March 19th, 2008
If you are still fretting over how to prepare your Easter ham, here’s a tasty idea, courtesy of the people at the National Pork Board:
Apricot-Glazed Ham5-pound fully cooked whole boneless ham
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2/3 cup apricot nectar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Cooking Directions
Place ham on […]
By Sandy Mitchell -- 0 comments
January 13th, 2008
Sweden celebrates Christmas for 20 days, beginning on December 25 and ending on St. Knut’s Day, January 13. The tradition, called Tjugondag Knut in Swedish, began in the 11th century by King Knut (later canonized by the Catholic church for his kindness and generosity).
The occasion is marked with small gifts of candy and cookies (which […]
By Sandy Mitchell -- 0 comments
January 7th, 2008
Yes, Merry Christmas…to those who celebrate Christmas on the Julian calendar, such as Christians in Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Bosnia, and Montenegro, among other countries. The Eastern Orthodox religion uses this traditional calendar, where December 25 falls on January 7 of the Gregorian (modern) calendar. Some primarily Orthodox countries, such as Greece, have modified […]
By Sandy Mitchell -- 0 comments
January 6th, 2008
The story of the three kings traveling miles and miles from the east to see the Christ child has inspired scores of artists. One of the best loved is the Italian Renaissance painter, Sandro Botticelli’s depiction of the scene (pictured above). The painting hangs in the Ufizzi Gallery in Florence.
(photo credit: The Yorck Project/cc […]
By Sandy Mitchell -- 0 comments
January 6th, 2008
Epiphany, January 6, is celebrated around the Christian world as the day that the three wise men, Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthasar, arrived in Bethlehem to see the Christ child. The holiday is especially popular in Europe.
History of EpiphanyEpiphany has its root in the Eastern Orthodox religion, where it was first mentioned in the year 361. […]
By Sandy Mitchell -- 0 comments
January 5th, 2008
Tonight, January 5, is celebrated around the Christian world as Twelfth Night, the night before Epiphany, the day that the three kings arrived in Bethlehem to see the Baby Jesus.
Twelfth Night is the end of the twelve days of Christmas and is marked with gift-giving and special foods, particularly a King’s Cake (or in France, […]
By Sandy Mitchell -- 0 comments
December 14th, 2007
A deep-fried turkey is one of the most popular new trends for holiday cooking. This series of videos (they are all linked), by caterer Mike Hedrick, discusses safety, setting up your equipment, the types of turkey fryers available, how to prepare the turkey for deep-frying, and how to cook the bird. Take a look:
[…]
By Sandy Mitchell -- 0 comments
December 13th, 2007
Sure, poinsettias are beautiful, festive flowers, but why are they associated with Christmas? Here’s the scoop:
Mexican legend says that there once was a boy who had not gift to put by the likeness of Baby Jesus at his church on Christmas Eve. On the way there, an angel told him to pick some dried weeds […]
By Liberty -- 0 comments
December 10th, 2007
If you’re like me, when it comes time for wrapping holiday gifts, I’d rather scrub the sink with a nail polish brush than sit down amidst a giant pile of toys and gadgets and wrap myself silly. And what’s more, there always seems to be that oddball gift or two that is so freakishly-shapen that […]
By Liberty -- 4 comments
December 7th, 2007
What seems like a very odd choice for a Christmas tree ornament is actually a deep-rooted tradition that originated in Germany. The Christmas Pickle is said to bring good luck, and was always the last ornament put on the tree.
On Christmas morning, the first child to find the pickle scored a little extra something […]
By Liberty -- 1 comment
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