I love baking during the holiday season. And I come by it honestly. My grandmother was the absolute, hands down, without a doubt BEST BAKER IN THE WORLD. Everything she made was from scratch and I loved spending time with her in the kitchen any time she was baking any of her many deliciously delectable delights.She made homemade biscuits every single day of her life. Biscuits that she learned how to make from my great grandmother. They were TO DIE FOR. And I'm not exaggerating. And she made cakes throughout the year for people. As well as her yeast rolls. But, during the holidays, the baking was taken to a whole new level.
At Thanksgiving, she served up a feast of turkey, cornbread dressing, sweet potato casserole, green beans, corn, mashed potatoes, rice, gravy, homemade yeast rolls, broccoli casserole, cranberry sauce, and homemade pies and cakes. How in the world I was a thin youngster I will never know.
At Christmas the dining room table was filled with homemade cakes with no less than 4 to 6 layers- coconut, pineapple, chocolate. The house would fill up with the sweetest, warmest baking aromas and there was always just enough left in the bowl for licking. There were cookies, fudge, and other candies- all homemade. A ham with cloves, pineapple slices and cherries all over the surface covered with a sweet honey and mustard glaze sliced to perfection.
It's no wonder that I enjoy baking so much. There are so many wonderful memories associated with every part of holiday baking. And so, every year, I look forward to this season of my favorite holidays and all the baking that I do. Most of the recipes are the old, reliable ones of my childhood. I do try a few new ones every couple of years, but they're rarely good enough to win a spot on our holiday table.
The lovelies look forward to the holiday baking as well. They started helping out as soon as they were old enough to stand on a chair to reach the kitchen counter. Now, as each one comes home for the holidays, they pitch in with the baking. As a matter of fact, they insist that I save some things for them to do instead of having it all done for them when they arrive.
We have such fun during this time. Our dining area was the place for many things throughout the years besides family meals- creating school projects, studying, reading, playing telephone, board games, card games, jigsaw puzzles, girl talk, heated discussions, words of encouragement, silly-girl-giggly-tales with friends...and sisters.
But the best times of all were, and continue to be, the cherished moments baking those holiday goodies. When we come together and catch each other up on what's going on in our lives since everyone got so grown up so quickly. No matter that we talk daily, it's still better up close and in person. And no one ever minds hearing it again. And again. Because it's the holiday season. There's baking to be done. Memories to recall. Stories to tell.
And, best of all, we're all here. Together.
