Halloween Cakes – Centerpiece And Dessert

Halloween Cakes – Centerpiece And Dessert
by: Susanne Myers


A Halloween cake is not only the perfect dessert for any Halloween party and a must have for someone with a birthday on or around October 31st, but also makes a great center piece for your food table if you are throwing any type of Halloween party. Here are two simple, yet impressive Halloween cakes that you can try this year.

Pumpkin Cake

No, we are not taking about a pumpkin flavored cake, but a light colored cake that looks like a pumpkin when you’re finished decorating it.

You will need 3 box mixes of white or yellow cake mix along with the additional ingredients like oil and eggs the box calls for. Prepare the batter as directed. Pour it into two bunt pans and bake according to the package directions. Allow the cake to cool completely.

Meanwhile, combine two to three cans of vanilla frosting in a bowl. You can probably make do with two cans, but if you prefer being able to work out any unevenness, or fix fingerprints made in there by little hands (what child can resist tasting frosting?), go with three cans.

Add enough red and yellow food coloring to the frosting mixture to turn it bright orange. Spread some of the frosting only on the flat side one of the cooled bunt cakes. Set the other one on top of it flat side down. You have a pumpkin shape. Use the rest of frosting mixture to frost the entire cake.

Use black icing to draw a carved pumpkin design on the cake. Some triangular shapes for the eyes and nose, as well as a large half moon shape will do the trick.

Spider Cake

Start with a boxed mix of devil’s food cake (or your favorite chocolate cake mix). Prepare the batter and bake it in two round pans according to the package instructions. Let it cool on a rack.

Scoop 2 cans of vanilla frosting into a large bowl and add enough green and yellow food coloring to turn it into a nice spooky green color. Spread a layer of frosting in between the two cake rounds. Use the rest to frost the entire outside of the cake.

Use black icing to draw a spider web on the top of the cake. Start by drawing lines across the top. Imagine the top of the cake is a clock. Draw a line from 12 to 6, then one from 9 to 3. Fill in the spaces with two more lines each. Then start working on the circles starting in the center of the cake and working your way out toward the edges of the cake.

Take a chocolate muffin, cut off the bottom and frost the entire top of it with chocolate frosting. Roll it frosted side down in chocolate sprinkles and place it in the center of the spider web on the cake. Add four pieces of black licorice to each side as legs.

Now all you’ll need is a spooky costume and you will be ready for an impressive Halloween party.

The Pros of Juicing

The Pros of Juicing
by: David Fiske



This is the 1st in a series of articles looking at the benefits of juicing.

So authorise us start with a definition. Juicing is the means of extracting juice from fruit, vegetables or wheatgrass so that a drink can be made. Hence, the drink is called juice and this can be consumed on its own or blended into a smoothie.

So why would you want to juice? There are many pros of juicing.

Firstly, consuming fruit can be tiresome. Especially if you have children, getting them to eat fruit can be a nightmare. Juicing means that you can beverage fruit rather than consuming. Now that is quick and fun. If you have children, allow them do the juicing (supervise them though) so they can see how it works.

Secondly, you cannot exactly mix combinations of fruits. When you juice though, you can concoct any combination you like. Have you tried spicy apple juice? Just add a bit of root ginger to the juice (blend the two together) and serve over ice! How easy is that?

Thirdly, it is much easier to get closer to the 5-a-day target you should be aiming for. You should eat 5 pieces of fruit and vegetables per day. That can be difficult if you don't like eating fruit. Drinking fruit juice can make that much easier!

Finally, juicing is a great way to 'hide' particular fruits or vegetables. For instance, if you child does not like tomatoes, why not blend a tomato with two apples? The taste of the tomato should not be distinct yet the nutrients will be there.

Some people do this with celery and cucumbers also.

Natural Spring Plastic

Natural Spring Plastic
by: Dr. Mandy Thomson


What are you paying for when you buy bottled water? The image of pristine glaciers and crystal clear springs comes to mind. But the truth is, bottled water is hardly ever purer, healthier, or safter than tap water. Ironically, bottled water is often just tap water in a bottle. One "spring water" brand with lake and mountains on the label in reality was taken from a well in an industrial parking lot. It was close to a hazardous waste dump and was sporadically tested with industrial chemical levels above Food and Drug Administration standards.

