Choosing a Theme for your Holiday Cooking

For some families there is constant competition from one year to the next to top the efforts of the hostess for the last season's holiday festivities and cooking. If you are looking for a great way to do just that when it is your turn to do the holiday cooking for the family how about breaking with tradition and creating your own theme for the holiday? I know it may seem a little rebellious and some may not like it but others may find it ingenious.

You can make your holiday cooking fit any theme or situation you like. You can create the perfect picnic complete witch a checked table clothe, seating on the ground, and baskets filled with goodies for everyone to dig in when ready. The idea is to do something a little bit (okay I admit it a lot) different from what others have done in the past and give them ideas to build upon for the next holiday cooking theme. If you decide to go with the picnic theme be sure to bring wine, cheese, and plenty of finger foods that travel well. If the weather permits (and it may depending on where in the country you live) you can actually make a picnic event of your turn doing the holiday cooking.

You can set your food up and display your cooking efforts like an all you can eat buffet if that's what you like, though I hope your cooking is much better than most of those I've tried. The point is to make the theme something that is new and a little bit different but also that isn't really related to the holiday but allows the family to enjoy the benefits of the holiday, which includes the pleasure of each other's company.

If you really want something new go with an ethnic theme for your holiday cooking. This leaves a lot of room to explore and those who have the duties of cooking for the holidays next year will have a hard act to follow if you choose a theme that you really enjoy eating and cooking and decorate well to suit the theme. Let your imagination, personal tastes, and knowledge of your family be your guide as you decide what theme to incorporate and how far you want to take it. You can even have a lot of fun by issuing a challenge from the very beginning.

One fun theme that I've always wanted to bring into my Christmas cooking (specifically) is a Medieval Christmas theme. I think it would be fun to require costumes for the dinner, dancing afterwards, and observance of some of the cultural 'manners' of the time for the celebration of Christmas. It just seems like such a fun way to spend the day with family and loved ones even if you are doing the cooking. The good news is that with a Medieval Christmas cooking theme you have a little bit of room to let your imagination run wild and it will definitely be a hard act to follow.

The downside is that skipping tradition is always a risk. If you are worried that your family might not like it, ask first, and then decide if this may or may not be the right move for your family situation. You could always do the other as a Christmas party or for your own personal Christmas with immediate family only (though arguably that would be less entertaining).

Back to Beginning for President's Day Cooking

Most people forget to honor President's Day, a day that has been set aside each year to honor those who have held the office of the President of the United States of America. In fact, very few do manage to celebrate this special day at all other than hitting the local malls in anticipation of a few great sales. If you have decided that you would like to make the most of this great day and celebrate the great nation that America is and those who have been responsible leaders of this nature you might be wondering what you should be cooking.

How about going back to the beginnings of this great nation and going for a Colonial theme with your President's Day menu? There are many great dishes that can be traced back over the centuries. You can find many great resources online that highlight the cooking of Colonial America. You might even find a few bonus recipes if you browse websites about Williamsburg, VA or other cities that were of import during the colonial days and those years when we were a fledgling nation.

If you search carefully you can find many resources that may give you even more ideas about cooking and serving a colonial style feast fit for a President's Day celebration. You will find many books relating to etiquette of the day and expectations along with a few that were devoted to food preparation and some books that were published much later and contained recipes that have been passed down from one generation to the next with a gold mine of recipes that were often used during colonial times.

If the idea of a colonial feast isn't your idea of a great way to celebrate American Presidents then there are other options available. One great cooking idea for Presidents day is the good old American Barbecue. There are those among us who feel that there is never a time of year in which a barbecue can't take place. It doesn't matter if there has been a foot of snow overnight there are many of us who are perfectly comfortable digging out the grill and throwing a few steaks and potatoes on for the sake of an honest excuse to celebrate and what better way than to honor those men who have led our country throughout history?

Even when using the grill and barbecuing for President's Day you are not limited to foods that are typically barbecued. If you are of the mind you should consider doing something you may not try every day on your grill. Some popular firsts for many people include food items such as a whole pork tenderloin. This goes great with grilled or broiled vegetables, rice, and bread and feels like a very American thing to eat. Of course, hamburgers are quite nice and very American too.

