Anna Sultana’s Pastina Soups, Pasta e Fagioli Soup and Panettone / Christmas Sadness by Margaret Ullrich

 

It’s traditional to say ‘Happy’ and ‘Merry’ when a holiday comes.
But sometimes happy isn’t what somebody is feeling.
I’m not talking about the tired, stressed feeling that is usually felt by anyone who’s in charge of taking care of meals, gifts, accommodations for guests and peace keeping that are needed during big holiday events.

During the year life happens, and sometimes life feels like a kick in the gut.
And it’s impossible to ‘just shake it off’ and get into a party mood.
And that’s perfectly normal.
I mean, who said we have to put on an act?


Say ‘Italian Food’ and people automatically picture pizza, pastries and pasta.
Well, there’s a fourth P item that every Italian, and Maltese, reaches for when needing a bit of comfort.
Pastina.
Pastina just means small pasta.
But when we picture pastina it’s a steaming bowl of chicken soup with tiny pasta.
A bowl of pastina was our first solid food.
Our mothers made it whenever someone was coming down with a cold or looking sad.
It’s called the Italian Penicillin.
A bowl of pastina is comfort, love and peace in a bowl.

It’s easy to make, and like any ancient recipe, there are variations.
I’m posting a few, as well as a recipe for Pasta e Fagioli Soup, a comforting, cheap, filling meal that's handy when the bills start coming in January.


It’s been said that man does not live by bread alone.
Well, sure, a bit of butter is always appreciated.
Panettone, a traditional Italian Christmas bread, is a soft, buttery, sweet bread filled with citrus and raisins.


There's a legend about Italy’s Christmas bread, Panettone. 

It was created in Milan by a young nobleman named Antonio, who was in love with a baker's daughter. He went to work for the baker, whose business was failing. Antonio added butter, sugar, candied fruit and eggs to the bread dough.

People loved the new creation: Pane di Toni or Tony's bread.

Soup and bread.
Take some comfort from where ever you can.


Hints:

These recipes feed four to six. You can make a double batch and freeze half.
Many stores carry boxes of ditalini, orzo, alphabet or tiny star-shaped pasta which are perfect for pastina soup. If your store doesn’t, use elbow macaroni.

The Parmesan rind adds a rich flavour.
If you don’t have a rind, you can add 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce to the broth.

After the pasta’s cooked crack an egg into the pot and stir gently to create egg ribbons.

Before serving the soup, taste and season with salt and pepper.
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley (or dry), grated Parmesan cheese and a small pat of butter or a drizzle of olive oil.
A dash of lemon juice or lemon slices adds a nice flavour, too.

Serve with warm crusty bread.


About the Pastina with Fresh Tomatoes Soup…
You can add chopped chicken, diced carrots, peas and a small can of tomato sauce.


About the Pastina with Cannellini Beans Soup…
White or red kidney beans (actually any canned beans) would be fine.
This leftover soup thickens. Add broth or water when reheating to bring it back to the right consistency.


About the Pasta Fagioli Soup…
if you don’t have pancetta you can use diced pepperoni, bacon, ham or pork or make it without meat.


About the Panettone…
When kneading do not add too much flour.

 

 

                    Basic Pastina Soup

Place in a large pot
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Heat over medium heat.
Add
1 small yellow or white onion, diced
1 Cup carrots, peeled and diced
1 Cup celery (about 2 stalks), diced (optional)
2 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
Stirring, sauté until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Add
5 Cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 Cup water
1 Parmesan rind
Bring to a gentle boil.
Stir in
1 Cup pastina
Reduce heat slightly and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove the Parmesan rind.
Ladle into bowls and garnish.


                                       Pastina with Fresh Tomatoes Soup

Score a small X on the bottoms of
6 cherry tomatoes
Place them in a bowl and cover with boiling water.
Let sit for 2 to 3 minutes, then drain the water.
When they’re cool enough to handle, peel the tomatoes, then chop them.

Place in a large pot
6 cups chicken or veggie broth
Bring to a boil over high heat.
Add the chopped tomatoes to the simmering broth.
Stir in
1 1/2 Cups pastina
Reduce heat slightly and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
Turn off the heat and stir in
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Ladle into bowls and garnish.


                                       Pastina with Canned Tomatoes Soup

Place in a large pot
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Heat over medium heat.
Add
1/2 Cup diced onion
1 Cup diced carrots
1 Cup diced celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
Stirring, sauté until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Add
5 Cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 (14.5 ounces) can diced tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon oregano (optional)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Bring to a gentle boil.
Stir in
1 Cup pastina
Reduce heat slightly and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
Ladle into bowls and garnish.


                                       Pastina with Spinach Soup

Place in a large pot
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Heat over medium heat.
Add
1 small yellow or white onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
Stirring, sauté until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Stir in
2 garlic cloves, minced
Sauté for 1 minute.
Add
6 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
Bring to a gentle boil.
Stir in
3/4 Cup pastina
Reduce heat slightly and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes
Stir in
1 handful baby spinach or kale, chopped
Cook just until wilted.
Ladle into bowls and garnish.


                                       Pastina with Parmesan Ribbons Soup

Place in a small bowl
1 large egg
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Beat to combine.

Place in a large pot
2 Tablespoons olive oil or 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
Heat over medium heat.
Add
1 small carrot, finely grated or diced
1 garlic clove, minced
Stirring, sauté 2 to 3 minutes.
Add
6 Cups vegetable or chicken broth
Bring to a gentle boil.
Stir in
1 1/2 Cups pastina
Reduce heat slightly and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
While stirring, slowly drizzle in the egg mixture.
Let simmer 1 minute, then remove from heat and stir in
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped or 1 Tablespoon dried
Ladle into bowls and garnish.

