FoodWire, December 2009

Disney’s new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic holiday tale, “A Christmas Carol,” got us into a jolly mood and inspired our culinary crew to try to re-create the holiday meals featured in the film (and novel). It was exciting to see the Cratchit family’s humble Christmas dinner in the (goose) flesh, along with the more lavish holiday spread that was served at the party hosted by Mr. Scrooge’s nephew, Fred. Be sure to read this Dickens preview blog too—it just might give you goosebumps. And there’s plenty more to come. We’ll have new cookie and gingerbread house recipes, holiday stories and much more popping up all month long, so be sure to check back often in between your trips to the mall.

Raving About Restaurants in Vegas

The Food Channel kicked off its inaugural Raves & Faves tour with a restaurant romp through the glitz and glamour of Sin City. Our crew visited 14 bars and bistros across Las Vegas in 7 days, sponsored by U.S. Foodservice-Vegas as part of its commitment to local restaurants. So much spectacular food, so many wonderful people—it was an amazing experience. Among the highlights was Andy Ford’s 24-hour “Clockless™” tour of the places where the Vegas locals go for dinner and drinks. We’ll be showing-and-telling you more during the weeks ahead in our Raves & Faves featured restaurant stories. Our number one restaurant recommendation? Visit Vegas!

Holiday Recipes
		No humbugs here; just a joyful collection of recipes with a special nod to the colorful characters created by Charles Dickens, starting with Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing just like Mrs. Cratchit used to stuff the goose on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Wassail Punch Traditionally served from Christmas Eve until Twelfth Night.	Pecan Snowball Cookies A classic holiday favorite, bound to bring back warm childhood memories.	Plum Pudding with Hard Sauce This delightful dessert definitely dates back to Dickens’ day.
Get the very latest on what’s happening and what’s going to happen. • Divorce…Now That Takes the Cake • Dining Out: BYO Fruits and Veggies • The Legend of Monkey-Picked Tea
Surfing the Channel
	VIDEO: Talking Turkey with the Butterball Hot Line Lady Carol Miller, 25-year veteran of the Butterball Turkey Talk Line, took time out from her duties to chat with us and field some typical turkey questions.
	VIDEO: Meeting with a Master There are only 62 Certified Master Chefs in the U.S. We had the opportunity to interview one of them—Gustav Mauler, of Spiedini restaurant in Las Vegas.
	VIDEO: What’s It Like in “Hell”? Danny Veltri, winner of Season 5 of the popular FOX-TV restaurant reality series “Hell’s Kitchen,” shared his experiences and let us in on what Chef Gordon Ramsay Is really like.
	Feeding Your Facebook Appetite Network with fellow foodies from around the world. Check out the Food Channel’s Facebook fan page.