DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

Chocolate Cream Swiss Roll Have you ever heard of a recipe and instantly thought... I.MUST. MAKE. THAT!  Well this totally happened to me last week.  In class we learned to make roulades.  These are basically small thin sponge cakes that you layer with a tasty filling, roll up, and frost.  They are so much fun but as we made a vanilla, raspberry one in class I couldn't even concentrate because all I was thinking was... I can make Little Debbie Swiss Rolls now!   That's right, the lunch box treat from grade school that everyone loved.  I can make them and better yet - I can make a GIANT one.  How much fun would it be to go to a party and have dessert be a giant Swiss Roll?!  I knew I would have to give this a try.   The cake is a little fussy and takes some extra steps which is never my favorite way to lead into a recipe.  The technique, however, is critical.  These little cakes...

    The  Nachi Fire Festival  is one of Japan's cultural gems. Listed as an intangible cultural asset the festival has a history of more than 1500 years and is one of the most spectacular festivals of the summer. Held on July 14th each year, the Nachi no Hi Matsuri or Nachi Ogi Matsuri (Fan Festival) is a traditional fire festival involving ritual offerings, music and dance. The festival is held in a remote area of the Yoshino-Kumano National Park on the Kii Peninsula. The shrines where the Nachi Fire Festival takes place are part of the UNESCO World Heritage list, the Kumano Nachi Grand Shrine and the Hiryu shrine, which is located at the base of the massive Nachi waterfall, which with a 133 meter (about 436 feet) drop is the highest waterfall in Japan.     The festival involves 12 (portable) mikoshi shrines, each decorated with mirrors and gold, and 12 massive ceremonial torches. Carried from Kumano Nachi Grand Shrine down the old...