National Marzipan Day, In the News, and Enjoy

National Marzipan Day - Today is National Marzipan Day!
Marzipan is a sweet, mold-able treat made from mostly sugar and almond meal or paste.

The most common shapes into which marzipan is molded are fruits and pigs. Persipan is very similar to marzipan, but instead of using almonds they use apricot or peach kernels. In Goa, cashews are used instead of almonds.

Although the origin of this treat is disputed, it has become very common and is sometimes found in the center of chocolate or molded into different figures and put on top of cakes.

In Italy one will encounter fruit-shaped marzipan. In Spain, one finds animal-shaped marzipan. In Greece, uncolored marzipan shapes are common. In Latin America, marzipan is enjoyed around Christmas time.

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National English Toffee Day, In the News, and Enjoy

National English Toffee Day - Today is National English Toffee Day!

This sweet, crunchy goodness has been munched on for years. There is no wonder people want to celebrate it.

Toffee is made by caramelizing sugar or molasses with butter. When heated to around 300 degrees Fahrenheit it becomes pourable as it turns into the nice brown toffee we know and love.

When it cools, it is ready to break into pieces and be enjoyed.
English toffee is a very buttery toffee with almonds in it. You can make this in chewy or hard versions depending on the temperature used.

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National Tempura Day, In the News, and Enjoy

National Tempura Day - Today is National Tempura Day!

Tempura is a delicious deep fried Japanese dish made with lightly battered vegetables and seafood. The original cooking technique is actually attributed to the Portuguese, who landed in Japan in the sixteenth century to establish new trade routes.

The word "tempura" is also related to the European roots of the dish. It comes from the Latin phrase "quattuor tempora" meaning "Ember Days." This term refers to the days when Catholics eat fish or vegetables instead of meat.

Tempura batter is made with cold water and wheat flour. Some recipes also call for eggs, baking soda, oil, or spices for extra flavoring. A traditional tempura will usually include shrimp, scallops, eggplant, green beans, sweet potato, mushrooms, or bamboo.

To celebrate National Tempura Day, try making your own tempura at home or head out to your favorite Japanese restaurant!

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More Movies,In the News, and Enjoy

More Movies - Continuing the discussion of movies Laura and I watched over the weekend:

A private investigator Matthew Scudder (Liam Neeson) is hired by a drug kingpin to find out who kidnapped and murdered his wife. Neeson's performance (as always) is excellent. The movie features great action scenes and an exciting story. I recommend A Walk Among the Tombstones. It is a well-crafted crime drama that should easily entertain viewers.

When motocross and heavy metal obsessed thirteen-year-old Jacob's increasing delinquent behavior forces CPS to place his little brother, Wes, with his aunt (Juliette Lewis), Jacob and his emotionally absent father, Hollis (Aaron Paul), must finally take responsibility for their actions and for each other in order to bring Wes home. The performances of Aaron Paul and Juliette Lewis are excellent. The story is predictable yet good. There are some disturbing scenes, but they work well and add to the credibility of the story. I recommend this movie.

When you become a detective in Warsaw Indiana - you go to Poker Night, where you play against some of the best cops in the business. They tell you stories about their time on the job - their successes and failures. When new Detective Stan Jeter leaves the game, he is caught by a vicious psychopath and locked in a basement. Using the stories he heard at Poker Night, he must match wits against his captor - and save not only himself, but the young girl trapped in the basement with him. Like Seven and Usual Suspect, Poker Night combines thrills and twists and turns that will leave you guessing till the very end. There are some gory scenes, but they are integral to the story and are presented as tastefully as possible. Poker Night is difficult to follow at times, but it is thoroughly exciting, and all is made clear in the end. I highly recommend it.

Two best friends rise through the ranks of New York's Chinese underworld in the 1980s. Revenge of the Green Dragons is simply too disturbing and too violent for me to recommend it.

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Movies, In the News, and Enjoy

Movies - Laura and I watched a several movies during the New Year's weekend.

Big city lawyer Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr.) returns to his childhood home where his father (Robert Duvall), the town's judge, is suspected of murder and prosecuted by an aggressive district attorney (Billy Bob Thornton). Hank sets out to discover the truth and, along the way, reconnects with his estranged family.

The Judge is an outstanding movie. The story is excellent, the cast is extraordinary, and the suspense is intense. I very highly recommend this 2014 drama to all.

When Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal), a driven man desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story. Aiding him in his effort is Nina (Rene Russo), a TV-news veteran. This movie is a real thriller! The action, suspense, photography, acting, and character development are nearly flawless. I highly recommend Nightcrawler to everyone.

This is a powerful dramatic thriller based on real events that reveals the quest to expose the deceptions and corruptions of power that turned an Internet upstart into the 21st century's most fiercely debated organization—Wikileaks. Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal of Julian Assange is excellent. I recommend The Fifth Estate to anyone who is interested in the freedom of information.

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