Page 42 - December 2020 Voices

GLEANINGS FROM THE GROVE

Home for the Holidays

Paul Fanning, DTM

This is my most favorite time of the year—the out of sight.

holidays. I have memories and experiences Let us not forget the ever present (Mirro once
from nostalgic occasions, great happenings, and again) cookie cutters in various shapes such as a
events from childhood and adulthood to fill a Christmas tree, Santa, reindeer, and ornaments.
lifetime. Some are from this month. Many of Once the happy homemaker had rolled out the

them are around food and family, especially the dough, I could use the cookie cutters to “cut-out”
preparation of holiday treats and meals. the cookie from the sheet of pastry. Every year
One example came up in a conversation just this went on-even after I had left home. The
this week about making cookies—always a fan collection of cookie tins left in the cupboards

favorite and number one treat. The individual numbered into the twenties-each one used solely
I was talking with happened to have the same at Christmas time. German cookies, English
shared experience of our mothers making the ones, Scottish Shortbread-the list went on until
pressed cookies and then decorating them. I my mother was no longer able to bake, but not

remember my mother would bring out a box for lack of cooking equipment, rolling pin, and
from underneath the cupboard—the box covered a flour table.
with graphics from the 1950’s. It was always a I have fond memories of learning about
delight to me to be able to “help” use the famous new holiday foods from friends through the

“Mirro Cooky Pastry Press” which resembled years-Greek pastries, Russian Tea Cakes, Jewish
a Buck Rogers type aluminum cylinder with a Channukah desserts, Mexican breads and
handle and copper rings. It had around a dozen cookies, and First Nations/Native American
shapes and three nozzles. When you pressed and delicacies. Each one added a smell or specific

turned the knob at the end, it pushed out the taste to my brain’s catalog of delights for the
dough in the design you desired. Later years this holidays. These foods enhanced something to my
device changed to a “Cookie Press” and looked way of celebrating and honoring other peoples’
like a caulking gun. The dough was laid out on traditions.

the (of course) “Mirro Cooky Pan” and baked in One New Year’s tradition from Guatemala
the oven. My full attention was required to put caused great amusement when I was asked if I
on slivered nuts, silver candy balls, and sprinkles wanted a tamale. Being quite used to Mexican-
before sneaking one or two away to consume style tamales, either the small, sweet ones for

42 ONE COMMUNITY