2019
Holiday Handbook
PRODUCED BY
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HOLIDAY HANDBOOK 2019 A Special Publication of GateHouse New England
A Special Publication of GateHouse New England
HOLIDAY HANDBOOK 2019 3
Table
of Contents
Worcester’s Holiday Gift Guide..............................................................6 A time for Joy and Music: Seasonal offerings light up Hanover Theatre, Mechanics Hall and more.................................10 Glazy Susan creators offer family recipe..........................................16 ‘Easy peasy’ recipes for fun holiday treats......................................17 A Very Hary Christmas: Merry Birthday, Capricorns!...............21 Advertiser Index..........................................................................................22
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from the staff of
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Distribution Worcester Magazine is inserted into the Telegram & Gazette on Thursdays and is also available for free at more than 400 locations in the Worcester area. Unauthorized bulk removal of Worcester Magazine from any public location, or any other tampering with Worcester Magazine’s distribution including unauthorized inserts, is a criminal offense and may be prosecuted under the law. Subscriptions First class mail, $156 for one year. Send orders and subscription correspondence to GateHouse Media, 100 Front St., Worcester, MA 01608. Advertising To place an order for display advertising or to inquire, please call (508) 767.9530. Worcester Magazine (ISSN 0191-4960) is a weekly publication of GateHouse Media. All contents copyright 2019 by GateHouse Media. All rights reserved. Worcester Magazine is not liable for typographical errors in advertisements.
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HOLIDAY HANDBOOK 2019 A Special Publication of GateHouse New England
A Special Publication of GateHouse New England
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SEEDTOSTEMHOME.COM
Worcester’s
Holiday Gift Guide
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HOLIDAY HANDBOOK 2019 A Special Publication of GateHouse New England
SARAH CONNELL SANDERS
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love my apartment, but there’s no question that elbow room is at a premium. This is not uncommon all across the city where locals take up residence in a variety of repurposed places. Take your pick between a former loom
factory, a former envelope factory, or even a former biscuit factory, but be warned — every inch of floor space counts. Keeping this in mind, I prefer to fill my holiday wishlist with pocket-sized items that can fit on a windowsill and won’t take up any closet space. Here are my petite picks for 2019:
The Poetry of Elizabeth Bishop Beedlam Book Cafe offers a curated cache of fine used books from the academic to the esoteric. With books in nearly every major subject matter, Bedlam also has over a thousand poetry titles including the works of Worcester native Elizabeth Bishop. Bishop was the Pulitzer Prize winner for poetry in 1956 and the National Book Award winner in 1970. Follow @bedlambookcafe for #shelfies and other literary flavor. INSTAGRAM.COM - @SLUDGEHOUSESTUDIO
Lady Love Mugs Sludge House Studio refers to itself as a “pot dealer,” but it’s probably not what you think. Artisan Helen Segil is known for her cheeky pottery, including a popular coffee mug design that resembles the female form. Follow her at @sludgehousestudio to track her holiday market appearances.
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Handmade Earrings Sometimes I imagine what it would be like to have a walk-in closet stocked end-to-end with boutique finds from The Haberdash. Until that day comes, I choose to peruse the jewelry display — sometimes for hours. I especially love the pieces crafted by BoHo Gal in honor of confident women who are not afraid to be themselves. Follow @thehaberdash for frequent inventory updates.
Teensy Terrariums Seed to Stem is a haven for taxidermy, trinkets and terrariums. If, like me, your apartment lacks greenspace, then Seed to Stem will give you the light botanical lift you are looking for. Air plants are very forgiving and easy to sustain. Follow @seedtostem for perennial inspiration.
Worcester Invention & Patent Tees Hundred Acre Design Apparel offers a number of original T-shirt prints featuring classic Worcester inventions and patents, such as the space suit, lunch wagon, monkey wrench, liquid fueled rocket, fender bender, and candlepin bowling. Did you know the plastic flamingo lawn ornament was invented by Fitchburg artist Don Featherstone? This season, Hundred Acre will release a special “ode to flamingo.” T-shirts are available for purchase at Crompton Collective and www.hundredacredesign.com. Follow @hundredacre_design_apparel for design previews.
