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My Christmas cookie baking routine has three phases.  I start alone - well, alone physically, but united in spirit with loved ones from past and present.  As I prepare recipes, I indulge in memories of my mother, my grandmother, favorite aunts, and friends who I have shared holiday traditions with over the years.  I play music, and lose my self in memories as I cook.  It's really a sacred place for me.

The second phase is with family - sharing the recipes with my children and grandchildren reminds me how lucky I am to have the love of family in my life.

And lastly, I close out with friends - those who who join me in baking - and those who I share the cookies with.

May you remember past holidays with joy, and create new memories this season!

Best,

Susan

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is an Italian-American tradition on Christmas Eve, reflecting Italy's diverse regional histories and its people's migration to the U.S. It's a celebratory, non-religious seafood feast with no fixed menu, but it often includes favorite family dishes. The tradition likely stems from Southern Italian foodways and Catholic practices of abstaining from meat. To prepare it, balance the meal with various seafood dishes, like small appetizers, a soup, pasta, and a main course, each highlighting different seafoods, aiming for seven types. Read more on Food Network...

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1. "Jack from Vermont recalls, "My grandfather and I would make maple syrup snow candy every winter. He'd collect fresh snow in a bowl, and we'd pour hot, boiled maple syrup over it to make these sweet, chewy treats. It was our little secret recipe. I miss those cold days with warm hearts and sticky fingers."

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3. "Nina from Georgia reminisces, "Christmas at Grandma's meant one thing – peach cobbler. She had a secret recipe, saying the secret ingredient was 'a spoonful of love.' I used to stand by her side, watching her every move, enchanted by her skill. Now, whenever I bake it, I feel her presence guiding me."

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5. "Carlos from California tells us, "My abuela's tamales were legendary in our family. She'd spend days preparing them for Christmas. I was her little helper, tasked with spreading the masa. She'd share stories of her childhood in Mexico as we worked.

WOULD YOU LIKE A COOKIE TURNTABLE?

Our December newsletters will focus on (SURPRISE!) the holidays.  We'd love to feature some of YOUR holiday food memories. How did your family celebrate Christmas Eve?  Do you make the same breakfast with your kids on Christmas morning? Is there a secret family recipe for latkes you make every Hannukah? Please let us know!  You can send your contributions to support@cestarikitchen.com with the subject "Newsletter-Traditions."  Every subscriber whose contribution we use will receive our mini turntable as our thank you gift.

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