                    Pastina with Cannellini Soup

Place in a large pot
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Heat over medium heat.
Add
1 small onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
Stirring, sauté until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Stir in
2 garlic cloves, minced
                                                               Cook for 1 minute.
Add
6 Cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 (14.5 ounces) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounces) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Bring to a gentle boil.
Stir in
3/4 Cup pastina
Reduce heat slightly and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
Ladle into bowls and garnish.


                                       Pasta e Fagioli Soup

Dice
4 ounces pancetta
1 medium onion
3 plum tomatoes

Place in a large pot
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Heat over medium heat.
Add diced pancetta
Sauté for 7 to 10 minutes, until the fat is mostly rendered.
Add diced onion
Cook 5 minutes, then stir in
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Cook 1 to 2 minutes until garlic is golden.
Add
6 cups of water
diced tomatoes
3 (16 ounces) cans cannellini beans, drained, not rinsed
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1 Parmesan rind
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and gently mash some of the beans with a wooden spoon for creaminess. (optional)
Add
2 cups pastina or small shells
Reduce heat slightly and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir and add more water if needed.
Remove the Parmesan rind.
Ladle into bowls and garnish.

                    Panettone

Grease a deep round pan (a 2 1/2 quart pot would be fine)

Heat  to scalding
1/2 Cup milk
Let it stand until it is lukewarm.

Place in a small mixer bowl
1/2 Cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 Cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
                                                           Beat until creamy.
Pour into a warmed mixing bowl
1/4 Cup warm water
Add
1 Tablespoon yeast
Stir until the yeast is dissolved.
Let sit 10 minutes.
Add the warm milk and the sugar / butter mixture and stir well.
Add
2 large eggs, beaten
2 Cups flour
Beat until smooth.
Blend in
1/4 Cup seedless raisins
1/2 Cup mixed candied fruits
1/4 Cup toasted almonds, chopped
1 Tablespoon lemon extract
Add enough flour to make a soft dough, about 2 cups.
Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface.
Knead until dough is smooth and elastic.
Put in an oiled bowl, turning the dough to coat it with oil.
Cover with a damp towel and let stand in a warm place away from drafts about 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in bulk.

Punch down the dough and turn out on a board.
Cover with bowl and let rest 10 minutes.
Shape dough in a round loaf and place it in the greased pan.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Cut an "X" in the top.

Preheat oven to 375º F

Combine
1 egg yolk
1 Tablespoon cold water
Brush egg mixture over the loaf.
Bake 1 hour or until brown.
Remove from oven and let cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes.
Remove bread from pan and return bread to rack to cool completely.

                                                                                     ~~~

For another broadcast of our CKUW radio program ‘2000 & Counting’ we talked about past Christmases.
Our show was hosted by seniors who had gone through the usual types of life experiences, some good and some bad.
But we had gotten through them all.

Wishing you peace, joy, health and everything good in 2026.


I wish you all a very happy holiday season full of peace, health, joy and love.
And, of course, favourite foods.
Let's not forget television specials and Christmas music.

For those who don't know the story, the Christmas carol Silent Night was written in the nineteenth century because of a problem.      
In a small Austrian church the organ was broken and couldn't be repaired in time for the Christmas Eve Mass. So, in a couple of hours, Joseph Mohr and Franz Gruber created a simple song that could be played on the guitar.
It was called the song from heaven.
      
On Christmas Eve in 1914, the German soldiers singing Silent Night brought a touch of humanity to World War l. The British soldiers responded with another carol, The First Noel. For a few hours, peace returned, thanks to music.


The first year I was on the CKUW radio show 2000 & Counting, Older and Wiser I prerecorded our two holiday shows. That year the holidays occurred on Tuesday, the day we usually broadcasted, and we wanted to be home.
I taped each person telling a story and their favourite Christmas carol recording.
The segments filled the two hours easily.

Normally we did our shows live and, as our listeners knew, we did make mistakes. 
With prerecording, we were able to edit them. We sounded pretty good.


Maybe that's the problem with modern life.
We hear recordings and see shows that have had dozens of retakes.
Sometimes they show the bloopers.
It's pretty funny to see that even big stars make mistakes.

But, most of the time, all we only see a smoothly running show where everyone always says the right thing, the dinner is cooked to perfection and all problems are resolved with everybody hugging each other within a half an hour.

It can leave one feeling like he's been cheated, or that he should try harder.


The first Christmas was a stinker. Being in a big city with no available rooms is not fun. Add to that Mary was about to have her first baby in a barn with just a carpenter there to help.

I don't think any Christmas has ever gone according to plan.
And maybe Christmas just isn't supposed to be perfect.


A first Christmas away from all that's familiar can be rough.
Our first married Christmas was a big change.
Paul and I are originally from New York City.  Tons of people.
I came from a huge family - a first generation immigrant family.
My parents and their siblings couldn't get enough of each other.   
 
But, there we were in 1972, all alone in Surrey, British Columbia.
The two of us in a basement apartment watching Perry Como's Christmas Special.
It was something from home for us.
This was in the days before Skype. We hadn't seen our relatives for six months.    
When we watched Perry Como, it was good to know our folks were watching it, too.
For an hour, we were all together.
Then we went to bed for a long winter's nap.
     

The next morning we awoke hearing our puppy happily yelping and splashing in water.
No, he wasn't in a basin or a tub.
     
Surrey in those days was very rural. 
There were open drainage ditches running along the lengths of the residential blocks. The ditch in front of our house had gotten plugged. The rain had soaked our lawn and was seeping through three walls of our apartment. We were rapidly being flooded.

We piled things onto our bed.
The folks upstairs helped us carry everything else into their apartment.
Within a half hour water covered about two feet of our first Christmas tree.
We were safe and dry upstairs, sharing a cup of coffee.
Then we heard our phone ringing.

My folks had said they would call on Christmas Day.
If we didn't answer they phone, they would worry.
This was in the days before cell phones.
Our only phone was on the table in our apartment.
Our flooded apartment.

