DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

   This showstopping cake is layered with dark chocolate ganache and white chocolate cream, then topped with marshmallowy peppermint frosting. To give the final product pastry-shop flair, set a pile of chocolate curls in the center. Or lean chocolate shards against each other, teepee style. Ingredients cake 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 1/4 cups sugar 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 3 large eggs 1 large egg yolk 1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 2 cups ice water Dark chocolate ganache 1 1/3 cups heavy whipping cream 2 tablespoons light corn syrup 14 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped white chocolate cream 12 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), finely chopped 3 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided 1 1/2 teaspoons pure peppermint extract peppermint frosting 2 1/4 cups sugar 1/2 cup water 3 large egg w...

   Most of us know December 25 by one name – Christmas. We all know the story of Christmas, but most of us don’t know when the first Christmas was celebrated. Today, the world as we know it grinds to a halt on Christmas day, shops and restaurants all close down. It is a day of peace and tranquility, yet a time of great joy, for many. However, it was not always like that. I have created a list of a few significant events, some joyful and sprit raising, others sad and astonishing, that happened on the day we have come to know solely as “Christmas”. This list is in Chronological order, all dates are AD. 10. First Christmas/325    This is the first date that Christmas was celebrated for certain on December 25. This is significant because Christmas is, arguably, the most widely celebrated holiday in the world. It is also a strange date to pick, since many astronomers and scientists agree that Jesus would have been born sometime during our current summer mont...

    Flores de Mayo (English: "Flowers of May") is a Catholic festival held in the Philippines in the month of May. Lasting for a month, it is held in honor of the Virgin Mary . The Santacruzan refers to the pageant on the last day of Flores de Mayo , held in honour of Reyna Elena and Constantine finding the True Cross in Jerusalem.        The name is derived from Flores, the Spanish word for "flowers". Also known as "Flores de Maria" ("Flowers of Mary") or "Álay" (Filipino for "offering"), the term refers to the festival as a whole. It was believed that "Flores" (short term for Flores de Mayo) originated in 1865 from the town of Malolos, Bulacan, when the young girls would make a floral offering to the Virgin Mary in the parish church.     In the Bicol region, especially in the locality of Barangay Sabang in Naga City, the Flores de Mayo is held every Wednesday and Saturday of May. It is headed b...

Y. Origami Box Ornaments by Samantha Miller This awesome  project for D.I.Y. Origami Box Ornaments comes to us from Samantha Miller of Paper Red Shoes . I love the idea of hanging these for display (like she's done in the photo at the end of this post). Here are the directions and more from Samantha: I have folded a few thousand of these boxes and have learned the following along the way: cut a good square, fold crisply, and practice before you use paper you really like! Supplies needed : Vintage or antique book Paper cutter or scissors Ruler Ribbon Fishing line. Directions (CLICK ON THE IMAGES FOR A LARGER VIEW): Tip : Whatever is on the topside of the square (as circled) is what you will see on the finished box. Step 1: Choose a great book. One with plate illustrations is usually best like old dictionaries with pictures. This one is over 100 years old! I got it from Oxfam for £10. Step 2 : Tear eight pages from the book. Cut four pag...

    The year 2012,  is one of the rare years in which there are three Friday the 13ths – January, April, and July. That combination of a year where Friday the 13th happens three times in January, April, and July only happens on leap years. In January we celebrated this event with a list of ten lesser-known Friday the 13th events and here is another list in time for our second unlucky Friday of the year. 10. Black Sabbath Releases First Album/1970    On Friday February 13, 1970, Black Sabbath released their first album in the United Kingdom. Given only two days of studio time to record it, the band played all of the songs live, saving the second day to mix what they had recorded. The album “Black Sabbath” went on to reach #8 on the UK album charts and when released in the USA, it reached #23 on the Billboard charts. The album remained in the Billboard charts for over a year and was a commercial (though not a critical) success. The album went on to...

    The oldest mention of the present procession is to be found in a charter of the Unloaders'Guild (1291 ). From it we learn that the guilds of Bruges were obliged to participate in the procession. Probably the Holy Blood was exhibited in the chapel on the Burg before 1291. And it is presumably from this custom that the procession originated.     From 1303 onwards one hears of a Holy Blood procession going round the city walls. Because the relic was town-property the procession was, of course, a civil and an official occasion in which horsemen, guildsmen and artisans, marksmen, city councillors and, naturally, the clergy, in all their splendour march with the relic.     In 1310, Bruges' city council decided to combine the festivities around the Holy Blood, its procession (May 3rd) and the two-week ceremonies, with the annual fair (April 23rd until May 22nd). As a result the numbers of those assisting at the procession and the...