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ninj said:
That's the best reason for keeping these gatherings in the budget. It's value is in the esprit de corps and networking.
Unfortunately, so many high-stress workplaces cut this expense first when looking for $.
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We did cut our full company annual Christmas party but it has been getting hard to arrange in recent years even not considering the expense. We cover most of the province now, so some people had long drives no matter where we held it. Individual offices are doing local lunches and stuff like this one instead.

We are supposed to still do anniversary parties on the 5-year and 10-year anniversaries of the company but the last one of those anniversaries fell during the pandemic so it got skipped, too.
 
Nancy said:
A Christmas memory: My mother-in-law made a really spectacular Yule Log every year. When we lived in Fort Frances (about a 20 hour drive away from her), she would mail us her Yule Log every year! It came squashed, and less-than-fresh, but somehow still tasted pretty good. She had nine kids and I wonder if she did that for each of them, or just the ones who couldn't make it home for Christmas. She was a special lady.
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What's in a yule log? I see many thngs labelled that although not sure what is actually traditional vs. using a log shape similar to putting something in a Santa shape.
 
The big guy:

Scared Monster High GIF
 
ChemGal said:
What's in a yule log? I see many thngs labelled that although not sure what is actually traditional vs. using a log shape similar to putting something in a Santa shape.
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My Nana made Yule logs, but they didn't have anything in them. She made what Brits call a Swiss Roll, which was a cookie sheet size cake rolled up around a filling. The Yule log was chocolate cake, chocolate filling, chocolate icing.
 
My mother-in-law's Yule log was a jelly roll rolled up with a mocha filling, and chocolate icing. It was a plain white cake turned into jelly roll. She decorated it so that it looked like a log, with a part branch sticking out of it, and a few fake berries on top.
 
Nancy said:
My mother-in-law's Yule log was a jelly roll rolled up with a mocha filling, and chocolate icing. It was a plain white cake turned into jelly roll. She decorated it so that it looked like a log, with a part branch sticking out of it, and a few fake berries on top.
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Sounds good! I'm not one for coffee, but a small amount in a dessert can be really nice to balance the sweetness.
 
While i appreciate good chocolate. I am not a connoisseur. We had both Pot of Gold and Black Magic growing up in Calgary. I enjoy most chocolate. My latest addiction is Dollarama's Crispy Delight bars. For good chocolate. I get President's Choice dark chocolate and dark chocolate with almonds bars. They are made in Belgium with chocolate approved by the Rainforest Alliance. They also used to be free of child labour but that is gone from their packaging now.
 
I appreciate really good chocolate. I also enjoy Pot of Gold and Black Magic because they come with memories of grandmas. I love rolled cake whatever it's called. One favourite in our house was the lemon (?) loaf with jelly in a roll.
 
jimkenney12 said:
While i appreciate good chocolate. I am not a connoisseur. We had both Pot of Gold and Black Magic growing up in Calgary. I enjoy most chocolate. My latest addiction is Dollarama's Crispy Delight bars. For good chocolate. I get President's Choice dark chocolate and dark chocolate with almonds bars. They are made in Belgium with chocolate approved by the Rainforest Alliance. They also used to be free of child labour but that is gone from their packaging now.
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Huh interesting to hear it was around I guess neither of our families were ever into Black Magic, so not something that even sounds familiar to me or Chemguy.
I definitely enjoy some cheap chocolate too, the good stuff is most noticeable when it's just chocolate, no other flavours or textures. The Callebaut log itself I really enjoyed, the chocolates inside I would have been happier with cheaper chocolates in the types of flavours I really liked.
 
A box of Rheo Thompson came in to the office. They're a smaller operation up in Stratford and make some terrific candies. I have not sampled it yet but have enjoyed their candy in the past.

rheothompson.com

Rhéo Thompson Candies Ltd.

Since 1969, we've been delighting generations of Canadian families with handcrafted candies. Using only the finest of ingredients, classic candymaking techniques, and recipes that have been enjoyed for decades, Rhéo Thompson Candies has the pleasure of putting smiles on people's faces. Makers of...
rheothompson.com

Back in my childhood, Smiles & Chuckles mint patties were a favorite. They even had a plant in Kitchener at one point (closed in the seventies, IIRC).
 
When I worked in a university library in the late 70's, early 80's, a professor would treat us to chocolates he brought from British Columbia....I think they were called Roger's Chocolates, and I remember they were HUGE. I also remember that I didn't really like them and felt that was sacrilege because they were supposed to be considered pretty good.
 
Nancy said:
When I worked in a university library in the late 70's, early 80's, a professor would treat us to chocolates he brought from British Columbia....I think they were called Roger's Chocolates, and I remember they were HUGE. I also remember that I didn't really like them and felt that was sacrilege because they were supposed to be considered pretty good.
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I've definitely had them before but don't remember them well enough to tell you how good (or not) they are.
 
I'm attempting to make hot chocolate cups. First step of the first one seemed to go ok, not so sure about the 2nd. The kids might be getting little baggies of a chocolate marshmallow mix that isn't so cup like, we shall see. My experience with melted chocolate is limited to mostly fondue.
 
Semi success. I have 2 chocolate cups filled with hot chocolate mis, marshmallows and vanilla decorative chips.
These things are supposed to have chocolate lids and I was even going to try to stick a candy cane in for stirring if it seemed possible. These cups are waaay to fragile to attempt sealing on a lid.
I impressed Chemguy anyway. He thought I would just have a bowl of burnt chocolate.
Image of the inspiration vs what I got.


20221219_231205.jpg
 
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Good morning! As the week fills with holiday gatherings and parties, chocolates and Yule logs, and chocolate cups, let us pause and relax around the Coffee Cart for a bit, to catch out breath and catch up with each other.

C(_)/ c(_) c\_/ c[_]
 
One Christmas associated thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is cheese balls,, a globe of soft cheese coated with finely chopped walnuts, used as a spread for crackers. Anyone else remember those?
 
My sister makes a cheese ball that is requested by one and all at any family get togethers. I'm starting to think our family has old-fashioned and rich food taste.
 
I've looked out the bedroom window and see the car is covered in a foot or so of snow. The radio station in Vancouver is reporting many problems there. The airport sounds like a gong show. Ferries are cancelled. It may be a good day to stay in bed.
 
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