Friday, December 24, 2010

Christmas and Cooking

In Lalbagh Garden, in Bangalore, I found this plaque establishing the link between Christmas (tree) and the Cook (pine):
"Christian community treat this tree as sacred one & worship during Christmas."
Note the Muslim women having a photo snapped, with "Christmas Trees" in the background.
In my house, many holiday rituals surround cooking. One of my most precious possessions is this copy of Stora Kokboken, which I haul out every December to help with my liver pâté, my award-winning Swedish coffeebread and whatever else sparks happy memories. I say hello to my mom's notations and feel her presence.
(Stora Kokboken, Edith Ekegårdh and Britta Hallman-Haggren, Wezäta Förlag, Göteborg, 1957)
Opposite the title page is this:
My parents were married in December of 1957; the cookbook was a Christmas present from my mom's father, stepmother and stepsister. The note says "En god jul önskar vi er!" which translates as "We wish you a Merry Christmas".

What they said.

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