squares, chopped
2 (1-ounce) unsweetened chocolate squares, chopped
1/3 cup butter
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt $
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2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

Preparation

Combine first 3 ingredients in a heavy saucepan; cook, stirring often, over low heat until chocolate melts. Remove from heat; cool slightly.
Beat eggs and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth; add chocolate mixture, beating well.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to chocolate mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in chocolate morsels, pecans, and walnuts.
Drop batter by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto lightly greased baking sheets.
Bake at 325° for 12 to 15 minutes or until done. Cool cookies on baking sheet 1 minute. Remove to wire racks; cool.

RIJEKA CARNIVAL FROM CROATIA!

2012-02-26T21:45:00.000-08:00

   As well as the influence of the Venetian and Austrian civilian carnivals the six century-old carnival tradition of this area is the foundation on which the renewed Rijeka Carnival began to create its characteristic identity back in 1982. Starting with only three domestic carnival groups and around hundred participants it has turned into an international event which today, only during the International Carnival Parade, counts over ten thousand participants from around ten world countries.
   The large number of participants and observers in 1995 ensured full membership of the Federation of European Carnival Cities for the Rijeka Carnival and selected it amongst the most important in Europe. The Rijeka Carnival is part of Croatian cultural heritage, the city of Rijeka, Primorsko-goranska County and the Republic of Croatia’s strong tourist trump both within the country and abroad, it is a favourite entertainment and sporting event for citizens of all generations and interests and because of this, is included in the “top 500 European events”, as well as, in 2007, in the 24 most exotic events in the world by the Sunday Times.
   The Rijeka Carnival program which starts on 17th January and lasts until Ash-Wednesday gathers more than 20,000 participants and more than 600,000 domestic and foreign visitors. Large media companies watching both nationally and abroad, the occupancy of all accommodation capacities in Rijeka and its surrounding areas and an increased consumption in catering and commercial facilities out of season, have positioned the Rijeka Carnival as the 3^rd largest in the world.

Carnival madness begins its ritual with the Rijeka Carnival Queen Pageant and the handover of the town’s keys to the Master of the Carnival. Concerts, exhibitions, shows, masquerades and parties fill the days until the jewel in the crown of the carnival celebrities – the huge masked parade. Competitions in imaginativeness, humour and originality, fireworks of colours and shapes result in a parade of hundreds of allegorical floats, thousands of masks and an uncountable number of observers.
Challenging the weather and space, the Rijeka Carnival is a friendly host for every willing human who is looking for an escape from sullen everyday life in play, laughter and fun.

Traditions

   This area’s shrove-tide tradition dates back to prehistoric times. Through the inclusion of the local population, Shrove-tide has become interpreted as a Carnival and has become a traditional way of having fun, relaxing and reacting to life.
   Shrove-tide customs in this area have origins which date back to ancient times, when, according to popular legend, the so called “Ugly masks”, by their rumpus joy, chased away evil forces, evoking the spring and celebrating the birth of new life. The bellringer we can see today is identical to the one who, some centuries ago, defended his land from the Ottoman invasion.
   A hundred years ago, Rijeka lived its carnival life more intensely than any other city in this part of Europe. Carnival parades and carnival balls were organized in which the Austrian and Hungarian aristocracy, Russian princesses, German barons, countesses and counts from all over Europe took part. Shows such as, for example, a very suggestive "Flowers holiday" were organized in the theatre, where the stage and orchestra would become a huge dancing hall.

Today we find ourselves in the situation not only of preserving tradition, but of creating it by ourselves too. We create it through new adventures, parties, masks and new periods. We do this in an organized and imaginative way, adjusted to contemporary conditions.

When, in 1982, three masked groups (the "Lako ćemo" carnival group, the "Pehinarski feštari" carnival group and the "Halubje Bellringers" carnival group) passed through the Korzo pedestrian street organised by the Rijeka Tourist Board (Municipality of Rijeka Tourist Association), nobody foresaw the range this would take over the years, which has already become traditional International Rijeka Carnival. In 1990, the masked parade on Korzo Street was followed by 80,000 people, and in 1994 it was a real masquerade spectacle with 100,000 observers and around 4,000 domestic and foreign masks which was the cause of Rijeka accepting full membership of the Federation of European Carnival Cities –FECC in 1995. In carnival parades of the Rijeka Carnival in 2001 72 children’s carnival groups took part with 4,200 participants on the Children's Carnival Parade and in the International Carnival Parade 144 carnival adult groups also participated with 10,000 participants from 12 world countries which were observed by 110,000 observers. With that the Rijeka Carnival affirmed itself as one of the largest in Europe.
Carnival events in the city of Rijeka are a characteristic bond of European civil carnivals, above all, the Venetian and Austrian ones as well as the folklore elements and old Slavic mythology. Emerged in a hundred year-old tradition, the International Rijeka Carnival, in the past few years, has given the city of Rijeka, the region and Croatia itself a recognizable event and an impressive happening to which many masks, organized carnival groups, participants, observers and media, as well as many domestic and foreign guests respond.

International Carnival Parade

   The International Carnival Parade is the jewel in the crown of the carnival festivities on the Kvarner and even further afield. Competitions in imaginativeness, humour and originality, fireworks of colours and shapes result with a parade of hundreds of allegorical floats, thousands of masks and uncountable number of domestic and foreign observers.
   Since the day it was organised for the first time, in 1982, by the Rijeka Tourist Board, the renewed Rijeka Carnival has, in the best possible way, continued with the tradition of masking of more centuries in the coastal area of Croatia and has placed the city on the Rječina River amongst the most important European carnival cities. When, in 1982, three masked groups (the "Lako ćemo" carnival group , the "Pehinarski feštari" carnival group and the "Halubje Bellringers" carnival group ) passed through the Korzo pedestrian street, nobody foresaw the range this would take over the years, which has already become traditional International Rijeka Carnival, within which the International Carnival Parade is only one of the programs of this important event which every year brings together larger number of participants and audiences both from Croatia and from abroad.
   Today we find ourselves in the situation not only to preserve the tradition, but to create it by ourselves as well. We create it through new adventures, parties, masks and new periods. We do that in an organized and imaginative way, in step with contemporary conditions. The International Carnival Parade is a muster of traditional and urban carnival groups which operate as citizen societies and by means of their masks try to retrospect actual social events.

Nowhere in the world will you be able to experience such a characteristic bond of European civil carnivals based on historical and cultural customs and folklore elements with mythology so be whatever you want, come to the Rijeka Carnival!
The Rijeka Carnival is hard to describe in words or conjure up with photos or television broadcasts. The Rijeka Carnival must be experienced and passed through! So we invite you all to the Rijeka Carnival – where you can be whatever you want!