We braved the icy water and the risk of electrocution to answer the phone.
We wished my folks a Merry Christmas.
Keeping our teeth from chattering, we made small talk.
No mention of of our apartment suddenly becoming a wading pool.
What would've been the point of worrying them?


Living in British Columbia is just a memory.   
Perry Como's Christmas specials are just a memory.
My parents, also, are just a memory.
But thanks to memories, we can enjoy a Christmas from the past.


During the holidays people often feel a bit down.
If this is your first Christmas after a major loss or change, be gentle with yourself.
Forget 'the rules'. Do what will make it easier for you.

It won't be perfect.
So what?
It will be real… another Christmas memory.

Anna Sultana’s Ricotta Pie, Tart Ricotta Pie, Cannoli Pie with Sugar Cone Crust, Cannoli Cake, Cannoli Cookies / Would Santa Ever Find Me? by Margaret Ullrich

It's December 21st, the first day of winter.
This past week we’ve had two snowstorms, and, with the winds, we had white outs.
The weather was so bad that the buses couldn’t run and they had to shut down the schools.
In Manitoba the ‘first day of winter’ bit just gets an eye roll.
Like, it’s December, put on your toque and get your shovel.

No matter the weather, the holiday season is here.
All together now: Tradition... Tradition...
I know that most of the time everyone just does what they have - or want - to do.
But  the holiday season has rules - I mean, traditions - that must be followed.
Yippee kay yoh kay yay!


My Christmas traditions are Maltese and Italian.
Whether we were visiting Sicilian relative or eating at home we always had Ricotta Pie and fresh - practically made-to-order - Cannoli for Christmas.

Ricotta Pie is very simple to make and can be served for a light brunch any time of the year.

If you’re not Italian, cannoli is a tube-shaped dessert made of fried pastry dough filled with a sweet cheese, usually ricotta, filling.
Traditional Italian bakers fill the tube just before serving to keep the tube crisp.
Leftovers have to be refrigerated.
But after a day the shell gets soft and the cannoli just isn’t as good.
That’s why my mother and aunts started using the filling in pies and cakes and cookies.

If you're not interested in frying pastry dough while everyone is having fun around the tree, these recipes are fine cannoli substitutes.

Merry Christmas!!


Hints:

For a smooth texture, drain ricotta for at least an hour in a cheesecloth lined strainer, and have it at room temperature before using.

The ricotta and cannoli pies and the cannoli cake should be refrigerated.
The cookies will be fine at room temperature.

Traditional Pie Crust:
Place in large bowl
4 Cups flour
1 1/2 Cups cold unsalted butter, cubed
Cut in butter.
Make a well in the centre and add
1 egg, beaten
1/2 Cup ice water
3 Tablespoons sour cream
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Stir together and form into 3 balls.
Roll out 1 ball slightly larger than a 9 inch pie plate.
Gently fit it in, crimp the edges, and trim excess.
Repeat with remaining 2 balls.


About the Cannoli Pie with Sugar Cone Crust…
To make it ahead replace the confectioner’s sugar with one can sweetened condensed milk and freeze overnight.
Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.


                                                     Ricotta Pie                                                              

Have prepared in 9 inch pie plate
1 pie crust

Place in a large bowl
2 Cups whole milk ricotta
Whisk until smooth.
Add
3/4 Cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Mix until creamy and fully combined.

Preheat oven to 350° F

Pour the filling into the pie crust and smooth the top.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the centre is set and the top is golden.
Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Just before slicing, dust with
Confectioner’s sugar

                                                     Tart Ricotta Pie

Have prepared in 9 inch pie plate
1 pie crust

Place in a large bowl
1 Cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla
Whisk together until smooth, about 1 minute.
Add
2 Cups whole milk ricotta
1/4 Cup sour cream
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Mix until well combined.
Stir in
1/4 Cup flour
Pinch of salt
Mix until no lumps remain.

Preheat oven to 350° F

Pour the filling into the pie crust and smooth the top.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until set and only slightly jiggly in the centre.
Cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 (preferably 4) hours.
Before serving, dust top with
1 Tablespoon cinnamon


                                                     Cannoli Pie with Sugar Cone Crust

Preheat oven to 350° F 

Sugar Cone Pie Crust:
Crush 12 sugar cones to get 1 1/2 Cups of 1/4 inch bits and finer crumbs.
Add
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
Combine until blended.
Press crumbs into a 9 inch pie plate.
Bake for 5 minutes. Let cool completely.

Place in a large mixer bowl
2 1/2 Cups heavy cream
Whip to stiff peaks.
For the filling: measure out 2 cups and set aside.
For the topping: place the remainder in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate.

Place in the same large mixer bowl (you don’t need to wash it)
8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
Beat for 3 minutes.
Add
1 Cup Confectioner’s sugar
Beat until smooth.
Add
1 Cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat 3 minutes.
Gently fold in the 2 Cups of whipped cream.
Pour into the cooled crust and smooth the top.

Whisk into the refrigerated whipped cream
3 Tablespoons Confectioner’s sugar
Pipe whipped cream around the edge of the pie.
Sprinkle with
1/3 Cup mini chocolate chips
1/3 Cup chopped pistachios
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

                       Cannoli Cake

Preheat oven to 350° F
Grease and flour three 8 inch round cake pans.

Place in a medium bowl
2 1/2 Cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Whisk together.


Place in a large mixer bowl
1 Cup unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 Cups sugar
Cream together until light and fluffy.
Beat in, one at a time
4 large eggs
Add
1 Tablespoon vanilla
Making 3 dry and 2 liquid additions, add
the flour mixture
1 Cup milk
Mix gently, just until combined.
Fold in
1/2 Cup mini chocolate chips
Divide batter evenly among prepared pans.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool completely.

