Matador Network's Blog, page 543
December 10, 2021
The 6 Vail hotels perfect for your upcoming ski getaway
Vail hotels perfect for skiers are aplenty. Thing is, if you aren’t paying attention you’ll wind up paying half a month’s wages for each night you plan to stay, and that’s before the cost of lift tickets or dinners out even enter the equation. Fortunately, there are some good deals in the area for your upcoming ski trip. Here are the top ski hotels in Vail where you can enjoy easy lift access, hot tubs, and the mountain town vibes you’re after — and also do some serious skiing.
We hope you love the Vail hotels we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication. See our full Advertiser Disclosure here.
1. Gravity Haus Vail
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Gravity Haus is the hub for modern mountain explorers. Their new Vail outlet is a combo high-end hotel and restaurant with social club and adventure tour outfitter. Rent gear for all types of mountain excursions here, toast a craft beer, and chill in rooms outfitted with tempting mountain photography. The aesthetic of Gravity Haus is targeted to the traveling mountaineer, and the vibe on the property is the result of those efforts. You’re bound to make some new friends and/or share great memories with the crew you arrived with. What’s super cool at Gravity Haus is that it offers traditional hotel rooms as well as rooms with bunks and options for families and groups, to split the cost and make Vail more affordable than ever. Just don’t forget to grab a gourmet coffee from the coffee bar in the morning.
Price: From $479 per night
2. Mountain Haus at the Covered Bridge
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Staying right at the base of Vail has its perks. The Covered Bridge is one of Vail’s most iconic features, especially when filled with ski-carrying revelers heading towards the lifts in the morning or towards an apres-ski beverage in the afternoon. There’s easy lift access, of course. But with Mountain Haus you also get super cool amenities like hot tub access, large rooms with ski storage, and easy access to rentals, dining, shops, and the entirety of the expansive base village. Take advantage of the kitchenettes and apartment-style layout of the units. Nothing beats watching the sun rise over the mountains in the morning from the large windows in your room (as seen in the photo slide above) and if you want to do an entire vacation without driving, you can do that with a stay here. Vail’s walkable village has everything you need, with additional restaurants and shopping available just down the way in Lionshead.
Price: From $176 per night
3. Grand Hyatt Vail
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Staying at the Grand Hyatt Vail is akin to taking all the amenities of an urban luxury hotel and placing them at the foot of one of the world’s best ski areas. The rooms are modern and clean, with ski storage access and walkable rental shops and dining. Ultra-fast wifi is guaranteed, and if you can, request a room on one of the upper floors — the views out over the hills and valley are unbeatable. Of course, expect all the amenities of any Grand Hyatt hotel (including milking those rewards points).
Price: From $557 per night
4. The Bunkhouse, Minturn
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Ski town hostels are the stuff of legend. Sure, there’s the beer-filled story hours and community dinners that you’ll find in any hostel the world over. But the stoke that comes from sharing a great day on the hill with a crew of travelers — some you know, some you just met — adds that extra bit of epicness that traditional hotels fail to capture. Plus, The Bunkhouse is refined and nice, including a massive lounge area, community kitchen, fire pit, and mountain lodge touches that actually make this a place you’d want to bring your partner, friends, or family. It’s just down the road in Minturn, not far from the ski resorts of Summit County, a quiet mountain town that retains the charm of a place that hasn’t been overrun by mega-resorts.
Price: From $81 per night
5. Austria Haus
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Just off Gore Creek, Austria Haus is the spot to book for a true Euro getaway in the heart of the Rockies. Units in this condo-hotel are designed as apartments or townhomes, with amenities like kitchens and multiple bedrooms that can accommodate groups and couples. Hop on the BreckConnect Gondola first thing in the morning to access the powder and when you return after a day on the hill, relax in the heated outdoor pool. Each unit is decored to the style of royalty, with high thread counts and well-trimmed bathroom and vanity areas.
Price: From $599 per night
6. Evergreen Lodge at Vail
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Evergreen Lodge at Vail is quaint, quiet, and cozy — exactly what you want after a day on the slopes. These are defining characteristics of Vail hotels but not always at this price point. The hotel also offers a full bar and game room with both pool tables and an arcade. Your crew will enjoy easy access to apres-activities at iconic spots like Vail Brewing and King’s Club. An indoor pool and hot tub are key to post-ski recharge, as well. The hotel’s continental breakfast will get you going in the morning, and the perk of staying in Dillon is that you’re a few minutes from Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, and Breckenridge — yet Loveland and Copper Mountain are just a quick jaunt up I-70. 
Price: From $299 per night
More like thisWhere to Stay7 Vail Airbnbs that make you feel like you’re in the heart of Bavaria
December 9, 2021
Someone on TikTok exposed the actual value of the $1000 Chanel advent calendar
It might seem strikingly obvious to many, but spending more than $1,000 on an advent calendar is not worth it. Any doubters simply need to look to the TikTok of Elise Harmon, who purchased a Chanel advent calendar this year for the eye-watering price of $1,025.
The Chanel advent calendar in question, elegantly shaped like a bottle of the famous Chanel N°5, is a special item released by the luxury brand to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the perfume.
The anniversary is also celebrated in other fancy ways. In London, for example, famous luxury department store Harrods dedicated five of its Christmas windows displays and its Door Five entrance to the event. And if passersby manage to find and keep good count of all the miniature N°5 bottles hidden in the five windows, they receive a gift at the store’s Chanel beauty counter. Hopefully, those gifts are better than what’s in the Chanel advent calendar.
The advent calendar starts on December 5 (a nod to the name of the acclaimed fragrance) and ends on December 31. Anyone expecting all 27 boxes to be filled with high-class products from the brand were seriously disappointed.
@eliseharmonWorth the hype? Probably not but it is pretty
♬ It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas – Michael Bublé
When Elise Harmon opened the ninth door of the calendar, she exclaimed, “This has to be a joke. This is a joke. Stickers?! Stickers?!”
And who can blame her? Stickers are the polar opposite of what the Chanel brand represents — namely elegance, luxury, and high quality.
There are some good items to be had, such as body cream, bath soap, lipstick, nail polish, and perfume, but the cheap trinkets, like a plastic bracelet, sticker, bookmark, and keychain, have severely disappointed those who purchased the calendar expecting sophistication.
@eliseharmonPart 5 I am barely hanging on over here y’all
♬ Santa Tell Me – Ariana Grande
In defense of the brand, all the items included in the Chanel advent calendar were very clearly listed on its website with pictures illustrating each gift. But still, when seen up close, some of the items look tacky, low-quality, and certainly not in line with what one would expect from such a famous luxury brand — and not worth the $1,025 price tag.
In a statement given to the Toronto Star, Chanel explained “We are aware of the comments that are currently visible under our publications and are sorry that this calendar may have disappointed some people.”
7 things that make Christmas in Denmark unique
Denmark, like most countries that celebrate Christmas, goes all out for the holidays. The nation hosts some of the best Christmas markets in Europe and heavily decorated trees are easy to stumble upon, but Denmark also has its own special Christmas traditions that you won’t find anywhere else. From sweet treats to special decorations and dances around the Christmas tree, here are seven traditions you can experience during Christmas in Denmark.
1. Gløgg
Photo: Torvehallerne KBH /Facebook
Just about every wine-drinking country has its own take on mulled wine. In Denmark, it’s called gløgg. Visit Copenhagen describes the holiday beverage as a mix of “clove, oranges, cinnamon, anis, burnt wine, and strong booze,” but recipes tend to vary according to individual taste and may also include lemon, cardamon, ginger, and raisins.
The variety that you can find in gløgg makes for the perfect excuse to hold a yearly Danish Gløgg championship. The event takes place in Torvehallerne, a large and very popular food market in the Danish capital that hosts 80 vendors and sees over 100,000 shoppers per week. In 2021, Marie-Luise Lubich won first prize for her home-brewed gløgg.
Æbleskiver
Photo: Richard Clark and Mathias Milton via Visit Denmark
Unlike what its name suggests to those who understand Danish, æbleskiver are not apple slices. The word refers to round pastries, and it’s commonly translated as “Danish pancake puffs.” But the Christmas treat isn’t really made of pancake batter — it’s a distinctive pastry made with buttermilk, cardamon, and lemon zest.