Children's Carnival parade

   The Children’s Carnival Parade is a carnival event in which the younger generation from Croatia and abroad take part, when a river of children in colourful masked parades flood Rijeka’s Korzo.
   Numerous characters from fairytales flood the city and on that day they are the Rijeka Carnival’s main attractions for which numerous visitors from all over the world come here.
   They represent the guarantee and the promise that the carnival tradition will never be forgotten in this area and will live for a long time transmitting the spirit of masquerading to future generations who will learn to appreciate their ancestors’ heritage.

Queen pageant of Rijeka's carnival

Carnival madness in Rijeka starts its ritual with the Rijeka Carnival Queen Pageant and the handover of the town keys to the Master of the Carnival. Through this event, which over the last couple of years has taken place in the Youth Sports Hall, the Carnival will formally get the most charming spokeswoman of masked groups. In front of a crowded Youth Sports Hall, with a special musical and scenic spectacle, from where the carnival group’s spokeswomen, the Rijeka Carnival Queen will be elected who will participate in all formal Rijeka Carnival presentations.
Within the program, by means of the ceremonial handover of the town keys by the Mayor to the hands of the “Carnival Mayor” with an adequate entertainment program, the Rijeka Carnival will formally be opened. From that moment on, the masks rule and all worries are forgotten. The celebration and the rich cultural and entertainment program begin. Rijeka's FIFITH SEASON is on its way!!!

10 THINGS YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE ROCKEFELLER CENTER CHRISTMAS TREE!

2012-02-23T23:42:00.001-08:00

1. The First Tree

The first tree debuted at Rockefeller Center on Christmas Eve, 1931. The tree, erected by construction workers eager to receive a day’s pay in the depths of the Depression, stood only 20 ft. tall — a quarter of the size of this year’s holiday specimen.

Here's a look at some of the 79-year-old tradition’s most historic moments:

2. The $1.5 Million Star

In 1931, tin cans and scrap paper were used to adorn the tree — appropriate decorations for Depression-era America. Then came garlands and glass. Colored lights and ornaments in the shape of dogs and sailboats made their appearance in 1934. A 4-ft. plastic star, a white spray-painted tree and 10-ft.-long aluminum icicles were staples of the 1950s. The 1990s took it up a notch with a gold-leaf star. But that was nothing compared to the 550-lb. Swarovski star unveiled in 2009. Created specifically for the tree and standing 10 ft. tall, the estimated $1.5 million star is made of 25,000 crystals and 1 million facets.

3. The Tree Goes Black

One of the most spectacular features of the tree every year is its nighttime glow. But in 1944, the Christmas trees (yes, three trees, in fact) remained unlit. The backstory is that two years earlier, Rockefeller Center unveiled three small trees dedicated to the U.S. effort in World War II — each one either red, white or blue. The patriotic trees were replanted over the next couple of years, but in 1944, in line with wartime blackout regulations, the trees stayed dark. When the war ended in 1945, the organizers made up for lost time and used six ultraviolet-light projectors to make all 700 fluorescent globes on that year’s tree appear to glow in the dark.

4. A Television Debut

In 1951, the tree made its first appearance on television when the lighting ceremony was shown on The Kate Smith Show. Two years later, it became a special each year on The Howdy Doody Show until 1955. With the tree’s appearance on television, the 1950s also saw the emergence of more and more elaborate decorations. In 1953, 6,000 icicle lights and giant floodlights illuminated the tree, and just a year later, white angel trumpeters were added.

5. The Search for the Perfect Tree

On several occasions, the tree has been donated to Rockefeller Center. In 1956, for example, a New Hampshire man gave a white spruce to New York’s governor, who handed it over to the tree’s organizers. Ten years later, the nation of Canada decided to give over one of their trees. But most of the time, it has been purposefully sought out. For a long while, David Murbach, who was the center’s garden manager before he passed away late last year, used to rent a car and take scenic drives through New England in order to find the finest specimen. More recently, though, Rockefeller Center’s crew has taken a helicopter into New England to locate the perfect tree from aloft.

6. Tree Climbing

Most Rockefeller Center trees endure a largely uneventful Christmas season. Admired from afar, they sometimes serve as the backdrop for tourists’ photos, but that’s pretty much it. However, in 1979 the Rockefeller tree became part of a political protest when a 27-year-old man scaled it and began shouting “Free the 50!” — referring to the Americans who were then being held hostage (see photo) at the U.S. embassy in Iran. He came down when police officers pointed out that climbing a Christmas tree would not help free the hostages. Another man tried to climb the tree in 1980, but he offered no motive for his actions. Apparently he just thought it would be fun.

7. Taking the Trees into the City

Because they’re so big — and New York City so traffic-jammed — the Rockefeller Center Christmas trees travel into the city at night, when fewer cars are on the road. Each tree’s uppermost branches are decorated before it is raised into a standing position. And the tree doesn’t require watering: because it’s outside, the behemoth doesn’t dry out the way that smaller indoor Christmas trees do.

8. The Tallest Tree

These days, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree usually stands no less than 65 ft. tall (this year it’s 74 ft. tall). The 1999 display boasted the tallest tree, a Norway spruce that stood over 100 ft. tall. Because the tree must maneuver through narrow city streets, it most likely won’t ever be much larger than that. The Norway spruce has been New York City’s tree of choice since 1982.

9. Going Greener

You wouldn’t think that a tree could go more green than it already is. But with environmental concerns gaining traction in the 1960s and 1970s, Rockefeller Center began recycling its tree after Christmas. In 1971, it turned the tree into 30 three-bushel bags of mulch for nature trails in upper Manhattan. In 2005, Habitat for Humanity used wood from that year’s tree to make door frames for its homes. By 2007, the tree’s organizers had switched to all energy-saving LED lights, some 30,000 of them. The new bulbs used 1,200 kilowatt hours less electricity per day — enough to power a 2,000 sq.-ft. home for an entire month.

10. The Newest One

The 2010 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree stands 74 ft. tall and weighs 12 tons. Before this holiday season, it lived in Mahopac, N.Y. — in the side yard of New York City firefighter Peter Acton, who said he was sorry to see his beloved evergreen go.

PATRAS CARNIVAL FROM GREECE!

2012-02-23T23:42:00.000-08:00

The Patras Carnival, Patrino karnavali is the largest event of its kind in Greece and one of the biggest in Europe. It has more than 160 years of history. The events begin on 17th of January and last up to Clean Monday. The carnival of Patras is not a single event but a variety of events that includes balls, parades, hunting of hidden treasure, kids’ carnival etc. Its apogee is in the last weekend of Carnival with the Saturday evening parade of carnival groups, the extravagant Sunday parade of floats and groups, and finally the ritual burning of king carnival at the St. Nikolaos Street wharf in the harbour of Patras. Its characteristics are spontaneity, improvisation, inspiration and volunteerism.

