I flew to Boston last weekend to visit my oldest daughter and my youngest grandchild, Jonah-now 20 months old. Abby and I decided to bake Christmas cookies but thought Jonah would like the taste of sugar cookies better than gingerbread. I mixed up the batter and he had his first taste of cookie dough right off the spatula.
Continue reading Sugar Cookie Gingerbread Men and Chocolate Crackles
I’ve written about Florida’s Key Lime pie and Massachusett’s Boston Cream pie, both declared their official state’s dessert, but New Mexico was the first to have a state cookie: the bizcochito (bees-ko-CHEE-toh). In 1989, New Mexico lawmakers passed House Bill 406. They didn’t the battle over the adoption, but how to spell the cookie’s name. Several lawmakers of the House floor desired an “s” others a “z” and eventually the stalemate resulted in the cookie’s press credentials as “bizcochito”.
According to my limited research, the first Christmas celebration in Mexico took place back in 1538, when a Fransican Monk, Fray Pedro de Gante invited the native tribe surrounding the mission to celebrate Christ’s birth. Over the years many pueblo people were converted to Christianity and began to incorporate the holiday customs into their culture.
Continue reading Bizcochitos and Posadas for Christmas
“Do you say: care-a mel or kar-muhl,” asked the grocery store checker as she scanned my package of candy?
“Hmm, I say cara- mel.”
“No, no. It’s car-mel, just two syllables,” said the bagger, a hard-working high school student.
“Well, whatever…Don’t you just love them?” I asked.
“Oh my yes,” gushed the checker. “They are sooo good, but, you know, most people buy caramels at Halloween.”
“Well, I found a new cookie recipe (in Rachael Ray’s magazine) and I’m trying it for Christmas.” So, I went home and baked a batch.
Continue reading Sweet Surprise- A New Caramel Christmas Cookie