DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

History of the Iditarod      The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race  first ran to Nome in 1973, after two short races on part of the Iditarod Trail in 1967 and 1969. The idea of having a race over the Iditarod Trail was conceived by the late  Dorothy Page . In 1964, Page was chairwoman of the  Wasilla-Knik Centennial  and was working on projects to celebrate Alaska's Centennial Year n 1967.     She was intrigued that dog teams could travel over land that was not accessible by autos. In the early 1920's, settlers had come to Alaska following a gold strike. They traveled by boat to the coastal towns of Seward and Knik and from there, by land into the gold fields. The trail they used is today known as  The Iditarod Trail,  one of the National Historic Trails as so designated b the U.S. Congress. In the winter, their only means of travel was by dog team.     The Iditarod Trail soon became the major thoroughfare through Alaska. Mail was carried across this tra

 Served in stemmed glasses, these silky smooth Italian custards make an elegant ending to any meal.            Ingredients 1  (1/4-oz.) envelope unflavored gelatin 1 1/2 cups  cold milk, divided 1 cup  whipping cream 1/2 cup  white chocolate morsels 1/4 cup  sugar Dark Chocolate Sauce Garnishes: fresh mint sprigs, chocolate shavings Preparation 1. Sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup milk in a small bowl; stir until moistened. Let stand 5 minutes. (Mixture will be lumpy.) 2. Cook whipping cream, chocolate morsels, and sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes or until morsels are melted and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and add gelatin mixture, stirring until mixture is dissolved. Stir in remaining 1 1/4 cups milk. 3. Pour mixture evenly into 4 to 6 stemmed glasses or 6 (8-oz.) ramekins. Cover and chill 24 hours. Serve with Dark Chocolate Sauce. Garnish, if desired.           

     The Carnaval de Oruro  (or  Carnival of Oruro ), is the biggest annual cultural event in Bolivia.     Celebrated in Oruro, the folklore capital of Bolivia, the carnival marks the  Ito festival  for the Uru people. Its ceremonies stem from Andean customs, the ancient invocations centering around  Pachamama  (Mother Earth, transformed into the Virgin Mary due to Christian syncretism) and  Tio Supay  (Uncle God of the Mountains, transformed into the Devil). The native Ito ceremonies were stopped in the 17th century by the Spanish, who were ruling the territory of upper Peru at the time. However, the Uru continued to observe the festival in the form of a Catholic ritual on  Candlemas,  in the first week of each February. Christian icons were used to conceal portrayals of Andean gods, and the Christian saints represented other Andean minor divinities. The ceremony begins 40 days before Easter.     Legend also has it that in 1789, a mural of the  Virgin Mary  m