Holiday memories, made new

I looked back today at what I wrote during the holidays in December 2019, a few months before the world was turned upside down. The post, about favorite holiday food memories, was about the dish of nuts that my grandparents always put out during the Christmas season. That memory is more poignant today because not only were traditions put on… read more

Pastry chefs wow with edible holiday decorations

Gingerbread houses across the nation are suffering from a serious case of envy over the creations showcased in a recent Forbes article about amazing edible decorations from talented pastry chefs. While these displays are made from gingerbread, chocolate, and other foods, they are not meant to be eaten. Some of them take months to complete, only to be viewed for… read more

What’s the best time for the holiday meal?

You've set your Thanksgiving (or other holiday) menu, gathered the ingredients, cleaned the china and linens, and are all set to start your feast. Now the question remains: what time should you serve the meal? The Washington Post's Becky Krystal recently explored this question, and found the time periods that met with the most approval. Accidental turkey from Food Network… read more

Keeping it basic for the holidays

Adventurous cooks who like to try new foods are often stymied during the holidays. We would appreciate adding new or unusual items to the menu, but the diehard traditionalists want everything to be exactly the same - often leading to hard feelings or at least a classic sitcom situation. Instead of fighting the traditionalists, there is a case to be… read more

The foods of Día de Muertos

On the heels of Halloween is the Mexican celebration Día de Muertos or Day of the Dead, celebrated November 1-2 each year. Day of the Dead celebrations can be traced to the ancient Aztecs, who felt that instead of mourning the deceased, people should celebrate their lives and welcome their spirits back to the land of the living once a year. Spanish… read more

Celebrate National Coffee Day

The US and Canada are celebrating National Coffee Day today, and the international 'official' holiday is just around the corner on October 1. Coffee shops will have specials all day long, and baristas will be whipping up everyone's favorite caffeinated beverages, whether it's a latte, espresso, flat white, or just a good cuppa. While coffee beverages of all sorts are… read more

The foods of Yom Kippur

Ten days after the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah, which began on September 25) is Yom Kippur, the most holy day on the Jewish calendar. It is the last of the ten days of penitence, and this year begins at sundown on October 4. Although this isn't necessarily as food-centric as other holidays, there are two meals associated with this… read more

Mooncakes with a twist

The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, which this year falls on 10 September, is the second most important festival in China after Chinese New Year. The holiday is also celebrated by many other Asian countries, such as Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. While originally conceived as a harvest celebration, the focus these days is on family reunions, so the festival often draws comparisons to US… read more

Celebrate Bastille Day with French food and drink

Food, drinks, and fireworks in July aren’t limited to the United States. Ten days after America’s Independence Day, the French also have their own red, white and blue holiday. Called Bastille Day by English speakers, the day is known to the French as “La Fête Nationale,” and it celebrates the anniversary of the liberation of France marked by the storming… read more

World Chocolate Day is here

Today is World Chocolate Day! The middle of summer is a brave choice to host this food holiday in the Northern Hemisphere, but there is a reason: it's celebrated on 7 July because that is allegedly the date that chocolate was first brought to Europe in 1550. It's not as though we really need a day to celebrate chocolate, because… read more

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

Before I begin extolling the virtues of celebrating Mexican food for Cinco de Mayo, I want to make sure that everyone knows that this holiday is NOT Mexican Independence Day. What Cinco de Mayo does commemorate is the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire at the first Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862. Regardless of its actual historical significance,… read more

Sweets for Eid al-Fitr

Muslims around the world are celebrating the end of Ramadan with Eid al-Fitr celebrations. Food is at the forefront to celebrate the end of Ramadan fasting. The foods eaten vary depending on the culture of the local celebrants, but sweets are an important aspect no matter where Eid feasts happen. BBC's Good Food provides us with a list of eleven… read more

Jazz up your juleps

Few celebrations have a cocktail that is as strongly associated with the day as the Kentucky Derby is with the mint julep. In one week (May 7), the 148th edition of "The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports" will be run, and there is no telling how many mint juleps have been sipped since the inaugural event in 1875. Southerners love their… read more