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HOLIDAY HANDBOOK 2019 A Special Publication of GateHouse New England
A Special Publication of GateHouse New England
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A time for joy and music
Seasonal offerings light up Hanover Theatre, Mechanics Hall and more
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HOLIDAY HANDBOOK 2019 A Special Publication of GateHouse New England
Opposite page, “A Christmas Carol” runs Dec. 15 through Dec. 23 at The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts. PROMOTIONAL PHOTO
STEPHANIE JARVIS CAMPBELL
A
s the weather turns colder and festive decorations start to adorn streets, businesses and homes, the region prepares for an enchanting selection of holiday performances and concerts at The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, Mechanics Hall and beyond. This year, the Hanover’s annual production of “The Nutcracker” is receiving an exquisite makeover, thanks to a sizable donation from an area philanthropist, according to Lisa Condit, director of marketing & PR . “We are coming out with a whole new extravagantly beautiful set that is designed by the same person who designed the ‘ELF’ set,” Condit said, referring to last year’s Broadway touring holiday production that ran at the Hanover for six performances. Condit described the $350,000 “Nutcracker” set as “really incredible,” saying, “The details are hand-carved. They took some of the details from the theater into the set. It really brings a pop-up storybook to life with the set.” “The Nutcracker,” which takes the stage Thanksgiving weekend, features students from The Hanover Theatre Conservatory for the Performing Arts as well as professional dancers from the Boston Ballet, plus live orchestra music. Shows are Friday, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 30, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 1, at 1 and 5 p.m. Tickets are $32, $38 and $44. Also at The Hanover is the theater’s annual performance of “A Christmas Carol” — and a bittersweet one it will be, as this year’s production marks the final run for award-winning actor Jeremy Lawrence, who plays Ebenezer Scrooge. A family tradition year after year, “it’s a ‘Christmas Carol’ that no one’s seen before unless they’ve seen it here,” Condit said. The production features the theater’s Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, new and returning cast members, and a spectacular set. The show was adapted for The Hanover stage by President and CEO Troy Siebels, but each year, it is revised and updated. “Troy always adds elements into it every year to make it new,” Condit said. “A Christmas Carol” opens Sunday, Dec. 15, at 2 and 7 p.m., with additional performances Thursday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 21, at 2 and 7 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 22, at 11 a.m. (relaxed show with less intense special effects, dimmed lights and a lower volume) and 4 p.m.; and Monday, Dec. 23, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $28, $46 and $56. Also at The Hanover this holiday season is
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the 2019 Boston Pops Holiday Tour at 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6. Join Conductor Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops for a concert featuring their signature rendition of “Sleigh Ride” and other holiday favorites, plus a visit from Santa and the sing-along finale. The Boston-area Metropolitan Chorale will accompany the Pops. Tickets are $59, $79, $99 and $129. The night after, on Saturday, Dec. 7, the Diane Kelley Dance Studio will present “Christmas Spectacular” at 6 p.m.; tickets are $34 and $28. On Tuesday, Dec. 17, at 7:30 p.m., The Hanover will host Brian O’Donovan’s “A Christmas Celtic Sojourn,” a live-music holiday version of the long-running radio show. This celebration of Celtic, pagan and Christian traditions features music; Scottish singer Siobhan Miller, who won the 2018 BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Best Traditional Track; and dancing by the Harney Academy of Irish Dance. “A Christmas Celtic Sojourn” is celebrating its 17th year and is “a favorite tradition as well,” Condit said. Tickets are $45,
$54 and $62. “The Hip Hop Nutcracker” closes out the Hanover’s seasonal offerings on Sunday, Dec. 29, at 7 p.m. In this modern version of “The Nutcracker,” the music is still Tchaikovsky, but the dancing is contemporary and the story takes place in New York City, rather than the traditional 19th-century Germany. With a dozen dancers, a violinist, a DJ and an opening from rapper MC Kurtis Blow, it’s “really fun for brand-new audiences,” Condit said. At Mechanics Hall, the holiday season kicks off with the Worcester Men of Song — as it has for 38 years now — at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24. This year’s theme, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” will feature old and new harmonies. Tickets are $20. “Many families include Mechanics Hall holiday events among their annual traditions,” Executive Director Kathleen Gagne said. “The hall is decorated beautifully during the holidays, creating a warm and joyous atmosphere from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day.”