To create the circular shape, the æbleskiver batter is poured into a special pan with half spheres, and cooked on the stove top. Once one half of the æbleskiver is cooked, it is flipped upside down with a skewer for the rest of the dough to form a crust, almost exactly in the same way Japanese takoyaki are prepared. Æbleskiver is traditionally served with jam and icing sugar.
According to Visit Denmark, Tivoli Gardens, a beloved theme park in central Copenhagen, serves an incredible 69,000 æbleskiver during the holiday season.
3. Klippeklistredag
Photo: Freya McOmish, Scandinavia Standard via Visit Denmark
Christmas in Denmark is marked by a very unique event: Klippeklistredag. Translated as “Cut-and-paste Day”, Klippeklistredag is an entire day dedicated to creating Christmas decorations. For one day in early December each year, kids in schools and families at home take out their craft supplies to make garlands, elves, snowflakes, and Juletrekurv — the braided heart-shaped ornaments allegedly created by famous Danish fairy tale author Hans Christian Andersen.
Katinka Friis, PR and press manager for Visit Denmark, tells Matador Network that “Danish parents hold on to the little Christmas elves (nisse in Danish) or Christmas hearts that their kids made for Klippeklistedag while growing up and use them to decorate the trees for years.”
4. Kalenderlys
Photo: Katie Scott Aiton
Often a table centerpiece during the Christmas season in Denmark, the kalenderlys is an advent candle. Stamped at intervals with numbers from one to 24, the kalenderlys is lit every day, and it’s often the children’s responsibility to blow it out before it burns through the next day. Kalenderlys don’t replace advent calendars, which in Denmark, like everywhere else, contain small gifts or treats to discover every day between December 1 and December 24.
5. Danse om juletræetOn December 24, after the big Christmas feast served on the julebord (the grand and beautifully decorated Christmas table), the Danes do a little workout. Maybe it’s good for digestion, maybe it’s plain old fun, but on Christmas Eve in Denmark, people sing Christmas songs while holding hands and dancing around the Christmas tree. The tradition is said to date back to the early 19th century, and according to Friis, “Some of the songs involve jumping like a mad elf or running throughout the house in a long line, while singing faster and faster.”
6. Hoppe ind i det nye årAnother Danish holiday tradition that involves some form of exercise is the New Year jump. On New Year’s Eve, Danes climb on pieces of furniture and as the clock strikes midnight, they jump onto the floor to symbolically “jump into the new year.” Friis explains that “The idea is that it is bad luck to step on the boundary between the new and the old year, so you try to jump over it instead.”
7. The Santa Lucia kayak parade
Photo: Courtesy of Visit Denmark
Lucia parades take place all around Scandinavia and Finland every year on December 13. The Santa Lucia parade is a centuries-old tradition that commemorates the martyr Lucia of Syracuse. The traditional parades generally consist of young people dressed in white gowns who walk the streets while carrying candles.
Every year, the people of Copenhagen give a fun twist to the event by parading on the city’s canals in kayaks outfitted with Christmas decorations and lights. The kayakers stop on the way to sing carols while passersby watch them from the city’s quays.
New study found the most, and least, expensive states to buy a cup of coffee in
Coffee is essential for most people when they’re traveling, and thankfully it’s usually easy to find. But the price of coffee can vary widely depending on where you are. Recently, te website SavingsSpot put together a handy chart of the cities and states in America with the most, and least, expensive cup of coffee.
Coffee aficionados might not be surprised to learn that Seattle, Washington, takes the crown for the most expensive cup of coffee in America, coming in at an average of $3.46. But this is no gas station coffee on offer — Seattle is well known for its many gourmet coffee shops. Seattle isn’t the only city int he state with a high price tag. Washington state is home to the top five most expensive cities for coffee on the list: Seattle, followed by Olympia, Kennewick, Tacoma, and Bremerton. When it comes to pure coffeeshop access, however, Hawaii has the most coffee shops per capita, with about 41 coffee shops per 100,000 people.
Photo: SavingSpot
You’ll find the most affordable cup of coffee in Iowa, where a caffeinated pick-me-up costs, on average, $1.38. New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island all have similarly inexpensive cups of coffee on hand.
Photo: SavingSpot
The city with the least expensive coffee in the country is Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where your latte or cold brew will cost around $1.18. However, folks in cities in the Midwest are especially lucky when it comes to cheap coffee: The cost for a cup of coffee in Des Moines, Ann Arbor, and Dayton all hover around $1.38.
Photo: SavingSpot
If you’re interested in how coffee prices stack up to income levels, look to Louisiana, which is the state with “the least affordable coffee compared to income — $3.10, which is 18% of the median hourly pay in that state,” according to SavingsSpot.
Photo: SavingSpot
You can read the rest of the SavingSpot coffee findings here.
Big Bear Airbnbs for the ultimate SoCal ski getaway
Big Bear is an outdoors paradise just over two hours from Los Angeles. Besides being a ski town, there are activities and events for couples, families, or friend groups looking for a fun getaway. You can ski and snowboard, shop, dine, or hit one of the town’s most unique features — the Big Bear Alpine Zoo — all while staying in a beautiful Airbnb. Here our the coolest Airbnbs in Big Bear with the views, hot tubs, game rooms, and close proximity to the ski hill and town center.
We hope you love the Big Bear Airbnbs we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication. See our full Advertiser Disclosure here.
Boutique cabin with beautiful mountain views
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Nestled in a quiet neighborhood, this private cabin is a nature lovers paradise. This boutique chalet has an open concept living with a fully equipped kitchen and a dining area. A front deck area shows off views of the mountains and a backyard area perfect for roasting marshmallows and taking a dip in the jacuzzi.
Four guests, two bedrooms
Price: $311 per night
Countryside retro cabin with private hot tub
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
This three-bedroom retro cabin located in the country is the perfect place to escape to the great outdoors. The kitchen comes with a double oven, dishwasher, and island, and an open spacious dining room that has an indoor fireplace and a sliding door that leads to the outdoor space that has a fire pit, seating area, and a private hot tub.
Eight guests, three bedrooms
Price: $350 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Named Higgie Bear and built-in 1974, this remodeled cabin comes with a heavy dose of history. The two-level cabin is built in Gambrel style — meaning it had two sloped roofs on each side — and now renovated into an A-frame cabin. This big bear Airbnb has high ceilings with open windows to see the mountain views and bring in a lot of light. There are two bedrooms, a loft, a new kitchen, and a jacuzzi fit for six. There are also games, high chairs, a white noise machine, and other supplies for the kids.
Six guests, three bedrooms
Price: $350 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Perched up high in the mountains above Moonbridge, this cabin has a modern mix with some rustic vintage touches added in. The cozy, quaint cabin is three stories high and has three decks. The top floor hosts a queen bed, full bathroom, and balcony. The main floor has the kitchen, living room with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and a fireplace, and the main deck with a gas grill, bar seating, and deck chairs. The lower level has two twin beds and a balcony that leads to the jacuzzi.
Six guests, three bedrooms
Price: $305 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
This comfy cabin-style house is right in the middle of Big Bear Lake village. Perfect for a couple or family, this hidden retreat is a 760-square-feet cabin with an open floor plan. There are two bedrooms, one with a queen-sized bed and the other with bunk beds and access to the backyard. Warm up by the fire in the open living room after a day on the hill, while watching your favorites or looking at the beautiful mountain views. Unwind in the backyard which hosts fairy lights, a hot tub, and a fire pit to roast marshmallows.
Four guests, two bedrooms
Price: $230 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Located in the canyon of Moonridge, this one-story cabin is close to all the amenities in Big Bear. The cabin has wood-grated ceilings above an open living space that extends to the living room. The living room has a gas fireplace, a comfy seating area with a view, a large 60″ smart TV, Boss-Toss, and other fun board games that you can play. The kitchen is loaded with everything you need to indulge in a gourmet meal. Outside, treat your partner to a romantic night with twinkle lights, a seating area, and gorgeous forest views.
