Holiday Goodies

Some of the best pastries and sweets come from eastern Europe and I'm not just saying that because my family is Hungarian. Though I am biased. The Linzertorte is one of the most famous treats in Austria and Hungary. It's basically a lattice-topped tart made of pastry crust that is filled with jam, either apricot, raspberry, or plum. Linzer cookies are the miniature version. These little round sandwiched cookies have such a festive look. Cut them out with a fluted cookie cutter and they take on the look of Christmas wreaths. Dusting them with powdered sugar is practically required to give them a true winter wonderland look.

Traditional Linzer cookies include ground nuts in the dough. This recipe does not make an exception. Instead of the traditional ground hazelnuts or almonds, I use ground cashews, which creates a cookie that is super soft and buttery in texture. The combination of cashews and apricot jam brings to mind one of my favorite sandwiches from Bouchon Bakery called the CB&J (cashew butter and apricot jam). Like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but even better, the CB&J hits all the comfort spots. I recreate that blissful flavor match in these delicate cookies for a slight twist on tradition

It’s not easy being Jewish during the Christmas season, especially if you’re a kid. Chanukah is great, don’t get me wrong. Presents for eight nights in a row. Lighting the candles and watching them flicker in the menorah until they gradually fade away. And I’m a big fan of the latke. But compared to Christmas? Really?

Imagine, then, what my son Luke had to contend with, growing up Jewish and having an older brother who got to celebrate Chanukah and Christmas while he celebrated only the Festival of Lights. And it was all my fault. I married a non-Jew, had a son with him and got divorced. Then I met my true love (Luke’s father) and created our modern nuclear family. Three Jews and a mixed-breed (sorry, Craig), who marched in a Christmas pageant at his father’s church wearing the robe of a king – the same year he was deep in preparation for his bar mitzvah. Holiday time in our household was always a bit fraught.

My house has been exploding with cookies lately. It’s not a bad thing and I’m certainly not complaining. I love this time of year when baking takes priority over dinner. “Here kids, have a few cookies and a glass of milk, we’ll call it good for a meal.” Just kidding…sort of.

Anyway, dark chocolate and peppermint is a combination that can’t be denied. I love putting it together during the holidays, mostly just to torture myself. I can barely say no to this melding of flavors and it kills me having it around. But this combo is refreshing in a sweet kind of way. You know what I mean.

However, in all truth, I love these cookies. They have hunks of melty chocolate inside, with crunchy sugar on the outside. They are insanely good and I hope you try them. They do not disappoint.

What did we do before Hershey’s came out with all these totally cute looking kisses? Not every flavor is my favorite, but I do really like the candy cane rendition. And they are so pretty.

Chinese New Year or the spring festival celebration lasts for 15 days starting with a parade headed by a large size red dragon dancing its way through the streets and businesses of Chinatown. In Boston, the New Year started with a bang! Firecrackers were exploding loudly echoing on the narrow street, lettuce leaves and orange peels were littering the pavement in the wake of the dragon,tossed to symbolize prosperity and good fortune.

The date for the new year changes every year. It is based on a combination of the Chinese lunar/solar calendar. Chinese New Year is always celebrated on the second moon after the winter solstice. That is why the date is never the same. Chinatown is decorated with red lanterns (red for good luck). Bright red packets with gold writing hang from all the trees outside and plants in restaurants symbolizing lucky money and everyone has been sweeping and cleaning their houses, sweeping out any bad luck from the past year.