It has been an interesting year. Hopefully, as the year draws to a close, you are happy and well. Now, more than ever, it’s a great time to remember the ones we love. Let’s share the holiday and the memories with our family and friends, truly, the best Christmas gift of them all.
It’s getting close, folks. Next week, Christmas will finally be here. All the anticipation, the excitement, the laughter, and good times will be upon us. This year, I’m very excited. Perhaps, I’m less rushed since most of my Christmas shopping is done.
I talked to my sister the other day about our plans for Christmas dinner. This year, she is planning on getting a 24 to 26 pound turkey, the largest we’ve ever cooked. The first question I had when she told me was, will it fit in the oven?
I reminded her about a Christmas several years ago. That was one house and one oven earlier. When it came time to put the turkey in, we were dismayed to realize that the turkey wasn’t going to fit. We panicked for awhile until her husband asked us, “Why not use the ?”
We both looked at each other and thought, what the heck? It’s just sitting there. So, we donned our coats. My brother-in-law fired up the , and I put the bird on the grill.
It wasn’t the prettiest of solutions. I had to manipulate the bird around to get the cover to close, but you know, it worked. Christmas dinner was saved. To be really honest too, that turkey tasted pretty darn good too. I’m sure my brother-in-law thought it was the best turkey ever since it was his idea to use the grill.
Of course, that put some ideas into my husband’s head. Why should only be used during the summer? Why not take advantage of it year round? There are no bees, no mosquitoes. The warmth of the grill feels very nice too as you baste something or turn some meat.
We have a neighbor who likes to cook out a lot, no matter what the season. It’s frankly kind of nice, getting a whiff of grilled steak on a cold winter day. It reminds you that summer isn’t too far away. When it feels like it’s been winter forever, that is a great feeling.
If you didn’t know it, today is , a day to indulge in those wonderful, but sinful delights. Of course, we all know that any good pastry is a haven of butter and lard. Pastry making is also an art form. I confess that I don’t have those particular talents. However, I can appreciate them in others.
My mother was the baker in our family. I didn’t inherit those particular genes. She would spend hours in the kitchen in the days before Christmas, kneading and rolling her dough. Her specialty was , a delightful Slovak dessert. I loved my mom’s roshki. It was synonymous with Christmas.
My grandma also had her favorite Christmas pastry. Her specialty was nut rolls. Her pastries were light as air. Crisco was her best friend. Such memories! I can still smell the wonderful aroma of her nut rolls, baking in the oven. Unfortunately, the recipe died with her. I imagine though that it was her endless kneading that liberal use of lard that made them so special.
This holiday season, enjoy the pastries that we probably only make and enjoy once a year. Have a roshki on me.
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