DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

A group of vampires has variously been call a clutch, brood, coven, pack or clan. (a clan if their Scottish!) The Muppet vampire, Count von Count from Sesame Street, is based on actual vampire myth. One way to supposedly deter a vampire is to throw seeds ( usually mustard) outside a door or place fishing net outside a window. Vampires are compelled to count the seeds on the holes in the net, delaying them until the sun comes up. A rare disease called porphyria vampire like symptoms, such as an extreme sensitivity to sunlight and sometimes hairiness. In extreme cases, teeth might be stained reddish brown, and eventually the patient may go mad. One of the most famous "true vampires" was Countess Elizabeth Bathory (1560-1614) who was accused of biting the flesh of girls while torturing them and bathing in their blood to retain her youthful beauty. She was by all accounts a very attractive woman. Vampire legends may have been based on Vlad of Walachia, also known...

   Tall and beautiful, sweet and tart, this cake has lots of lemon flavor and plenty of style, too. It's the perfect finale for a St. Patrick's Day dinner or other special occasion. Ingredients For lemon curd 2 1/3 cups sugar 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 cup fresh lemon juice 4 large eggs 4 large egg yolks 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces For frosting 3/4 cup powdered sugar 2 cups chilled whipping cream For cake 1 1/2 cups cake flour 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 4 large egg yolks 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup orange juice 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel 8 large egg whites 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar Lemon slices, halved, patted dry Preparation Make lemon curd: Combine 2 1/3 cups sugar and 2 teaspoons cornstarch in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in fresh lemon juice. Whisk in eggs and yolks; add butter. Whisk over medium heat until curd thickens and boils, about 12 ...

Oxford and Cambridge Crews     The event generally known as " The Boat Race" is a rowing race in England between the Oxford University Boat Club and the Cambridge University Boat Club , rowed between competing eights each spring on the Thames in London. It takes place generally on the last Saturday of March or the first Saturday of April. The formal title of the event is the Xchanging Boat Race , and it is also known as the University Boat Race and the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race.     In 2010 an estimated quarter of a million people watched the race live from the banks of the river and millions on television.     Members of both teams are traditionally known as blues and each boat as a " Blue Boat", with Cambridge in light blue and Oxford dark blue . The race was in 1829 and it has been held annually since 1856, with the exception of the two world wars. The most recent race was on Saturday, March 26th 2011, with Oxf...

There is no doubt that food is constantly on my mind.  Here are some food facts that should be surprising to the majority of our readers. If you have others you think we missed, be sure to add them to the comments. 10. Fortune Cookies    The fortune cookie was invented in San Francisco in 1909, at the Japanese Tea Garden Restaurant. In 1916, Los Angeles noodle manufacturer David Jung claimed to be the inventor, but a San Francisco court ruled that Makoto Hagiwara, caretaker of Golden Gate Park’s Japanese Tea Garden, was the creator of the cookies, which he served to guests of the gardens. 9. Tonka Beans    The deadly tonka bean (often added to perfume as a cheap alternative to vanilla) is banned outright in the United States as a food additive. Despite its highly poisonous qualities, it is popularly enjoyed in France in high quality pastries (pictured above is Jean Paul Hévin’s famous “Tonka”). Despite its reputation as a killer, only a f...

    When the moon is full it is said that the canine shape shifters prowl the night seeking new prey! Gypsies around the world tell folktales that warn about the anthropomorphic wolf-men cursed to endure a life of transmutation when the moon is full, becoming a predatory killer until the sun rises.     Are these half-human, half-wolf "monsters" real, or are they a figment of our imagination, that people ages ago created to explain shadows in the night? Could these shape shifters actually exist? Perhaps Hollywood has instilled a false memory and predisposition for beings of the night, like vampires, zombies and werewolves. Maybe latent fear of the unknown drives the human mind to justify their fear of the dark by creating and believing in strange and bizarre creatures.     Then it may also be true-werewolves may be more than mythical creatures in stories told by many people with roots that run deep in the old country of their orig...

     The Feria de Abril de Sevilla , literally Seville April Fair , is held in the Andalusian capital of Seville, Spain. the fair generally begins two weeks after the Semana Santa , or Easter Holy Week .     The fair officially begins at midnight on Monday, and runs for six days, ending on the following Sunday. During past fairs, however, many activities have begun on the Saturday prior to the official opening. Each day the fiesta begins with the parade of carriages and riders, at midday, carrying Seville's leading citizens which make their way to the bullring, La Real Maestranza , where the bullfighters and breeder meet.     For the duration of the fair, the fairgrounds and a vast area on the far bank of the Guadalquivir River are totally covered in rows of casetas (individual decorated marquee tents which are temporarily built on the fairground). Some of these csetas belong to the prominent families of Seville, some...