Four guests, two bedrooms
Price: $275 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
This newly remodeled bright and spacious cabin is tucked away in the woods. A two-bedroom, three-bath haunt, the kitchen is stocked with all the necessities and the living room fireplace begs for an apres-ski relaxation session. There’s also a game room area for a friendly round of foosball. Enjoy morning coffee on the porch before hitting the mountain.
Six guests, two bedrooms
Price: $159 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Guests rave about this remote gateway cabin tucked off in the forested backcountry. The living room features a fireplace, a guitar, and a record player. This Sierra-style cabin has skylight windows, and there is also a full kitchen and a dining area. This cabin is perfect for families as there is a playhouse for the kids in the enclosed backyard along with a fire pit and seating area.
Four guests, two bedrooms
Price: $220 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Relax and enjoy this contemporary cabin with modern furnishings. Come and warm up under the wood-burning fireplace and cook up a meal for yourself in the newly renovated kitchen, and enjoy your dinner under the antler chandelier — picture-perfect mountain ambiance. Over morning coffee, capture mountain views on the outdoor patio on the second floor.
Six guests, two bedrooms
Price: $252 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Come and unwind at this custom-built house in Boulder Bay. The home has floor-to-ceiling windows and an open floor plan. The family room has a fireplace, seating area, and futon bed great for watching TV, and guests can also get to the deck from the family room. There is a full kitchen and dining area. Upstairs there is a loft with small office space, and downstairs in the garage is an entire game room with a hockey table, flat-screen TV, and vintage-style arcade game.
Seven guests, two bedrooms
Price: $286 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
This ski-in, ski-out condo is located right next to Bear Mountain Ski Resort. This home is perfect for families and groups looking for a mountain getaway without sacrificing typical amenities like a full kitchen and dining area and a living room with a wood-burning fireplace. You can also watch those on the slopes right from the patio (photos of wipe-outs encouraged).
Six guests, two bedrooms
Price: $258 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
This expansive 3000-square-foot cabin is built for families. Big Bear Airbnbs don’t often come this stocked (calling out the adirondack-lined fire pit, in particular). The kitchen is modern and chef-worthy and the dining room is set for ten — so bring the in-laws (or don’t). Get comfortable in the spacious living room with the luxurious indoor fireplace and large smart TV, or enjoy foosball, ping pong, and air hockey in the gaming area. Your stay here earns you a discount at the nearby ski shop, in case you forgot that second glove or need a ski tune. Ski shuttles can pick you up from home and take you to Snow Summit and Bear Mountain.
Six guests, two bedrooms
Price: $275 per night
10 tips for winter hiking
TO MANY PEOPLE, hiking in the cold sounds about as appealing as standing in an airport security line. But the thing is, trail exploration in winter is quite magical, as long as you do a bit of planning. There are far fewer people on the trails, and the views you’re accustomed to in summer have a different flavor when capped in white. Proper gear is pertinent, as is a mug full of your favorite hot beverage. Come December, when the snow starts falling, there are just a few things to know for a comfortable winter hike. Of course, the easiest way to become a pro (or to keep warm) is to just start moving.
We hope you love the winter hiking gear we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication. See our full Advertiser Disclosure here.
1. Dress like an onionThe Québécois have a saying — s’habiller comme un oignon — which literally means “dress like an onion;” i.e. wear layers. This is especially important for winter hiking, as temperatures can change greatly between the trailhead and the summit. Having a variety of insulating clothing will help you regulate your body temperature and keep you comfortable. I like to wear a layer of long underwear, a light fleece or softshell jacket, and waterproof pants. I keep an insulated jacket (either down or synthetic loft), fleece pants, and a waterproof shell jacket in my pack in case of foul weather. Make sure your bottom layer is a moisture-wicking fabric as any sweat on your skin will start to feel cold very quickly the moment you stop moving.
Always wear thick, winter-weight socks, since your toes are the first place you’ll feel cold. It’s also a good idea to have two layers of gloves or mittens — one for insulation and one for waterproofing. Tossing a beanie in your backpack is always a good idea, too.
Recommended gear:
Patagonia Nano Puffy Jacket (Women’s) or Patagonia Down Sweater (Men’s)REI Merino Wool Expedition hiking socksPatagonia Better Sweater Gloves2. Start small and start earlyWhen planning your first winter hike, be reasonable about the distance and difficulty of the trail. While it might be a cinch to do a 12-mile loop in summer conditions, you may run into ice or snow on the same trail in winter, which will slow you down. Many access roads to your favorite trailheads may be closed and unplowed in winter, which could add significant mileage to your trip to reach the trailhead. There’s nothing quite as frustrating as wading through knee-deep snow for miles on end, so choose a trail you know you can handle without difficulty.
Even if you’re not a morning person, start your winter hike early. Don’t forget that the sun sets much earlier in winter. Plan to be off the trail well before dark, especially as temperatures drop dramatically as soon as the sun goes down.
Recommended prep tips:
Download Gaia GPS on your phone. This app offers trail info including length, altitude gain, photos, and current reviews from recent hikers.Be sure your phone is charged and tell someone both where you’re going and when you think you’ll be back.3. Bring safety gear.There are a few basic items everyone should carry in case of an emergency. Aside from basic hiking gear, you should always have a trail map, a first aid kit, a compass, a pocket knife or multi-tool, hand warming packets, and a headlamp. For a day hike, it’s a good idea to split up some of the heavier safety items among your group members. You should also bring more food than you’d need for a summer hike as you’ll burn more calories in colder weather.
Avid outdoorsman Frank Gibbons, who hikes and backpacks year-round in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, warns that even day-hikers should be prepared to spend the night outside in an emergency. “Every member of the group usually carries some emergency gear like a bivy sack or sleeping bag, down parka, cell phone, sleeping pad (for laying someone down if hurt), etc.” While it may mean that your backpack is a bit heavier, it may also mean that you avoid frostbite if you have to stay on the mountain overnight. Many hikers choose to always carry the 10 Essentials in their packs.
Recommended gear:
HART Outdoor Day Hike First Aid KitOutdoor Research Helium BivyREI Trailbreak Self-Inflating Sleeping Pad4. Check the weatherWhile this might seem like an obvious step, it’s always important to know what conditions to expect during your hike. This is especially true when hiking in winter. Look at the precipitation, wind speed, avalanche reports, and daylight hours. According to Director of Programs at the Mount Washington Observatory Peter Crane, winter hikers should aim to become knowledgeable about winter weather patterns.
“Do your research, learn about winter conditions and how they vary from summer conditions. It’s really a different world in the winter. A dozen people have died on Mount Washington due to avalanches. When you get above treeline, you have the added challenge of finding your way in limited visibility or even whiteout conditions.”
Be sure to plan your hike for a day when conditions are manageable and the weather forecast is promising. If the conditions look less than perfect, postpone your hike.
5. Learn to use microspikesWhen the trail is icy, microspikes can make the difference between summiting and turning around, but it’s easy to injure yourself if you use them improperly. If you’re new to microspikes (which are a smaller, less climbing-oriented version of crampons), read up on techniques and try them out on an easy trail. Practice putting them on and taking them off. Ask a more experienced friend to show you how to use them going up and downhill.
Take it slow when you’re starting out to avoid accidents. One misstep or stumble and you could cut your leg or sprain an ankle. Microspikes are rows of metal spikes attached to your feet, and while they may make you feel secure on ice, they’re still sharp and should be stored (and used) safely.
Recommended gear:
Kahtoola MICROSpikes Traction System hiking crampons (light snow/ice cover)Kahtoola KTS Steel Crampons for harder ice cover6. Take an experienced friend.Hiking with friends is always the way to go, especially in the winter. Not only is it more fun to share the adventure with others, but it’s also safer to be with a group. An experienced friend can help you choose gear, use microspikes or snowshoes, and identify dangerous conditions. If you’re new to the sport and don’t want to spend a lot of money, your friends may have extra gloves, hiking poles, or goggles laying around you could borrow to check off your packing list. Be sure to leave at least one friend at home who knows where you’re going.
7. Make tea or cocoa.It’s essential to bring carry of water when hiking in the winter as dehydration is a common problem. It’s easy to forget to drink when you’re cold, but you’ll be burning serious calories and will need to remind yourself to take water breaks. Add some comfort to your trip by making tea, coffee, or cocoa in a lightweight and portable stove, or carrying it with you in a leak-proof insulating mug. A hot beverage can warm you up and provide a nice break from the hike. There’s nothing like a hot cocoa break to motivate you for the final push to the summit.
