December for me is a month of nostalgia! It takes me back to my childhood, my little house in Essex way is smelling just like the house of my early years, in my Madeira the house that I and my siblings grew up a house full of love and music and laughter my dear Dad made it all so magical.
The scent of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and black treacle permeates the air! Memories of a busy kitchen with Mama baking all the goodies for Christmas the broas ((ie)) cookies that everyone in the Island is also busy getting their cooking done. I remember Mama getting us children to roll little balls and placing them on trays ready to be baked.
Then came the cakes, Mama measuring the ingredients into a big basin, no electric mixer like I use, she had to do all of this baking by hand, once again the smell of baking and one can smell it for miles because every house in the neighbourhood was doing the same, baking for Christmas.
Now it is my turn and it gives me lots of pleasure to keep the tradition going, I know that my girls look forward to eating them and I always make sure that their cousins have their share too, they loved Vovo's cookies. But now its Tia Ana's cookies.
And that's just like my house feels at the moment like a past memory that I relieve every December, now that I have started my baking, first I start with Broas de mel ((Black treacle cookies)) then The butter cookies and a few others. My kitchen smells heavenly the smell of spices so heady, and that's how I remember Christmas I hope that my girls will think on, with the same fond memories.
Wishing you all a very happy December and I hope that you all have been very good because Father Christmas is taking requests at the moment, so place your order wisely.
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