For the cake’s topping:
Place in a large mixer bowl
2 1/2 Cups heavy cream
Whip to stiff peaks.
Place in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate.

For decorating: (optional)
Place in a small mixer bowl
1/2 Cup heavy cream
Whip to stiff peaks.
Whisk in
1/2 Tablespoon Confectioner’s sugar
Cover and refrigerate.

Cannoli Filling:
Place in the same large mixer bowl (you don’t need to wash it)
1 1/2 Cups ricotta cheese
1 Cup mascarpone cheese
1 Cup Confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat until smooth.
Layer the cake with half of cannoli filling between the layers.
Cover the top and sides with cake's topping whipped cream 

Pipe the cream for decorating around the edge of the cake. (optional)
Sprinkle over the top
1 Cup mini chocolate chips
                                                             

                       Cannoli Cookies

Preheat oven to 350° F
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place in a medium bowl
1 3/4 Cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Whisk together and set aside.

Place in a large mixer bowl
1/2 Cup unsalted butter, softened
1 Cup sugar
Cream until light and fluffy.
Add
1 Cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix until smooth.
Gradually stir in the flour mixture.
Fold in
1 Tablespoon orange zest
3/4 Cup mini chocolate chips
Place tablespoon-sized balls of dough on the baking sheets.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges are just turning golden.

Place in small microwaveable bowl
1 Cup chocolate chips (your choice of sweetness)
Microwave until just melted.

After cookies have cooled completely, dust with
Confectioner’s sugar
Drizzle with
Melted chocolate
Store them in a tin that’s been lined with wax paper.

                                                                  ~~~

 

In 2004 I wrote this story for our CKUW radio show '2000 & Counting - Older & Wiser'. 

For a while it was our annual tradition.

I got a few e mails asking if I could post the original story. 


Here it is.

If you'd like to try some of the recipes, I've posted many of them. Just copy the name and paste it in the 'looking for a recipe' box.

 

Change follows us from the cradle to the grave. When I was five years old I was hit with a megadose of change. I moved to another town, got a baby sister, got to go to kindergarten and got Santa Claus. 
 


Five years earlier my parents and I had emigrated from Malta to New York and settled in Corona. We didn't have much choice. Five of Pop's brothers and sisters lived in Corona. So, we had to live in Corona, too. 
 


Corona was a little slice of Italy on Long Island. The store clerks were bilingual: English and Italian. The grocery stores in Corona were stocked with Italian necessities. Almost everything in all the other stores had been imported from Italy. 
Corona was where we learned how to be Americans. 
 


Nonni's children, Betty and Angelo, had married two of Pop's siblings, Joe and Helen. So, Nonni was a double Grandma in my family. Since all my grandparents were in Malta, Nonni treated me as a grandchild, too. 
 


Every Christmas Eve we gathered at Uncle Joe and Aunt Betty's home. A whole corner of their living room was filled with Nonni's manger scene. It was not just a shed with Mary, Joseph, three kings and one shepherd standing around Baby Jesus. Nonni had a complete village with houses, trees, hills, paths, ponds and animals. There were people walking around just minding their own business. Some of the figures were really old and we couldn't play with them.

But each year Nonni added something new: a woman carrying a basket of eggs, a farmer carrying a head of cabbage, a man carrying a bundle of wood. Nonni’s manger scene was better than any store window on 5th Avenue in Manhattan.

Dinner was a feast. Fish was traditional: eel for the parents, bluefish for the children. There was also soup, pasta and vegetables, followed by ricotta pie, anise biscotti, pizzelle and cuccidati cookies, strufoli, creamy roasted chestnuts and torrone candy. My favourite was the huge golden mound of strufoli: tiny doughnut balls covered with honey and multi-coloured sprinkles. 

After dinner we played games and our parents talked until it was time to walk to the Midnight Mass at St. Leo's. After Mass we returned to Uncle Joe's for some panettone, a holiday bread made with butter, raisins, almonds and citron. 



Then Nonni would tell us to look at the manger scene for the surprise. The blessed Bambino, Baby Jesus, had suddenly appeared!



Christmas Eve was a wonderful night. But the big day for us children was January sixth. The night before we had hung our stockings and waited for La Befana to bring us toys. 



La Befana was a little old lady who had been sweeping her house when the Wise Men knocked on her door. They were looking for Baby Jesus and asked La Befana for directions. Then they invited La Befana to join them. 

The old woman refused, saying she had work to do. 
 


When it was dark, a great light and angels appeared in the sky. La Befana realized that the Wise Men weren't kidding about somebody special being born that night. Broom in hand, La Befana tried to catch up with the Wise Men. She never found them or Baby Jesus. 

Every year she searches for Baby Jesus and leaves presents for good little boys and girls. 




La Befana took care of me for four years. Then we moved to College Point so we could live closer to Lily Tulip where Pop worked. Then it was time for my sister to be born. While Ma was in the hospital I stayed with Aunt Betty, Uncle Joe and their two daughters. It was nice living in Corona again. The next day, Nonni took me to the local 5 and 10 and gave me a quarter. 
 


"Buy for sister."

I didn't know what a baby sister would want. I liked westerns, so I grabbed a toy gun. 

"No. Buy a rattle." 

A rattle? That sounded boring, but I bought a pink plastic rattle. 
 


In those days children were not allowed to visit anyone in the hospital. When Aunt Betty visited Ma, she gave the rattle to my new sister. I waited outside the hospital and waved to the window of Ma's room. When Aunt Betty returned she had a gift from my new sister for me. Three pieces of chocolate. 


Well, wasn't that nice of her. Not as nice as a toy gun, but maybe that was all she could get from where she'd been. 
 




After Rose was born we didn't go to Corona as often. It was easier to walk to the local church instead of driving to St. Leo's. I missed seeing my family. 