Recommended gear:
Hydro Flask Coffee Mug with Flex Sip Lid8. Invest in good gear.While no two packing lists are exactly the same, there are some basic items every winter hiker should be prepared to buy. Most avid winter hikers will want to eventually have their own crampons or snowshoes, waterproof pants and a jacket, knee-high gaiters, waterproof boots, insulated jacket, lightweight backpack, hiking poles, gloves and beanie, and goggles or wrap-around sunglasses. A camp stove can also be a nice buy for warm meals and drinks on the trail. While it’s tempting to take the cheap route and get sub-par gear, I recommend looking for end-of-season sales and coupons instead. Your gear could save your life.
Look at REI for closeout items. It can be expensive when you’re getting started, but you’ll be able to repurpose many of the items for summer camping and hiking, too.
9. Be prepared to turn around.Legendary mountaineer Ed Viesturs, who has climbed all 14 of the world’s mountains above 8,000 meters (roughly 26,200 feet), once said, “Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory.” Echoing this sentiment, Mount Washington Observatory’s Crane advises that “the mountains have been here for a long time, and they’ll be here for a long time still.” Don’t hesitate to turn around if you run into conditions that look dangerous. Reaching the summit of a peak is just half the journey, and you need to have time and energy left for the descent. Focus on the entire trip, not just the ascent. You can always try again the following weekend.
10. After winter hiking, treat yourself to a great meal.Lastly, be sure to reward yourself for a job well done. When I come off a mountain, I like to find the nearest source of comfort food. Sometimes it’s a cozy bar with great burgers; sometimes it’s a lively pizza place. No worries about your appearance and aroma; restaurants at the base of any big peak are used to hikers stopping off for a meal. Carbs, sodium, and vitamins are all good things to pack into your body after a long, active day.
How to enjoy winter in Montana when you don’t ski or snowboard
When you tell people you’re visiting Montana in winter, it’s pretty much assumed you’re going on a ski trip. But that assumption isn’t just unfair to you — it’s unfair to Montana itself. Sure, the state is an epic ski destination, but don’t let that overshadow the other winter pastimes Montana has to offer.
Ski trips are cool and all, but a skijoring adventure through snow-covered wilderness? Dog sledding through the wilds of Big Sky Country? Plowing through beers, not fresh snow, at breweries with dramatic mountain views? That’s what a real Montana winter is all about. So go ahead, hit the slopes if you want, but if you don’t ski — don’t worry. You’ll find plenty to do in Montana come winter.
Skiing is just the beginningSkiing might be the most mainstream winter sport, but it’s far from the only adrenaline-pumping way to enjoy winter in Montana. One of the most fun may be dogsledding, which the state proves isn’t just for far-flung Alaskan and Scandinavian adventurers. In Big Sky country, you can take a dog-sled tour through the beautiful country between Yellowstone National Park and the town of Bozeman. You’ll get to both mush the dogs and spend time in the sled just enjoying the ride. For something a bit more rural, head to the small town of Olney, where Dog Sled Adventures will take you on a 12-mile trail through the foothills of the Whitefish Range in the Stillwater State Forest. On both adventures, you’ll get time to meet the dogs and take some pictures with the friendly pooches.
Photo: Niall Dune/Shutterstock
When you think of fishing in Montana, you might conjure images of a deep blue mountain lake under a vast sky, with fishers in waders gathered around the shoreline. It’s a pretty accurate image, except when it comes to winter in Montana, when the lakes are frozen and the shoreline is covered in a few feet of snow. But if you’re up for a bit of adventure, fishing is still a viable activity. It might not sound quite as relaxing as fishing in a warm lake under the sun, but ice fishing is a fact of life in the country’s northernmost climes. Flathead Lake Charters offers guided ice fishing excursions near Whitefish Mountain Ski Resort and provides guests with a shelter to keep them (reasonably) warm on the lake. And if you have a successful day, they’ll fillet your catch so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor for dinner. There are also plenty of great ice fishing spots in southern Montana, like those at Georgetown Lake, Hauser Lake, and Clark Canyon Reservoir.
Taking a mountain bike for a spin is generally out of the question during a Montana winter, but that’s okay — just rent a fat bike. The increasingly popular fat-biking trend is making winter trails accessible for bikers. And no, it’s not a pejorative term. Fat biking refers to bicycles with larger, thicker tires (usually at least 3 inches wide) with enough grip and weight dispersion to maintain some degree of control on slippery surfaces, like snow. The Whitefish Bike Retreat offers rentals and winter access to the 22-mile Whitefish Trail. If you’re a first-timer, take it slow to enjoy the scenic ride through the woods with views of the lakes and mountains.
Photo: Scott Wilson Photography/Shutterstock
If you really just wrap your head around the idea of going to Montana in winter and not skiing, there’s always skijoring. The name, as you might guess, comes from a Norwegian word that roughly translates to “steering skis.” You might not have heard of skijoring before, but it’s a favorite in Montana. Skiers are pulled by horses or dogs through a course with jumps and various obstacles as they compete for the fastest time. The Paws Up Resort in Greenough offers a training course for amateurs to try their hand at skijoring. If you’d rather watch from afar, an annual skijoring competition (the World Skijoring Invitational) is held in Whitefish every January.
Explore the winter wildernessMontana is known as Big Sky Country, yet arguably it’s most impressive feature isn’t the sky at all — it’s the vast, unspoiled landscapes unparalleled in stunning natural beauty. Glacier and Yellowstone national parks are two of the most scenic parks not only in Montana, but the whole national park system. And perhaps contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t have to be summer for you to take a national park trip (especially if you want to avoid the crowds!)
Photo: Galyna Andrushko/Shutterstock
Yes, six inches of snow does complicate a hike through a national park. But snow is actually essential for one of Montana’s most fun outdoor winter activities: snowshoeing. Trekking through the valleys of Yellowstone or Glacier on snowshoes with the mountains in the distance, takes hiking to a new level of epic. For the truly daring, Glacier Adventure Guides offers multi-day snowshoeing and cross-country skiing tours, where guests sleep in tents by night and go on rugged excursions by day. There are also several do-it-yourself ski trails, like McDonald Falls Trail and Sacred Dancing Cascades Trail in Glacier, and Cascade Lake Ski Trail and Old Canyon Bridge Ski Trail in Yellowstone. You can rent snowshoes from ski rental shops in towns if you don’t have your own.
Another way to experience Montana’s great outdoors is by simply staying in a backcountry lodge. The Downing Mountain Lodge on the edge of the Lolo National Forest sits 2,000 feet above the Bitterroot Valley, putting it in a perfect location for backcountry skiing and snowshoeing. The surrounding terrain ranges from steep alpine bowls to calmer, flatter glades for all skill levels, so you can fully enjoy the area’s wilderness at a more leisurely pace if you’re just starting to build your cross-country ski skills.
Warm up with a local brewWhat better way to warm up on a cold Montana winter night than by throwing back one or two (or so) locally brewed beers? Montana’s brewery scene has been exploding recently, and you can find quality local beers in pretty much every major city in the state. Billings is especially known for its breweries and the Billings Brewery Trail covers six breweries, a ciderie, and two distilleries in a roughly 10-block loop. If you’re looking to spend a fair chunk of time tasting all things hoppy, stout, and sour during your trip, base yourself near Billings.
Photo: Uberbrew Facebook/Shutterstock
Überbrew is one of the trail’s standouts, winning both the Great American Beer Festival’s Small Brewery of the Year award and the Brewer of the Year Award in 2016. It’s known for its White Noise wheat and Alpha Force Double Tap black ale, and, as their name might belie, their huge German-style pretzels.
Next door is Carter’s Brewery, which likely has the most beers on tap in all of Billings. Their tasting room is an old train station, so if you’re looking for ambiance while you sip, this is the place to go. But liquor lovers aren’t totally out of luck on the brew trail, either, thanks to Undammed Distilling Co., a craft distillery that produced bourbon, gin, vodka, and single-malt whiskey. The best part? A portion of every sale goes to conserving the Yellowstone River, so you can drink completely guilt-free.
