~ Carrying on the Traditions ~

My mom's recipes connect me to her in the best possible ways. What a gift it is to have special family ties through food. I'm reminded why I got into all of this good, fun work to begin with. It's a comfort, and we need to carry our traditions forward.

That's why we waste no time at the holidays putting the baking front and center! Christmas cookie baking over Thanksgiving weekend is cozy, delicious fun. Scroll down for a line-up of cookies and candies to put on your to-bake list. Pull the ingredients together now so you're all set to bake when the moment strikes! It's all coming upon us quickly, no?!

We love our Lebanese molded ma'moul cookies, graybeh butter cookies with a divine light texture, thumbprints, chocolate crinkles, date crisps, classic cut-outs and chocolate cut-outs. Orange Blossom baklawa three ways: traditional (simplified), nut-free, and vegan. Make that four: baklawa fingers too, with almonds. Homemade nougat candy is my dream. Dipped chocolates are straight from my grandfather (he was a confectioner for a time!), and candied citrus peel straight from my culinary school days.