Twenty years ago, bottled water was a non-existant industry. Today, North Americans are downing 1000 billion gallons a year. This phenomenon is a result of public concern over water safety with a little help from a multi-million dollar advertising campaign launched by the bottled water industry. Bottled water sales tripled in the last decade alone. Water is now the fastest growing and most profitable segment of the beverage industry.

Their marketing efforts haven’t been for nothing. Scares like the Milwaukee water contamination have even low-income families reaching for bottled water. Its now become a norm to see bottled water vending machines and on supermarket shelves. A generation raised on bottled water no longer sees it as a luxury. More than half of North Americans (54%) fuel this expensive habit daily.

Consumers are happily shelling out 240 to over 10,000 times more for bottled water than they typically do for tap water. Bottled water is on average $0.90 per gallon versus the one tenth of a cent per gallon that tap water costs. This is a 560 times difference. To drink the reccommended eight glasses a day, for five years costs around $1.65. The same amount in bottled water can cost more than $1000.

Some people dislike tap water because of its taste or smell. However, some of the most harmful contaminants are odorless and tasteless. Federal regulations only require bottled water to be as good as tap water. There are not requirements or regulations for it to be any safer or better than tap. N RDC did a study in 1999 that tested over 1000 bottles of 104 bottled water brands. One-third contained levels of contamination including synthetic organic chemicals, bacteria, and arsenic. Some tested positive for parasites such as cryptosporidium or giardia. Bottled water is less vigoursly tested than tap water for bacterial and chemical contaminants.

Only a minimum level of e-coli contamination or fecal coliform is required to pass as suitable for drinking. Tap water, however, must be tested and disinfected. Kansas Department of Health and Environment tested 80 samples of bottled water from retail stores and manufacturers. They found that all 80 of the samples had detectable levels of chlorine, fluoride and sodium. Others contained some nitrate (which is linked to blue-baby syndrome), chloroform, bromodichloro-methane, arsenic, and lead.

Plastic water bottles can take up to 1000 years to biodegrade and end up in garbage at a rate of 30 million a day. Besides taking up valuable space in landfills, plastic water bottles may contribute potentially toxic chemicals such as phthalates into the ground water. "It's ironic that many people drink bottled water because they are afraid of tap water, but then the bottles they discard can result in more polluted water," says Pat Franklin, executive director of Container Recycling Institute. "It's a crazy cycle." CRI estimates that producing water bottles used by Americans for one year consumes more than 1.5 million barrels of oil, enough to generate electricity for 250,00 homes or enough to fuel 100,000 cars a year.

Bottled water is neither cheaper, safter, or more environmentally friendly than tap water. However, water contamination is a problem that governments can solve by repairing current tap water infrastructures and protecting water sources from harmful farm, industry and urban pollutants.

Until then, installing home water filters may be the solution. At less than 10 cents a gallon, certified water filtration systems can help remove bad odors tastes and ensure contaminant free water in your home. However consumers need to be careful to properly maintain these filters. Without proper maintenance it is possible for bacteria and contaminants to build up in the filters.

Top 10 Holiday Turkey Recipes for Your Thanksgiving Dinner

Top 10 Holiday Turkey Recipes for Your Thanksgiving Dinner
by: Nicole Anderson



The holidays always mean family and FOOD! The turkey recipe is key to a good meal. Here are 10 of the top turkey recipes for your holiday meal. These recipes range from traditional to unique and there is even a beginner turkey recipe!

Recipe #1

Traditional Oven Turkey

Kraft Foods© Recipe

1 frozen turkey (12 lb.), thawed
3 Tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. fresh or 2 tsp. dried herbs, such as thyme, sage or rosemary
3 cups water

Thaw turkey completely before grilling. To thaw, place turkey on tray in refrigerator. Refrigerate until thawed, allowing 24 hours of thawing time for every 4 pounds of turkey.

PREHEAT grill to medium-high heat. Remove neck and giblets from turkey. Rinse outside of turkey as well as inside the cavity; pat dry with paper towels. Tuck the wings under the back. Place turkey, breast side up, on roasting rack in large disposable aluminum foil pan.