History

Most people agree that starting event of the Patras Carnival was a ball given in the residence of the merchant Moretis in 1829. However the carnival, as most carnival events in the Mediterranean and the Balkans, is connected with ancient pagan rituals, as those to honour Dionysus. According to these traditions, in the heart of the winter, the faithful invoke the deity with special feasts and he is reborn in order to bring spring once again. In modern period, French troops of general Maison stationed in the city after its liberation from the Turks. Later on, and as consequence of the prosperity of the

city in the end of 19th century the carnival festivities take a more regular nature. The first carnival floats appeared in the decade of 1870s. Then the floats were exclusively creations of individuals, only later did the Municipality of Patras undertake to construct a large number of them. In the same decade, in 1872, with contributions of rich raisin merchants the celebrated "Apollo" Theatre is built, and it entertains carnival dances, as it does precisely today, because the theatre continues to have a central role in the carnival celebrations. In 1880 on Saint Anthony's day the first "mpoules" appeared (teams disguised that hang around in the neighborhoods and with humorous disposal joke with friends). This custom tends to disappear nowadays. Besides, as the historian of Patras Carnival Nikos Politis testifies, beautiful carnivals were organized during the belle époque as in the years 1900, 1907, 1909 with the attendance for first time of individuals of each social class and origin. This period also gave birth to the egg-war custom, with wax eggs stuffed with confetti (made with special machines) which the carnivalists threw from the balconies. Although this custom has disappeared today, it is considered to be the precursor of the chocolate war.
The developments of the following decade were not favourable for the carnival; the continuous wars and conflicts (Balkan wars, World War I, Asia Minor campaign) send the men in the war front and brought economic crisis and desolation to the city. In the first postwar years the situation do not improve perceptibly, only some scattered events testify the arrival of Carnival. Obvious exception constitute the imposing and amazing carnivals of the years 1938 and 1939. Nevertheless, the World War II and the consecutive Greek Civil War bring a decennial obligatory interruption. In the beginning of the 1950s the first hesitant thoughts for a resurgence of carnival are expressed. The most pessimistic predict a failure: "nothing will be as before". However, the carnival is indeed reborn. The pioneer musical groups "Orpheus" and "Patraiki' Mantolinata" lead the effort. The Patras Carnival returns in the lives of the citizens of Patras but also all

Greeks, especially those that could afford (mainly affluent Athenians) to travel in Patras in order to participate in the carnival, as in its famous Bourboulia balls. In the same period the Greek cinema depicts snapshots of carnival in its films. Yet more historic scenes can be seen in prewar films. Still in the 1950s, the carnival becomes the object of attacks, as fanatic Christian and other misinformed moralistic organisations roll up to Patras from other regions of Greece during the carnival in order to denounce orgies, corruptness, "Sodom and Gomorrah", but they are prevented from creating trouble by the police. The completely unfounded accusations meet with indifference or a feeling of nuisance by the citizens of Patras and visitors of carnival. It is characteristic that the local church does not sympathise with the troublemakers since it knows that the carnival is a completely innocent recreational event. Yet, in the same period in certain cases censorship is imposed in certain carnival creations which upset the establishment with their humour. Finally in 1964 the year of king Paul's death the Carnival was cancelled.
Under no circumstances could these limited exceptions shade the magnificence of carnival, which had already known Pan-Hellenic recognition while it also attracted the attention of certain international media. In 1966 the carnival was reorganized. The journalist Nikos Mastorakis introduces the Hidden Treasure Hunt in which 94 citizens of Patras and visitors with their cars take part. The first prize was won by a team led by a friend of the carnival from Thessalonica; his name was Alkis Steas and he presented the game starting from the following year. Thus, the late Steas became for decades the legendary presenter of the carnival, which was broadcasted by ERT and was watched by all Greek TV viewers. The presenter's expressions such as "the Carnival city of Greece", when he referred to Patras and "be happy" and "keep dancing!" when he

referred to the carnival groups, remain historical. In 1974 the modern phase of the carnival begins, as the revelers are convinced to abandon their cars and parade on foot in the streets (until then only floats paraded). Since then each year the spectacle climaxes, the carnival has become gigantic and hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to Patras to witness the proceedings. From the early beginning of 2011, Carnival of Patras has its own Web TV channel, broadcasting live and on-demand videos in www.carnivalpatras.tv.

The Opening Ceremony

Irrespectively of when the Triodion falls,the three-week period preceding the first Sunday of Lent, it is customary for the Carnival of Patras on start on the day of St. Anthony (17 January). The opening ceremony takes place on George Square and includes pantomimes and patters, dances, endless music and fireworks.

The Childrens carnival

A spectacular, yet substantial, take on the traditional baby rally. The Children's Carnival includes a parade with the participation of masqueraded children's groups from nurseries, kindergartens, musical schools etc. Over 5000 children participate whereas the festival is completed by numerous game events and constructive activities. Their objective is to introduce the younger generation to the Carnival and to distinguish their abilities in artistic expression related to aesthetic or satirical masquerading. You can watch the parade live in www.carnivalpatras.tv.

The Bourboulia

The most famous unique Carnival tradition of Patras is also its oldest. Women participate in the Carnival Dance Hall Ball without paying for entry while men must purchase a ticket. All the women are dressed in a dark dress with a mask called a "black domino" while the men will be in regular clothes. During the dance, women select their dance partner. Besides an encouragement for the women to act as the sexual aggressor there is also an equalization of the social classes, particularly among the women whose background as urban or working class cannot be distinguished.
It is an empowering female event which allowed escape from daily routine defined in narrow social terms. According to Mrs. Ntouli-Dimitropoulou in an interview given in 2006 to Christiana Grigoriou & Christina Metaxioti for their published research paper on "The Social Role and the Cultural Identity of Women in Patra" the special attention given by the women of Patra to their preparation for the Bourboulia " makes them all beautiful and they give-off a sense of self-confidence that they are the most beautiful women in the world. This is something magical.

For most of its history, no photographs of the Bourboulia were allowed and while it is alleged that every woman in Patra has participated in the Bourboulia at least once, no one will admit it. Mrs Maria Iliopoulou, the first women recognized officially for her Carnival contributions by the Mayor of Patras has also been responsible for many years for the Bourboulia. She cites St. Mark's square in Venice as the source for the original costume design of the domino. While Venice needed heavy material in warmer Patras silk and satin were favored. The mask is very important to create the mystery. In fact, Mrs Iliopoulou believes the Patras Carnival Queen contest should wear masks as every Queen has her own beauty with her carnival uniform and thus her real appearance should not be revealed.