Shake the chill in a hot springSure, a few beers may help you relax, but it’s a fine line between relaxed and hungover. To unwind without the unfortunate aftereffects, visit one of Montana’s therapeutic natural hot springs. Norris Hot Springs in the Madison River Valley is perfect for road trippers and vanlifers, with several campsites and hookups for RVs. The group of mineral springs is called the “Water of the Gods.” Heated to 120 degrees by day, the pool is emptied each night using the same gate valve installed by miners in the 1880s; a nod to the site’s long history. The property also has a bar and grill plus live music every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Photo: Chico Hot Springs Facebook/Shutterstock
Chico Hot Springs Resort should also be on your list of must-stop winter attractions in Montana. Just north of Yellowstone in the Paradise Valley, this resort invites guests to stay in either a private log cabin or an old train caboose furnished with a fireplace, bathtub, and other comfortable amenities. Surrounded by mountains and just a short drive from Yellowstone National Park, the resort is perfect for those looking for an upscale spa retreat coupled with a more rugged wilderness experience. The property has two open-air, geothermally heated mineral pools for guest use, though non-guests can buy day passes if they’re just passing through.
Chefs explain their 12 favorite holiday recipes from around the world
The holiday season is for eating. All around the world, food and drinks are the centerpieces to gatherings of family and friends. What’s on the menu depends on where you are, and the dishes that make it to a plate and the drinks poured into glasses are often cherished regional and family recipes.
We caught up with chefs who’ve run Michelin starred restaurants, home cooks, recipe developers, and writers to learn more about the recipes that make the holidays sing.
PtarmiganCentolloWest African peanut soupLechonShrubbPizelleFried ahi poke omeletRoast pork sandwichesChristmas puddingKrumkakeEggnogCoquitoIceland: Ptarmigan
Photo: LouieLea/Shutterstock
On Christmas Eve, many Icelandic people enjoy a feast of ptarmigan, or wild grouse. This small, pheasant-like bird roams the country’s grassy hillsides. Once upon a time, rjúpa, as its known in Iceland, was strictly peasant fare that was reserved for poor families who couldn’t afford to eat lamb around the holiday season. In fact, ptarmigan was flat-out looked down on by the aristocracy. Then in the 1920s, the bird became a much more popular and widespread addition to the Icelandic Christmas dinner.
According to Adam Biernat, the blogger behind Bite of Iceland, a traditional Christmas ptarmigan is hunted in the wild. But the crafty birds are hard to catch, so some families opt to simply buy a British grouse instead. Regardless of how the bird is obtained, it’s often served with potatoes, boiled red cabbage, and a sauce made with red currant jelly and blue cheese or brown whey cheese.
Lori Bogedin, a chef and culinary expert from Pennsylvania who has run TwigsCafe for more than 20 years, has a traditional Christmas ptarmigan recipe if you’re able to get your hands on a bird.
Ingredients
3 rock ptarmigans, plucked, cleaned, and ready for cooking75 grams fatty bacon90 grams butter or margarine450 milliliters boiling water450 milliliters boiling milk2 teaspoons salt300 milliliters cream2 tablespoons flourCaramel coloring for the sauce (optional)Instructions
Make cuts into the bird’s chests and fill them with strips of bacon fat to ensure that the meat remains moist.Truss the birds.Melt some butter in a cooking pot and brown the birds on all sides in the fat.Mix water and milk, heat to boiling and pour it over the birds.Add the salt and cook for 1-1 1/2 hours.Remove the birds and strain the cooking liquid.Add cold water and flour to thicken the mixture.Next, add cream and adjust the flavor according to your taste.Divide the birds and serve with pickled red cabbage, mixed vegetables, redcurrant jam and caramelized potatoes. You can even add some redcurrant jam to the sauce for extra flavor.Spain: Centollo
Photo: Jesus del Rio/Shutterstock
Around the coastal regions of Spain, seafood is often a centerpiece on the holiday dinner table. That was very much the case for chef Dani Garcia when he was young, who grew up in Marbella, a small coastal town along Spain’s stretch of the Mediterranean. Christmas meals would start with cuts of Iberico ham and then transition langoustines, and then to a spider crab called centollo. After, there was always lamb (usually shoulder).
Garcia’s grandmother, mother, and father shared the cooking duties when Garcia was growing up. These days, the chef, who ran his eponymous three Michelin star restaurant until 2019, says he has to do the cooking on family holidays now. And while things are carefully measured at his restaurants, he adds that the crab was always cooked by taste growing up.
Ingredients
Centollo (preferably female crab)Olive oilTomatoEggsBrandy, Sherry or monte llano, a Spanish red wineLaurel (or bay) leafHerbsInstructions
Cook the crab in water with salt and herbs.Take out the crab and boil the juice with a little bit of egg and sherry, as well as salt and pepper to taste. Cook it down with the remaining ingredients.Flip the crab upside down and put the cooked down mixture along with the crab meat in the shell to serve.West Africa: Peanut soup
Photo: Ezume Images/Shutterstock
Few things can warm up a person’s soul on cold winter days like soup. Every culture has its own soups, and for James Beard award winning chef Nina Compton, who is currently heading up Compère Lapin at INTERSECT BY LEXUS, West African peanut soup is the perfect dish to add some warmth and spice to the table.
“The peanut soup is great for the holidays and is a soulful soup, especially on cooler nights,” Compton says. “I like to call it a warm hug in a bowl that makes you smile.”
Ingredients
450 grams skin-off peanuts, roasted and soaked overnight375 grams lavalle peeled tomatoes100 grams shallots fine julienned25 grams toasted cumin seedsChili oil to taste (per bowl)10 grams small diced chayote, sauteed (per bowl)10 grams small diced sweet potato sauteed (per bowl)15 grams jasmine rice, steamed and cooled and fried (per bowl)10 grams jerk peanuts, roughly chopped (per bowl)Instructions
Fried Rice: Place the rice in a noodle basket and fry until golden brown and crispy at 325 degrees, season with salt immediately and reserve.
Jerk Peanuts: Toss the peanuts in olive oil and gently coat evenly with jerk seasoning and bake at 300 degrees for 12 minutes. Cool and pulse in the robocoupe three times.
Sweat the onions and cumin, season with salt.Caramelize on medium heat, add the tomato paste and cook for 6 minutes on low heat. Add a little water if there is sticking to the pan.Add peanuts and add double the volume of water to cover and simmer until peanuts are VERY tender (cooks for 3 to 4 hours).Puree in vitaprep until very smooth, add water if necessary and salt to taste.Pass through a chinois and cool.Philippines: Lechon
Photo: Emma Corazon Mariano/Shutterstock
Lechon is a whole roast pig cooked slowly for hours over a spit, and it’s one of the most treasured Christmas meals in the Philippines. Its signature crispy, dark red skin that’s rubbed with coconut water, soda, or soy sauce is cherished, but the whole pig is mouth-wateringly delicious — the belly is often opened and stuffed with herbs and aromatics like leeks, garlic, and lemongrass.
Roast pig originally came to the islands with Spanish colonists along with Christianity (hence the Spanish name for the dish — lechon translates to suckling pig). If you’re in the Philippines for the holidays, you can expect to see lechon on the menu at both household gatherings and restaurants. Cebu, a city in the southern Philippines, is known for its exceptional lechon — in fact Anthony Bourdain called the lechon he tried there, “the best pig ever.”
While your barbecue may have the choicest cuts of meat, nothing matches the whole-hog experience of lechon. This recipe is from Bogedin, of TwigsCafe.
Ingredients
20 garlic cloves1 bunch cilantro, trimmed1 cup loosely packed fresh oregano leaves5 tablespoons kosher salt2 tablespoons black pepper2 tablespoons ground cumin1 ½ cups olive oil, divided4 cups fresh orange juice4 cups fresh lime juice1 (15- to 18-pound) whole suckling pigInstructions
Blend together some garlic, cilantro, oregano, salt, pepper, cumin, and 1/2 cup of the oil.Slowly add orange and lime juice to the marinade, and pulse until smooth.
