Appetizing Muse

One major holiday is over, and the now the prelude to the bigger one begins.

Aside from dubious shopping sprees by a cash-strapped nation, there is always the dining table to fall back on. I think it would be a grand sight less expensive these days to put on a meal than to weave through department stores buying up electronics and other gadgets as presents for the holiday. Besides, it's a more inviting prospect to spend time with family and friends around the table that it is to stand in shopping queues for hours on end and side-swerving maddened motorists on the road.

This year at Food Fare we've assembled a special feature titled Christmas Noel. The bit includes information about Christmas traditions around the world, various histories of Santa Claus, the North Pole and Christmas Trees; how to say "Merry Christmas" in different languages, gift-wrapping ideas and holiday resources as well as more than two dozen holiday recipes such as Apple Yule Logs, Christmas Rum Balls, Gingerbread Cake, Greek Christmas Cookies, Lime Shortbread, Limerick Ham, Mailanderli, Mushroom Pockets, Nusstorte, Pecan Kisses, Spanish Hot Chocolate, Wassail, Welsh Christmas Pudding and more. Click here for Christmas Noel >

In addition, Food Fare is featuring a special article about Pine Nuts. Learn about the history and harvesting of pine nuts, health benefits, links and resources and try several recipes using pine nuts such as Catfish with Pine Nuts, Green Beans with Pine Nuts, Pine Nut Pesto and Spaghetti Squash with Pine Nuts. Click here for more about pine nuts >

But most of all: have a safe and happy season. I'll be checking back in over the next few weeks with more Christmas goodies and bits of news.