DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

   There are many stories about werewolves or lycanthropy. Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf that could mysteriously talk. An American Werewolf in London. Being Human. All STORIES of talking, walking, hungry wolf-men. But has any one really thought if this is actually a real case? I am here to tell you about 10 interesting and weirdly scary cases of real lycanthropy… 10. Gilles Garnier    In the sixteenth century town of Dole, a proclamation was publicly read in the town square. Its contents gave permission for the people to track down and kill a werewolf that had been terrorizing the village.    While walking through the forest, a group of peasants heard the screams of a small child accompanied by the howling of a wolf. When they arrived they saw a wounded child fighting off a monstrous creature whom they later identified as Gilles Garnier. When a ten year-old boy disappeared in the vicinity of Garnier’s home, he was arrested and confessed to ...

Tiramisu Dip Espresso, marsala, and mascarpone cheese whipped into an airy dessert dip. Difficulty: Easy | Total Time: 10 mins | Active Time: 10 mins | Makes: 3 1/2 cups (8 to 10 servings) By turning tiramisu into a dip, you skip all the hassle of making the traditional trifle without losing any of the flavor. We liked strawberries and various cookies as dipping instruments, but the dip could also be spooned into individual cups with a few ladyfingers for a quick, elegant dessert. Game plan: The dip can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated in a covered container. This recipe was featured as part of our story on summer dips. INGREDIENTS 12 ounces mascarpone cheese (about 1 1/2 cups) 8 ounces ricotta cheese (about 1 cup) 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons brewed espresso 2 tablespoons Marsala or Kahlúa 1 teaspoon cocoa powder 1/2 cup finely chopped bittersweet chocolate INSTRUCTIONS Place mascarpone in a stand mixer ...

    Can you say Starkbierzeit? It's German for "strong beer festival", an event held every March in Munich. For two weeks, breweries bring out their most potent beverages, and beer halls throw noisy parties with a host of Bavarian entertainment and food. It's Oktoberfest without the tourists.     The festival's roots go back to the Paulaner monks who, according to legend, began making an extra strength beer to sustain themselves during their Lenten fast. The beer, first brewed in the 17th century, gained a "word of mouth" following. The townspeople called it Salvator.     Strong beer's popularity took off after Napoleon rode into town and sold the monasteries to local businessmen. Paulaner ended up in the hands of a entrepreneur named Franz Xavier Zacheri , who turned the monastery into a beer hall and mass produced the monks' beer. In an inspired bit of marketing, he promoted Salvator as a cure for the wintertime...

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 ...

    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 th...

   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,...