RUB outside of turkey with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with herbs. Place pan on grate of grill. Add water to pan, then close the lid of the grill.

GRILL turkey 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until meat thermometer registers 180°F when inserted in the thickest part of the thigh and 170°F when inserted in the thickest part of the breast, adding additional water to the pan as needed to prevent the drippings from burning and to have enough liquid remaining in the pan after turkey is cooked for use in making gravy. Remove turkey from grill; let stand 15 to 20 minutes before carving. Meanwhile, use pan drippings to make gravy, if desired.

For extra flavor, stuff the turkey cavity with a peeled onion, celery stalks, lemon slices and/or fresh herb bundles before grilling.

Recipe #2

Turducken

Foster Farms© Recipe

This is a turkey stuffed with a duck, stuffed with a chicken layered with dressing.

INGREDIENTS
3 pounds Foster Farms Whole Young Chicken
salt and pepper to taste
Creole seasoning to taste
1 (4 pound) duck, boned
16 pounds Foster Farms Fresh Whole Turkey, boned

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lay the boned chicken skin-side down on a platter and season liberally with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning. Lay the boned duck skin-side down on top of the chicken and season liberally with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning. Cover and refrigerate.

2. Lay the boned turkey skin-side down on a flat surface. Cover with a layer of cold Sausage and Oyster Dressing and push the dressing into the leg and wing cavities so they will look as if they still have bones in them.

3. Lay the duck on top of the turkey skin-side down and cover it with a layer of cold dressing. Lay the chicken on top of the duck skin-side down and cover it with a layer of cold dressing.

4. With the help of an assistant, bring the edges of the turkey skin up and fasten them together with toothpicks. Use the kitchen string to lace around the toothpicks to help hold the stuffed turkey together. Carefully place the turducken, breast up in a large roasting pan.

5. Roast covered for 4 hours or until the turducken is golden brown. Continue to roast uncovered for 1 hour or until a meat thermometer inserted through the thigh registers 180 degrees F. and a thermometer inserted through the stuffing registers 165 degrees F. Check the turducken every few hours to baste and remove excess liquid. There will be enough pan juices for a gallon of gravy. Carve and serve.

Recipe #3

Holiday Champagne Turkey

Foster Farms© Recipe

Summary
A bottle of champagne is the secret to this moist turkey stuffed with apples and baked in an oven bag.

INGREDIENTS
1 (12 pound) Foster Farms Fresh Whole Turkey, neck and giblets removed
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 apples, cored and halved
1 tablespoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
2/3 (750 milliliter) bottle champagne

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Rinse turkey, and pat dry. Gently loosen turkey breast skin, and insert pieces of butter between the skin and breast. Place apples inside the turkey's cavity. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Place turkey in a roasting bag, and pour champagne over the inside and outside of the bird. Close bag, and place turkey in a roasting pan.

3. Bake turkey 3 to 3 1/2 hours in the preheated oven, or until the internal temperature is 180 degrees F (85 degrees C) when measured in the meatiest part of the thigh. Remove turkey from bag, and let stand for at least 20 minutes before carving.

Recipe #4

Perfect Turkey

Summary
This is a perfect recipe for a moist, flavorful holiday bird! Plan the time to brine the bird overnight - it's worth the extra effort!

INGREDIENTS
1 (18 pound) Foster Farms Fresh Whole Turkey, neck and giblets removed
2 cups kosher salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 large onions, peeled and chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine

DIRECTIONS

1. Rub the turkey inside and out with the kosher salt. Place the bird in a large stock pot, and cover with cold water. Place in the refrigerator, and allow the turkey to soak in the salt and water mixture 12 hours, or overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Thoroughly rinse the turkey, and discard the brine mixture.

3. Brush the turkey with 1/2 the melted butter. Place breast side down on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Stuff the turkey cavity with 1 onion, 1/2 the carrots, 1/2 the celery, 1 sprig of thyme, and the bay leaf. Scatter the remaining vegetables and thyme around the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover with the white wine.

4. Roast uncovered 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Carefully turn the turkey breast side up about 2/3 through the roasting time, and brush with the remaining butter. Allow the bird to stand about 30 minutes before carving.