Above, “A Christmas Celtic Sojourn” will be held Dec. 17 at The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts. PHOTO COURTESY VIC DVORAK
Left, “The Hip Hop Nutcracker” is at The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts. Dec. 29. TIMOTHY NORRIS
On Wednesday, Dec. 4, at noon, the free Brown Bag Concert Series goes festive, with the annual performance from the New England Conservatory and Navy Band Northeast, a 35-musician group based aboard the NAVSTA Newport. During this event — and all subsequent Brown Bag Concerts through the end of January — Mechanics Hall will be collecting brand-new children’s coats, hats and gloves. “We have a major commitment to the Worcester Public Schools Coats for Kids program,” Gagne said. On Saturday, Dec. 7, “Handel’s Messiah”
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HOLIDAY HANDBOOK 2019 A Special Publication of GateHouse New England
will be presented beginning at 8 p.m. by Music Worcester, an annual tradition for more than 120 years. Tickets are $39, $49 and $55 for adults; $17.50 for students and $7.50 for youth. The Worcester Youth Symphony Orchestra will present its Annual Family Holiday Concert, along with the Philharmonic Orchestra, the Wind and Jazz Ensembles, and special guest Nashoba Valley Chorale, at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8 (ticket information at worcesteryouthorchestras.org). The following week is a busy one for Mechanics Hall, beginning with XLO’s “Almost Acoustic XMAS,” this year featuring Adam Lambert. An eighth-season contestant of “American Idol,” Lambert is headlining XLO’s popular event for the second time. The event will be held Thursday, Dec. 12, at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. Tickets are $49, $59 and $69 and usually sell out. On Sunday, Dec. 15, at 8 p.m., Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra Holiday Pops concert, another event that sells out, features holiday classics and favorites, a vocal soloist, Irish step dancers and a visit from Santa Claus. Tickets are $40. Dance Prism’s “The Nutcracker Ballet” returns for two performances, at 1 and 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15. The ensemble comprises about 30 professional dancers and apprentices, supplemented by ballet students who
On Sunday, Nov. 24, The Worcester Men of Song will perform at Mechanics Hall. PROMOTIONAL PHOTO
audition annually for the company. Tickets are $28 for adults and $20 for students/seniors. The Annual Hook Organ Holiday Concert, a free event, takes place on Wednesday, Dec. 18, at noon to close out the holiday season at Mechanics Hall. Soprano Maria
Ferrante and organist Will Sherwood, who will perform an hour’s worth of holiday music for all audiences. And of course, the City of Worcester’s holiday festivities are set to begin 4:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, on the Worcester Common
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Oval. The event is set to feature singer Nicole Michelle, as well as performances from local school groups and The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts. The event will also include outdoor skating, food trucks, a heated beer tent and, of course, the traditional tree lighting. There will also be live ice sculpture and a vendor market across Franklin Street at the Worcester PopUp. Festivities will continue from 2-7 p.m. Dec. 7 with public skating and entertainment on the Common, and a vendor market at the PopUp and at the Printers Building, 44 Portland St., Worcester. If that’s not enough to raise your holiday spirits, stART at the Station will be Dec. 8 at Union Station, and Tower Hill Botanic Garden will offer its annual “Night Lights” holiday presentation Nov. 29-Dec. 30. Also playing throughout Worcester County: “A Christmas Story The Musical” Theatre at the Mount, 444 Green St., Gardner Friday, Nov. 29, 8 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 30, 8
