But Does Kagan Prefer Her Dumplings Fried or Steamed?

We've already learned where U.S. Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan "probably" ate dinner last Christmas. And the answer was no big surprise. So why not wade in a little deeper and find out what she ordered? Or find out which Chinese restaurant is her favorite?

I'm sure a few of us foodies are curious. Besides, asking questions like those would make these Senate confirmation hearings much less boring than they are.

Getting Some Ham Help

Turkey has always been the entree that adorns my family's Christmas dinner table. But for many families, the choice is a ham. If you're one of the latter, check out this web page at Delish.com for "12 Classic Christmas Hams."

Te Apple-Ginger Glazed Ham, one of those 12 options, looks darn good to me.

Be sure to look for the link to 9 "must-have recipes" for side dishes and appetizers.

Foodphoria will take a holiday nap for the rest of this week. Happy cooking and happy holidays!

Does anyone eat fruitcake anymore?

Just when I was beginning to think not, I noticed this newspaper headline during my web-surfing yesterday: Fruitcake makes a comeback. Huh? Where is fruitcake making a comeback?

It always looks nasty to me, especially the candied fruit. I like candy; I like fruit. So what's with candied fruit? Cake is supposed to be moist, but fruitcake is not moist. It could double as a paper-weight.

Christmas is one of those seasons when fruitcakes suddenly pop out of nowhere. Everyone seems to have an aunt who decides it's her obligation to keep the rest of the clan well stocked with fruitcake. There's even an Oregon congressman who takes it upon himself to bake hundreds of fruitcakes, giving them to colleagues and staffers. Yuck.

Food for the Festivities

The December holidays are hard to separate from the foods and confections they've inspired through the years. And so I offer you the following:

* The Los Angeles Times insists that it just wouldn't be a Hanukkah party without fried foods.

* This article from the Washington Post provides a host of Christmas cookie recipes, from German chocolate cookies to blue cheese-walnut cookies.

* If you really want to go traditional, check out these recipes for plum pudding.