Recipe #5

Latino Lime Glazed Turkey with Chipotle Gravy

Recipe by: Chef/GM Chris Ottens of Novell, a Bon Appetit Management Co.

Citrus Glaze
3/4 Cup unsalted butter
1/2 Cup honey
4 Tablespoons orange zest
4 Tablespoons lime zest
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
4 Teaspoons canned chipotle chilies, chopped
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 Teaspoon salt

Over medium heat, melt butter in heavy saucepan. Remove pan from heat and stir in honey, orange and lime zests, thyme, chilies, cumin and salt.
Measure 1/2 cup glaze and reserve for gravy. Cover and chill remaining liquid in freezer for about 30 minutes or until liquid begins to turn firm but is still spreadable.

Vegetables
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
4-1/2 Cups chopped sweet onions
1 Packet giblets (turkey neck, gizzard and heart)
2 Cups coarsely chopped peeled carrots
2 Cups coarsely chopped celery (with leaves)
1-1/2 Cups chopped plum tomatoes

Over medium-high heat, melt butter in large nonstick pan. Add onions and reserved turkey parts.

Saute until onions are deep brown. Add carrots, celery and tomatoes to skillet and toss to blend.

Glazed Turkey
22 to 24-pound WHOLE TURKEY, fresh or frozen (thawed)
9 Cups TURKEY STOCK

Set a small rack in a large shallow roasting pan and place cooked vegetables with turkey parts around rack.

Blot turkey dry with paper towels. At the neck end, gently loosen skin from the turkey breast without totally detaching the skin. Rub 1/2-cup citrus glaze under skin. Replace the skin.

Fold neck skin and fasten to the back with skewers. Fold the wings under the back of the turkey. Return legs to tucked position.

Place turkey, breast side up, on the rack. Brush an additional 1/3-cup citrus glaze over top and sides of turkey. Reserve any remaining glaze. Sprinkle turkey with salt and pepper.

Loosely tent the turkey and roast turkey in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 30 minutes.

Add 1-cup poultry broth to pan and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Secure foil snugly around turkey and continue to roast for 1-1/4 hours. The foil will prevent the honey-coated turkey from excessive browning.

Add 1-cup poultry broth to pan every 30 minutes until turkey reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees F in the thigh. Remove the foil during the last 15-20 minutes to brown the turkey.

Remove turkey from the oven and allow it to stand for 20 minutes before carving.

Chipotle Gravy
1/2 Cup flour
1 Cup TURKEY STOCK

Strain pan drippings, pressing vegetables to extract liquid. Discard solids in strainer.

Spoon fat from top of juices and discard fat. Add enough broth to pan juices to equal 6 cups.

Stir reserved 1/2-cup citrus glaze in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until melted.

Gradually add flour and whisk 1 minute, allowing flour to slightly brown. Gradually whisk in pan juices. Bring to gentle boil, whisking until smooth.

Reduce heat to medium; simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Season gravy with salt and pepper.

Recipe #6

Holiday Turkey with Sage and Sherried Cider Gravy

Recipe provided by Volk Enterprises, Inc.

Ingredients
2 12-Pound WHOLE TURKEYS, fresh or frozen (thawed)
As needed salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Large lemon, cut in quarters
14 Large fresh sage leaves
4 Slices multi-grain bread
1 Large Granny Smith apple, wedged
1 Large sweet onion, wedged
1 Cup unsalted butter, softened
1 Pint water
1 Pint dry sherry
1 Pint sparkling apple cider
2/3 Cup flour
1++ Quart TURKEY BROTH As needed assorted fresh sage leaves Roasted Turkeys

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Rinse and pat turkeys dry, inside and out. Season turkeys inside and out with salt and pepper.

3. Place 1 lemon wedge, 1 sage leaf and 1 bread slice into each neck cavity. Fold neck skin under body and fasten with a skewer.

4. Fill each body cavity with apples and onions, 3 sage leaves and remaining lemon wedge and bread slice. Truss turkeys.

5. Rub turkeys with remaining sage. Spread turkeys with butter and arrange on rack in roasting pans.

6. Roast turkeys in middle of preheated 425 degree F oven 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees F and baste turkeys with pan juices. Add water to roasting pan and continue roasting, basting every 20 minutes. Continue to roast 2-1/2 to 3 hours more, or until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F in the thigh.