Laskarina Bourboulina

History of the Bourboulia:
Official Carnival history of Patras usually begins with the first event being ball given in the Carnival season associated with the merchant class which was influenced by French Carnaval Balls and Venetian Carnevale Costumes of St. Marks Square.

The Saturday night parade

This is also called the "Nihterini Podarati" [Night Parade on foot].In earlier years, only the Treasure Hunt groups could participate, without their floats. However, the last few years every group is free to join. Night, bright lights, an overwhelming stream of people, colors and high spirits combine, create a spectacular scene.

Closing Ceremony

An extension of the traditional festivities based around the burning of the float of the Carnival King, with concerts, dances, a farewell to the carnival past, announcements about the carnival to come and countless fireworks. It takes place at the port on Sunday night and is also broadcast on TV.

Following the Grand Parade on Sunday are important final events. This is the last Sunday of the Carnival and the eve of the first day of Lent or Clean Monday. The Carnival King is called upon to bid farewell to his subjects and to arrange a date for next year.
The customary meeting of all crews will happen at the St. Nikolaos Street wharf the central quay of the Patras harbour. Tradition demands the announcement of the winners of the Treasure Hunt, the farewell of the Carnival King and burning of the float , announcements about the carnival to come, endless dancing and fantastic fireworks. The show is broadcast nationally on TV as are both the Saturday and Sunday parades.
The mayor declares the closing of this year’s Carnival and officially announces the next year’s theme. All festivities stop at midnight as everyone observes the beginning of Lent.

A TRADITIONAL NEW ORLEANS CAKE, BUT REMEMBER NOT TO EAT THE BABY!

2012-02-23T23:41:00.000-08:00

Get in on the fun of the King Cake. Hide a little toy baby in the cake and whoever finds it has one year of good luck!

Prep: 40 min. + rising Bake: 25 min. + cooling

Yield: 12 Servings

Ingredients 40 25 65 Ingredients

2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup warm 2% milk (110° to 115°)
2 egg yolks
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3-1/4 to 3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg, beaten
GLAZE:
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 to 3 tablespoons water
Green, purple and yellow sugars

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add 1/2 cup sugar, butter, milk, egg yolks, salt, lemon peel, nutmeg and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 16-in. x 10-in. rectangle. Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle over dough to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal. Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet; pinch ends together to form a ring. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Brush with egg.
Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack. For glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and enough water to achieve desired consistency. Spread over cake. Sprinkle with colored sugars. Yield: 1 cake

MAKE YOUR OWN STRESS-FREE ROYAL ICING!

2012-02-22T22:42:00.000-08:00

This diy comes from www.mykitchenaddiction.com . If you're a baker, you will probably use alot of royal icing to decorate your cookies, cupcakes and misc. other sweet treats. Nothing is worse than not having the right consistency of your icing while in the middle of decorating a couple dozen cookies (let alone ruin a tasty cookie with a subpar icing). Good luck!

Stress Free Royal Icing

Last week, as I was decorating cookies for Halloween, I was reminded of the fact that I’ve been meaning to share my tips for making royal icing with no stress. After all, everyone wants to decorate beautiful cookies during the holiday season, but no one wants to fight with the royal icing. Between shopping for gifts, decorating the house, and lots of friends and family dropping in, there’s enough stress already!

This is one of those blog posts that has been writing itself in the back of my mind for quite a while. Almost every time I post about cookies that I have decorated, I get a few emails or comments asking me about my royal icing. I usually either give a quick reply with the ratio of meringue powder, powdered sugar, and water that I use… Or I direct the question to these posts from Bridget and Gail. They are both brilliant when it comes to cookies… And, they have taught me most of what I know. Want to see where their two worlds collide? Check out this fantastic video about royal icing over at the University of Cookie. They are the masters, and I cannot even begin to pretend that I know more about cookies or royal icing than they do.

But, here’s the thing… When it comes to royal icing, I think you have to do what works for you. I’ve made royal using Bridget’s method and meringue powder. I have also gone the egg white powder route and followed Gail’s thorough instructions. My problem is that no matter what I do, I end up with clumpy bits in my royal icing. And, those clumpy bits always end up getting stuck in my pastry tips and causing me quite a bit of stress. And, believe me, when you have a big batch of cookies sitting on the counter just waiting to be decorated, you don’t want the royal icing acting up.

I am pretty sure the problem lies with me 100%. I take full responsibility for the lumps in my royal icing. But, after having the same problem time and time again, I developed a new method that works for me. And, so far it has been 100% clump free.

My Stress Free Method…

Eventually, I realized that I was introducing all of the clumps into my icing when I was reconstituting either the meringue powder or the egg whites. I had issues both ways. I would always have gooey little clumps that just would wreak havoc on my icing and poor pastry tips. I tried pouring the mixtures through a strainer before adding them to the powdered sugar, but then I’d have a sticky strainer to deal with. No fun.

So, the one day, I had some extra time, and I decided to attempt making a batch of icing without reconstituting the meringue powder (I usually use meringue powder for no great reason other than that’s what I like to do). Instead, I whisked the dry meringue powder into the powdered sugar. Then, I added the water, popped the bowl into the mixer and went about my way. No. Clumps. I thought maybe it was a fluke, so I tried it again the next time I made royal icing, and sure enough, it turned out perfectly smooth with no clumps.

It’s been almost a year that I’ve been making my royal this way, and I don’t think I’ve had any issues with clumpy royal icing since then. Coincidence? I think not!

The Royal Recipe…

My recipe for royal icing certainly isn’t unique to me. I’ve referenced plenty of blogs, cookbooks, and even packages of meringue powder… And, this is the one I’ve kind of settled into. As I mentioned before, I do typically use meringue powder, so that’s what is included in my recipe. Just be sure to use a good tasting, good quality meringue powder for your royal!

This recipe for royal icing uses only one pound of powdered sugar. The number of cookies that it will cover will certainly depend on the type of decorating you are doing and the size of the cookies. It’s easy to double or triple, though… And, it’s usually better to err on the side of too much royal vs. not enough. I typically end up making a double batch.

Royal Icing

1 pound powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
3 rounded tablespoons of meringue powder
6 – 8 tablespoons of warm water
1/2 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice or clear vanilla extract (optional)

In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the powdered sugar and the meringue powder. Whisk the two together by hand. Add 6 tablespoons of water to the mixture and add the lemon juice or vanilla extract, if desired.
Fit the mixer with the beater blade/paddle, and start mixing on the slowest speed until everything comes together and there are no visible pockets of dry powdered sugar. Gradually turn the mixer up to medium/medium-high speed and beat until the icing is fluffy. Adjust the amount of water, as necessary, adding just a few drops at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container to avoid the icing crusting over before you use it.