Remove 1 cup of mixture, and reserve for later use.Place the pig in a large container. Coat it completely with the remaining marinade mixture.Cover the container, and let it chill for 8 to 24 hours. Make sure to baste it from time to time.Preheat the oven to 275°F.Place a wire rack in a large, aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan.Remove the pig from the marinade, and place it on the rack.Inject the pig with the remaining 1 cup of marinade mixture. Also, run it with oil.Roast the pig in the preheated oven until a meat thermometer inserted into the shoulder joint shows 160°F. This might take around 4 hours.Increase oven temperature to 425°F, and roast until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Do this for almost 1 hour.Allow the pig to rest for about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.Martinique: Shrubb
Photo: Rhum Clément/Facebook
Thick holiday drinks are lovely in colder weather, but people on the Caribbean island of Martinique opt for something a little more uplifting: shrubb (not to be confused with vinegar-based shrubs with one “b”). This infused drink is made with overproof rhum agricole, citrus, cane syrup, and spices. It’s drunk from All Saint’s Day on November 1 (called Toussaint) through Christmas Eve. Importantly, it holds a special place during caroling parties on December Fridays called Chanté Nwel.
While every family has their own special recipe, there are also store-bought shrubbs available from Rhum J.M. in the United States. Making it yourself is easy and the most sure way to get the exact flavors you’re looking for, though. Just make sure you start with rhum agricole from Martinique, which is fermented from raw sugarcane juice rather than molasses and has a funky vegetal flavor.
Ingredients
1 bottle of Martinique rhum agricole1 sliced citrus of your choiceSpices to taste: cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, star anise, allspice, and vanillaInstructions
Add your chosen ingredients to a bottle or mason jarAdd the rhum until fullTaste test until it’s the right flavor — start tasting around three days inAdd simple syrup or sugarcane syrup to taste, stir it in completelyItaly: Pizelle
Photo: Hilltop Photos/Shutterstock
These flat cookies are an Italian favorite at weddings and around Christmastime. They look somewhat like flat (pizze means flat), tan snowflakes and require a special waffle iron to make. Sometimes the cookies are covered in powdered sugar, other times they’re served plain. Pizelle originally hail from Abruzzo, and by some accounts, the cookie’s history can be traced back to the Ancient Romans in the 8th century. However long they’ve been around, they’re a holiday season staple today.
“My Italian grandmother used to make them every year for the holidays,” says Liz Mincin, the blogger behind Waiting for Blancmange, “and the technique was passed down to me.”
Ingredients
6 eggs4 teaspoon baking powder2 tablespoon anise extract or ½ tbsp anise oil3½ cups all purpose flour or plain flour1½ cup sugar½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature or meltedInstructions
Begin by making the pizzelle batter. Cream together the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl.Add the eggs (two at a time) and beat after each addition.Then add the anise extract and beat to incorporate.Sift the flour and baking soda into the mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate – making sure there are no pockets of unmixed flour.Heat the pizzelle iron. Once this is hot, dollop out about a tablespoon into the middle of each mould space. Press the iron lid firmly shut and latch this. Allow to cook for about 30 seconds before unlatching and lifting the lid. Carefully remove the pizzelle from the press. Discard the first two. Repeat the process and place pizzelle a piece of parchment paper or wire rack to cool. Repeating until done with the batter.Hawai’i: Fried ahi poke omelet
Photo: LIGGIC/Shutterstock
True poke from Hawai’i is a special dish. The name simply means “to slice or cut,” and it’s not restricted to pieces of fish — though some of the most cherished are made with ahi.
Ahi poke is always on holiday tables in Hawai’i, says Kiki Aranita, who ran Philadelphia’s Hawaiian-inspired restaurant Poi Dog and now has her own line of signature sauces. And if there’s every any leftovers the next day, Aranita’s dad’s secret weapon was make fried poke omelets in the holiday season.
“Poke Omelettes are special to me because they taste like a memory,” Aranita says. “Packed into my grandmother’s tiny kitchen at Thanksgiving and Christmas, my family hovers over a vast array of food: fresh fish pokes, fried noodles, creamy dips, and so much more. Over the course of the night, as people start to leave, my aunts, uncles, and dad divvy up the leftovers and make plans for them. As we divide, we get hungrier and at some point — maybe that night, maybe the following morning, he’ll make these poke omelets.”
Poke ingredients
2 pounds ahi½ cup very thinly sliced sweet onion2 tablespoons thin sliced green onion2 teaspoons minced ginger¼ cup limu (ogonori)2 teaspoons sesame oil¼ cup shoyu1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds2 tablespoons crushed macadamia nutSmall pinch of red Hawaiian alaea saltPoi Dog Chili Peppah WaterPoke instructions
Slice ahi into ½ inch cubesIn a mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients to the ahi and gently mixServe immediately with rice or poi. Or on a taro chip.Poke omelet instructions
Heat up a tablespoon of a neutral oil (canola or vegetable oil) in a non-stick pan.Place the leftover ahi poke in the oiled pan and sear quickly, for about a minute.Flip the poke with a spatula, treating it like a pancake and sear on one other side, so that you have two seared sides.Move the poke out of the pan and onto a dish but keep the pan over the stove on medium heat.Beat one or two eggs with a splash of shoyu or a pinch of salt.Re-oil the pan.Spread the beaten egg in a thin layer on the pan. After a minute, before it is thoroughly cooked, add the poke onto the egg and fold it over into an omelette.Cook the other side of the omelette.Serve with steamed rice, sliced green onions and a big splash of Chili Peppah Water.Ecuador: Roast pork sandwiches
Photo: Jason Varney
“In my family, the big Christmas meal happens on Christmas Eve,” says Jose Garces, a James Beard Award winner, Iron Chef, and entrepreneur. “For as long as I can remember, Christmas Eve meant Slow Roasted Pork served with traditional Ecuadorian sides like warm hominy salad and my mom’s mashed potatoes. The next day, we make roast pork or Cuban Sandwiches in our pajamas and enjoy the time with family. This recipe for Cubano Sandwiches is simple and delicious.”
Roast pork ingredients
2 lb boneless pork shoulder, tied in an even roll2 Tbsp plus 1 Tbsp kosher salt2 Tbsp granulated sugar1 Tbsp ground mustard2 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper1/2 cup Dijon mustard1 tsp mace1 Tbsp smoked Spanish sweet paprikaRoast pork instructions
To cure the pork, combine 2 tablespoons of the salt with the sugar and mustard powder, rub the mixture all over the meat, cover, and set it in the refrigerator to cure for 6 hours.Preheat the oven to 325°F, with a rack in the center position.To roast the pork, rinse the cured pork under cold running water to remove the seasoning, then pat it dry. Combine the Dijon mustard, mace, paprika, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt and rub the mixture all over the meat.Set the pork in a roasting pan, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and cook until the internal temperature reaches 175°F, about 45 minutes. Allow the meat to cool completely before slicing.Pork sandwich ingredients
4 (6-inch) light, crisp-crusted bakery rolls2 tablespoon Dijon mustard12 ounce best-quality domestic ham (unglazed)4 ounce Swiss or Gruyère cheese, thinly sliced1 large dill pickle, thinly sliced lengthwise2 tablespoon unsalted butterPork sandwich instructions
Preheat a sandwich press or griddle to medium-high heat.Split the bread lengthwise down the middle and pull it open. Spread the mustard on one side of each roll and layer on the roast pork, ham, gruyère, and pickles.Spread the butter all over the outside of the sandwiches and griddle until the cheese is melted and the meats are warmed through, 3 to 4 minutes.Alternatively, wrap the sandwich in foil and toast in a 350°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes.Slice each in half on the diagonal and serve.England: Christmas pudding
Photo: Shebeko/Shutterstock
Christmas pudding is known by a couple of names, plum pudding and figgy pudding among them. For those in the US who are more familiar with the type of pudding you eat with a spoon, this is more like a bread sausage of suet (beef fat), dried fruits, and spices. And boy is it beloved. It’s featured in Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” and is the food carolers demand in “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” as they scream for more figgy pudding.