7. Transfer turkeys to carving board, reserving juices in roasting pan; discard string. Keep turkeys warm, covered loosely with foil.


Sherried Cider Gravy

1. Skim fat from pan juices, reserving 1/2 cup fat.

2. On range top, deglaze pan with sherry over moderately high heat, scraping up brown bits. Stir in cider.

3. Bring sherry mixture to a boil and remove pan from heat.

4. In a heavy saucepan, whisk together reserved fat and flour and cook roux over moderately low heat. Whisk together for about 3 minutes.

5. Add sherry mixture and stock in a stream, whisking to prevent lumping. Simmer, whisking occasionally for about 10 minutes.

6. Whisk in additional stock to thin gravy if desired.

7. Season gravy with salt and pepper.

8. Discard the cavity ingredients before serving. Garnish turkey with sage.

9. NOTE: Provides 32-34 servings at 6 ounces per portion.

Recipe #7

CAJUN DEEP-FRIED WILD TURKEY

Recipe from John Maynard (Courtesy of NWTF)

1 (10-15 lb.) unstuffed turkey
5 gallons peanut oil
2 tbsp. Cajun seasoning
1 stick butter or margarine
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Pour peanut oil into a 10 gallon pot. Put pot on propane cooker and heat oil to 375 degrees. Have turkey completely thawed and dry turkey thoroughly. Tie two cotton strings around the carcass so bird can be easily lifted out of oil. Carefully submerge turkey in oil. Deep fry for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 minutes per pound and cook until turkey floats to the top. Remove bird from oil, and immediately dust heavily with cajun seasoning. Melt butter or margarine, and add to it garlic powder and cayenne, if desired. Brush turkey with butter mixture. Allow to cool 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Yield 12 to 16 servings.

Recipe #8

Honey Smoked Turkey

Sweet and light, this is the easiest way to cook a big bird! It will be the best turkey you have ever had. The breast is moist and juicy, and the honey makes a great thin sauce. I hope you enjoy it as much as my friends and family do when I make it. I never have any leftovers! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
1 (12 pound) Fresh Whole Turkey
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons celery salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (12 ounce) jar honey
1/2 pound mesquite wood chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat grill for high heat. If you are using a charcoal grill, use about twice the normal amount of charcoal. Soak wood chips in a pan of water, and set next to the grill.

2. Remove neck and giblets from turkey. Rinse the bird and pat dry. Place in a large disposable roasting pan.

3. In a medium bowl, mix together sage, ground black pepper, celery salt, basil, and vegetable oil. Pour mixture evenly over the turkey. Turn the turkey breast side down in the pan, and tent loosely with aluminum foil.

4. Place the roasting pan on the preheated grill. Throw a handful of the wood chips onto the coals. Close the lid, and cook for 1 hour.

5. Throw about 2 more handfuls of soaked wood chips on the fire. Drizzle 1/2 the honey over the bird, and replace the foil. Close the lid of the grill, and continue cooking 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C) in the thickest part of the thigh.

6. Uncover turkey, and carefully turn it breast side up in the roasting pan. Baste with remaining honey. Leave the turkey uncovered, and cook 15 minutes. The cooked honey will be very dark.

Recipe # 9

Maple Roast Turkey and Gravy

A New England style turkey with maple syrup. It makes for a mellow Thanksgiving dinner. Try stuffing it with Cranberry, Sausage and Apple Stuffing. If fresh marjoram is unavailable, 2 teaspoons of dried marjoram may be substituted.

INGREDIENTS

Turkey
14 pounds Fresh Whole Turkey, neck and giblets reserved
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup coarsely chopped carrots

Maple Butter Mixutre
2 cups apple cider
1/3 cup real maple syrup
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram
2 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
3/4 cup butter
alt and ground black pepper to taste

Gravy

2 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons apple brandy (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Boil apple cider and maple syrup in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and mix in 1/2 of the thyme and marjoram and all of the lemon zest. Add the butter, and whisk until melted. Add salt and ground pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until cold (syrup can be made up to 2 days ahead).

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place oven rack in the lowest third of oven.