That September I started kindergarten in St. Fidelis School. Some of the good sisters had wanted to travel and meet exotic heathens in far away places. Well, they almost got their wish. I was the first Maltese child they'd ever seen. College Point had been settled by Irish and German families. It was time for me to learn about America through their eyes. 
 


As Christmas approached, the windows of the German bakeries were filled with the most beautiful cookies I'd ever seen. They were in all kinds of shapes: stars, angels, animals and wreaths. They were decorated with coconut, jam, icing and tiny silver balls. 

Some of my classmates brought in samples of their mothers' baking. I brought some biscotti. My friends were polite and tasted the dry, double-baked bread. Then we ate the lebkuchen, pfeffernuesse, zimtsterne, and jam filled spitzbuben. The stollen reminded me of panettone. 
 


I thought a German Christmas was delicious. I planned to eat German and Italian holiday food every Christmas for the rest of my life. 
 


We helped Sister decorate the Christmas tree with sugar cookies which had been twisted into figure eights. Then Sister told us to gather around her. She was going to read us a story. Sister showed us the picture of Santa Claus and his eight reindeer. My friends were delighted. 



I was confused. 
 


I had never heard any of this before. Santa was supposed to slide down a chimney and land in a fireplace. 

We didn't have a fireplace. We had a huge, oil-burning furnace in the basement. Ma hung our stockings, along with all the other wet laundry, on a clothesline near the furnace. It made awful noises and had fire in it. If Santa landed in the furnace he'd fry like a strufoli. That would end Christmas forever. I didn't think Santa would take such a risk for a total stranger. The lovely cookies felt like lead in my stomach.



Sister talked about Santa checking his list of good little girls and boys. 

Santa had a list? I knew we were on the Registered Aliens list. Every January the TV reminded Ma to fill out green cards so we wouldn't go to jail or Malta. How could I get on Santa's list? Could Santa get my name from the Alien list? Did I need to fill out another card? 
 


The afternoon went from bad to worse. Sister told us we could put our letters to Santa in the special mailbox in the classroom. A letter? What language did Santa speak? He'd never heard from me. I wasn't on his list. What could I say? 
 


"Hi, you don't know me, but I'd like some toys." I'd never written a letter to La Befana. She just gave me toys. Would Santa shoot La Befana if she came to College Point? Oh, boy… I was in big trouble. 
 


In kindergarten we learned about God the Father, about how we should pray to Him and tell Him what we needed. I didn't need another Father. I figured if my Pop was always busy working, this guy who took care of everything in the whole wide world would really never have time for me. 



I needed a Grandma.
 


The next time we went to Corona I told Nonni about Santa Claus and that he was in charge of Christmas in College Point. Nonni listened patiently as I explained the rules. 

She repeated the main points: "Santa Claus. A letter."

I nodded. 

"I fix. I write letter to Befana. She give to Santa. No hard feelings. Christmas come." 
 


I had my doubts. Nonni had never been to College Point. Maybe nobody ever had to change from La Befana to Santa Claus. Maybe Christmas was lost forever, like some of the packages we never got from Malta.
 


On Christmas Eve we all gathered at Uncle Joe and Aunt Betty's home in Corona. We had the Christmas Eve dinner. Then we went to St. Leo's for the Midnight Mass. Everything was familiar. Latin and Italian. Why couldn't we have stayed there? 



When we were leaving the church I saw a pale cloud in the sky. It looked long and thin, with a sort of lump on one end. For a moment I thought it looked like Santa and his sleigh with eight tiny reindeer. I kept looking at that cloud. It followed us from the church to Uncle Joe's house, where we had panettone.  

When we left, the cloud was still there. I watched from the car. The cloud followed us from Corona to College Point. 
 


I never noticed clouds before. Did clouds always follow people from one town to another? Was it really a cloud? Sister had told us that Santa had millions of helpers, tiny people called elves. Could it have been an elf picking up the letter from La Befana?
 


Christmas morning, Pop was eating breakfast while Ma was cleaning Rose. Ma sent me to the basement to get some dry diapers that were hanging by the furnace. Being a big sister wasn't much fun. I pulled down two diapers. Then I noticed some lumps by the furnace. I thought some clothes had fallen off the line. I walked toward the furnace. 


 
But the lumps weren't clothes.  


They were boxes. 

They were wrapped. 

They were presents! 

They were for me!!



Santa had found me.

Anna Sultana’s Rice Pudding and Rice Custard / The First Maltese Lucia Queen by Margaret Ullrich

 

Sometimes we catch a financial break during the holiday season.
Not huge, but every little bit helps.
There are actually some Christmas traditions that are kind to our budgets.
The Swedish people have a Christmas dessert tradition that actually uses some leftovers.
How great is that!


Ma was a fan of rice puddings.
Ross il-forn (Maltese Style baked rice) was a regular dinner for us, especially towards the end of the month.
It uses a few slices of bacon and a small amount of ground beef to make dinner for five.
It was mostly rice baked in a tomato sauce, which was just fine with us.
Ma figured rice could make a good, filling dessert, too.

I guess one Lily Tulip co-worker gave her one recipe.
Then another pal gave her a different recipe, and, as time went on, she had quite an assortment of recipes.
Whether or not there was leftover rice in the fridge, she was all set to make a dessert.

Hints: 

About the Easiest Rice Pudding…
Add the zest of 1 lemon or orange (or a teaspoon of extract) when you add the vanilla.

To make a vegan rice pudding, use 2 Cups almond milk and 2 Cups coconut milk (or 4 Cups of either) instead of dairy milk.

About the Creamy Rice Pudding…
For creamier pudding, use short or medium-grain rice. You can also use 2 Cups leftover rice instead of the uncooked white rice, and skip the rice cooking part.
Adjust the amount of liquid in the Dutch oven if you think the rice is too dry.

