Never Use Your Feet

15 Things Not to Do in Thailand
Never Use Your Feet

Of all the things not to do in Thailand, pointing with or using your feet is one of the biggest faux pas. Feet are considered the lowest, dirtiest part of the body in many Asian cultures and the head is the highest. Pointing your toes or the bottoms of your feet towards someone or something is extremely impolite. Hence, do not hold doors open with your feet, point your feet towards the Buddha images or angle your feet towards the monks.

read more: http://www.destinationtips.com/advice/15-things-not-to-do-in-thailand/4/

Joffre Cake - Romanian Dessert

A Joffre cake is a chocolate buttermilk layer cake filled with chocolate ganache and frosted with chocolate buttercream originally created at Bucharest's Casa Capșa restaurant, in honor of a visit by French Marshal Joseph Joffre, shortly after World War I

Some commentators say the size of the Joffre cake probably had as a model the Adrian helmet worn by French and Romanian soldiers during World War I

It was a rule of Capsa House that, every important event or official visit to be marked by ... 'something sweet '. The 1920's  wasn't apart from this rule when, the famous French Marshall Joseph Jacques Césaire Joffre, known as Papa Joffre, arrived in Bucharest at the invitation of Royal Family(King Ferdinand and Queen Mary). He is also known in history as the one who defeated the German resistance in the first battle of the Marne (September 1914).

To honorring the visit of distinguished  France guest, Grigore Capsa created a chocolate cake whith a cylindrical shape that suggests the French military helmets. And because of the Marshall diabetes, the master confectioner educated in Paris, prepared a cake not too small or too large , only good to be consumed without any risk by the honorred guest. The cake, which was named after Marshall's name, was made from butter, sugar, eggs, flour, flavors and the highest quality cocoa......all and everything covered by a delicious chocolate coating.

The result? A cake (Joffre cake) with a strong cocoa flavor that just melted into the mouth. After that, it has gone around the world, being taken over by French cuisine in which tradition it was inspired.

Paul Morand (the ambassador of France in Romania between 1943 and 1944) said: "Capsa is  the heart of the city, topographic and ethics (...). Capsa is the tympanum of the big ear that's Bucharest."

What can I say more about a Romanian cake filled by/with history ... in each gram of its deepest cocoa heart ?

Valentine’s Day Traditions All Around the World

Not every country turns to greeting cards and heart-shaped candies to declare love. Some exchange wooden spoons and pressed flowers, while others hold a special holiday for the loveless to mourn their single lives over black noodles.
 - Brazilians skip the February 14th celebration and instead celebrate Dia dos Namorados, or “Lovers’ Day,” on June 12th. 
- In South Korea the gift-giving starts on February 14th, when it’s up to women to woo their men with chocolates, candies and flowers and stops on April 14th when it’s customary for singles to mourn their solitary status by eating dark bowls of jajangmyeon, or black bean-paste noodles. 
- In Romania Dragobete is considered to be the equivalent of Saint Valentine`s Day and it is celebrete on the 24th February. 
- While Valentine’s Day celebrations in the Philippines are similar to celebrations in Western countries, one tradition has swept the country and led to thousands of couples sharing a wedding day on February 14th. 
- The equivalent to Valentine’s Day in China is Qixi, or the Seventh Night Festival, which falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month each year. During Qixi, young women prepare offerings of melon and other fruits to Zhinu in hopes of finding a good husband. 
- On the eve on Valentine’s Day, women in England used to place five bay leaves on their pillows — one at each corner and one in the center — to bring dreams of their future husbands. 
- An Italian Valentine’s Day tradition is for young, unmarried girls to wake up before dawn to spot their future husbands. The belief is that the first man a woman saw on Valentine’s Day is the man she would marry within a year. 
- A traditional Valentine’s Day event in France was the loterie d’amour, or “drawing for love.” Men and women would fill houses that faced one another, and then take turns calling out to one another and pairing off. Men who weren’t satisfied with their match could simply leave a woman for another, and the women left unmatched gathered afterward for a bonfire. 
- Danish Valentine’s Day tradition is the exchange of “lover’s cards. On February 14th, men also give women gaekkebrev, a “joking letter” consisting of a funny poem or rhyme written on intricately cut paper and signed only with anonymous dots. If a woman who receives the gaekkebrev can correctly guess the sender, she earns herself an Easter egg later that year. - One traditional romantic Welsh gift is a love spoon. As early as the 17th century, Welsh men carved intricate wooden spoons as a token of affection for the women they loved. Patterns and symbols were carved into these love spoons, each signifying a different meaning. A few examples include horseshoes, which stand for good luck; wheels, which symbolize support; and keys, which symbolize the keys to a man’s heart.

Happy Valentine's Day!

This year, we’re rejecting all romantic expectations of this holiday and replacing it with the best desserts from countries Around the World one can possibly eat on Valentine’s Day!

Doesn’t matter that their names are Saint-Honoré, Gulab Jamun, Tartaletas de Mango, Mochi, Moon Cake, Dadar gulung, Maple Taffy, Rasmalai, Brigadeiros, Baklava, Banoffee pie, Syrniki, Koeksisters, or Po'e because every one of them is better than any date you can have on this holiday!

That is our gift of love to you. Happy Let’s-Eat-Lots-Of-Dessert Day!

Pretty Peru

PRETTY PERU

by Lori Nelson

Most notable about Peruvian people is the perpetual smile adorning their faces. Perhaps due to a typically small stature, Peruvians have large personalities, eagerly welcoming visitors and each other wherever they go.

Spanish is the official language in this heart of the Incan empire, and the music, food, and culture are heavily influenced by those Spanish roots.

Peru is the fifth largest country in Latin America. Football is the most popular sport (Americans call it “soccer”), and Peruvian people are passionate about it. Most people in Peru are Catholic and cling to traditional stereotypes of men being bread winners and women staying in the home. They are a devoted people, and perhaps their faith and perpetual happiness are attributes other cultures can learn from and emulate.

There are thousands of annual popular festivals in Peru, many celebrating saints, nature, and freedom, and Peruvian festivals often have a mystical side to them. The people of Peru are outstanding with pottery and other artisan crafts, which are highly valued worldwide. Their cuisine is a gastronomic mix of pleasurable aromas and spices, recognized globally, and tourists often plan special tours to taste the deliciousness from each region.

It’s the oldest civilization in South America. It resonates with charm, delightful idiosyncrasies, and those perpetually happy people.

Peru. It’s a pretty place. And Peruvian people are positively fascinating. 

Another Lori Story

Lori Nelson is an author, speaker, educator, and an international “edu-tainer” aboard cruise ships. She occasionally blogs at anotherloristory.blogspot.com.Lori is the author of the five star rated and best-selling book Torture: Broken Foot, Shattered Soul and the soon to be published Grace Notes: The Gratitude Letter.A dark chocolate connoisseur, Lori lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Find her on Facebook, or email Lori at anotherloristory@gmail.com