Happy decorating!

TOP SELLING CANDIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD!

2012-02-22T22:41:00.000-08:00

You wouldn't wear the same food costume every Halloween — so why trick-or-treat with the same candy? This year, try something new. If you're already well-versed in the categories of movie treats and nostalgic candies, then consider serving various candies from around the world. Need a bit of an education in global candy culture? Then test your knowledge of the world's candies and check out some of our favorites here.

Bounty, United Kingdom

Mounds lovers will appreciate Bounty, a coconut-filled bar enrobed with milk chocolate.

Botan Rice Candy, Japan

Even if you've never been to Japan, you may have come across Botan Rice Candy in Asian supermarkets. Botan, which means "peony," is a prominent brand in Japan and makes a sticky rice candy with a slightly citrusy flavor.

ToffeeCrisp, United Kingdom

Nestlé makes a number of chocolate bars in Europe that aren't readily available in the United States. One of them is ToffeeCrisp, a staple in the United Kingdom. The long, slender milk chocolate bar is filled with crackling puffed rice and caramel. Its motto? "Somebody, somewhere, is eating a ToffeeCrisp."

Cheong Woo, Korea

Leave it to South Korea to come up with pumpkin candy — a mellow, slightly salty candy with a prominent squash-like flavor and the texture of Starburst. If you can track it down, it's perfect for this time of year.

Kinder Country, Germany

I wasn't sure what to make of Kinder Country, which was described on the wrapper as "milk chocolate with rich milk filling." It was unlike anything I'd ever had in the States: a creamy, milky white center, made crunchy with puffed rice and then doused in milk chocolate.

Lion, United Kingdom

I was really happy to bite into a Lion Bar, another chocolate confection that hails from the UK. It was similar to a ToffeeCrisp, with caramel, crisp cereal, and a wafer enrobed in milk chocolate and reminded me of an even heartier 100 Grand. This lion was one of my top candy picks and definitely made me roar.

Baci, Italy

Hershey's isn't the only one with kisses — Italy has its own version, Perugina's Baci. These chocolate bonbons are filled with hazelnut chocolate cream, topped with a whole hazelnut, and wrapped in a love note.

Peko Milky Candy, Japan

Peko-chan Milk Candy is commonplace among children in Japan. The individually-wrapped candies are firm yet chewy and have a distinctive sweet milk flavor.

Yorkie, United Kingdom

The Yorkie bar — originally titled so because it was made by Rowntrees of York — was created in the 1970s as a larger chocolate bar alternative to Cadbury's Dairy-Milk. To this day, the chocolate stays true to its original branding with the slogan, "It's not for girls!"

Chimes Mango Ginger Chews, Indonesia

I'd never heard of Chimes Mango Ginger Chews before, but these individually-wrapped Indonesian ginger candies in the quaint tin turned out to be my favorite. They had a latent heat and spiciness to them, thanks to ginger that's grown on volcanic soil in East Java.

COLOGNE CARNIVAL FROM GERMANY!!!!

2012-02-22T22:40:00.000-08:00

Carnival in Cologne is almost as old as the history of the city itself. But the organized carnival celebrated today only dates back 178 years.
The Greeks and Romans celebrated cheerful spring festivals in honor of Dionysos and Saturn with wine, women and song. The ancient Germans celebrated the winter solstice as a homage to the Gods and expulsion of the evil winter demons. Later the Christians adopted the heathen customs. The period of fasting (Lent) prior to Easter was heralded in by "Fastnacht" or "Karnival"...carne vale = Farewell to meat!

In the Middle Ages, the celebration of Carnival, the masquerade, often took on drastic forms, very much to the displeasure of the city council and the church. Bans and ordinances did little to help, the celebration was wild and spirited.
The boisterous street carnival was extended in the 18th century to include the so called "Redouten", elegant masked and fancy dress balls in Venetian style, which were initially the preserve of the aristocracy and the wealthy patricians. In 1736, the first Redoute was held in Cologne in a noble house on the Neumarkt.

Almost 50 years later, Cologne was captured by the French revolutionary troops. But the new rulers allowed the locals "de fair son tour", to hold their carnival parades. The Prussians, who took control a short time later, were stricter, which, however, did not prevent the natives of Cologne from cultivating their Carnival tradition. Carnival was romanticized and became bourgeois. It became organized! With the "Carnival Hero", with today's Prince Carnival, a new idea was also introduced.
In 1823 the "Festordnende Komitee" was founded. On February 10th of that year, Cologne celebrated the first Rose Monday Parade with the moto "Inthronization of the Carnival Hero". Also involved were the "Rote Funken" the former city militia, who had just established themselves as a carnival society, the carnival fool of the "Hillige Knaachte un Magde", Jan von Werth and Cologne's "Peasant" and "Virgin" as a reminder of the former free imperial city of Cologne. At that time, like today, a man wore the costume of the Virgin. In 1860, the first "Ghost Parade" was held on the evening of Carnival Saturday. Even after the turn of the century, the "founding period" of the Carnival fans continued. In 1902, the "Ehrengarde" was formed as the accompanying group of the Peasant and Virgin. In 1906, Prince Carnival was given his "Prinzengarde". Other societies established themselves. Willi Ostermann, with his songs and musings, Grete Fluss extended the fame of Cologne's Carnival beyond the city's boundaries.

The "Sitzungen" (shows) with their humorous orators and singers bridged the gap between the opening of the "Carnival Session" On "11.11" to its climax on Rose Monday. That is still the same today. Now it is bands like the "Black Fooss", "Hohner" and "Paveir" and humorists like "Rumpelstizchen" or "Webfachmann" who are the trade marks of Cologne's "Fifth Season". The world famous "Strippefottchen-Tant" of the Rote Funken, a parody on the soldiers' strict life.
There are approximately 160 carnival societies, local history societies and district groups in Cologne which celebrate their home town festival in about 5oo parties, balls and parades. The highlight is always the Rose Monday Parade.

10 MULTIPURPOSE KITCHEN ITEMS THAT WILL MAKING COOKING AND BAKING EASIER!

2012-02-21T22:22:00.000-08:00

The kitchen can either come with great amounts of pleasure or great amounts of stress. Luckily, with a few great kitchen tools that have multiple purposes, you'll be able to fret less and whip up many more delicious meals. These 10 affordable tools are essentials in any kitchen, and you probably have several of them in your own. Read on to find out the many uses for each tool and share your tips in the comments!