3. Wash and dry turkey, and place in a large roasting pan. Slide hand under skin of the breast to loosen. Rub 1/2 cup of the maple butter mix under the breast skin. If planning on stuffing turkey, do so now. Rub 1/4 cup of the maple butter mixture over the outside of the turkey. With kitchen string, tie legs of turkey together loosely.

4. Arrange the chopped onion, chopped celery, and chopped carrot around the turkey in the roasting pan. If desired, the neck and giblets may be added to the vegetables. Sprinkle the remaining thyme and marjoram over the vegetables, and pour the chicken stock into the pan.

5. Roast turkey 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and cover turkey loosely with foil. Continue to roast, about 3 to 4 hours unstuffed or 4 to 5 hours stuffed, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C) and stuffing reaches 165 degrees F (75 degrees C). Transfer turkey to a platter, and cover with foil. Reserve pan mixture for gravy. Allow turkey to sit about 25 minutes before removing stuffing and carving.

6. To Make Gravy: Strain pan juices into a measuring cup. Spoon fat from juices. Add enough chicken stock to make 3 cups. Transfer liquid to a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, mix reserved maple butter mixture with flour to form a paste, and whisk into the broth. Stir in thyme, bay leaf, and apple brandy. Boil until reduced and slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe #10

Easy Beginner's Turkey with Stuffing

This easy to make turkey is great for beginners, but experts will find it equally delicious. Adjust the cooking time for different sized birds.

INGREDIENTS

12 pounds Fresh Whole Turkey
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Stuffing Mix
1 (6 ounce) package dry bread stuffing mix
1 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
4 slices toasted white bread, torn into small pieces
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rinse turkey, remove giblets and place in a shallow roasting pan.

2. Prepare stuffing according to package directions. Mix in water.

3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and slowly cook and stir the celery and onion until tender.

4. Mix celery, onion, and toasted bread pieces into the stuffing, and season with salt and pepper. Loosely scoop stuffing into the turkey body cavity and neck cavity. Rub the exterior of the turkey with vegetable oil.

5. Loosely cover turkey with aluminum foil, and roast 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C) and the interior of the stuffing reaches 165 degrees F (70 degrees C). Remove foil during the last half hour of cooking to brown the bird.

Christmas Cuisine in the Philippines

Christmas Cuisine in the Philippines
by: Thomas Wenge



The Philippines, the only predominantly Catholic country in Asia, has it's own, not necessarily European influenced, loved Christmas traditions.

As early as October the Filipinos are starting to ask and crave for these Christmas specialties such as Bibingka and Puto Bumbong.

Starting December 16, when the Misa da Gallo or Simbang gabi (Masses at cock's crow) begin, the early church visitor awaits the sweet smell of freshly grated coconut flesh sprinkled over piping hot Bibingka or freshly steamed Puto Bumbong. With it, and usually free of charge, a hot cup of salabat (ginger tea) is being served, to strenghten and warm the body.

Different regions or provinces of the Philippines have different food specialties on Christmas, but they all have one thing in common, they are always rice based cakes, baked or steamed, and prepared in the old traditional charcoal ovens built of clay.

The rice cakes have different shapes and sizes; round or long, large or small, thick or flat, steamed or baked.

Other than Christmas, the Filipinos also celebrate Thanksgiving and the end of the fasting time; traditions from the time before the Spanish rulers reformed the country to Catholicism.

The batter for the rice cakes or Bibingkas, is poured into a Banana leaf lined flat clay dish over charcoal, similar to an open face omelet. Just as soon the mixture begins to harden around the edges of the clay dish, half a salted duck egg is sliced into the soft middle of the Bibingka. A second clay dish of the same size, filled with charcoal, is placed on top of the one with the baking cake, to provide the upper heat during the baking process. Just before the Bibingka is fully cooked, slices of Carabao – milk cheese (waterbuffalo) are being placed on the cake and slowly melted over the now golden brown crust of the Bibingka, to give flavor and moisture to the finished product. The Bibingka is removed from the from the clay dish with a spatula and sprinkled with freshly grated coconut flesh.

Galapong is the rice flour for the production of the batter to make Kakanin (rice cakes).

Galapong is made by soaking rice overnight in water, and then grinding the wet mixture to a coarse flour, before straining it through a cheesecloth.