This recipe is open to suggestions. You can add: dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, brown sugar, pecans, or dates. For variety you can use water and half-and-half or almond milk. You can also add 1/2 teaspoon rum extract for a little kick.

For a tropical dessert add brown sugar, coconut extract, shredded coconut and chopped pineapple.

Place the Dutch oven under the broiler for a few minutes to give it a golden brown skin.

Allow the leftover rice pudding to cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to five days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

You can also freeze homemade rice pudding. Spoon the pudding into freezer-safe bags, leaving space at the top to allow for expansion. Freeze flat for up to three months.
Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, or in the microwave using the defrost setting.


About the Creamy Italian Stovetop Rice Pudding…
For an extra-rich version, replace half the milk with half-and-half or cream.
You can add 1 teaspoon almond extract for extra flavour.


                                            Easiest Rice Pudding

Place in a Dutch oven
1/2 Cup short grain white rice (Arborio, pearl, or Valencia)
1 1/2 Cups water
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
Bring to boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.
Add
4 Cups milk
1/2 Cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Stirring steadily, bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low.
Stirring occasionally, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pot when you do so to ensure the pudding doesn’t burn on the bottom, cook for 45 minutes, or until mixture is thick and creamy.
 
When the pudding is ready, remove from the heat and transfer the pudding to a serving dish or several dishes.
Serve slightly cooled, or refrigerate 3 hours or overnight until well chilled.
Garnish pudding with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)


                                            Creamy Rice Pudding

Pour into a Dutch oven
1 1/2 Cups cold water
Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Stir in
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 Cup uncooked white rice (long, medium or short grain, or basmatic or jasmine or brown)

Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Stir in
1 1/2 Cups milk
1/4 to 1/3 Cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until thick and creamy, about 15 minutes.

Place in a small bowl
1/2 Cup milk or heavy cream or evaporated milk
1 egg, beaten
Mix together.
Stirring vigorously after each addition, gradually add a few spoonfuls of the rice / milk mixture the the milk / egg mixture to temper the egg.
Stir into the Dutch oven
2/3 Cup golden or Thompson raisins (optional)
the tempered milk / egg mixture


Cook 2 minutes more on low heat, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and stir in
1 Tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Stir constantly until butter melts. Remove from heat. 

Serve warm or cool topped with a sprinkling of
cinnamon or nutmeg


                                            Rice Pudding Using Cooked Rice


Butter a 9x13x2-inch baking dish.

Place in a large mixing bowl
5 large eggs
Beat well, then beat in
2/3 Cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 Cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Stir in
1 Cup cooked rice
1/2 Cup raisins (optional)
Pour into prepared baking dish.

Preheat oven to 325º F

Place the filled dish in a shallow pan large enough to hold the prepared baking dish.
Pour 1/2 inch of water into the shallow pan. It should come about halfway up the outside.
Sprinkle the top with
cinnamon, nutmeg or chocolate shavings
Bake 45 to 60 minutes, until custard is just firm and lightly browned on top.


                                            Creamy Italian Stove-top Rice Pudding

Place in a Dutch oven
3 1/4 Cups whole milk
3/4 Cup uncooked arborio rice
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
1/4 Cup unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1/3 Cup golden raisins (optional)
Mix well.
Bring the mixture, uncovered, to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Once simmering, reduce heat to low. Stir gently and constantly for about 20 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and the rice is soft and creamy.
Remove from heat and pour into 5 or 6 small individual bowls or a large bowl. It thickens as it cools.
Let the pudding cool to room temperature.
Either cover with a lid to allow a skin to form or cover with plastic wrap, pressing it gently against the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
Before serving, dust generously with cinnamon.
 

                                            Baked Old-Fashioned Rice Pudding

Preheat oven to 300º F

Butter well a flat, deep baking dish.

Place in the buttered baking dish
3 to 4 Cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Stir well to blend, then stir in
1/4 to 1/3 Cup rice, uncooked
1/4 to 1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup raisins
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Set the buttered baking dish in a large pan that will comfortably hold it.
Dot top with
2 Tablespoons butter, cut in smaller pieces
Fill the large pan with boiling water to the half-way point.
Bake uncovered for 2 to 3 hours, stirring every 15 minutes, carefully turning under the browned top and scraping the edges down.
Bake until the rice is tender and pudding is thick and creamy, not dry.
Serve hot or cold.


                                            Old-Fashioned Rice Custard

Preheat oven to 350º F

Break into a 2-quart buttered casserole
6 large eggs
Beat slightly with a fork.
Add
3 Cups milk

1 Cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Blend well.
Stir in
1 1⁄2 Cups cooked rice

1 Cup light raisins (sultana or golden)
Place the filled casserole dish inside a larger, shallow pan.
Pour 2 inches of water into the shallow pan. It should come about halfway up the outside of the casserole.
Bake for 30 minutes. Gently stir. Bake for an additional 45 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Serve warm.


                                            Custard Style Rice Pudding

Preheat oven to 350º F

Place in a 4-quart buttered casserole
4 large eggs
3/4 Cup sugar
Beat together.
Slowly pour in
3 Cups milk
1 Cup heavy cream
Mix well.
Add
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Mix well.
Add
3 Cups cooked rice, cooled
1 Cup raisins
Stir to combine.
Place the filled casserole dish inside a larger, shallow pan.
Pour 2 inches of water into the shallow pan. It should come about halfway up the outside of the casserole.
Bake for 30 minutes. Gently stir. Bake for an additional 60 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Serve warm.

                                                                      ~~~

 

Along with being a co-host for the CKUW radio show ‘2000 & Counting’ from 1999 to 2007, I wrote stories and essays, which I then read live on air.
Back in 2000 I wrote this for our show.
No, I don’t do any of these seasonal feastday celebrations anymore.
At my age I have to conserve my energy for Christmas!

