Gloom ~ Picture of the Day ~ 1955 Le Mans Crash Disaster ~ Holly Jolly Fudge ~ National Chocolate Covered Anything Day

Good 37º dark cloudy morning. 

Yesterday just continued with the gloom and clouds/fog.... and it was cold. Hand warmers in my pockets helped!! 

Picture of the Day .... timing

Interesting about the 1955 Le Mans crash disaster...

The 1955 Le Mans disaster occurred during the 24 Hours of Le Mans motor race at Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, France on 11 June 1955. A major crash caused large fragments of debris to fly into the crowd, killing 83 spectators and French driver Pierre Bouillin (who raced under the name Pierre Levegh) and injuring nearly 180 more. It was the most catastrophic crash in motor sport history, and it prompted Mercedes-Benz to retire from motor racing until 1989.

During the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans, a series of cars maneuvering around an Austin-Healey driven by Lance Macklin who was slowing to make a pit stop resulted in the Mercedes-Benz driven by Pierre Bouillin hit Macklin from behind and sending Bouillin through the air with part of his car moving past an earthen mound and into the spectator area. Bouillin was killed instantly.

The disaster led to an immediate temporary ban on motor sports in countries such as France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, and others, until the racetracks could be brought to a higher safety standard. This incident prompted Mercedes-Benz to withdraw from all forms of motor sport until 1989.

From Mr. Food..

It's the best time of the year! If you're looking for something special and sweet to give as a gift to the important people in your life, then you've found the perfect recipe! Our Holly Jolly Fudge looks festive, tastes amazing, and is the best kind of gift--one that comes straight from the heart. Plus, Holly Jolly Fudge is so easy to make, you'll have a jolly good time making it for everyone this holiday season!

 

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup red and green candied cherries, chopped

1. Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In large saucepan over medium heat, bring granulated sugar, butter, heavy cream, and salt to a boil, stirring frequently. Allow to boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. 
3. Remove from heat and slowly add confectioners' sugar and vanilla, stirring until smooth and well combined. Stir in cherries until evenly distributed. 
4. Spoon into baking dish and chill 1 hour or until firm. Cut into squares and serve, or store in an airtight container.

 

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♫It's the most wonderful time of the year! And we love how versatile our fudge is! If you prefer, leave out the candied cherries and you'll have a great vanilla fudge to share with the whole family.

Historically this date...........

1707 – Last recorded eruption of Mount Fuji in Japan

1773 – American Revolution: Boston Tea Party – Members of the Sons of Liberty disguised as Mohawksdump crates of tea into Boston harbor as a protest against the Tea Act.

1811 – The first two in a series of four severe earthquakes occur in the vicinity of New Madrid, Missouri. These four so-called mega-quakes are believed to be an ongoing cataclysmic danger that could reprise the 1811-12 series of 2,000 quakes that affected the lands of what would be eight of today's heartland states of the United States.

1985 – Mafia: In New York City, Paul Castellano and Thomas Bilotti are shot dead on the orders of John Gotti, who assumes leadership of the Gambino family.

2003 – President George W. Bush signs the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 into law. The law establishes the United States' first national standards for the sending of commercial e-mail and requires the Federal Trade Commission to enforce its provisions.

And births this date include...

1938 – Liv Ullmann, Norwegian actress

1961 – Sam Robards, American actor

Son of Jason Robards and Lauren Bacall....

L-R Bogart's daughter Leslie, Sam, Lauren, Bogart's son Steven

1963 – Benjamin Bratt, American actor

All I know. Nuff said. Happy Monday. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

Chocolate lovers rejoice on National Chocolate Covered Anything Day! December 16th offers the chocolate day you’ve been waiting for. On this day, dip and drizzle your favorite foods in every kind of chocolate imaginable.

If you could cover anything in chocolate, what would it be? So many foods improve when we dip them in chocolate. Businesses have been built on a foundation of dipping food into chocolate. Whether you pick up a chocolate fountain or order a bouquet of a beautiful arrangement of chocolate-dipped fruit, celebrate! 

But fruit isn’t the only food meant for dipping in chocolate. Oh no. Other foods cry out for chocolate, too. Have you tried chocolate-covered peanuts, cashews, or walnuts? Pretzels undergo a divine transformation when dipped in chocolate, and they even have a national day of their own. Pound cake and gummy candies taste delicious with chocolate, too. If you love coffee, how can you pass up chocolate covered coffee beans?

The list goes on. What’s you’re favorite covered chocolate covered anything?

HOW TO OBSERVE 

Pick up some chocolate covered anything or try your hand at dipping your favorite food in chocolate. 

Try these suggestions:

• Bananas and peanut butter
• Cookies
• Potato chips
• Orange wedges
• Ritz crackers
• Biscotti
• Peanut brittle
• Marshmallows
• Fudge
• Shortbread
• Ice cream