Making the violet colored Puto Bumbong requires a lot of preparations and know-how. The ground, naturally purple glutinous rice is mixed with polished, white glutinous rice powder, brown sugar and vanilla for flavor.

A bamboo stick approximately 10 cm long is being wrapped with a cloth on one side, and the mixture is sprinkled into the other opening.

A kettle with boiling water over charcoal is used to produce the steam. On top of the kettle are one or two round openings, where the filled bamboo stick is fitted tightly.

Timing the steaming process is very important to achieve a good result and a moist and succulent Puto Bumbong. Once cooked, the sticky rice delicacy is thumped out of the bamboo stick by beating the hands into each other so the finished rice roll glides out of the bamboo stick.

Fresh margarine or butter and freshly grated coconut flesh are sprinkled over the Puto Bumbong to finish the dish.

There are no instant mixes or wheat flour substitutes and no ovens being used for these rice specialties. Like in the old days, one needs to fan the charcoals and grind the rice for the Malangkit in order to appreciate a vendors work. After all it is high business time at 5 in the morning, but somehow the scent of freshly baked Bibingka or Puto Bumbong never fails to excite the early church visitor, and no Bibingka or Puto Bumbong eaten at any other time of the year tastes so festive and brings out the spirit of Christmas so well.

Growing Apples for Great Wine

Growing Apples for Great Wine
by: Brian Cook


There are countless varieties of apples in general cultivation in this country and all have their likes and dislikes - yet all the all-round varieties seem to do well almost anywhere.

Like all fruits they like to be treated well and will reward those who remember this. I am concerned with growing apples and other fruits such as plums for wine-making; therefore there seems little point in covering the growing of these fruits in the espalier fashion or as cordons. Apart from the fact that the average home-grower will not want this type of tree, he will want as much fruit as he can get from as little space as he can allow. No one will dispute the quality of fruits grown as cordons, but they are expensive to start with and cannot hope to compete with the bush tree when a lot of fruit is the aim of the grower.

The bush tree is the most suitable for the small garden where the owner wants as much fruit as he can get from a small space and for a minimum of labor.

Deep digging is essential, for it must be remembered that trees, once planted, will remain perhaps the lifetime of the owner.

The roots of apples go a great deal deeper than is generally imagined and provided the right variety for the type of soil is planted, the trees will settle down and fruit well. Unless your garden is in what we call a frost hole - a natural depression in the lie of the land that catches the spring frosts harder than elsewhere and then catches the first rays of the morning sun - you can grow apples without fear of the frosts depriving you of your crops.

Bush apples are usually planted ten to twelve feet apart and are put in before Christmas. Early February is the latest that I would leave this job.

Prepare the soil well in advance and allow it to settle before planting. Six months in advance is not too early to get the first digging done if the soil has never before been broken.

When planting, take out holes a good bit larger than are required to accommodate all the roots without cramping. The depth of the hole will depend on the depth the young tree had been planted before it was delivered to you and this will be clearly marked on the young trunk.

Any roots damaged in transit should be cut off cleanly with a sharp knife.

It is best to drive a stake firmly into the middle of the hole and to tie the tree to this while planting. Spread out the roots, shovel sifted soil over them and firm each layer by treading. Rattle the tree occasionally so that the soil is shaken down between the roots. Plant firmly; insecure planting is the most frequent cause of deaths among young trees. When firmly planted, untie the tree from the stake and bind the trunk with felt or some other material and bind this part to the stake. This will prevent chafing of the bark.

For general purposes it is best not to prune a young tree during the first season after planting, but pruning thereafter is of the greatest importance. Not only does it keep the tree in shape but it prevents overcrowding and ensures regular and heavy fruiting.

In the case of bush apples, each leading shoot - that is the growing tip of each main branch - is cut back by about six inches. The young growths growing off this main branch are laterals; these must not be allowed to become branches otherwise the tree will become overcrowded. These laterals are pruned back to leave four or five buds.

The following precautions should be taken against pests and diseases. Spray during winter with a tar-distillate wash. Spray with a nicotine wash in spring, when the buds begin to open and again a week after the petals have fallen. Fix grease bands to the trunks.