If you'd like to try something a bit different I have posted the recipes for the Maltese and Italian desserts over the years. Just copy and paste the name of the recipe in the 'search' box to the right, click and enjoy!

My parents and I immigrated to New York in 1950. A few years later, when I was in school, I asked why we didn't have anything pretty to eat for Christmas. My Ma told me that, in Malta, Christmas was a religious celebration. The focus was on God becoming man, not on cookies.

Maltese desserts are simple - fresh fruit and cheese with an occasional cookie. One Maltese cookie, the biskuttini tar rahal, could be described as hardened library paste with a hint of lemon and a dash of royal icing. A variation on the biskuttini cuts the sugar by half and replaces the royal icing with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.  
Both cookies are wonderful teething rings.  

Another favourite is the anise biscotti. The big thrill with a biscotti is seeing how much milk it can suck up before breaking in half and falling into your glass. 
It's like eating the sinking Titanic.  
For the holidays, we borrow from the Sicilians and make kannoli tar-rikotta (ricotta in a fried pastry tube) or a qassata (vanilla custard shmeared over a sponge cake).  
How lame is that?  

I knew my German classmates ended their meals with more oomph. Our parish, St. Fidelis, was a cookie heaven. The most amazing homemade cookies were brought to every church and school function by my friends' Moms. They were rich and gorgeous - the cookies, I mean. They were loaded with spices, fruits, nuts and jams, and were covered with thick layers of frosting and all sorts of sprinkles.  

When my Ma saw the competition she admitted defeat and took over the job of bringing coffee. I was free to eat whatever caught my eye. While I gushed, my friends' Moms all beamed. My friends thought I was nuttier than the cookies.  


My husband is a third generation American - half Swedish and half German. Okay, I was marrying into the Cookie Big Leagues. I thought, along with the change of name, I'd return from my honeymoon a changed woman able to make cookies with a capital ‘C’. To paraphrase the biblical story of Ruth, I believed, "What thou eatest, I will eat... thy cookies shall be my cookies..."

Well, you get the picture. Thanks to the movie ‘The Sound of Music’, I just knew we'd celebrate Christmas a la von Trapp: sitting beneath a huge, glowing tree, singing Edelweiss and munching beautiful cookies, my favorite things. Ethnic things.

The ethnic bit nearly ended my marriage.

There's an old German saying: ‘That which really tastes oft us trouble makes’.
Now, there's truth in advertising. Clear as a bell, they were warning me to not even go there. If I'd had half a brain I'd have just thrown in the mixing bowl and placed a huge order at the local German bakery for a deluxe assorted cookie platter, with some stollen on the side.

Nope, I didn't take the hint. I studied every German and Swedish cookbook I could find. The biggest surprise was that there were other days that had to be celebrated. Okay, I thought, practice makes perfect. Maybe it's like opening a Broadway show in Boston. 

I learned about their holiday customs.  

The first Advent biggie was December 6. St. Nicholas' Day. That called for small presents in Paul's shoes and some hot chocolate and buns for breakfast. No problem. The morning went without a hitch.  
Huzzah!! One day I'd bake cookies that looked like jewels!  


I spent more nights baking instead of sleeping. My next goal was an authentic Swedish Saint Lucia Day for our first December 13.
Maybe the lack of sleep was affecting my mind.  

According to one big fat book, a good Swedish wife got up at four a.m. to start tossing her cookies. God forbid any sunlight should shine on the dough or disaster would befall the household. Every hefty housefrau hoped a crescent moon was hovering on the horizon to bring good luck to the baking.  

No kidding. Without that sliver of light she could get killed, stumbling around in the dark like that. I really thought that if I followed the customs, my baking would get better. I got up at four a.m. and baked. Okay, I cheated. I used electric lights.  

Then I ran into a slight problem. According to tradition, saffron buns and coffee were served between three and four a.m. by the eldest daughter, who was dressed as the Lucia Queen. We didn't have children and I couldn't borrow a neighbour's kid for that ungodly hour. I had to make some changes in the sacred customs. I, as an eldest daughter, became the first Maltese Lucia Queen. Ever.

I stitched up a long white robe and tied shining red balls to our Advent wreath. I memorized the traditional poem. Then, when I saw how much saffron cost, I made another teeny change. I made cinnamon buns. What harm could it do?


The days flew. Finally, it was December 13, 3:45 a.m. Show Time!
I was clad in white, balancing an advent wreath with bouncing red balls and gleaming white candles upon my head. I was a glowing, flaming cherries jubilee, clutching a tray laden with coffee and cinnamon buns and walking ever so slowly to our bed.  

Hovering over Paul, I chanted: "Night goes with silent steps..."
Hmmph... No answer. He was snoring. No Swedish genes were making him wake up to behold his Lucia Queen.

Well, after all that work, this Lucia Queen required an audience.
Creating my own liturgy, I ad libbed. "Wake up, Paul."
Still no answer.
I set the tray down, gave him a push and repeated: "Night goes with silent steps... Damn it, wake up."
He snorted, turned and faced me. It took him a while to focus.
Okay, finally, I, the Lucia Queen, was getting the respect I deserved.

I went back to chanting, my voice building to an impressive boom.
"Night goes with silent steps round house and cottage.
O'er earth that sun forgot, Dark shadows linger.      
Then on our threshold stands white clad in candlelight,
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia."

He looked. He blinked. He screamed.
He said something that no one should ever say to a Lucia Queen.

I blamed the cinnamon. Maybe the Swedish mojo just doesn't work with cinnamon.
Look, if my Ma can blame religion, I can blame spices.

Anna Sultana’s Tomato Tortellini Soup, Meatball and Potato Stew and Cinnamon Rolls / Christmas Gift Ideas

 

This year has been a bit different.
I won’t bore you with the details.
Suffice to say, we’re in good health and doing as well as can be expected for a couple of seniors.
Hope you are well, too, and looking forward to the holiday season.