Silicone Spatulas

Silicone spatulas come in pretty colors that brighten up your kitchen, and they come in very handy while baking, but I like to use mine for frying or scrambling eggs. They're delicate on the egg and help keep things from sticking to the pan too much.

Pastry Scraper

Typically, pastry scrapers are used for handling pastry dough. This handy tool is also incredibly useful when it comes to transferring chopped vegetables from your cutting board to your pan.

Microplane Zester/Grater

One of my very favorite tools in the kitchen, the Microplane zester/grater is perfect for zesting all kinds of citrus fruits, as well as for grating garlic finely, which brings out excellent flavor. You can also use it to grate whole nutmeg and hard cheeses.

Mandoline

This simple handheld tool speeds up prep work by a lot. I use mine for evenly and thinly slicing onions so that they're more palatable, and all different fruits and vegetables to get great texture in dishes. I particularly love using my mandoline to slice vegetables for pizza toppings. You can also slice up salami and cheese for great presentation. It's not as bulky as some of the other mandolines on the market, and it's a cinch to clean.

Cheese Grater

Grate all the cheese you could ever want on this sturdy grater, but don't forget to try grating onions as well! Grated onions imparts a lot of flavor into recipes without adding texture, making it a great base for soups and stews. I also love to grate carrots for salads using my cheese grater.

Pyrex Baking Dish

I can't sing the praises enough of the Pyrex baking dish. I'm convinced that it plays a role in roasting up a deliciously moist chicken, and I am a huge fan of how it evenly bakes sweets. I use my Pyrex dish on a daily basis. Roast vegetables, meats, and bake up all kinds of sweet recipes in yours.

Pyrex Measuring Cup

The clear glass cup makes for easy measuring, but I use mine primarily for mixing up salad dressings. You can adjust your measurements along the way and easily pour your homemade dressing all over your salad. It's also incredibly useful for pouring eggs out one at a time, which many cake recipes call for.

Cast-Iron Skillet

Once you start cooking with cast-iron pans, it's very difficult to go back. This heirloom pan comes in all different sizes and it ensures even cooking. A number of recipes can be cooked using cast-iron, including bread, pizza, cakes, meat, and they will all turn out with excellent flavor.

Mason Jars

From vases for fresh flowers to more traditional jam or pickle containers, mason jars are one of the most useful containers you could ever own. Use yours to store leftovers easily in your refrigerator or bring meals to work or school (salads, soups, rice bowls, smoothies, etc.). They are easy to clean and last forever. Never again taste the undesirable flavor that comes from plastic containers in your food.

Mesh Strainer

Dust powdered sugar on your chocolate soufflé with a mesh strainer, or rinse rice and beans before cooking. Strain stocks and soups or position it on top of a pot of boiling water to steam vegetables.

MINI CUPCAKE POPS!

2012-02-21T22:21:00.000-08:00

This diy/recipe comes from www.comeonilene.com . Enjoy these tasty little treats!

For my friend Jane’s bridal shower, I volunteered to make cupcake pops. After seeing cute pictures floating around on the web, I’ve been dying to try it myself and Bakerella makes it seem so simple. It must be easy for the normal person, but I am clearly anything but normal and this project took a lot longer than I thought. Don’t attempt to make these unless you really love the person you are making them for. It took me over 8 hrs from start to finish, not including the time it took to make the stand. (I this idea directly from Bakerella’s website.)

Ingredients:

1 13X9 baked cake (from a box cake mix or from scratch)
1 can cream cheese frosting (or about 2 cups equivalent from scratch)
1 flower shaped cookie cutter
1 package chocolate melts
1 package white chocolate melts
gel food coloring
5″ lollipop sticks
m&ms and sprinkles

1. Bake a cake from a mix or from scratch and cool completely. I used a boxed red velvet cake. At this point, my husband spied the cooling cake and started lingering, hoping for a bite. I shooed him away.
2. Add can of cream cheese frosting or homemade frosting.
3. Blend thoroughly using a spoon, pastry cutter or hands. At this point the cake is starting to look pretty disgusting and my husband, seeing the mushy mess and my red stained fingers, quickly lost interest and left the kitchen.
4. Roll cake mixture into 1.25″ – 1.5″ size balls and lay on a lined cookie sheet. Chill in refrigerator for several hours or you can speed things up by putting into the freezer for about 15 minutes.

5. Find a flower shaped cookie cutter. Mine is about 1.25″ wide and came in a package of other mini cutters. They are the perfect size for these cake pops.
6. Take the chilled ball and roll it into an oval shape and then slide into cookie cutter. Push it into cutter until about half fills the cutter and the rest sticks out of the top, use yourpalm to create a round mound.
7. Then push the shaped cupcake carefully out of the cookie cutter.
8. Set right side up on a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Continue with remaining balls of dough. Cover and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes. Or if you’d like to dip the cupcakes the next day, you can cover and chill overnight in the fridge.

9. Melt chocolate in a bowl in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between. The candy melts that I used took about 60 seconds to melt all the way. Dip the bottom part of the cupcake in the chocolate
10. Turn upside down on a lined cookie sheet and insert lollipop stick halfway into the cupcake while the chocolate is still wet. Its nearing midnight so I beseeched my husband to come back and help stick the lollipop sticks in before the chocolate hardened. I realized later that husband was sticking the lollipop sticks all the way through to the other side of the cupcake. Oops, they fell right through the stick when I turned them over! Groan. Let chocolate harden and ban husband from doing any further damage in the kitchen.
11. Melt white chocolate in a bowl in the microwave. I made some cupcakes with white “frosting” and some with purple “frosting” by adding a few small drops of purple gel food coloring into the white chocolate. (note: do not use liquid food coloring, any amount of water or liquid will ruin the consistency of the chocolate) Dip the top part of the cupcakes into the white chocolate.
12. Set pops upright into a stand to let dry. You can poke holes into a styrofoam block to make a quick, cheap stand. I made mine out of an extra piece of 2×4 pine. (see tutorial here.) Add sprinkles while the “frosting” is still wet and and M&M on top:

Package them prettily in small cellophane wrappers and tie with a ribbon:

Allow my husband to have one as a treat!

SAPPORO SNOW FESTIVAL FROM JAPAN!!!

2012-02-21T22:20:00.000-08:00

The Sapporo Snow Festival is a famous festival held annually in Sapporo, Japan, over 7 days in February. Currently, Odori Park, Susukino, and Tsudome are the main sites of the festival. The 2011 Yuki-matsuri dates are February 7th to the 13th.
The festival is one of Japan's largest and most distinctive winter events. In 2007, about 2 million people visited Sapporo to see the hundreds of snow statues and ice sculptures at the Odori Park and Suskino sites, in central Sapporo, and the Satoland site. The festival is thought to be an opportunity for promoting international relations. The International Snow Sculpture Contest has been held at the Odori Park sit since 1974, and teams from various regions of the world participate.

