When my family
starts reminiscing about Christmases past, I tend to bring up stories that my
mum shared when I was a child. It’s not because I don't have any fond memories
of my own, but rather it gives my children the chance to learn more about their
grandmother. I'm sure a lot of people who have lost a loved one do the same
especially at this time of year.
One of the
stories she used to tell is the reason I make a point to have fresh fruit
around the house on Christmas morning.
My mum Virginia
grew up on a wheat farm in Saskatchewan and one of the things she talked about
and something I experienced myself while in college was the weather. Winters in
the Canadian prairies were cold with temperatures at times being as low as
-43.8 C.
One Christmas, as
her story went, was particularly bad not only because of the high winds and
additional snow. (Think Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer kind of blizzard.) It
lasted for days and everyone was grounded including the trucks that delivered
food and supplies to local merchants. My mum’s family being farmers usually had
access to meat, dairy products and dried goods and if they ran out they could
always count on loans from a neighbor. Despite the weather, my grandfather
insisted that the chores needed to be done. The animals had to have food and
proper shelter. What my mum remembered about coming in from the cold was seeing
the kitchen table set with bowls of hot soup and a loaf of freshly baked bread.
My grandmother said the best way to combat the cold was with a hearty meal.
A day or two
before Christmas the weather finally broke. As my mum recalled, it was the
bright sun shining through her bedroom window that shook her out of bed, that
and the smell of bacon and eggs frying in a pan. Excited to see the sun and
knowing it meant a break for everyone, she darted into the kitchen. Once there
she stood in awe at the amazing show of light and color created by the sun's
rays bouncing off the linoleum floor that her mum had spent hours polishing the
night before. That's how the morning started. After breakfast, the family
headed into town. The trucks were still grounded but a train had arrived and
once word got out that it was loaded with supplies, a parade of people showed
up downtown.
By the time they
opened the doors to the train, everyone was standing around -- with fingers
crossed and eyes closed -- hoping that their Christmas packages had arrived.
What my mum remembers most is that the second the doors opened, the air around
her was filled with the smell of fresh apples. I believe it was growers from
surrounding provinces -- having learned of the terrible conditions in
Saskatchewan - that had loaded a boxcar with crates of fresh produce. My mum
said she will never forget how sweet an apple could taste in the dead of
winter. The crate of apples also made for some great homemade Christmas gifts.
In the spirit of
remembering our loved ones and the stories they tell, I am sharing the following
homemade baking ingredients courtesy of Spice Islands' flavor explorer Gaby
Dalkin of "What's Gaby Cooking." Each one can be used to create a
sweet treat befitting a holiday care package (and maybe the start of a holiday
memory):
Applesauce: Peel
and slice a bowl of apples (remove the seeds) and flavor them as desired with
cinnamon and sugar. Place the apples in a slow cooker and add enough water to
cover them, plus a tablespoon of lemon juice. Cook on low heat for 5 to 6
hours. Then pour them into canning jars with fancy labels and Christmas
greetings tied with a bow. Or invite a neighbor over and serve it with a bowl
of ice cream and a hot cup of tea.
Peanut butter:
Pour a batch of fresh peanuts into a food processor and grind them on high
power until the mixture looks creamy. Dalkin said the peanuts will form a thick
ball before turning into butter. Before you pour the peanut butter into a jar,
add your choice of vanilla extract, cinnamon or brown sugar to give it an extra
dash of flavor. Package the jar with a loaf of fresh homemade bread or a box of
sweet crackers.
Chocolate syrup:
Sanders rocks when it comes to chocolate fudge toppings, but it only takes a
few minutes to make your own. In a saucepan, combine 1/2-cup of cocoa powder
with 1 cup of water. Once the cocoa dissolves, add 2 cups of sugar. Let it boil
for a few minutes before adding a dash of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla
extract. Then pour it into a fancy bottle wrapped with shiny ribbon. Don't
forget the tag saying “Merry Christmas!”
Send your
comments or home and garden tips to Gina Joseph
gina.joseph@macombdaily.com;
