Christmas Is Never Boring!

Did You Know? - Crème brûlée also known as burnt cream, crema catalana, or Trinity cream is a dessert consisting of a rich custard base topped with a contrasting layer of hard caramel. It is normally served at room temperature. The custard base is traditionally flavored with vanilla, but can have a variety of other flavorings.

Did You Know? - In French culture, the snails are typically purged, killed, removed from their shells, and cooked (usually with garlic butter, chicken stock or wine), and then placed back into the shells with the butter and sauce for serving. Additional ingredients may be added, such as garlic, thyme, parsley and pine nuts. Special snail tongs (for holding the shell) and snail forks (for extracting the meat) are also normally provided, and they are served on indented metal trays with places for six or 12 snails.

Escargots are estimated to contain 15% protein, 2.4% fat and about 80% water.

Did You Know? - Ratatouille is a traditional French Provençal stewed vegetable dish, originating in Nice. Though referred to commonly as ratatouille niçoise, ratatouille is popular among the entire Mediterranean coast as an easy summer dish. It is typically prepared as a stew with each vegetable being sautéed separately before being layered into a baking dish and baked.

Did You Know? - The word fondue is the feminine passive past participle of the French verb fondre ("to melt") used as a noun. It is first attested in French in 1735, in Vincent la Chapelle's Cuisinier moderne, and in English in 1878.

Did You Know? - The Petersen Automotive Museum is undergoing a major renovation, and it's a stunner— thanks to a fresh coat of red paint and shiny new fenders.

The reflective steel ribbons began wrapping around the Miracle Mile museum's new red facade back in April. And now, the $125 million redesign seems to be speeding towards completion, which is expected this December. It will mark the museum's 20th anniversary. Once completed the undulating silver zebra stripes—designed by architect Kohn Pedersen Fox—will be lit from within and run around the entire building on the corner of Wilshire and Fairfax. According to Fox, the exterior is meant to "evoke the imagery of speed and the organic curves of a coach-built automobile."

The Petersen's renovated interior will feature 22 new galleries and plenty of interactive technology to complement the museum's diverse collection of vehicles. The museum recently announced that they've partnered with several international automotive brands to bring innovative exhibitions to the completed museum. One of the new galleries will include a revolving selection of BMW's Art Cars, designed by artists like Alexander Calder, Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, and Jenny Holzer. There will also be an installation demonstrating how Maseratis go from concept to completion, and a 1,500 square-foot simulation room where visitors can tear up legendary racing circuits.