Cook and Culture: Push on towards the holiday season with these handy tips
Cook and Culture is for Boksburg residents and we would love to have your input, questions and ideas.
Is year-end stress getting to you? Breathe! It will be holiday time soon. Here are a few tricks and tips to help you push through the last stretch of chaos.
1. Digital
Instagram tip: Instagram stories automatically disappear after 24 hours, but you have the option to highlight your story which will keep your story above your profile to be viewed, edited, and added on to in the future. If your story is extra special, click the highlight button and keep it there forever.
2. Pro Tip
It is the exciting times of Christmas parties and year-end functions, have fun, let loose, but don’t let it all go. Make sure you compose yourself and have fun but stay smart. Don’t drink and drive, rather phone a friend. Stay cool and respectful, remember, you still need to go back to work and face these people on Monday.
3. Cake, cake, cake!
Festive Cookie Cake/Cream Tart
Buy ready to roll frozen cookie dough from your local baking store or food retailer. Take frozen cookie dough out one hour before, roll out and cut forms or desired shapes and bake according to product instructions.
Let cool down.
- Ingredients
Mascarpone cream filling
250ml fresh cream
100g icing sugar
5ml vanilla
500g mascarpone
Whip cream with two tablespoons of icing sugar until soft peaks form. Gently beat mascarpone until softened then add the remaining icing sugar and vanilla and mix until smooth.
Mix cream and mascarpone mixture together, do not over mix. Place in a piping bag with a round nozzle and pipe two rows of Mascarpone cream over the entire surface of the biscuit. Keep the size consistent.
Place two of the same size cookies on top of each other. Pipe the mascarpone cream on the top cookie as well.
Place in the fridge for an hour or so. Decorate with fresh halved strawberries, red macaroon, chocolate balls and small store-bought meringues.
4. Home Remedy
Mosquitoes are everywhere, and although we know it is their job to bite us, we cannot help to wonder if the singing is really necessary. Make sure to keep insect repellent in your bag when going out at night and when packing for holidays. Citronella is a common effective and natural oil that works against mosquitos.
Burn a citronella candle or place citronella oil in your diffuser. Crushed lavender flowers and lemon eucalyptus oil are also natural repellents. If your mosquito bite is itching, rub some apple cider vinegar on the bite or place a slice of raw onion on it for relief.
5. Check It Out
Cook & Culture is online every week with extra photos and tips.
Visit the Boksburg Advertiser website: www.boksburgadvertiser.co.za
6. Charity begins at home
Clean out your cupboards before the holidays, donate all the kids school clothing that does not fit anymore to the school’s closet to help those who cannot afford new uniforms.
7. Do Gooder
Local lost and found pet pages on social media is making it easier for humans to find their pet kiddo’s. Keep up the good work pet pages.
See links to some of them below:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/BoksburgLostAndFoundPets/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1521208044823447/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/619048324888996/
8. Old but not cold, party song
Remember Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Want To Have Fun? Make sure to go watch the original music video, it’s so much fun.
9. Food For Thought
Make a list of at least three things that you are thankful for today (you will be surprised how long the list can get). Try not to overspend this holiday, rather focus on what is most important: family and friends.
10 Local is Lekker
Wow, sweat has been real in this heatwave. It is important to keep hydrated. Get some delicious ice creams, cakes and frozen food from Ice Burg Boksburg on the corner of North Rand and Atlas roads. They have a lot of great deals.
We Need You
If you have something to say, an idea or question that fits into one of the above categories, let us know. If a stranger did something to help you in Boksburg, or you have a delicious recipe to share, tell us all about it.
Email us at sunelg@caxton.co.za and anel@caxton.co.za
*Cook and Culture is written by Advertiser media specialist Annelette Bezuidenhout and Advertiser journalist Sunel Gilliland.
Email us at sunelg@caxton.co.za and anel@caxton.co.za
