Tomorrow afternoon, I celebrate St. Patrick's Day with neighbors in the community clubhouse. My contribution to the event is a platter of assorted cookies. Ricotta cookies, anise-flavored ones, oreo cookie balls dipped in white chocolate, creme de menthe brownies, and chocolate biscotti cookies are ready to sit on a large, shiny shamrock placemat on top of a rectangular tray that was given to me as a gift from my uncle's collection.
My platter will represent a craft passed down from my Nonnie and mother. From them, I learned that the presentation of confectionary delights is as important as the creation. I dig back in my vault of poetic thoughts and find a poem written in 2019 that brings back sweet memories.
Smells of baking remind me of you,
Anise seeds, almond extract, sweet honey,
They lift my senses, taking me back to childhood-
Little fingers stroking an oversized rolling pin,
Playing baker, standing by your side on summer days.
Your warm kitchen, small for modern-day baking,
Became my childhood playground and learning ground.
I remember your wisdom with each cookie I create.
©CV, 2019
My tray of cookies will be prepared tomorrow. I am keeping a photographic log of my cookies creations so perhaps a picture will appear in another slice. (Leigh Anne Eck invited slicers to her annual slicer party and I made an extra batch of cookies for the celebration.
Thank you Two Writing Teachers for this daily meeting place to connect with a community of reflective writers.
Your cookie selection sounds amazing. I know you will pass your recipes and baking secrets to your grandkids.
ReplyDeleteCookies sound delicious, Carol. Yes, presentation is important. What a great classroom and teacher you had. I am sure your cookies will be a hit.
ReplyDeleteCarol, I love your slice! It's wonderful to honor a family tradition in your poems and your celebrations. I resonate with the images you created in your poem because my grandparents taught me to make pasta, which I passed on to my children. My aunt was the baker, not my mother. Every year before her Christmas Eve party, I would help her bake cookies. I taught my children how to make some of her cookies and we still make some of them.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious about your cookie with the ricotta cheese in it. Is it an Italian cookie? Every year my grandmother made Italian cookies with ricotta cheese in it. After my grandmother died, I made them for my mother. Other recipes for the cookie without the ricotta cheese did not compare. Have fun with your neighbors and eating all those delicious cookies. Thank you for sharing and your inspiration.