Christmas Cookies

I'm torn. Christmas is Friday and I am deep in it. The Christmas spirit, I mean. It started with Lucia Buns. Then, while I was leafing through one of my mom's Christmas cookbooks, I came upon a recipe for a lovely buttery Swedish Tea Ring. Filled with walnuts, dates and cinnamon, it was heaven, perfect for a holiday breakfast. Of course, I didn't bother to wait for a holiday and ate it for breakfast, had a piece with my coffee at the office and a nibble around 4:00 with tea. In the same cookbook I found a recipe for some date nut cookies that were nice with my coffee after I ran out of the Tea Ring.
     I love cookies, crispy, chewy, chocolaty or caramely. They can be carefully orchestrated bits of artistry or tossed together in a moment of brilliance. My college roommate, Robin, wowed me with her culinary confidence by baking drop cookies without a recipe. She knew if she creamed some butter and sugar, added some flour, vanilla, a bit of leaving and tossed in a generous abount of something candied or crunchy, she couldn't go wrong. Bravo Robin! I often wish she was in the kitchen on lazy nights after a long day at the office.
     In sharp contrast to Robin's "kitchen sink" cookies are the rolled, shaped and iced versions a la Martha Stewart. You've seen them, the lovely snowflake shaped morsels adorned with white icing and silver dragees or the amazing Santa cookies that look like a figure from Madame Toussaud's Wax Museum. I'm waiting for the life-sized gingerbread cookie of Martha as Mrs. Claus.
     I must admit I have never made the over the top, each-one-a-work-of-art style cookies. They both intrigue and intimidate me. I love looking at them, but I can't imagine eating one. It would be like taking a bit out of the Mona Lisa.
     Next year though I think I will be attempting to make cookies that are sooo gorgeous that I won't want to eat them. I have reached this decision because I have eaten nearly every cookie that wasn't nailed down this holiday season. Which leads me to why I'm torn.
     Should I sing the praises of the buttery sweet treats so dear to my heart (and stomach, of which they are now an integral part) that resonate tradition, comfort, even love? Should I wax on about the vast amounts of holiday cheer bound up in one tiny Christmas cookie? Shall I share with you how I feel that a cookie baked with family gathered in the kitchen and later savored with a hot cup of rich coffee can create a quiet moment of tradition and memories? Or rather, do I bemoan the five pounds that I have gained in the past month?
     I am torn between the joy of cookies and the inevitable result of eating them, continually, as breakfast, in lieu of lunch or a light snack and of course as dessert. It's Christmastime after all and we should be of good cheer, and I was till I stepped on the scale yesterday.
     I talked with Allegra (my wise teenage daughter) and we agreed that the Christmas season doesn't need to be one long food fest. In fact, we decided that we will bake no more cookies till Christmas day. Then we will bake some traditional gingerbread cookies together.
     I'm thinking it will make the cookies that much more special. Maybe that's the lesson to be learned here. Something has more meaning and is cherised when it has space around it. When it's not swimming in a sea of sameness. That's probably true of most things this time of year. A single voice singing a carol heard while shopping stands out amid the Christmas Muzac in the department store. Just as a single gift given with love and genuine thoughtful care about who the recipient is and what they love will stand out amongst an onslaught of new slippers and small appliances.
    I'm really looking forward to those spicy gingerbread cookies and sharing them with family and friends on Christmas (and perhaps a brisk walk after). May you find yourself among those dear to you this season and always.
     Merry Christmas!

Happy Santa Lucia Day | December 13

 

Any holiday that revolves around a morning with sweet saffron buns and fresh hot coffee is a holiday that deserves celebration. That's why I so cheerfully embraced Santa Lucia Day.
     When my daughter was born I really wanted to keep some family tradition. I though it would give us a wonderful sense of consistency from year to year. Trouble was that we were a bit removed from our ancestral roots and needed to search a bit to find a tradition we wanted to keep.
     I really don't even remember how I first learned of Santa Lucia Day. I think I may have been leafing through one of my Grandma's old Swedish cookbooks. What struck me was that the holiday is celebrated in both Italy (where some of my husband's family is from) and Sweden (where some of my family is from). Frankly, when I think about Italy and Sweden sharing a holiday, it just seems a bit odd. (and now I am about to digress, bear with me). One explanation I have read is that a boat load of Vikings learned the story of the sainted Lucia while in Italy. Really? Think about that. Does that not seem odd? Do you think they would go back?

     "Sven, put down that bunch of juicy grapes and grab your parka. We're headed back to the frosty north. I'm dying for some decent pickled herring."

    I don't see that happening. But, somehow the sad and slightly creepy (she was burned at the stake) story of a young girl who sold her dowry to feed the poor found its way to Sweden and struck a chord. For me, the best part of Lucia Day is Lucia Buns.

     The point of all of this, and there is a point, is that my husband's Italian ancestors and my Swedish ancestors had a common link in Lucia and now they had another in our daughter.

     Early on the morning of Lucia Day, the eldest daughter in Swedish families dresses in a white gown with a red sash and wearing a crown of greens an lighted candles (and doesn't that seem inherently dicey?), she delivers a tray of coffee and golden Lucia Buns to her parents as they lounge in bed.

     When I first heard this I thought, "sign me up." But then Allegra was about three at the time and couldn't even reach the kitchen counter, let alone make a pot of coffee. So I made the coffee and the Lucia Buns then and I still do.

     The slightly sweet saffron buns now mark the beginning of our Christmas season. Allegra helps me make the buns and she can make a great pot of coffee now. When the scent of baking Lucia Buns fills the house I know my original wish for a lasting family tradition has come true.

     If you want to make Lucia Buns here is a link to some great recipes at cooks.com. I like a bit of cardamom in mine and instead of raisins I now use dried cherries or cranberries. Tonight I am making them with candied orange peel.

     Think about starting a new tradition that embraces your family's roots; have a tamale making party or learn how to make a great English Plum Pudding. The best time to start a tradition is today.

29 Gifts | Celebrate the Joy of Giving

Don't know if you have heard about 29 Gifts yet, but I think its such a great idea that I want to share!

29 Gifts founder, Cami Walker, received advise from Mbali Creazzo, her spiritual teacher, "give something away each day for 29 days." The idea was to redirect Cami's attention from her multiple sclerosis. The gifts don't have to be big or expensive. For Cami it was things like a phone call to an old friend or a flower to a stranger on the street. It worked. After a few weeks of giving, Cami realized that she had been walking without her cane for several days.  The results of her giving benfited both her and the recipients of her gifts in many ways. She was so affected by 29 Gifts that she has started a foundation and wrote a book to reach out to others and tell them about the joy and benefits of giving.

I decided to join in and started on the 29th of November. Seemed like an auspicious date to begin and it was the day after my birthday. After the wonderful gift of a wonderful birthday with my family I thought it would be nice to give back, so to speak.

Several friends at work have also joined in and it's really fun to share our ideas for giving. One friend, Julia, left a thank you note on the door step on her neighbors who, once again, went all out with the outdoor Christmas lights and decorations. 29 Gifts changes your perspective on little things. I was at the grocery store my first of 29 days and the college student in front of me was juggling his skateboard and digging in his pockets to get the last five cents he needed to pay for his breakfast of a chocolate donut. The clerk at the register pulled out her coin purse and paid for him. The young man was genuinely appreciative and told the clerk "your the best." It occurred to me then that giving something as small as five cents can have a big impact.

If you want to learn more about 29 Gifts you can visit Cami's webiste at www.29gifts.com. Happy giving!