The foods of Día de Muertos

October 31, 2020 by
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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

Downsizing the holiday meal

October 29, 2020 by
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For many of us, the holidays are not going to be the same this year. Diwali and US Thanksgiving are just a few weeks away, with Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa following soon after. Instead of large feasts and gatherings we will likely be preparing smaller meals for fewer people. For those who have lost their jobs or have reduced income due… read more

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – cookie time!

October 24, 2020 by
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'Tis a bit early to start the holiday baking posts but I needed a wee break from the October new cookbook review. (I have no idea where the 'tis and wee came from, I blame it on Cookbooktober). As I was clearing my head in preparation for returning tonight to finish the epically long review, I glanced at the small… read more

Thanksgiving, virtually

October 9, 2020 by
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One of the most important food holidays in the US and Canada is coming up, but it will look a lot different than it has in years past. Monday marks Canadian Thanksgiving, and the US holiday follows on November 26th. Usually, we would be talking about how people would be gathering around the table in large groups, debating perennial topics… read more

Celebrate International Coffee Day

September 29, 2020 by
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Today is International Coffee Day or as I like to call it, Tuesday, as I celebrate coffee every single day. I can't start the morning without my favorite beverage, hot in cool weather and iced for the steamy days. Coffee is not only a delicious beverage, but it can add a pop of flavor to foods as well. Coffee pairs… read more

Celebrate World Chocolate Day

July 7, 2020 by
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Today is World Chocolate Day, fêted on 7 July because that is ostensibly the date that chocolate was introduced to Europe in 1550. We will help you celebrate by listing several revered chocolate recipes from the EYB Library. But first, let’s learn some interesting facts about this delicious subject. Express (UK) lists ten things you probably never knew about chocolate, while… read more

Outdoor cooking may be a boon this summer

May 22, 2020 by
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Monday is a holiday in the US, a day of remembrance for those who have fallen in the line of service to our country. It is also Spring Bank Holiday in the UK. Unofficially, the long weekend marks the start of summer and kicks off peak grilling season. Last year I wrote a post about summer grilling looking different these… read more

Rethinking holiday dinners

April 4, 2020 by
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Easter and Passover are two of the biggest food holidays of the year, but 2020 is shaping up to feature much more intimate feasts. This means rethinking what is going on the table. If there are only going to be two to four instead of a dozen or more, you are going to need to scale back unless you want… read more

Celebrate Pi(e) Day

March 14, 2020 by
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Today is the perfect day for bakers to celebrate both pi and pie due to the natural synergy between the two. Bakers use pi when scaling pie and cake recipes to determine the proper pan size, and of course, they also love to make pie, whether filled with fruit, custard, meat, or vegetables. Pie is universally appealing to everyone from… read more

The meaning behind lunar New Year’s foods

January 25, 2020 by
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Today marks the beginning of a very special time for the Chinese and several other cultures, as it is the beginning of the lunar new year. This holiday, celebrated by 20% of the world's population, is honored differently in various countries, but food features prominently in all celebrations. Each of the foods traditionally eaten during this holiday has a meaning… read more

The ’12 days of cookies’ trend spreads

December 5, 2019 by
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I don't know who started the '12 days of cookies' phenomenon, but Food Network was the first entity to ask me to sign up for it. For several years now, beginning sometime in late November, I have received a dozen emails from Food Network, each with a different holiday cookie recipe (there is usually a bonus thrown in for good… read more

How famous artists would plate Thanksgiving dinner

November 28, 2019 by
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We want to wish all of our US Members a Happy Thanksgiving. The crazy weather in many parts of the country has fouled up travels plans and caused flight delays, so if you are holed up in an airport waiting for a storm to pass, here is a little something to distract you from your dilemma: two slideshows on how… read more

Relax, you’ve got this

November 26, 2019 by
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My Twitter feed is nearly 24/7 Thanksgiving prep at this point. It's been building over the past couple of weeks in the lead-up to the biggest food holiday in the US. Usually on the Tuesday evening before Thanksgiving I would be elbow-deep in turkey (literally, to season it for dry brining), finishing the make-ahead gravy, making pie crusts, and performing… read more