Anzac Day is a food tradition worth celebrating

While many “holidays” about food are completely fabricated events to promote a product, some foods are associated with real holidays that have a more noble purpose. This is the case with the Anzac biscuit, made to commemorate Anzac Day on 25 April (I know, it's already 26 April in Australia but the rest of us can still celebrate it). Seed-studded Anzac biscuits from… read more

Foods to celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year

March 20 marks the beginning of Nowruz, the traditional Persian New Year festival celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan, and the Kurdish regions of Iraq, Turkey and Syria, throughout Central Asia, and by members of the diaspora worldwide. Coinciding with the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, Nowruz is a two-week celebration that centers on visiting relatives, picnicking, travelling, and eating traditional… read more

Celebrate Pi day with pie!

I usually forget about the "National Pie Day" that occurs in January, but that is okay since the logical choice for the day is Pi day, which is today. What better way to celebrate the mathematical constant that is such an integral part of pies? Everyone can find something that pleases them in the pie family due to its infinite… read more

Mardi Gras returns to New Orleans

Tomorrow is Fat Tuesday (aka Mardi Gras) and festivities are in full force in New Orleans after a pause in 2021 due to Covid. Celebrated as the last extravagance before the austere days of Lent, Mardi Gras features indulgent food and drink. Even if you don’t celebrate the religious holiday, the festival is a good excuse to eat classic New… read more

Get ready for SuperBowl Sunday

In just over a week, the larges sporting event in the United States will take place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, as the Cincinnati Bengals face off against the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI. Not only is Super Bowl Sunday an important day for sports fans, it’s also the second biggest food event in the nation behind Thanksgiving. Watching… read more

Celebrate Burns Night with these foods

While we can't possibly post about each and every celebratory food day, some occasions do call for recognition. One of these is Burns Night, which honors the January 25 birthday of revered Scottish poet Robert Burns. (It's also the day before my birthday so I have extra reason to celebrate my fellow Aquarian.) Delicious Magazine (UK) recently posted their perfect… read more

Get ready to celebrate the year of the tiger

February 2 ushers in the Chinese New Year as well as new year's celebrations in other Asian countries including Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The Chinese calendar is a lunar/solar calendar and other names for this festival – the most important in the Chinese calendar – are the Lunar New Year and the Spring Festival. The celebration begins on the… read more

Do you have what it takes to make the Queen’s pudding?

Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning British monarch, is celebrating her Platinum Jubilee this year. Numerous celebrations will take place to mark the occasion, and to coincide with the summer's festivities, the royals - in partnership with Fortnum & Mason - are asking citizens to create a special pudding in honor of the anniversary. Summer berry pudding with vanilla fromage frais… read more

Ring in the new year with a tasty tradition

All around the world, people celebrate the beginning of a new year with feasts that incorporate traditional foods that have many symbolic meanings. To learn more about some of these fêtes, head over to Saveur, which looks at recipes and traditions to celebrate the new year. The article starts off with a few historical tidbits, such as how grapes play… read more

Christmas dessert ideas

Haven't decided on what to make for your holiday dessert table? We recently updated our Christmas Sweets & Treats Pinterest Board, which is filled with hundreds of vibrant, adorable, and delicious recipes perfect for celebrations large and small. Here's a small sample of the wonderful recipes you will find: Red and white checkerboard cookies from Food Network Magazine Cherry and… read more

Who is changing Christmas dinner?

The traditional Christmas dinner in the UK seems to be evolving, at least according to the latest polls and Tesco Christmas Report. Young people - especially those in Generation Z - are changing what they eat for the holiday meal. Some classic dishes are all but disappearing on Christmas tables, while new items are being added. Classic pigs in blankets from… read more

How to make the best use of holiday leftovers

Yesterday I learned that the average American eats 4,000 calories on Thanksgiving, an astonishing amount of food. Even after stuffing ourselves many of us have plenty of leftovers, and while turkey sandwiches are great you can only eat so many before you tire of them. It pays to look beyond the sandwich to find tasty options for those Thanksgiving leftovers.… read more
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