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There is no recorded history of the age of cheese; however it’s believed that cheese originated in the Middle East or Europe. Archaeologists have found evidence of cheese making in Egyptian tomb murals, dating back to 2000 BCE, however their findings were never conclusive.

The earliest cheeses were likely to have been quite sour and salty, similar in texture to rustic cottage cheese or feta, a crumbly, flavorful Greek cheese.

It is possible that milk was left in a food storage barrel, made out of the stomach of an animal, and it turned into curd and whey by the rennet. When individuals realized that by adding salt to the curd the result was a more solid texture, they kept the tradition going by adding the rennet deliberately.

By Roman times, cheese was an everyday food and cheese making was an art. However, I don’t think they ever planned for it’s purpose to be purely decorative. This is what has happened now a days. More so than not, we are accustomed to seeing carvings of cheese, as opposed to the simple cubes accompanied by an assortment of crackers.

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Cheese carver Troy Landwehr brushes oil off a rendition of the signing of the Declaration of Independence carved out of 2000 lbs of cheese in New York, July 3, 2008. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

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This cheese sculpture of part of Cardiff Castle has been made to highlight its new status as host to the Great British Cheese Festival, on 27-28 September. Cardiff sculptors Ice2Art made it from a 2m x 1.5m block supplied by Carmarthenshire Cheese and Dairy Farmers of Great Britain. A time-lapse film showing its creation can be seen on You Tube at http://www.youtube.com/BritishCheeseFest.

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Ice sculpture is simply the art of sculpting a large block of ice into a type of abstract or realistic form which can act as a centerpiece or in a functional capacity. In fact, many people choose to use these in extravagant events to keep the wine chilled in a fountain like fashion and also at weddings to frame doorways and to promote a sense of blissfulness or romance.

Temperature is key! A sculpture can last from minutes to possibly months depending on the storage circumstances. Ice Sculpture may reside in a chilly environment for travelers to walk through or possibly at ice festivals where artists pull out all the stops to wow the crowd.

The Quebec Ice Castle

The Quebec Winter Carnival  is an annual winter carnival that takes place in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The festival typically starts on the first Friday of January and continues for 17 days. “With close to one million participants, it has grown to become the largest winter celebration in the world.”

The castle is located on the Plains of Abraham where the grounds are transformed into a winter wonderland including activities like snow slides, skiing, snow rafting, sledding, ice fishing, and a snow sculpture contest. You can also grab a cup of hot cocoa at the end of the day in the bistro.

Building’s

The Ice Castle at the International Ice Sculpture Competition and Exhibition 2005, Lake Louise, Alberta

Civil Works Administration: “The New Deal Ice Palace”, Lake Bemidji, Minnesota–1934

The 2004 Saint Paul Winter Carnival ice castle.

Main Hall in ICEHOTEL Jukkasjärvi. Sculptures by Jörgen Westin (January, 2007)

Existing each year between December and April, the Icehotel in the village of Jukkasjärvi, about 17 km from Kiruna, Sweden was the world’s first ice hotel.

Sculptures

“Mysterious Pearl” as taken with 400 ASA film in a Minolta Dynax 7: March 2006 in Fairbanks, AK

Compliments of Seaway.org

Recognize who’s in the Picture?

Ice carvers from all over the world came to Fairbanks, Alaska to compete in the single and multi-block competitions. Governor Palin stands before the ice sculpture that won the Artist’s Choice Award presented by the Governor at the awards ceremony.

Compliments of Fiax Charities

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Here’s some more crafty art and wacky structures

• He’s Got Lego and He Knows How to Use Them: Insane Lego Models
• What Goes Up Must Stand Still: Six Life Size Pieces of Balloon Art
• Urban Glass Blowing: Organic Sculptures From the Minds of Artists
• Historical Artistic Creations From Concrete Park in Wisconsin
• 10 Crafty Scrap Metal Creations From Art Park in Wisconsin

This delectable contrast of herbs and fruit sweetness is enough to make your palate sing for more.

Ingredients

• 2 gold apples (quartered and thinly sliced into wedges)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 12 ounces shredded carrots
• 1 large orange
• 1/2 cup currants

Sauce or Dressing

• 4 tablespoons vanilla yogurt
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh parsley
• 1/4 tablespoon chives
• 1/4 tablespoon tarragon
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl, add sliced apples and currants.
2. Add carrots and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to mixing bowl.
3. Separate orange into sections and add to mix.
4. In a separate shaking container, add all of the ingredients for the dressing and shake vigorously.
5. Before serving, pour dressing over the mixture and toss lightly.
6. Serve immediately.

Healthy Alternatives

• Champagne Antipasto
• Pineapple Vegetarian Cheese Ball
• Sicilian Style Penne Mediterranean Pasta

Whoever said that less is more when it comes to the joyful holiday of Christmas and decorating your house with a few strands of lights was dead wrong. There are Crazy Christmas lights and then there are CHRISTMAS LIGHTS times 20!

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