December in France is marked by a high concentration of friend and family gatherings. All offices host at least one large party during this month and it is not unusual to have festive events almost daily in the weeks preceding December 25th. The French generally put up their tree early on the eve of Christmas. Family celebrations begin in the early afternoon with the entirety of a family clan in attendance. Dinner is a multi-course feast that generally centers around a grandiose dish such as Pheasant, Duck, Goose, or Guinea Hen. The first course or apperitif is almost always Champagne and Fois Gras. This is also generally an occasion to sample luxuries such as oysters on the half shell, and smoked Salmon. 

Navidad (Christmas) in Peru is a week-long celebration for most people. Schools are out until March and working adults generally take the week to spend with family. Kids from Lima to Puerto Maldonado look forward to the gifts that Papa Noel will bring to them. The big day, however, is Christmas Eve. Families gather for a traditional Christmas dinner involving the ubiquitous turkey and stuffing made of ground beef; finely chopped, caramelized onions; raisins; prunes; a touch of hard-boiled eggs; and a hint of cumin, nutmeg and cinnamon. Accompanying the turkey are side dishes like yellow-potato puree; a variety of salads typically featuring diced potatoes, grapes, oranges and a creamy dressing; and sweet potato puree topped with brown sugar, marshmallows and toasted pecans.

Belgium is a predominantly Catholic country and Christmas is celebrated on December 24th. People put up trees and decorate them with real candles if possible. Children receive gifts of marzipan, fruit and large gingerbread men. The celebration is in church.

St. Nicklaus gives toys to children on December 10th. He is a Holy man who if often described as tall and walks around with his helper, Peter. Peter is a small boy who places toys from a wish list in each house.       story submitted by Carol DeRosa, R.N.

"Holiday season in Rio de Janeiro is during high summer. The temperature hovers around 100F most of the time, nights included, with very little wind. Hot days and hot nights! On New Year’s Eve there is a huge beach celebration that takes place on all 17 beaches of the city of Rio. People go to the edge of the water to throw white flowers to the goddess of the water, Yemanja, in hopes that she will help them in the coming year."

"Everyone wears white on New Year’s Eve and many attend the public festival that takes place on the 2 mile long beach of Copacabana of which the 20 minute midnight firework display is the highlight. Others may attend private parties where there are silver and gold ornaments around the house and table to signify riches. Everyone drinks champagne and wine and eats a dish made with lentils, for luck."

"Most people place 3 pomegranate seeds in their wallet to bring riches for the following year and upon the countdown of the New Year people step on the floor with their right foot. They end the party with carnival music and dancing."

The video below gives you a better idea of how impressive the fireworks really are.

In addition to the traditional Brazilian New Year's celebration, Virginia Munson, a former Chef de Cuisine from Brazil, also wanted to share with us 2 of her favorite recipes: Papo de anjo (below) and rabanadas (right). And we are certainly glad she did! Papo de anjo, also known as angel's double chin is a traditional Portuguese and Brazilian dessert made chiefly from whipped egg yolks, baked and then soaked in sugar syrup.

Papo de anjo is believed to have been created by monks and nuns around the 14th or 15th centuries. Laundry was a common service performed by convents and monasteries, and their use of egg whites for "starching" clothes created a large surplus of yolks.

Papo de anjo is very easy to make. The only ingredients you need are:

• 8 cups of water
• 4 cups of sugar
• 24 egg yolks
• 3 egg whites

A day or 2 before your holiday celebration, go out and buy a baguette and try out this wonderful breakfast recipe on the special day! This sweet Brazilian comfort food, is sure to please families of all ages.

• 1 french or sourdough baguette
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup of sweetened condensed milk
• 6 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Vegetable oil for frying

Preparation: The day before buy a french baguette or two and leave it overnight to get a bit hard. Slice the bread to include at least one slice per person.

Beat 3 whole eggs with a pinch of salt and add the whole milk and condensed milk and pour this mixture in a flat dish wide enough to accommodate a few slices of bread at the same time.

Heat up a medium frying pan with enough oil to fry the slices. While the mixture is heating up, get a large platter and add the sugar and cinnamon. Mix well. Set aside.

Dip the thick bread slices in the egg mixture, transfer them to the heated oil and fry them lightly then place them in the sugar mixture and cover each slice on both sides and let it stand a bit to absorb. Shake the slices a bit and place them in a wide serving dish and eat before, during and or after the main meal. It is a delicious treat that Brazilians cannot live without.

Preparation: Start with 2 non-stick, mini-muffin/cupcake pans. (These tiny puffs are so delicious no one eats just one, so baking 2 pans at once will cut your time in half!)

In a heavy pan pour 8 cups of water and 4 cups of sugar and heat to a boil. Once boiled, take off heat. It should be allowed to thicken for at least 15 minutes. Set it aside when ready.

Separate the yolks from the whites of 24 eggs.

Beat all 24 yolks and 3 egg whites together quickly so that it is aerated to approximately double it's original volume and pour about 1/2 tablespoon of the egg mixture into each of the muffin slots. Bake immediately in a warm medium oven until they puff up. They are easy to invert and remove from the pan.

Place each one carefully into the syrup and leave them there until they become encharcado (means soggy in Portuguese) and they are ready to be eaten. With the left over 21 egg whites you can make an Angel Food cake! Papo de anjo is easy as pie to make and very inexpensive.

Papos de anjo

After being away from Brazil for nealry 46 years Virginia came back and decided to teach cooking, "but I found that nearly everyone has a maid and few people are interested in donning an apron and cooking," so she switched to teaching languages "which is sorely needed." She ended up with several lawyers, and businessmen as students and "occasionally I teach their maids how to cook something different and special, so I still keep my hand in the kitchen." She is currently planning to write a cookbook.

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Q: What is the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative?

A: The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requires all citizens of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda to have a passport or other accepted document that establishes identity and nationality to enter or depart the United States from within the Western Hemisphere. All air travelers must present a valid passport. American citizens traveling by land or sea may present a valid U.S. passport, a U.S. Passport Card, an enhanced Driver’s License (currently issued by a few states), or a Trusted Traveler Program Card (NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST, or Global Entry).


Q: I will be traveling abroad with my young children. Do they need passports?

A: All travelers, including infants, must have their own valid passport.


Q: How much validity do I need remaining on my passport in order to travel?

A: While there are a few exceptions, most countries require 6 months validity beyond your stay.


Q: How do I know what type of visa I will need for my trip?

A: Once you have identified the purpose of your visit, (such as business, tourism, employment, or humanitarian, etc.) each country will have its own visa forms and requirements.


Q: What is consular jurisdiction?

A: Consular jurisdiction is the geographic region covered by a particular consulate of embassy. Some consulates are very strict on jurisdiction and will only cover certain states; others are not.

Consult Travisa Passport and Visa Service (www.travisa.com) for answers to any of your international travel related questions.

Sincerely,

Peter Kirchgessner
Vice President of Operations
Travisa Passport and Visa Service

Holiday travel can be bumpy! A few smart tips can smooth those bumps!

Be flexible – Book early! Advance planning for holiday times and special events can result in the best buys for you. South Africa, for instance…the World Cup is slated for June 11-July 11, 2010. Plan now to avoid disappointment and give yourself plenty of time to secure required vaccinations and travel documents. Flights are already getting booked around those dates for travel to Europe and South Africa!

Pack smart – Many airlines restrict excess luggage during peak travel times, such as the holidays and summer. Plan accordingly, especially if you are taking supplies or medicine. Light clothing, to layer for all weather types, packs the best.

Wise choices – Fly early in the day and via warm weather connection points to limit delays.