Christmas is the time to make memories and every family captures the moment differently. I was deeply touched today to read something a friend posted on facebook. This is part of what she wrote.
Reminded why I do love Christmas. The only decorations in and on our house are on our real Christmas Tree. Every year we purchase an ornament to remind us of that year with our five children. Yes, even the baby that God got too early gets an ornament. We are so blessed because our tree is all sorts of glorious colors just like my life with my husband and our babies. Thank you Jesus for allowing us to celebrate you.
I thought about what she wrote all day. What a glorious way to celebrate the true spirit of Christmas. She is not only using a tradition to tell the story. She is using it to write the story.
My husband and I have a few traditions. We never open any gifts until Christmas morning. We are both so dramatic about this, that we have to set up the scene downstairs first. The cappuccino has to be made and the table set for some super luxurious breakfast like Crepes Suzette which is planned again for this year. He puts on Christmas music, lights the fire place and then the fun begins. I know I’m going to have a pile of gifts and one of them will be flannel pajamas. This is so much a part of the gifting that if he didn’t get me the jammies, I would cry. They’ve become more important than the big gift, because it’s part of our tradition as a couple and it represents something about us and how we love each other. Christmas is the time that love gets magnified.
Part of what I bring to the Christmas scene that he can count on is the kitchen baking and the ice cream making. We make a Christmas ice cream every year to eat with cookies on Christmas Eve. I haven’t come up with this year’s flavor yet, but I’m getting ideas. Please let me know if you have good suggestions. In the meantime, enjoy some of our sweet traditions.
Salty Gingerbread Cookie Ice Cream The Gingerbread found their way into an ice cream that became the most favorite ice cream ever made according to my husband with the possible exception of the peppermint ice cream.
Peppermint Ice Cream. If anyone remembers Howard Johnson’s Peppermint, this tastes just like it. By some miracle, I hit this recipe just right on the first try.
Christmas Fudge. People wait every year to get this fudge because it’s only made at Christmas as a promise to the person who showed me how to make it. My friend’s mother had passed away she was a teenager and she got the recipe from her. I estimate that I’ve made probably 250 pounds of this fudge over the years.
Gingerbread Men. I have to make these so we can make the ice cream. The twins are part of this memory as we attempted to make this little guy a house. Not as easy as it looks.
Favorite Christmas Cookie. The Pecan Tassie. This was my first blog post and I can’t go a Christmas without making them. I have our neighbor’s hand written recipe to this day. When my brother and I were teenagers, she showed us how to make them one Saturday night. Up until then, no one had ever baked with us, so you could probably say that night was life changing.
Pomegranate Sorbet. A sorbet is a great palate cleanser or that something just a little sweet to end a meal. We also like this in cocktail glasses with a little champagne added as a dessert cocktail. If you go to this post, you’ll understand it’s significance.
Almond Tart. This was legendary at Chez Panisse for over twenty years. I make it so frequently that I have the recipe memorized.
The Christmas Ice Cream Bombe. The ice cream bombe is still our Christmas Day tradition and we often serve it with a chocolate sauce.
I would love to hear about your holiday traditions. Feel free to leave a link to your favorite Christmas food tradition.
Norma says
December 18, 2011 at 4:59 pmEverything looks wonderful and a great post. Wishing you and your family a very Happy Christmas.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
December 15, 2011 at 2:16 pmIt seems like I picked the perfect time to discover your blog…it’s great.
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says
December 15, 2011 at 3:38 amOh that salty caramel gingerbread cookie ice cream is calling my name! Love that your husband gets you jammies every year, so sweet. 🙂
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
December 14, 2011 at 11:57 amOh Angela, this post makes me want to jump on the back of Santa’s sleigh and visit you! Everything looks so festive and mouthwatering! 😀
Christina @ The Hungry Australian says
December 14, 2011 at 10:36 amWhat a beautiful post about your favourite Christmas dishes. You have such a lovely spread here and it all looks so delicious.
I do hope you (and any other food bloggers cooking up Xmas treats) will join us for the Festive Favourites Blog Hop on 19th December – see http://hungryaustralian.com/2011/12/05/festive-favourites-blog-hop/ for more details.
angela says
December 14, 2011 at 1:58 pmChristina I remember the pavlova hop. It was sensational. I’m in for joining you. I better get to a baking. I have some good ideas, maybe a gingerbread bombe or a christmas tree pie.
Nic@diningwithastud says
December 14, 2011 at 4:17 amI’d def go the fudge and the bombe! YUM 🙂 Everything looks so great
Teresa Blackburn says
December 14, 2011 at 3:08 amYour photos are very lovely and yummy looking…especially the “bombe”. The Ice Cream Bombe is beautiful…love the pour shot. Happy, Happy.
angela says
December 14, 2011 at 4:02 amThanks Teresa. It looks like Santa is pouring and I didn’t plan that. Lucky shot.
sippitysup says
December 14, 2011 at 2:57 amMy favorite Christmas tradition is storytelling. I tried my hand at my own Christmas story last year. If you have some time read it and pass along the tradition. GREG http://www.sippitysup.com/sups-shorts-cooking-shirley-balboas-christmas-goose
angela says
December 14, 2011 at 4:03 amHow in the world did I miss that brilliant story, Greg? Was I asleep last year?
Valérie ( France ) says
December 13, 2011 at 7:21 pmLa bombe du père Noël me plait beaucoup
je te souhaite une belle soirée
Valérie
erin @ yummy supper says
December 13, 2011 at 7:18 pmAngela,
It was sweet to hear about your holiday traditions. “Love gets magnified”… I really like that.
And your treats look awesome. So funny that you mention the Chez Panisee almond tart – as a Berkeley person, that tart is legendary. I cannot believe I’ve never made it. You are inspiring me.
Happy holidays.
-E
angela says
December 14, 2011 at 4:03 amErin, I so want to eat at Chez Panisse. This is as far as I’ve gotten so far.
Joan Nova says
December 13, 2011 at 1:08 pmLovely post and sweet Christmas traditions.
As the song goes…it’s a wonderful time of year!
bellini says
December 13, 2011 at 12:25 pmThanks for sharing all of these wonderful memories with us Angela in the kitchen and out. Looks like it will be a wonderful holiday!!
Rosa says
December 13, 2011 at 6:23 amLovely treats! Everything looks delicious. I’m drooling…
Cheers,
Rosa
Pure Complex says
December 13, 2011 at 5:22 amThe fudge, the gingerbread, and the ice cream definitely makes me hungry right now :). I love all of these actually.. I could totally see me making any one of these. Amazing post
angela says
December 14, 2011 at 4:04 amIt’s so nice when a non-food blog blogger stops by. Love your blog.