Tag Archives: family tradition

Happy Fondue Year! A Fun Tradition To Get You Through The Holidays!

nye 2017 fondueI love the holidays for so many reasons.  It is this time of year when people amp up their game  BIG TIME with festive decor, cuisine and desserts, music, and all of that shared with quality bonding time with family and friends.

It’s the traditions that fascinate me. In The Schmidt family (my in-laws) for instance, every New Year in Ohio they host a family fondue night.  First off, the natural setting up North is so perfect because it’s cold outside, the fireplace is crackling, we’re all bundled up in sweaters and boots, and this year there was snow which makes it even more magical!  Back to the food, how about hosting a party where your guests are their own chefs?  That’s right, just master the art of gathering and forget the thought of slaving in the kitchen!  That’s why fondue night is such a genius idea.  The fondue fixins are unreal folks and all will forget you did not spend all day and night in the kitchen preparing their meal!  The spread gets more nye 2017 fondue3ambitious every year I think.  Check out this display. Besides the cheese, salivate over the lobster, tuna, yellowtail, shrimp, beef, and oh yeah the veggies!  A new addition to the savory lineup is the ravioli and the truffle tortellini! This tradition takes hours of edible enjoyment and it’s interactive which I love too.  Mix in some German gluehwein to wash it all down or sip some champagne cocktails, laugh and chat a bit, then dive in for seconds, and thirds, nobody is counting!  To finish off the evening with some sweetness, bring on the chocolate with strawberries, pineapple and bananas!  My life is complete!

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The Annual Brende Beer Hunt!

Cousins! Nicole Brende & David Brende
Cousins! Nicole Brende & David Brende

Most of my family lives in sunny southern California.  Every year it is tradition to visit.  My uncle hosts a massive party on Easter Sunday.  Besides all of the festivities including egg decorating contests, pop quizzes, egg hunts, count the jelly bean in the jar contest, traditional holiday food like lamb, ham, and the fixings, the adults participate in a beer hunt / poker game!  In the past few years I have shared this concept with my friends and some have reported back to me and decided to create one of their own as well!

Beer hunters getting set!
Beer hunters getting set!

In simple terms this is how the official Brende Beer Hunt game works:  count your hunters, hide beer bottles knowing that each hunter can pick up 6 beers or whatever amount you decide, place a poker card on some of them, money on others for fun, then the hunters can only pick up 5 beers with cards (a complete poker hand) then the rest is a free for all.  When all hunters gather they get one chance to trade cards they do not like with the dealer.  The person with the best hand gets 1st prize, and so on.  Basically we all get a prize.  We have a table full of prizes including bar accessories, liquor, BBQ stuff, etc.  If you are not a beer person substitute it with soft drinks, champagne, wine (mini bottles), or flavored waters.  Get creative.  I recommend getting a big plastic pail to carry the goods in too.  A basket would not be strong enough.

So have fun hunting your favorite liquids next year! No matter how old I get, this is something I truly get excited about.  It’s fun, some of us get really competitive, and a cool bonding experience too.

Nice prize Jan Schmidt!
Nice prize Jan Schmidt!
Trende Brende scores big!
Trende Brende scores big!