The subject of the statues varies and often features as event, famous building or person from the previous yer. For example, in 2004, there were statues of Hideki Matsui, the famous baseball player who at that time played for the New York Yankees. A number of stages made out of snow are also constructed and made out of snow are also constructed and some events including musical performance are held. At the Satoland site, visitors can enjoy long snow and ice slides as well as a huge maze made of snow. Visitors can also enjoy a variety of regional foods from all over Hokkaido at the Odori Park and Satoland sites, such as fresh seafood, potatoes and corn, and fresh dairy products.

Every year the number of statues displayed is around 400. In 2007, there were 307 statues created in the Odori Park site, 32 in the Satoland site and 100 i the Susino site. The best place to view the creations is from the TV tower at Odori Park. Most of the statues are illuminated in the evening. The Sapporo Snow Festival Museum is located in the Hitsujigaoka observation hill in Toyhira-ku, and displays historical materials and media of the festival.

History

The Snow Festival began in 1950, when 6 local high school students built 6 snow statues in Odori Par. In 1955, the Japan Self-Defense Forces form the nearby Makomani base joined in and built the first massive snow sculptures, for which the Snow Festival has now become famous for. Several snow festivals existed in Sapporo prior to the Sapporo Snow Festival, however, all of these were suspended during World War II.
During the Energy crisis of 1974, snow statues were built using drums. This was due to the shortage of gasoline which caused many of the trucks that were used to carry snow to the site, were unavailable, due to the shortage and rationiong of fuel. In that same year, the International Snow Statue Competition started and since that year many snow statues built by teams from other countries have been featured; especially from some of the sister cities of Sapporo, such as Munich Germany.

In years when the accumulated snowfall is low, the Self-Defense Force, for whom participation is considered a training exercise, brings in snow from outside Sapporo. The Makomanai base, one of three main sites from 1965, hosted the largest sculptures, with a emphasis on providing play space fro children. Use of the Makomanai site was suspended in 2005 and moved to the Sapporo Satoland site located in Higashi-ku in 2006. In 2009, the Satoland site was moved to the Tsudome (Sapporo Community Dome) site. The Tsudome, located close to the Sapporo Satoland, is a dome for multiple sport events.
Nakajima Park was established as one of the festival sites in 1990 however, it was removed as a site in 1992. The thrid site, known as the Suskino Ice Festival, is situated in the night life district of Susukino and includes predominantly ice carvings. The site was approved as one of the festival sites in 1983. Every year, the IcSuskino Queen of Ice, a beauty contest, is held at this site.

DIY ORIGAMI SEPTIMA STAR!

2012-02-20T22:04:00.000-08:00

This comes from www.goorigami.com . I thought these looked like something that could be made into an ornament or even made larger for the start on your Christmas tree.

It seems like this is the first origami star I’ve folded this year. And what a cool star it is!
Wondering how to make it? Follow the links below to the diagram and video instructions!

Description

Name:	Origami Septima Star
Designer:	Ekaterina Lukasheva
Units:	6 / 7 (5 and 8-unit assembly is also possible)
Paper ratio:	square
Assembled with:	no glue
Paper size:	7.5 cm
Model size:	~ 9 cm
Paper:	Patterned kami origami paper (China)
	Origami paper, Folia (Germany)
Diagram:	Septima Star – diagram
Video:	Septima Star – video

CARNIVAL OF BINCHE FROM BELGIUM!!!!

2012-02-20T22:03:00.001-08:00

The Carnival of Binche is an event that takes place each year in the Belgian town of Binche, during the Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday preceding Ash Wednesday. The carnival is best known of all the others that take place in Belgium, at the same time and has been proclaimed as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Its history dates back to approximately the 14th century.

Events related to the carnival begin up to 7 weeks prior to the primary celebrations. Street performances and public displays traditionally occur on the Sundays approaching Ash Wednesday, consisting of prescribed musical acts, dancing and marching. Large numbers of Binche's inhabitants spend the Sunday prior to Ash Wednesday in costume.

The centerpiece of the carnival, are clown like performers, known as Gilles. Appearing, for the most part, on "Shrove" Tuesday, the Giles are characterised by their vibrant dress, wax masks and wooden footwear. They number up to 1,000 at any given time, ranging in age from 3 to 60 years old, and are customarily male. The honor of being a Gille at the carnival is something that is aspired to by local men. From dawn on the morning of the carnival's final day, Gilles appear in the center of Binche, to dance to the sound of drums and ward off evils spirits by slapping sticks together. Later, during the day, they don large hats adorned with Ostrich plums, which can cost upward of $300 dollars to rent, and march through town carrying baskets of oranges. These oranges are thrown to, and sometimes at, members of the crowd that gather to view the procession. The vigor and longevity of the orange throwing event has in the past, caused damage to property...some residents choose to seal windows to prevent this.

On Shrove Tuesday townspeople don their fancy costumes that were imagined and made months before and created by each participant. In the morning at approximately 8 a.m. the drums go from house to house to gather up the participants. At about 10 a.m., the small groups collected by the drums meet in the heart of Binche. It is the moment the townspeople prefer, when they discover the marvelous, original costumes. At about 3:30 p.m., people gather at the station area. The societies go back to the center of Binche, dancing to the music of the drums and the brass bands, forming a living multicolored ribbon.

On Shrove Monday, the feast is a traditional, more private gathering of locals. To the tune of the viols and the hurdy-gurdies, they all go from pub to pub, and from pub to friends and neighbors houses, as they get ready to invite the voil, who are dancing in the streets.
At about 3 p.m. the children gather, just like the adults had done the day before. The younger ones dance to the music of the drums and brass bands. They then convene in the Town Square, they all dance to the "rondeau de l'amite." Then after hours of dancing and singing until about 8 p.m., they leave to enjoy fireworks at the stationing area.

MAKE YOUR OWN CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE KISSES!

2012-02-20T22:03:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, I found this cool recipe at www.dollhousebakeshop.com . Even though it's past valentines day, many of us (and you) like to eat them all year round. Why not make a giant kiss for dessert one night or maybe even for a special occasion. I've died and gone to chocolate heaven. I would like to know if anyone enjoyed these as much as I did.

Sculpt rich creamy chocolate truffle into Hershey's Kisses!

The shelves are officially stocked full of Valentine's Day chocolates and goodies! In the midst of boxes and boxes of chocolate truffles I saw this giant Hershey Kiss -->
So I decided to try and combine the iconic Valentine's Day chocolate truffle, with this cool giant kiss, and came up with "Chocolate Truffle Kisses". The best part of this recipe is you can infuse your truffles with extracts, espresso, liquor, or keep it simple and stick with luscious rich chocolate.

