Autumn Harvest Dinner

The table is set and guests' places are marked by a pine cone with their name on a slip of paper.

Chocolate

A Lithuanian strip mall put together a special space for Valentine's Day 2011: a traditional Lithuanian sitting room made entirely of dark and white chocolate. Almost everything in there is chocolate: the walls,table and chairs, flowers and candles, dishes, utensils and food, even the pet cat!
The roses in particular are exquisitely well done. Only the floor broke the theme: it appears to have been made of plain wood. Oh, well. Check it out http://www.odditycentral.com/news/shopping-mall-creates-perfect-place-for-a-romantic-dinner-a-room-made-of-chocolate.html
Surprisingly, this work of edible art required only about 660 pounds worth of chocolate to create. It measured 17 square meters (roughly 183 square feet), so it wasn't huge -- but it was as big as most dining rooms. It's the work of sculptor Mindaugas Tendziagolskis and his assistants.
On International Women's Day, March 8, the display was broken into pieces and eaten by visitors -- an excellent fate for any piece of chocolate art, wouldn't you say?  Source:  http://www.extremechocolate.com/weird-and-wonderful-chocolate-art.html

National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day

Really! Now follow this logic...

Chocolate is a vegetable; it's made from cocoa beans, which means it's good for you.

Almonds help to improve your cholesterol levels so they are good for you.

So... together that must mean that bittersweet chocolate with almonds has to be good for you, right?

Celebrate by diving into your favorite chocolate guilty pleasure!

National Candy Day

Make your own chocolate bark:

Melt 2 cups of semisweet chocolate. Spread on waxed paper.  Sprinkle on whatever you like:  crushed peppermints, chopped almonds, dried cranberries, toffee chips, white chocolate bits....Be creative.  I once had some with edible gold - a special holiday treat!

National Sandwich Day

This day celebrates the birthday of John Montague (1718), 4th Earl of Sandwich, who invented the sandwich in 1762 while playing a 24-hour game of cards at London's Beef Steak Club. Celebrate by eating your favorite sandwich, of course! ;-)  One of mine is the

MONTE CRISTO

• 18 slices bread
• butter
• 6 slices ham
• 6 slices turkey or chicken
• 12 slices Swiss or Gruyere cheese
• a little mustard and mayonnaise, if desired
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

For each sandwich use 3 slices of bread. Butter one side of bread first, then cover with a slice of ham and a slice of turkey or chicken. Butter both sides of the second slice of bread and spread with a little mustard or other dressing, if desired. Place on top of turkey or ham slice and top with 2 thin slices of cheese. Butter third slice for top; press sandwich lightly and trim crusts. Cut into halves diagonally and secure with toothpicks. Beat eggs with milk and salt. Dip sandwich halves into the egg mixture and fry on a hot skillet or griddle in butter or margarine. Brown on all sides, adding more butter when necessary. Remove toothpicks before serving.   Makes 6 sandwiches, 12 cut triangles, to serve 4.  Source:  http://southernfood.about.com/od/turkeysandwiches/r/bl30107j.htm
 Buzz:  dust with powdered sugar and serve with raspberry jam for dipping

National Deviled Eggs Day

Halve a hard boiled egg across the middle.  Scoop out yolk and mash with some mayo and mustard    Fill cavity of egg.   Sprinkle with paprika and add two pieces of red pepper as horns for a truly 'devil'ed egg.

November celebrations

Strike up the band for International Drum Month and Peanut Butter Lover's month.  November also gives us reasons to party on Mickey Mouse and Cookie Monster's birthdays, and the anniversaries of the light bulb patent and the Gettysburg Address.  Since it's Good Nutrition month, eat healthy.