Above, Dance Prism’s “The Nutcracker Ballet” returns to Mechanics Hall for two performances Dec. 15. Below, The Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra Holiday Pops concert will be held Dec. 15 at Mechanics Hall. PROMOTIONAL PHOTOS
p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 1, 2 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 6, 8 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 7, 2 p.m. (sensory friendly) and 8 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 7, 2 p.m. Ralphie Parker dreams of getting an official Red Ryder Air Rifle in this musical, based on the Christmas classic movie. Tickets: $22/$15 evening, $17 matinee, $10 Dec. 7 matinee; mwcc.edu/campus-life/tam/shows/. “A Christmas Carol with Gerald Charles Dickens” Vaillancourt Folk Art, 9 Main St., Sutton Saturday, Nov. 30, 2 and 7 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 1, 2 p.m. A “Dickens by Dickens” experience, this version of “A Christmas Carol” features Charles Dickens’ great-great-grandson in a one-man performance of the famed tale. Gerald Charles Dickens adopts different voices, mannerisms and expressions to play all 26 characters in this show, brought to the United States by
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and Sundays, 2 p.m. Three actors decide to forgo performing “A Christmas Carol” and instead put together a show based on every Christmas story ever told and every carol ever sung. Tickets: $20 adults; $18 seniors (60+), students, military; $10 children (under 12); stageloft.org. A Seasonal Offering Worcester Historical Museum, 30 Elm St., Worcester 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 The Worcester Chamber Music Society presents a program of music inspired by the seasons, including Bach’s “A Musical Offering” and Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons.”
XLO’s “Almost Acoustic XMAS,” this year features Adam Lambert on Thursday, Dec. 12, at 8 p.m. SUBMITTED PHOTO
American Christmas company Byers’ Choice. Afterward, Dickens will sign any products purchased at Vaillancourt Gallery. Tickets: $30, valfa.com. “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some)” Stageloft Repertory Theater, 450A Main St., Fiskdale Nov. 30-Dec. 15; Fridays, 8 p.m., Saturdays
“The Company Men Holiday Show” The Center at Eagle Hill, Abby Theatre, 242 Old Petersham Road, Hardwick Saturday, Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m. A nationally recognized pop vocal group, The Company Men will bring their unique vocal style to classic Christmas songs. This fourman group has performed more than 2,000 shows around the world and will make a stop in Hardwick for the holiday season. Tickets: $33-38, thecenterateaglehill.org. “Christmas Memories” Salem Cross Inn, 260 West Main St., West
Brookfield Saturday, Dec. 7, 2:15 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 8, 12:15 and 3:45 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 14, 2:15 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 15, 12:15 and 3:45 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 15, noon and 3:30 p.m. Dine on a traditional New England turkey dinner with all the trimmings and enjoy a performance of Dylan Thomas’ play, “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” and the Cornely Production Performers singing more than 20 carols dressed in 19th-century costumes. Tickets: $58 adults, $25 children 10 and under; must be purchased in advance at salemcrossinn.com or call (508) 867-2345. “Christmas by Candlelight” Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge Fridays-Sundays, Dec. 6-19-29; Monday, Dec. 23 Old Sturbridge Village’s annual holiday tradition has live musical performances, storytelling, sleigh rides, festive foods, the North Pole Village, a 500-piece nativity, nightly tree lightings and a gingerbread house contest. The new Christmas Tree Trail features a bonfire, cocoa and cookies, and 50 lit-up trees. Tickets: $28 adults, $14 youth ages 4-17, free for children 3 and under; 25 percent discount for members and 15 percent discount for non-members on standard tickets if purchased by Nov. 28; osv.org.