Of course you could go the route of honoring the President's fitness award on President's day by electing to go the healthy route with your cooking and eating. Great ideas would be broiled fish or chicken, chicken noodle soup (soup is good for the soul after all and it is in February), steamed veggies, and a side of long grain and wild rice. Though there are some that find President's Day the perfect excuse to go after some comfort food. Beef stew, vegetable soup, chicken and dumplings, and good old Virginia ham with all the trimmings might make an excellent choice for those seeking comfort and warmth on this, sometimes, cold winter President's day.

However you choose to honor all the past Presidents with your cooking be sure to take a moment out of your cooking schedule to send positive thoughts and hopes toward the current leadership whether you approve or not. This is a position that very few of us could fill and still maintain some degree of sanity. For this reason we should be grateful for those who do.

PPPPP

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Moroccan establishment wins Mr & Mrs Smith hotel prices "best dressed"

Moroccan establishment wins Mr & Mrs Smith hotel prices "best dressed"

Riad El Fenn Marrakech has won the Mr & Mrs Smith hotel "best dressed". This prize rewards including beauty, design, and organization within hotels.

Riad El Fenn has been rewarded for its beautiful decor, paintings, sculptures and photographs, works by David Shrigley, Bridget Riley, Antony Gormley, Batoui Himi and William Kentridge, according Smithhotelawards.

Price Mr & Mrs Smith also rewarded other hotels, American, British, Brazilian, Italian for their pool, bar, spa, restaurant ...

the British favorite destination was Morocco.

For the first time, a specialized tourism site, Travel Supermarket, used Twitter to discover the favorite of the British winter holiday destinations. According to their investigation, the researchers concluded that the British favorite destination was Morocco.

When they typed the word "holiday" on Twitter, the experts noted that it was often accompanied by the word Morocco. Travel comparison website then focused on the keywords typed on the social network search engine and was able to establish a list of 10 destinations for British winter.

The most popular destinations in Morocco are Agadir and Tangier, which are also in first and second place.

List of favorite destinations for the British winter holidays:

1- Agadir, Morocco.

2- Tangier, Morocco.

3- Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

4- Colombo, Sri Lanka.

5- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

6- Costa Rica, Central America.

7- Miami, USA.

8- Seychelles, Indian Ocean.

9- Island of Antigua, Caribbean.

10- The Bahamas.

Marrakech, not a place

Marrakech, not a place

Exceptional occupancy rates in Marrakech, especially in this period of low season. Indeed, August is a full house for the Sofitel Marrakech, with 99% occupancy rate, for customers overwhelmingly composed of MRE. On the flagship hotel in central Gueliz Marrakech The past few weeks catching up with 70% the previous month showed occupancy rates between 30 and 50%. A real recovery so since July, with an essentially French customers. Les Jardins de la Medina, with its swimming pool, its huge garden and enticing formulas enjoys this month scorching 61% occupancy rate. The property, which is in perpetual progress for three years, already provides a 20% increase for the months of September and October, compared to the same period in 2012 the palace of La Mamounia, which benefits from the low season for maintenance and refreshing some rooms, with an occupancy in mid-August this 30% rate. As for the seaside town of Essaouira during this holiday season, the city is invested by foreign and domestic tourists. Ryad Mogador as the Sofitel Essaouira Mogador Golf & Spa, sold out in August, after a July at half mast because of the holy month of Ramadan.
- See more at: http://www.leconomiste.com/article/909918-tourism-the-Morocco-poster-complet#sthash.n8lgIryI.dpuf

Before, hoteliers enjoyed two months of high season.

