Footloose and Frosty! Free!

Hello friends,

Our extended hours workshops conclude with Frosty Friday tonight featuring the making of beaded snowflake ornaments. These simple concoctions of beads and chenille stems are suitable for decorating even the highest of highbrow trees. Want to join us? Don't delay in making your reservation. Our 6 p.m. workshop is already *completely* full! Seats are still available for 7 p.m. but they're going fast.

Even if you miss out on our terrific workshop, console yourself with a cup of our homemade hot chocolate. You'll be glad you did. The recipe is below.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 4 cups of milk
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla

DIRECTIONS
Blend cocoa and sugar in a small bowl. In a medium saucepan, heat milk to scalding. Mix about 1/3 c. of the hot milk into the cocoa-sugar mixture, then pour cocoa mixture into hot milk in the saucepan; stir until well blended. Stir in vanilla. Serve with mini-marshmallows or whipped cream. Serves 4.


Thanks everyone for the great support of our workshops these past couple of days. We look forward to offering more opportunities for families to create art together in the months ahead, so keep an eye out. Until then, have a safe and relaxing Christmas and a happy, healthy 2008.

See you soon!
Your pals at MET

(Want) To Do List: Trim the Tree with Family

Don't let packed holiday schedules get you down. Spend time with the ones you truly want to reward at the Museum, where we've got the cure for holiday exhaustion.

Before Wal-Mart brought us shiny baubles at discount prices, families were brightening their homes and perking up their trees with popcorn on a string and chains of colored paper. So get the family together and head down to the Museum to enjoy a night of spirited decorating as of old at Tree-Trimming Thursday! We'll have some holiday music and a dose of good cheer waiting for you, not to mention homemade gingerbread, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Special thanks to all who came out to our first extended hours workshop of the season last night and built "gingerbread" houses. We had a fantastic turnout and a great time with paint, glue, ribbon, cotton, and delicious wassail.
---
Love our gingerbread spice cake? Make your own with this recipe.

Moist, Tender Spice Cake: Gingerbread Variation

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 cup milk
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened until easily spreadable
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup molasses

DIRECTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour a metal or disposable foil 9-by-13-inch pan. Whisk dry ingredients and spices in a large bowl. Mix milk, eggs, molasses and vanilla extract in a 2-cup measuring cup.
2. Beat softened butter into dry ingredients, first on low, then medium, until mixture forms pebble-sized pieces. Add about 1/3 of the milk mixture and beat on low until smooth. Add remaining milk mixture in two stages; beat on medium speed until batter is just smooth. Add the sugar; beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Pour batter into cake pan.
3. Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the cake's center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the pan perimeter and turn cake onto rack. Let cool.

Happy Tree Trimming!

Welcome Wassailers

Hello Friends,

It's Wassail Wednesday here at MET, which means that not only will we be open for extended viewing (until 8 p.m.) of our amazing Festival of Trees, but we will also be doing some special activities.

For today, beginning at 5:30 p.m., we will be offering samples of our hot wassail. The term wassail comes to us from an Olde English toast which means "Be in good health," so we proudly serve it to you to boost your spirits and get your creative juices flowing for tonight's gingerbread house-making workshop.

Yes, at 6 or 7 p.m., visitors can make their very own gingerbread house the Museum way: with cardboard and paint! Interested participants are encouraged to pre-register by calling us at 639-4434, as supplies and seats are very limited for tonight. (Thanks to the many of you who have called us already!)

If you're not able to attend tonight's events, build your own at home. A how-to is below.

Gingerbread House How-To

Materials: cardboard, hot glue, paint, house pattern, ribbon, cotton balls, regular glue, paint brush, any other decorations desired

• Use patterns to trace shapes onto cardboard. Make two copies of each of the three patterns for a complete house.

• Cut out cardboard shapes. Use caution with sharp scissors!

• Use hot glue to attach walls of house to a larger piece of cardboard that will be your foundation and to each other. Use caution with hot glue!

• Use paint, ric-rac, cotton balls, glitter, stryofoam, fabric, markers, beads, glue, etc to decorate your gingerbread cottage and make it your own!

Thirsting for some delicious wassail? Try this recipe.

American Wassail Recipe

Makes: 1.5 gallons

Ingredients:

• 1 can (1 qt 14 oz size) pineapple juice
• 1 quart Orange Juice
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 5 tea bags
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons whole cloves
• 3 cinnamon sticks
  
  

Directions:

Combine fruit juices. Steep tea in 2 1/2 qts boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Remove tea bags. In sauce pan combine remaining ingredients with 1 qt cold water - bring to a boil and boil 3 minutes. Strain. Just before serving combine juices, tea and spiced water and bring to a boil.

And to all of you, be in good health and Happy Wassail Wednesday!

The Cure for the Common Yule

The MET Department of Education is proud to present three craftacular workshops at the Museum's annual holiday extended hours:
December 19-21 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Festival of Trees is truly something to behold in the cool evenings, but add a dash of flavor from special yuletide treats and workshops to spruce up your spruce and grr! up your fir and it's practically a party.

Wassail Wednesday
December 19
sample wassail** while enjoying the Festival of Trees
Workshop: Gingerbread Houses—Make your own cozy cottage the Museum way: with cardboard, paint, and glitter.

Tree Trimming Thursday
December 20
sample gingerbread** while enjoying the Festival of Trees
Workshop: Old-fashioned paper and popcorn garlands—the young and young at heart will delight in stringing these timeless tree-trimming garlands.

Frosty Friday
December 21
sample hot chocolate** while enjoying the Festival of Trees
Workshop: Beaded snowflake ornaments—No snowflake will ever be like yours when you make it your way with beads and chenille stems.

*Workshops are offered on the hour at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. There is no fee to attend, but pre-registration is encouraged to ensure adequate supplies.

**Special holiday treats will be served at 5:30 p.m. until supplies run out.