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Glazy Susan creators offer family recipe SARAH CONNELL SANDERS
W
orcester’s first independent doughnut company, Glazy Susan, is the passion project of Joe and Susan Skrzek. The Skrzeks are lifelong Worcester residents who dream of someday opening a brick and mortar location in the city. Glazy Susan’s loyal followers are devoted to their fillings, doughs and glazes, which are all made from scratch with locally sourced ingredients. Baking runs in the Skrzeks’ family, and Joe is particularly fond of his mother’s pumpkin bread. “There hasn’t been a single holiday season in my lifetime where we haven’t had pumpkin bread, and we’ve gotten Susan and her family hooked now, too!” he says, adding, “It’s a simple quick-bread recipe, but I haven’t changed it at all because sometimes you don’t mess with tradition.” The Skrzeks were happy to share their family recipe with Worcester Magazine’s readers this holiday season. Follow @glazysusan on Instagram to keep track of their frequent pop-ups across Central Mass.
Ingredients 3½ cups (485g) all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons (12g) baking soda 1½ teaspoons (7.5g) kosher salt 2 teaspoons (4.5g) ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon (2.5g) ground nutmeg 3 cups (600g) granulated sugar 1 cup (224g) vegetable oil 4 large (200g) eggs 2/3 cups (158g) water 1 can (420g) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) Instructions Adjust the oven rack to the middle position
MOM’S PUMPKIN BREAD Serves 16 (makes 2 loaves)
Pumpkin bread season in our family always starts around Halloween and runs through New Year’s Day. The aroma of this pumpkin bread baking has always signaled the holiday season to us — Thanksgiving and Christmas would not be complete without a loaf of Mom’s pumpkin bread! Enjoy a slice as is, or better yet, with a schmear of cream cheese. Note: It is helpful to weigh the mixing bowl prior to beginning. Then once the batter is mixed, weigh the bowl with the batter inside, and subtract the weight of the mixing bowl. Now you know how many total grams of batter you have, and you can divide the batter equally into the two loaf pans.
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and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two loaf pans (approximately 9”x5”x3”). Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar together in a bowl. Set aside. Whisk the pumpkin, water, oil and eggs together in a bowl. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and mix until combined (some small lumps are OK). Scrape batter equally into the two prepared loaf pans (see note). Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 205 degrees, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool for at least 90 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
‘Easy peasy’ recipes
for fun holiday treats
BARBARA M. HOULE
I
t’s the most magical time of the year. The holiday season when newbie cooks and kitchen gurus prepare to entertain and celebrate, organizing meals and parties with multiple dishes and many moving parts. Admit it, navigating the holiday food frenzy can be stressful, especially when a recipe flops. It has happened to all of us, we usually don’t brag about it. I tested more holiday recipes than I can count during my career as the Telegram & Gazette’s food editor. Not all of the recipes made it into the newspaper for the obvious reason they failed the taste test. Weird textures and missing ingredients, too. The holiday horror stories were mostly about turkeys not thoroughly cooked, lumpy gravy and cookies hard as rocks. Sound familiar? Cooks roasted the turkey with the giblet bag inside then wondered if the turkey was safe to eat. An annual cry for help was how to quick fix runny pie fillings and soggy crust. Have you ever tried to help someone make a pie whole again when a slice is missing out of it? These days, help is just a mouse click or phone call away to avert a cooking crisis, especially during the holidays. Hotlines, culinary apps and social media offer cooking tips, recipes and everything in between. Chances are you have a favorite TV cooking show and a celebrity chef who offers step-by-step cooking instructions. So much information! Probably the best advice from culinary experts is to read a recipe thoroughly before tackling it. You can always do a trial run before the big reveal. If a recipe fails, a friend chef reminds us, “No matter what, just laugh it off.”
