DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

The late Richard Sax, celebrated cookbook author and champion of home cooks the world over, inspired this flourless chocolate cake—a riff on his iconic chocolate cloud cake. ingredients Cake: 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1" pieces, plus more, room temperature, for pan 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided, plus more for pan 10 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (61%-72% cacao), coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 6 large eggs 2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt Topping: 1 cup chilled heavy cream 1/2 cup mascarpone 3 tablespoons powdered sugar Special equipment: A 9"-diameter springform pan preparation For cake:  Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter springform pan and dust with sugar, tapping out any excess. Combine chocolate, oil, and 1/2 cup butter in a large heatproof bowl. Set over a saucepan of simmering water and heat, stir...

    Is it called  Memorial Day or  Decoration Day?      Many people, especially those in the south, ask themselves this question every year. Compounding the confusion is the fact that both celebrations are often held on the same weekend in May. Most of us have participated in Memorial Day celebrations. I've had the experience of participating in several Decoration Day celebrations as well. According to  History.com  Memorial Day was first celebrated as Decoration Day. This day first happened officially a few years after the Civil Warn ended on May 30, 1868.     General John Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic is widely credited for the original proclamation. This held great importance even though the Grand Army of the Republic was a group of former soldiers and sailors and not a governmental organization. President    Richard Nixon  officially declared Memorial Day to be a fed...