“I regularly make British traditional Christmas foods for my husband, who is English,” Mincin, of Waiting for Blancmange, says. “Christmas Pudding is a particularly special food for the holidays. The Christmas pudding is essentially a rich and dense fruit pudding, soaked in rum and customarily made by the whole family on Stir Up Sunday (the last Sunday before Advent). The Christmas pudding also has a fun tradition where you add a token (usually a coin) to the batter before baking. Whoever gets the coin when the pudding is sliced is meant to have good luck. My mother-in-law always adds one coin for everyone who will be at her Christmas table!”
Ingredients
4 ounces self raising flour4 ounces dried currants4 ounces raisins or sultanas4 ounces plain bread crumbs4 ounces dark brown sugar (muscovado)4 ounces shredded suet1 large apple, peeled, cored, and chopped1 teaspoon cinnamon½ teaspoon ground allspice½ teaspoon ground nutmeg2 eggsJuice and zest of 1 lemon4 tablespoons of dark rum1 cup milkInstructions
Grease a 2 pint pudding basin with butter.In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients – the flour, currants, raisins, breadcrumbs, sugar, suet, apple and spices.Next add the lemon juice and zest, eggs, rum and about half of the milk. Stir together and continue slowly adding the milk until your mixture reaches a dropping consistency. You may not need all of the milk.Once your mixture is at the desired consistency, pour into the pudding basin.At this stage you can add your coins — if you’re using pennies (like my mother-in-law), wrap these individually in a bit of parchment paper and foil and gently press into the batter. Best placed near to the edges, but be sure that they’re in the pudding enough that they will be covered and hidden.Cover and seal the pudding with greaseproof parchment paper and aluminum foil.Steam for 3 hours, checking the water level occasionally and topping up as necessary. If you are making in advance, steam again for a further 3 hours before serving.To serve, pour a bit of rum or brandy over the top and carefully light with a match set alight.Once the flame extinguishes, slice and serve with brandy cream.Norway: Krumkake
Photo: knelson20/Shutterstock
Whereas Italy has its pizzelle, Norway has its krumkake. This holiday season treat is another type of thin cookie with seasonal patterns pressed into it from a specialized waffle press, but in Norway it’s traditional to roll it and fill it with whipped cream, fruit, or chocolate. The deviation from pizzelle is right there in the name: krumkake roughly translates to bent cake.
The best krumkakes are made with a dedicated krumkake iron, notes Ben Myhre of Ramshackle Pantry, and each one has its differences. He adds that the Norwegian holiday sweet is also popular in the US in the upper Midwest.
Ingredients
¾ cup of sifted all purpose flour½ cup sugar1 tablespoon corn starch¼ teaspoon crushed cardamom2 eggs2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream½ teaspoon vanilla extract4 tablespoons melted butter, but not hotInstructions
Add flour, sugar, corn starch, cardamom to large bowl. Mix well.In smaller bowl, beat eggs and then add cream, vanilla, and butter. Mix well.Add liquid mixture into dry mixture and combined until a smooth peanut butter like consistencyPreheat krumkake grillEach Krumkake will require about 1 ½ tablespoons of batter. Add one to your Krumkake maker and cook until golden brown. For my tool, this is about 1:30 seconds.Remove with fork and use Krumkake tool to form into cone before it cools downAllow grill to heat back up, repeat until batter is goneSprinkle with powdered sugar. Fill with whipped cream and fruit. Eat! United States: Eggnog
Photo: NSphotostudio/Shutterstock
You’re probably familiar with eggnog. This creamy concoction is thought to have started with 13th century monks in Britain who drank a warm eggy, figgy punch called a posset. American colonists would mix their egg and cream with rum, which was the most available spirit, and even George Washington is said to have had a house recipe. Today, it’s often available in grocery stores before the Halloween decorations are put away. For the best eggnog, you have to make it yourself, though.
True eggnog fans can follow the advice of Aaron Goldfarb, drinks writer and author of Gather Around Cocktails: Drinks to Celebrate Usual and Unusual Holidays, who ages his eggnog. Goldfarb has a batch of five-year-old eggnog in his fridge, but told Matador in 2019 that homemade eggnog peaks in the first couple of months. In his book, he offers the following recipe.
Ingredients
12 eggs6 cups whole milk3 cups heavy cream1 cup granulated sugar6 ounces bourbon6 ounces dark rum6 ounces Cognac or apple brandyWhole nutmeg, for garnishInstructions
Separate the yolks from the whites, and beat the whites until they have soft peaksWhisk the yolks with the mlik, cream, sugar, bourbon, rum, and Cognac until smooth.Transfer the yolks mixture into a big serving bowl and fold in the egg whitesChill for at least a few hours before serving with grated fresh nutmegPuerto Rico: Coquito
Photo: Rimma Bondarenko/Shutterstock
Just because Puerto Rico is a tropical island doesn’t mean everyone ditches the creamy holiday drinks. Coquito translates to “little coconut” in Spanish, and refers to a drink made with a mix of condensed milk, evaporated milk, and cream of coconut (plus a heavy hand of rum, of course). As Aryana Azari wrote for Matador in 2019, the Puerto Rican drink can be found around the Caribbean and Latin America, and each country — and each family — has their own specific recipe with small twists that make the beverage special. If you lack a recipe of your own, Discover Puerto Rico offers a good basic recipe to start with.
Ingredients
1 can of condensed milk1 can of evaporated milk1 can of cream of coconut (most Puerto Ricans prefer Coco López)½ cup of white rum (Preferably Don Q or Bacardí)½ teaspoon of vanilla extract1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (add more to taste)Instructions
In a blender, add evaporated milk, cream of coconut, sweetened condensed milk, rum, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Blend on high until mixture is well combined for 1 to 2 minutes.Transfer mixture into glass bottles and chill in the refrigerator until cold.To serve, pour coquito into small serving glasses (almost like a shot portion) and garnish with ground cinnamon or a cinnamon stick.More like thisFood + Drink9 countries where it’s not Christmas dinner without fish
December 8, 2021
The best cameras for kids: digital, instant, and waterproof
Kids have a way of looking at the world that can bring back the wonder in even the most cynical adult. They stop and smell the roses or lay in the grass looking at the clouds, seeing shapes and animals. They find cool spots to play hide and seek or make-believe. Put a camera in their hand and all that creativity combined with their low vantage point, can make for some fascinating photography.
Giving them a tool to capture memories from such a special and fleeting time in their lives is as much a gift for them as it is for you. Here are some options that will help encourage their new hobby without breaking the bank, whether they are in kindergarten or heading for college soon.
Ultimately, the best camera is the one that gets used so think about what your child likes to photograph and how tech-savvy they are in order to give them the best tool to help them create great images and record their lives. If you have a very young child or one that is very active, you’ll want something simple and durable that is fun and easy to use. As they get older and hone those fine motor skills and learn how to take good care of their things, a more advanced camera can really help push their creativity.
We hope you love the cameras for kids we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to make a purchase. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication. See our full Advertiser Disclosure here.
Best digital cameras for beginner kids (ages 3 to 8)
Photo: Vtech Toys USA/Facebook
The VTech KidiZoom Camera Pix (age 3+) is only $44.99 and perfect for small hands. There’s an LCD screen and even a few games to entertain them when they aren’t snapping away. It comes in two colors and is the perfect introduction to digital photography.
If your little one also likes being in front of the camera and taking videos, then check out the VTech – KidiZoom® Creator Cam (age 5+) (starting at 81.94). It has a flip-up lens for selfies and a table-top tripod that can double as a handle.
Fun instant camera for children (6+)
Photo: maradon 333/Shutterstock
For $70, watch their eyes light up as a photo develops right in their hand. The Fuji Instax Mini comes in several colors and is very easy to use. Don’t forget to buy the sheets (less than $1 per sheet). They come in packs of 10 with various designs on the frames or you can get a pack of 60 so they won’t run out too quickly.
Great compact cameras for kids (8+)Want a little more pixel power? The Canon Power Shot ELPH ($239) has a 20.2 Megapixel CMOS sensor and a 12x optical zoom with image stabilization which will help ensure better results. For even better value, check out the Sony DSC-W830 ($164.99) with a similar sensor size and 8x optical zoom.