OK, whether you agree or not, her take is to “learn from your mistakes.” An alternative route for the “too busy to cook” party host is to shop the aisles of local specialty stores, cheese shops and supermarkets. Or, borrow a simple idea from culinary icon Julia Child, who was notorious for serving Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers as an appetizer with cocktails at her dinner parties. No matter who was on the guest list, acclaimed chef or not, the original fish-shaped crackers turned up, with Julia pairing them with a reverse martini. A magical experience! Enjoy the holidays with a few fun, “easy peasy” recipes. Grinch Cupcakes and Heath Bar Crunch Cookies are tried-and-true favorites from Lynelis Figueroa of Worcester, baker in dining services at Becker College in Worcester, operated by Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services. She prepares desserts daily and even has taught Becker students in their free time how to bake cookies. Students love sugar cookies year round, she said, and the fried
Oreos, featured Wednesdays in the college dining hall. Figueroa’s desserts are showcased at the Christmas Buffet at Becker, in addition to non-holiday parties and special events held at the college. About recipes: The Grinch Cupcakes, themed after “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas,” include a surprise ingredient. If you don’t celebrate Christmas, use the basic cupcake batter and a preferred frosting for decoration.
GRINCH CUPCAKES Cupcake Batter: ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup sugar ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 3 large eggs 1½ cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ¾ cup buttermilk
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Green food coloring Lindt brand of chocolate balls Buttercream: 3 cups unsalted butter, room temperature 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract 7 cups confectioners sugar Green, red, yellow and black food coloring Cupcakes: Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and eggs one at a time, beating with each addition. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the butter mixture in two additions, alternating with the buttermilk. Use green food coloring to color the batter. Divide batter into a lined muffin tin. Put a Lindt chocolate ball into the center of each cupcake. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes and then cool completely. Buttercream: Beat the butter with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and combine. Add the confectioners sugar one cup at a time and beat for 3 to 5 minutes until fluffy. Dye ¼ cup of buttercream with black food coloring; ¼ cup of buttercream with yellow food coloring; 1 cup buttercream with red food coloring. Leave ¼ cup buttercream white; dye remaining buttercream with green food coloring. Place the red and green buttercream in separate piping bags fitted
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Lynelis Figueroa, a baker at Becker College, holds a tray of Grinch cupcakes, a holiday dessert.
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CHRISTINE PETERSON
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with large, round piping tips; yellow and white buttercream into separate bags with medium-sized round piping tips and the black into a bag with a small round piping tip. Decorate: Pipe a large dollop of green buttercream on top of each cupcake. Pipe a slightly smaller red dollop on top to create a hat. Create the trim and pompom of the hat with the white buttercream. Make eyes with the yellow buttercream and eyebrows and pupils with the black buttercream. Makes 24 cupcakes.
HEATH BAR CRUNCH COOKIES 2½ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter ¾ cup brown sugar ½ cup sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1½ cups Heath toffee bar pieces ½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl, except candy pieces, and set aside. In another bowl, mix butter, brown sugar and sugar and add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and mix well. Add dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture. Add Heath bar pieces and walnuts. Scoop onto baking sheets and bake for 20 to 15 minutes, depending on oven temperature. Let cool on baking sheets. Makes 36 cookies. Gumdrop Jewels is a cookie with chunks of color and flavor. Enjoy!
GUMDROP JEWELS 1 cup (2 sticks) butter 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 1½ cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup quick or old-fashioned oats, uncooked 1 cup cut-up gumdrops, see note ½ cup chopped nuts Note: Omit licorice gumdrops. Cream butter; gradually add sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, soda, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in oats, gumdrops and nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 12 to 14 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Makes about 60 cookies.
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A Very Harvey Christmas
Merry Birthday, Capricorns!
