Dec 19, 2015

SOMEWHERE MY MOTHER IS LAUGHING AND LAUGHING

I'm 49 years old.  This means that for at least the last 30 years or so I have attempted to make THE DAMN GREEK COOKIES for Christmas.

The damn Greek cookies are koulrakia...a very simple butter twist cookie that is sometimes made with orange juice, anise, or whiskey.

I'm thinking that the whiskey part is what I'm doing wrong every year, since by the time I finish making the damn Greek cookies I am in desperate need of a drink.

It always starts out with the best intentions.  I gather my ingredients, measure them carefully, and start mixing.

Here is where I should probably explain the part about my mom laughing and laughing.  First of all, my mom was a very funny person, and she took delight in silly things.  For example, she would probably think it hilarious that a 49 year old semi-accomplished baker like me throws a fit every year when she reads the recipe instructions....and they say "Get the dough so it isn't sticky and then roll the cookies like pencils and twist them."

That's it.  No order of addition of ingredients.  No oven temperature or helpful tips.  Just a crazyass sentence that was probably the exact way my mom was told to make the damn Greek cookies, so that's how she wrote it down.

This year, I found another random piece of notebook paper in my recipe box written in Mom's handwriting, and lo and behold....it almost looks like it could be more information: "Mix the butter and sugar and eggs together and then dump in the rest of the flavorings.  Put the baking soda into the orange juice...it will foam up.  Use a big box of Swan's Down Cake Flour."

Holy crap on a cracker, I really should have bought that whiskey.

Now before you tell me that I could just Google a proper recipe for koulrakia, or I could go to the Greek Orthodox Church here in Hoosierville and ask one if the nice Greek ladies to take pity on me and teach me how to make the damn Greek cookies....I've got one word for you.

Tradition.

My mom loved these damn Greek cookies and evey year that I go through this I think of her and how much she loved the holidays.  I laugh and laugh and wonder how I manage to get flour on the ceiling.  Every.  Single.  Year.  And when it's all over, I make a cup of coffee, give Stewey a bit of a damn Greek cookie, and I wish my mom a Merry Christmas wherever she is.

And I hear her laugh and laugh and tell me that next year we'll figure it out.





Tomorrow we're making Dad's favorite....the damn Italian cookies...cuccidati.  Stay tuned!

23 comments:

  1. You have a very nice home. :)

    This is a fun and beautiful story; and may I have a cookie?

    Merry Christmas to you, and your little dog, too. :D

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  2. What a wonderful tradition! They look delicious!

    I've tried and tried to make my Mom's potato pancakes and end up with a big mashed potato failure every time. She never used a recipe or wrote anything down so it's all trial and error. Mostly error.

    Good luck with the cuccidati!

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  3. They look pretty. I'll bet they taste good too

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  4. Hahahaha you made me smile, then chuckle, and then laugh. I have never followed a blog before, but I am going to follow yours. You took my heavy heart and lightened my burden while I read about sending your mom out for dog food.
    The cookies look good, I will have to get a hold of a recipe and try it. You are right, tradition makes the cookie taste better, I am still trying to master my Gram's christmas cake.

    Good luck with tomorrows baking adventure.

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  5. I can tell you the order of the recipe we use for koulourakia if you think that will help. (I wonder if my cousin is making those this year?) They look pretty good anyway.

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  6. I think your cookies look great. I enjoyed reading your story about your Mom, the cookies and tradition. Hope you will share the Italian cookie saga with us!

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  7. I'm a 66 year old fellow spinster. I've been trying to duplicate my mom's meatloaf since I was about 20. I just never seem to get it right. But I'll keep trying. I'm so glad you keep trying. Good for us! Merry Christmas to you Coni.

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  8. I love this post, you made me smile. Good luck with the cookies tomorrow.
    Meredith

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  9. They look delicious! Merry Christmas Coni!

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  10. It's so good to see Stewey up and about,photobombing the middle pic and interested in snitching your beautiful cookies. Thank you for sharing your story with us :)

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  11. Coni, I see you have a little helper in the kitchen, too. My tabby, Mamita, is always underfoot waiting for me to drop something tasty. I remember your mom and you made me remember mine. Thank you. I'm making my mom's flan for Christmas dessert (I think I've got it right), but am still trying my Portuguese damndest to win the battle of the Christmas Eve codfish cakes. Be good.

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  12. My Mom could not cook worth a darn. But she could always make perfect fudge in my Grandmother's kitchen. I realize now that Grandma was always in the kitchen with her... My Grandma could cook, boy that lady could cook. So, I believe my cooking skills came from my Grandma. My mother was a lovely lady and left me with some very fine qualities of her very own. But, cooking was not one of them. Love to you, Stewey and your wonderful memories of your mother.

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  13. Such a lovely post! Your baking looks yummy!!

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  15. You really are a riot!!! Thank you for sharing w/ us . . . I really think you could write some good funny books about your spinster adventures w/ the Stewmeister. Merry Christmas to you!

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  16. Loved your post today! We love the recipe for for koulourakia in Vefa's Kitchen - the BEST cookbook.

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  17. They look wonderful! Merry Christmas to you and Stewey and aunt Chrissy.

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  18. Oh how I have missed reading your posts! This one was funny indeed. Thanks for the laugh and Merry Christmas!

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  19. I have that same problem with my grandmothers butterhorn rolls. It calls for a pat of yeast????...

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  20. I'm sorry your cookies are not exact, they still look great.

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  21. I love baking....good for you keeping up your mother's tradition even with its challenges! Unfortunately neither my husband or I should be eating cookies but Christmas just isn't right unless you have some of the favorites. I make Polish kolaczki's for my husband since his mother always made them for her family. They're a lot of work but worth the effort. You and Stewey have a nice holiday Coni!

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  22. I have a recipe like that, my Dad's favorite cookie, aka the lpusy cookies, aka Great Aunt Ida's Sesame Biscotti. They require setting aside the entire morning to mix the rather stiff dough, shape the dough in small balls, roll the balls in sesame seeds, reshape the sesame coated dough and bake. My Great Aunt Ida didn't share the recipe but my branch of the family had a spy in her camp, her grand daughter, my second cousin, the aptly named Cookie D'Amico.

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  23. My mother also made these cookies, by the hundreds. At least you are following her tradition. I have not been brave enough to do so. However after your post I just may give them a shot next year. My ceiling could use a bit of flour and my mom could look down from heaven and have a good laugh! Have a blessed new year. TN Ladybug

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