Chocolate Truffle Kisses
You will need

8 ounces of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (or a combination), chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Cocoa powder for coating (I used Dutch Processed. You can also coat your truffles in melted chocolate, finely chopped nuts, or powdered sugar)
Flavoring (optional)

Directions

Place chocolate in a heat proof bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan bring the butter and cream just to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately pour over bowl of chocolate. Let sit for a minute or two. Gently stir until smooth (This is a classic ganache which can be poured as a liquid over cakes, like in my Chocolate Ganache Mousse Cake, or refrigerated and rolled into truffles, like we are going to do in this tutorial). If you are infusing truffles, be sure to check out our line of super strength flavorings and stir in a few drops until you have reached your desired flavor, I love using cherry for Valentine's Day. You can even add Chambord for a raspberry flavor, or any type of alcohol, liquor, espresso, or flavoring you choose!

Cover and refrigerate your ganache for a few hours until it has set and is firm. Once firm, scoop a ball of ganache onto your work surface with a spoon and sculpt into a Kiss shape, making sure to work quickly so the heat of your hands doesn't melt the ganache. If the ganache gets too melted/sticky, sprinkle some cocoa powder on your sculpture and hands and continue to shape your Kiss. (My Kiss turned out about 1 1/2" tall and about 1 3/4" wide at the base.)

I know... not the prettiest picture, but I wanted to make sure I showed you the whole process.

Once you have smoothed your Kiss and have gotten your desired shape, roll in coco powder. (You can also roll in powdered sugar or dip in melted chocolate.)

Cut squares out of foil (mine were about 5" squares) for wrapping and type (or write) custom tags and cut into long thin strips. (font size 11-12 works fine)

Place your Kiss in the center of the foil square and wrap foil up and around Kiss, with your custom tag poking out of the top (you can place the kiss in a paper cupcake liner before wrapping in foil if desired).

Happy Baking,
Lindsay Ann

DIY KEY HOOK HANGER AND SHELF!

2012-02-16T21:56:00.001-08:00

This diy comes from www.shanty-2-chic.com . How many times do we forget where our keys are? What better way than to have that special key hanger. I know you can do it!

This is one of my FAVORITE projects! It’s quick, easy and cheap! Lots of bang for your buck;)

I say cheap because I started with pieces from our scrap wood pile:)

I used an old sheet of bead board, a 1×6 and 1×3′s.

I trimmed out the bead board with the 1×3′s

using Gorilla Glue wood glue and a staple gun to secure them.

Next, I hammered a saw tooth hanger through the back.

I attached the 1×6 with wood glue and drilled 2″ screws through the back (pre drill so the wood doesn’t split)

I spray painted it with 1 coat of Rust-Oleum black gloss.

I found these super cute glass knobs at Hobby Lobby (50% off of course;)

and paired them with these pretty hooks from Home Depot.

I pre drilled holes for the hooks

and put the knobs through the top holes on the hooks then secured them on the back.

I attached it to the wall, added the metal buckets (purchased at Ikea for $1 each) and filled them with dried hydrangea.

That was it! Time invested was about 1 hour and money invested was about $15! LOVE:)

HOW TO MAKE PUFF PASTRY THE EASY WAY!

2012-02-16T21:56:00.000-08:00

This diy comes from www.thepinkwisk.co.uk. Baking desserts and pastries don't have to be have and difficult. I have watched quite a few chefs make this. They seem to make it a long drawn out labor intensive ordeal. Follow this recipe and diy and it shouldn't be all that bad. Tell me what you think?

How to make Puff Pastry

It’s not complicated but it does take a bit of organising in advance. I do use shop-bought puff pastry and generally have some in the freezer. Making your own is quicker than the time it takes to defrost some

(and it’s not difficult either)
This version of puff pastry is referred to as rough puff pastry, the idea being that you only get 75% of the rise that you would get with traditional puff pastry – getting technical there! However, when you see the rise you get with this its far above and beyond shop bought.
Puff Pastry takes a couple of days to do and also means you have to wrestle with a full pat of butter – hmmmm, I can be organised but not that organised!

Ingredients:

250g strong plain white flour
250g butter, cold
juice of 1/2 lemon
5-6 tbsps cold water to combine
To make the rough puff pastry add the flour and salt to the bowl of a food processor and give it a quick pulse to mix.
Cut the cold butter into 1/2cm slices and add to the food processor bowl.

Using the pulse function whizz until the butter is broken up but still in visible lumps. Tip the mixture out into a large mixing bowl.

Make a well in the centre and add the juice of half a lemon and then enough super cold water to make a dough. Use the blade of a table knife to mix the dough rather than your hands as you don’t want to melt the butter.

Once the dough is into a ball wrap in clingfilm and pop it into the fridge for an hour so that the butter hardens up again.
After an hour take the dough out of the fridge, lightly flour your work surface and then roll out the dough into a rectangle shape.

Fold into three like an envelope (see pictures below).

Turn the dough 90 degrees to the right so that the folds are now left and right. Roll again to a large rectangle and fold into three again. Turn and then repeat this step twice more, turning before each re-rolling and folding.

Each time the pastry gets smoother and more refined. Wrap again in clingfilm and allow it to chill for another hour in the fridge.

See? – It wasn’t difficult was it?
The pastry is now ready to be used for whatever you need it for. It can be frozen, wrapped well in clingfilm for upto six months. When defrosting, just make sure it stays dry and doesn’t sit in a pool of water.

Half a block is sufficient for a puff pastry top for a pie so it may be a good idea to cut it into half before freezing.
Traditionally you shouldn’t re-roll puff pastry trimmings. It disturbs the buttery layers within the pastry which you’ve worked so hard to create. However, you can. In these times throwing away pastry trimmings is wasteful and I just can’t do it. Gather together the trimmings and gently squeeze them back together as a ball. Chill this wonky ball of pastry for half an hour or so until firm again.
This ‘wonky’ trimmings puff pastry is ideal for Palmiers – see recipe here. You can’t guarantee a huge rise or that the rise is in the right direction but it still tastes delicious all the same (and its better than heading for the bin!)

DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

SWEETS FOR COFFEE LOVERS, PART I!

Chocolate-Whiskey Cake with Fluthered Cream

For the cake:

For the fluthered cream:

The Lebowski Shake (a.k.a. White Russian Milk Shake)

Espresso Mud Pie

For the crust:

For the ganache:

To assemble:

To serve:

Irish Coffee

Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream

Drunken Affogato (Ice Cream Shots)

For the chocolate shots:

For the vanilla shots:

Espresso Gelato

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