And here’s a tip: a Christmas card with the words “And Happy Birthday,Too!” on’t look at me for Pinterest holiday stuff. scribbled on the back I haven’t been creative for Christmas of the envelope does since I glued macaroni to a toilet paper not qualify as a birthday roll and spray-painted it gold. I think Lyndon greeting. Johnson was in office. I don’t have special My son-in-law was born holiday recipes to pass on to my kids and I on Christmas Eve. We’ve break out in hives when I hear “Jingle Bells” in come to the sad conclusion October. I was onto the whole Santa hoax as that, as adults, we’ve grown early as age five, when I found a Give-A-Show as tired of our birthdays projector in my parents’ closet, and the same as the people forced to projector showed up under the tree a week remember them. We’ve later. Even then, I knew something fishy was opened enough pitiful going on. presents. In fact, we I’m here to share with you a few helpful are the inspiration hints regarding the dreaded Christmas birthbehind the concept day. If you have an individual in your life who of “regifting.” We was unfortunate enough to come into this don’t want to world between December 20th and New Year’s blow out the Day, take heed. Having Dec. 27 as a birthday candles on a qualifies me as an expert on the colossal disCarvel cake appointment fellow Capricorns share with me. again this Christmas babies are born feeling like there’s a year (let’s kill party going on, and our invitations got lost in two birds the mail. with one New England Christmas babies never get to have barbecues or pool parties, unless they relocate to Australia, where people open presents wearing bathing suits. It’s true. Look it up. Christmas babies celebrate our special day on the tail end of complete and utter exhaustion. Everyone has been shopping for a month, and the people who waited till the last minute are way too stressed to give much thought to our inconvenient poorly timed entrance to the world. To that I say: You people should have timed your procreating activities with a little more forethought. It’s not our fault you couldn’t count to nine. When I whined about my crappy birthday to my mother, she put the kibosh on my complaint in her usual blunt manner, leaving little doubt as to who was to blame for this calendar mix-up. “You were two months premature. If you stayed put, you’d have a February birthday.” End of story. Instead of half-priced stale Valentine chocolates, I get half-priced busted ribbon candy. That’s what I get for being in such a rush to get nowhere. If there’s a person you care about who’s saddled with a Christmas birthday, try to be kind. Don’t wrap that last-minute gift in red and green paper. The Chia pet you snatched off the shelf in Walgreens will look less cheesy in pastels. The travel cup you found in a Target aisle end cap will fit nicely into one of those bags made for wine bottles. Make sure the gloves and ice scraper you selected at Consumer Auto Parts while picking up windshield cleaner are wrapped in festive non-Christmas tissue paper. JANICE HARVEY
D
stone! It’s a cake made of ice cream!). We’ve run ourselves ragged just like everyone else, and there are still New Year’s Eve parties on the calendar, not to mention trips to the mall with returns. We are pooped. My suggestion? The half-birthday! Celebrate us in summer. You won’t resent us as long as we don’t ruin the Fourth of July by expecting presents on one of the few holidays that don’t bust the wallet. Have a cook-out in our honor. August is perfect. We’ve never experienced the pleasure of blowing out candles without Andy Williams singing “O Holy Night” as we make a wish — and your rendition of “Happy Birthday” might even be sincere.
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Advertiser Index Bay State Savings Bank..........................................18 Black & White Grille.................................................. 4 Booklovers’ Gourmet..............................................17 Craftworks....................................................................22 Dance Prism................................................................13 Dino’s Ristorante Italiano........................................ 8 Gibson’s Natural Pet.................................................20 Haddad Auto Detail.................................................20 Hancock Shaker Village.........................................22 Hot Power Yoga Center..........................................18 Jed’s.................................................................................... 2 Julio’s Liquors..............................................................23 Lock 50 Restaurant & Wine Bar........................24 Mechanics Hall..........................................................10 Old Sturbridge Village.............................................15 Pucci’s............................................................................... 8 Red Apple Farm.........................................................12 Russo Italian Restaurant.......................................24 S&S Marketplace.......................................................14 Sclamos..........................................................................16 Stasukelis Appliance & TV...................................22 308 Lakeside................................................................11 Volturno.........................................................................19 Wachusett Mountain................................................ 5 Wachusett Wine & Spirits...................................... 7 Watermark Antiques & Gold..............................17 Wexford Irish Imports............................................21 Whitco.............................................................................. 9 Worcester Railers........................................................ 3 Worcester Wares.......................................................11
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HOLIDAY HANDBOOK 2019 A Special Publication of GateHouse New England