Waterproof and underwater cameras for outdoorsy children (8+)If you worry about a camera being dropped or caught in the rain, or your kid loves to spend time on the beach and in the water, look at getting a waterproof compact camera like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS30A ($199), the Nikon COOLPIX W300 ($360) or the Olympus Tough ($399). These are perfect to explore the world no matter the conditions on land and underwater, whether in a backyard pool or on a snorkeling adventure. Built to withstand the harshest elements and treatment, these cameras will give you peace of mind while also taking great pictures.
Best advanced cameras for teenagers (12+)Older kids wanting to have more control will love one of these bridge cameras. The Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ80 ($397.99) has a built-in lens with a powerful 60x optical zoom perfect for capturing wildlife and sports. The Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX400V ($448) is similar with a 50x optical zoom and great image quality. Settings can also be controlled on these cameras much like a D-SLR so they can experiment with longer shutter speeds to capture the night sky or fireworks.
Best vlogging cameras for kids who want to become YouTubers
Photo: Red Fox studio/Shutterstock
Any camera that can record video, including a phone, can be used for vlogging but there are some that stand out in terms of video quality and ease of use. Sony came out with one made specifically for content creators, the ZV-1 ($648) but until they become real influencers, you could look at the OIEXI 4k digital camera for only $129.95. If your child already has a smartphone, why not get them a gimbal like the DJI OM 5 Smartphone Stabilizer ($159) that will smooth their movement when walking and filming, but that can also be used as a tripod. Other accessories to look at are an external microphone for better sound quality such as the Rode Video/Micro On Camera Microphone ($55.00) and LED lights such as the QUIAYA Ring Light with tripod stand and phone holder ($25.99).
Best action cameras for adventurous kidsWhen GoPro introduced the Hero 1 back in 2006, little did we know how popular this type of camera would become. Thanks to its durability and size, a GoPro can get shots in places where most don’t dare to bring more expensive gear, from underwater adventures to tearing down a mountain bike path, and even up in the sky with paragliders and skydivers. Kids will love documenting their wildest adventures with a camera that can be attached to a helmet, handlebars, or a chest harness, leaving their hands free to enjoy the ride while preserving the memories forever. Getting an older model GoPro, such as the Hero7 ($220.99), is a smart way to save money while still getting great quality, but don’t forget to look at the many other brands that offer similar quality without the higher price tag, such as the AKASO EK7000 ($69.99) or its big brother the AKASO Brave 4 ($89.99)
Best drone cameras for kids who want to see the world from a different angle
Photo: Fernando Avendano/Shutterstock
If you have an older child ready for the next challenge, consider a drone camera. These can get unique perspectives and create really beautiful images of the world as seen from a bird’s eye. DJI has long been a leader in this field and has come out with a small drone, perfect for the beginner: the DJI Mini SE ($299). It is under 0.55lbs (250g) which is important to consider because anything above that will need to be registered with the FAA. Even without the need for registration, there are still regulations that need to be followed and certain areas where drones are prohibited to fly, including near airports, over groups of people, and in national parks so be sure to check the rules before you fly! If you are on a tight budget, there are several other brands that are less than $100, such as the Drocon Ninja RC Drone ($69.99) or the SANROCK Drone ($69.99).
Can real-life lembas from ‘Lord of the Rings’ be a serious travel food? An investigation.
In J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings series, food is a major character. A good meal makes life worth living for his heroic hobbits, specifically. December 19, 2021, marks the 20th anniversary of the release of the first film in the now iconic trilogy, and while some people might remember the masterful filmmaking or captivating storytelling, I’m still fascinated by all the ways that food pops up in the movies — in particular lembas bread, which are cakes imbued with the elvin magic that can supposedly sustain even the strongest, brawniest men over long journeys.
It’s a dream food for anyone who has debated the perfect fuel to take with them on their journeys. Sure, there’s plenty of advice out there on ideal snacks for hikers, food for backcountry skiers, and what backpackers who want to eat more than trail mix should put in their packs. But a sustaining cake that is both filling and energizing? That, unfortunately, is lacking.
So I decided to make my own. Not just to pay homage to a teenage obsession that I frankly have never given up, but to determine if some (non-magical) version of lembas bread really is worth taking along in your pack on your next big outdoor adventure.
What is lembas bread in Lord of the Rings?Tolkien writes that lembas bread is “made of meal that was baked a light brown on the outside, and inside was the colour of cream.” The elves of Lórien that give the bread to the fellowship instruct them to, “Eat a little at a time, and only at need. For these things are given to serve you when all else fails. The cakes will keep sweet for many many days, if they are unbroken and left in their leaf wrappings…One will keep a traveler on his feet for a day of long labour.”
In other words, it’s pretty much exactly what the fellowship needs to maintain their vigor as they traverse the treacherous, sometimes barren landscape of Middle Earth — especially when you’re being pursued by murderous orcs and there’s little time to stop for a hot meal.
Lembas bread isn’t particularly satisfying for the food obsessed hobbits. In the extended edition of The Two Towers, Legolas warns the hobbits that just a bite of lembas bread will fill the stomach of a grown man. Pippin replies that he’s already eaten four whole cakes.
But what about for the average human person, who isn’t necessarily planning a years long walk across mountains, swamps, and underground tunnels? Could homemade lembas bread be a suitable snack for a mildly taxing hike, perhaps?
How to make lembas bread
Photo: Elisabeth Sherman
In my quest for answers, I scoured the internet for the recipe that best represents what I pictured lembas bread to be. In a scene from The Two Towers, an exhausted Frodo and Sam rest on a craggy mountain side. Sam removes packets of lembas bread from his pack, crumbling and wrapped in leaves, and he laments that it’s all they have left to eat. That’s how I decided my version of lembas bread should look: A cross between shortbread and a cracker that should snap if you break it in half.
I found recipes online that include orange blossom and almonds, but I also always imagined lembas bread as stale and bland, so I decided to forgo recipes that included these ingredients. I eventually settled on this recipe I found on Reddit that gets just a touch of sweetness from honey and a drop of vanilla extract. The other ingredients include flour, sugar, baking soda, and cream — all things needed for a filling snack that provides some energy.
The dough came together easily enough, but it took some experimentation to get the texture right. I ended up baking the square cakes for about a half an hour in order to achieve that snap and golden brown color.
Does lembas bread hold up on a hike?We decided to pack up our lembas bread (wrapped in parchment paper, since I had no leaves on hand) and head to the North Jersey equivalent of the path to Mordor: The Meadowlands. It’s technically a bird sanctuary, but the swampland vibe is the same as the Dead Marshes, as featured in The Two Towers, except New York City is in the background, and there are more majestic herons than restless spirits.
While I didn’t have to carry the One Ring, I did have something equally as heavy: My three-month-old daughter strapped to my chest. We followed the main path, which is part gravel, part dirt and winds around a reservoir that many peaceful ducks call home. The weather resembled a spring day in the Shire. After about an hour, we found ourselves unexpectedly sweaty. Armed with just a canister of water and my version of lembas bread, we decided to park ourselves on a bench and take in some sustenance.
I broke off a corner of one of the cakes for myself and my partner, who remarked that he enjoyed the buttery texture and hint of sweetness that gave an otherwise plain cake a touch of character. “I could eat three of those,” he said.
The takeaway
Photo: Fredy Estuardo Maldonado/Shutterstock
Okay, so it wasn’t exactly enough to fill our stomachs to satisfaction (unfortunately I am not blessed with elven magic), but it did give us the necessary fuel to continue on our journey. It had that crumbly texture that mimicked the real deal lembas bread from the movies, but my version resembled more of a shortbread cookie than a bread or cracker.
We walked for another hour or so until the wind became a little too bracing for the baby, and we decided to head back to the car. Lembas bread doesn’t contain any protein or ingredients that you might find in energy bars, like nuts or chia seeds, that generally give your body the fuel it needs to exercise. So, of course, serious hikers will need to take more substantial fare on their excursions. But it does have some sugar for a quick energy hit that you get from chocolate in trail mix, and it has carbs to sustain hunger for a bit.
For day trips and less challenging hikes, this version of lembas bread is light enough to carry, and it’s a sweet pick me up to enjoy when you start to get tired. If you’re planning to track a pack of orcs through Rohan, however, you’re going to need that elven magic.
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