Holiday gifts from your favorite authors

November 22, 2019 by
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Jenny has already provided her comprehensive lists of holiday gifts for cooks and cookbook lovers. In addition, we have compiled a list featuring holiday hampers and more from popular chefs and cookbook authors around the world. Many of these sites have sales going on now just in time for the holidays.  These gifts would be a delight for any food or… read more

Get ready for Thanksgiving

November 21, 2019 by
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If you are celebrating Thanksgiving next week (yes, it's only a week away!), we hope you are using EYB to find and bookmark recipes and make your shopping lists. For a big meal like this, however, sometimes you need more than just recipes, you need assistance with the whole package: decor, timelines, and tips on how to make certain items.… read more

Ideas for wrapping edible gifts

November 17, 2019 by
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From quick breads to savory breads to cookies to candies, edible gifts are a wonderful way to make something from the heart for the holidays (plus they make the perfect hostess present). Most of us have our go-to recipes for this, whether it's a cherished family heirloom or something we spied on the internet. What we may not have are… read more

The ultimate Thanksgiving recipe finder

November 14, 2019 by
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About this time each year I come across several posts for a food site's new and/or improved holiday recipe finder. Each is organized a little differently, but the premise is the same: use your preferences, whether ingredient or nutrition or type of dish, and the magic of the "finder" will return the perfect recipe to you. This year is no… read more

Ideas for a spook-tacular Halloween

October 21, 2019 by
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Halloween is just a few days away, and if are looking for some ghoulish goodies or creepy canapés, we have you covered. Just head over to our Halloween Pinterest board to find hundreds of recipes that cover the gamut of your party needs, from appetizers to drinks to desserts. (Not on Pinterest? Use the EYB Library to find ideas instead.)… read more

Get ready for Rosh Hashanah

September 25, 2019 by
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Eating apples dipped in honey is a tradition on Rosh Hashanah, but there are many more food-related customs for the Jewish New Year. Several other symbolic foods are also typically eaten to celebrate this holiday. Each of these foods — pomegranates, dates, string beans, beets, pumpkins, leeks, and fish heads — symbolizes a wish or blessing for prosperity and health in… read more

Two food festivals on tap for Australians

September 2, 2019 by
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Australians living in the Brisbane vicinity have some exciting food events coming up in the next few weeks. Up first is the second annual Moreton Bay Food + Wine Festival, which is scheduled for 7-8 September. The other is the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers, which features severals Food & Wine side events and runs from 20-29 September. The Moreton Bay… read more

Bastille Day recipe ideas

July 10, 2019 by
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The upcoming Bastille Day holiday provides the perfect excuse (like we need any) to make delicious French food and celebrate liberté, égalité, and fraternité. The holiday is the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, a turning point in the French Revolution, as well as the  Fête de la Fédération which celebrated the unity of the French people on July 14, 1790.… read more

Summer grilling looks different these days

May 23, 2019 by
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For the majority of Americans, the upcoming Memorial Day weekend marks the official start of summer. Across the nation, it's a tradition to fire up the grill and pile it high with bratwurst, hamburgers, and ribs, accompanied by cold beer. That scenario is rapidly changing, however, says Food & Wine. They report on a recent study that says not only… read more

Mother’s Day recipes that take the cake

May 10, 2019 by
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My mother lives several hundred miles away, which means I do not get to see her very often. When Mother's Day rolls around, this distance also means she gets plants or something that can be shipped, not a homemade treat. I enjoy baking for special occasions, whether for a birthday, holiday, or other event, so it makes me a bit… read more

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

May 5, 2019 by
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While Cinco de Mayo is a relatively minor historical anniversary in Mexico, in the U.S. it has become a much larger celebration. The date commemorates the Mexican Army's victory over the French Empire at the first Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862. It is not, as many people assume, Mexican Independance Day (that falls on September 16). In the United… read more

Celebrate Anzac Day

April 23, 2019 by
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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. According to EYB member and blogger Pat Churchill of Cooking Down Under, each year on April 25, Australians and New Zealanders mark Anzac Day "when they remember their war dead… read more
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