No vacancy! This is the answer you have on the phone wanting to book a hotel room this summer. The gloomy situation experienced tourism during Ramadan has dissipated, giving way to an unprecedented summer euphoria. Indeed, various indicators show a true recovery of tourism. Fill rates, which did not exceed 30% during the month of Ramadan, are far behind. A majority of hotels across Morocco has no room available. Said to Tahiri, head of the National Federation of Tourism (FNT), "there is a recovery expected, especially as the economy and the political instability in Egypt benefits the Moroccan tourism." A number of tour operators offer the Morocco as an alternative destination failing to repay customers seek stability. A similar situation occurred during the Arab Spring with a redirection of European tourists to Morocco. However, the internal and the influx of tourism MRE this period represent a lifeline for hoteliers. Almost all cities are sold out, even those passing as Fez and Ifrane. Other cities such as Marrakech, for whom summer is low season, experiencing exceptional circumstances. According to professionals, the hotel will continue to pursue such as fill rate for ten days. "Before, hoteliers enjoyed two months of high season. This duration was reduced to 20 days for the last few years. We are afraid of falling into a bear from August 25, the date when most national prepare for their return "trend, worries Tahiri.
In addition, resorts are all inclusive formula favored by foreigners and nationals. Others opt instead for classified hotels or guesthouses. However, Moroccans remain followers of the holiday villas, apartments,. Formulas more suitable for larger families. Almost all cities experiencing a huge influx of tourists. For example, north and Agadir is "full". For reservations by phone, no time to finish his sentence as the receptionist informs you that the hotel is full until the end of the month. In Agadir, Le Palais des Roses sold out until August 30, the Sofitel until 25. Marina Smir, it will be possible to find a room that as of August 27. This is unquestionably the North-breaking attendance records. So much so that the hotels are full and there is not a single square meters of free rent in Tetouan Fnideq through Martil. A Marina Smir, rentals regardless of price rage. The villas and furnished apartments are rented to more than 5,000 dirhams per day. And even at that price, tenants are increasingly numerous. Ditto for Marina Beach, Al Amin and Restinga Smir where rent starts at 2,000 DH / day, but with a condition: a rental of at least 10 days. Fassis favorite destination, Casablanca, Marrakchis and other Northern (Martil, Tetouan, Tangiers and Oued Lau) is in full swing. The population of this region is multiplied by two or three. Hotel rates and the local economy too. The invasion of travelers 'internal' (nass Dakhil) also led to a shortage of food. Woe to those who do not get up at dawn to go shopping, they may fall back on crackers as a meal. The footprint is such that pressure translates directly into a surge in housing prices but also food. Even worse, some areas do not have large-capacity suffer intermittent water shortages. Another problem, not least, plugs in tolls. Indeed, motorway users complain of long queues at toll sections connecting the main cities. - See more at: http://www.leconomiste.com/article/909918-tourism-the-Morocco-poster-complet#sthash.n8lgIryI.dpuf

France is world champion Tourism: France is world champion

France is world champion
Tourism: France is world champion
Challenges.fr
by Challenges.fr

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Posted on 12-08-2014 at 17h17Mis update at 17h17
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84.7 million tourists arrived in France in 2013, an increase of 2% over the year. But it is mostly furnished rental sites like Airbnb which benefits from this increase.
Chinese tourists at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, August 21, 2004 SALT AHMET / SIPA Chinese Tourists at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, August 21, 2004 SALT AHMET / SIPA
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Crowing! The France remained in 2013 the most visited country in the world, with 84.7 million foreign tourists, up 2% from 2012, according to an annual study by the DGCIS and the Bank of France, published Monday August 11 in the afternoon.

The United States and Spain, which rank behind France, recorded respectively 69.8 and 60.7 million international tourist arrivals, detailed in this study DGCIS, the Directorate General in charge of competitiveness issues Bercy, and the Bank of France.

The Hexagon was particularly praised by European tourists (1.2%), starting with the Germans, who were 13 million to visit the country (6.5%), followed by the British. However, the Belgian tourists, Luxembourg, Italy and Spain were fewer than 2012.

North America is the first non-European customers of France. This position is with a 5.8% increase in tourist arrivals, following a decline of 7.8% in 2012.

Asian tourists are also coming more numerous: they are 4.5 million have visited France, an increase of nearly 13% compared to 2012.

Growth driven in particular by the influx of Chinese tourists (1.7 million, 23.4%): "their attraction to France proved for many years: the Chinese tourist arrivals doubled between 2009 and 2013."

In contrast, Japanese customers were down 6.7% amid weaker yen against the euro.