Fiji, an archipelago in the South Pacific, consists of over 300 islands and over 500 of islets.  The Fiji Islands are volcanic in origin and surrounded by brilliant coral reefs.  The Vanua Levu Group, group of islands in the northern Fiji, is blessed with awe-inspiring coral reefs and amazing beaches.  Viti Levu, the largest island in the Fijian archipelago, includes dormant volcanos, a tropical rainforest, beautiful waterfalls, fertile farmlands and white sand beaches.  The Yasawa Islands Group, located in the western Fiji, is a stretch of volcanic islands featuring dramatic peaks.  The islands of Fiji are a world’s top destination for snorkeling and scuba diving enthusiasts.

Our journey to the Hoi An Ancient Town, located in Central Vietnam, encompasses touring the historic quarter, photographing old wooden houses and visiting the abundant shop-houses.  The narrow streets are decorated with multi-colored lanterns and are lined with quaint souvenirs shops.  Our selected Asian Ladies Art showcases two women in a stylish white attire on a red background.  Measures: Asian Ladies Art (height 11 ¾ inches, width 7 ¾ inches).

The New England clam chowder, a hearty creamy soup, is traditionally made with clams, potatoes, celery, onion and cream.  Across the northeastern coast of the USA and in the rest of the country, many versions of clam chowder are made, including a milky-white chowder, a clear broth chowder and a tomato-based chowder.  In our recipe, we use quality ingredients sourced in the Pacific Northwest of the USA.  Our recipe was inspired after visiting San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf where we degusted a variety of clam chowders.  Our clam chowder has a flavorful milky-white broth and chunks of delicious razor clams.

La Bûche de Noël, also called Christmas Log or Yule Log, is the traditional dessert served for Christmas in France and French speaking countries.  During the holiday season, the French bakers create elaborate Bûches de Noël, traditionally filled with chestnut cream or chocolate mousse, then covered with chocolate ganache and made to resemble a tree bark.  In our recipe, we bake a soft-textured Génoise Cake, prepare a blood orange curd to use as filling, roll into the shape of a log and dust with powdered sugar.  Our Bûche de Noël is easy to make, has a simple presentation and tastes slightly tart and sweet.