A hearty stew, with a medley of fragrant spices that is surely going to warm your soul and stomach!
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This is a luscious dessert; with all things sinful. Let your teeth bite into a layer of dark chocolate, and pleasure yourself with the soft soaked intoxicating  interior; the kind that makes you close your eyes and feel that warm feeling running through you. A decadent dessert, perfect for the holidays and parties.

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Speculaas is a type of Dutch Spice cookie traditionally baked for St Nicholas’ Eve in Belgium (December 6) and the Netherlands (December 5). Spices used in Speculaas are cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cardamom and white pepper. Traditional celebrations of Saint Nicholas Day in Northern Europe included gifts left in children’s shoes (this is the origin of our American Christmas stockings). Children receive treats – candies, cookies, apples and nuts.

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Christopsomo (Christ’s Bread) is  the traditional Greek Anise flavored Christmas Bread.  Baking a Christopsomo is considered a religious task in an Orthodox Greek household. The baker begins by crossing himself & asking for blessings for the household. The bread is baked on the Christmas eve and eaten on the day of Christmas. Only the best and the most expensive ingredients are used to bake this bread. Ropes of dough are used to adorn the bread with cross. Unshelled walnuts are used for decorations too. Here is the original recipe, I have almost followed it all except for the glaze.

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With the holidays around the corner, every one is in preparation mood I bet. I am seeing neighbors have started putting up the lights & christmas decorations (which is a constant reminder to me that i should start ours soon). The shopping malls are already decked up and sparkling… red contrasting with fluffy and shimmering white of the snowflakes, & Santa Claus doing his magic with the kids. Here in Dallas, one of the malls even has a machine which is churning up snow every few minutes, all over Santa’s North Pole and the children are running around so excited to get some flakes on them.  Everyone is enjoying…. It indeed turns magical at during this time of the year.

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