TIP OF THE DAY: Make A Cheese Christmas Tree

By the 18th century, candles lit up Christmas trees (how did they not set the place on fire? Engraving by John Whetten Ehninger published in 1870 in Harper’s Bazaar magazine. Image courtesy Wikimedia.   This tip is about making a cheese Christmas tree. But first, here’s the history of the Christmas tree, also called a…
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How To Cook A Perfect Prime Rib

Many families enjoy prime rib for the holidays. At our mother’s house, a bone-in prime rib (a.k.a. standing rib roast) was always on the holiday table. Jan Birnbaum, Executive Chef at Epic Steak, a steakhouse on the San Francisco waterfront (great view of the Bay Bridge!), shares this advice so that you, too can cook…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Homemade Pizza Dough

Pizza is one of our favorite foods. When we make it at home, we typically purchase a crust and add our favorite ingredients. Then we received a pizza dough recipe from from Bruno diFabio, whose pizza was just awarded the grand prize, Best Pizza, in the Worldwide Pizza Championship.* DiFabio is now a six-time winner…
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RECIPE: Mistletoe Margarita, A Christmas & New Year’s Margarita Cocktail

The mistletoe plant has ovoid green leaves with small white berries. Why is it associated with Christmas? Here’s one explanation: The Druids of Britain (think Stonehenge), circa 100 C.E., thought that mistletoe had magic properties: a cure for disease, a fertility aid, protection from witches and so forth. In a special ceremony held in late…
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Holiday Cocktails To Use Up Spirits & A Cranberry Caipirinha Recipe

Do you find yourself with bottles of spirits you don’t use often: the Limoncello you bought on impulse, the cachaça you used once to make Caipirinhas, the saké you never get around to drinking with take-out sushi? Could you use the space they take up to store something else? Look for holiday cocktail recipes that…
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