Okay… nothing’s perfect.
The holiday season usually brings out the best in people.
It’s a great time for making memories.
 

It’s also a great time for making a lot of work for everyone.

There are a ton of things to do, but we still have to eat.
And, with the way food prices have been, we have to keep an eye on what we’re buying.
Soup is always great for the budget.
It usually uses items we already have in our kitchens, and it can be stretched with an extra cup or two of liquid.

Tortellini can be found, in two pound packages, in the deli section of most supermarkets.
If you have a small household, don’t be discouraged by the size of the package.
Half can be cooked and served with tomato sauce.
The rest can be used in a soup, making enough for two or three meals.
Everyone knows soup gets better with age.


Hints:


If you don’t have fresh garlic, use powder, as much as you prefer.



About the Meatball and Potato Stew…

You can add more water to adjust the thickness of the sauce.



About the Cinnamon Rolls…



If you don't have self-rising flour you can substitute for 1 Cup self-rising flour
1 Cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Stir or sift together.

Want to make more so you’ll have some on hand?
9 Cups all purpose flour
3 Tablespoons baking powder
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
Stir or sift together.
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. It should last for about one year.

Do not over-knead or the cinnamon rolls will be tough.

Leftovers can be wrapped and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Rewarm in a 300° F oven about 10 minutes, until warmed through.


                                                               Tomato Tortellini Soup

Finely chop
1 medium onion
spinach or kale, enough for 3 Cups

Slice into 1/8 inch thick pieces
2 carrots
1 stalk celery

Mince
3 cloves garlic

Place in a dutch oven
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Heat oil over medium heat.
Add onion, carrots and celery.
Stirring frequently, cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until slightly softened.
Add
garlic
1 teaspoon salt
Cook another minute.
Add
1 796 ml / 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
4 Cups water
1 teaspoon dried basil
Bring to a boil.
Add
500 grams / 1 pound fresh tortellini (either cheese or meat)
Cook 2 minutes less than package directions, about 5-8 minutes.
Stir in spinach (or kale), and cook another 2 minutes.

Serve hot.





                                                               Meatball and Potato Stew

Finely chop
1 medium onion

Mince
2 cloves garlic

Halve and cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 medium potatoes

Place in a bowl
454 g / 1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 Cup dried parsley leaves
half of the chopped onion
the minced garlic
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 Cup dry bread crumbs
Knead the mixture until well combined.
Form into 12 balls.

Place in a dutch oven
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Heat oil over medium heat.
Place the meatballs in the pot and brown all sides.
Place the meatballs in a bowl and set aside.

Place in the same dutch oven
the remaining half of the chopped onion
Cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon allspice
Stir to combine.
Place the meatballs around the perimeter of the dutch oven.
Place potato slices between the meatballs, then place the rest in the middle.
Pour over the potato slices and meatballs
1 796 ml / 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 Cup water
Cover and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes.
Uncover and check the potatoes for doneness.
If they are still firm, reduce heat and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Serve the stew over rice and garnish with parsley, if desired.




                                                               Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 15

Place the rack in the middle of the oven.

Preheat oven to 350° F
Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish or line with parchment paper.

For the filling

Place in a small bowl
1/2 cup of the sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Mix together and set aside.

For the cinnamon rolls

Melt
1/2 Cup unsalted butter

Place in a large bowl
5 cups self-rising flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Stir to combine.

Place in a medium bowl
2 cups whole or 2% milk
4 Tablespoons of the melted butter (1/2 of the butter)
Mix together and add to the flour mixture.
Stir with a wooden spoon until all flour is worked into a soft dough.

Generously flour a work surface and a rolling pin.
Place the dough on the surface.
Sprinkle with flour, then knead until the dough is fairly smooth, sprinkling with more flour if needed.
Roll the dough into a 24 x 10 inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. 

Brush 2 tablespoons of the melted butter onto the surface of the dough.
Leaving a 1/2 inch border, sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over it evenly. 

Starting at the long end closest to you, roll the dough up tightly into a log.
Pinch the seam together at the top, then place the log seam side down.
Cut the dough into 15 pieces. 
Place the cut rolls cut-side up in the baking dish. 


Brush the tops of the cinnamon rolls with the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter. 

Bake 35 minutes, until golden-brown, and a toothpick inserted in several spots comes out clean.
Place the baking dish on a wire cooling rack and allow to cool 15 minutes.

For the glaze

Place in a medium bowl
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup whole milk or 2%
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Whisk until smooth
.
Drizzle the glaze over the rolls. 


                                                       ~~~


Back in November, 2002, I wrote an essay for the CKUW radio show ‘2000 & Counting' about getting Christmas gifts. 
It was a meant as a light piece, filled with hints.

Many of our listeners were seniors or college students, folks known for having to stretch their dollars.

It's been a few years, but we’re still facing problems in the supply chain.

Christmas 2024 is only a couple of weeks away. How did that happen?

Okay… listen up! There are five weeks left until Christmas. That means gifts. I know, I know, it's more blessed to give than to receive. But, unless you have ways of shopping that you'd like to keep secret, giving gifts means money.  



It's a little late to start a Christmas gift account at your bank and the utility companies really lose that Ho Ho Ho spirit if you try to skip paying their bills.  

If the charge cards are already maxed out - or you just want to keep your nearest and dearest on a cash and carry basis - gift getting is going to take a little effort. Desperate times call for desperate measures. As we're all stuck with holidays - oh, lucky us - I'll tell you some of my desperate measures.


Live off your hump. You know what I mean. Things like the 18 cans of tuna you have left from the time you bought 20 cans so you could get 50 bonus airmiles. Now's the time to crack those babies open. I know the family hates tuna. That's why there are 18 little cans of fishies swimming around your pantry. 
Well, the family would hate a Giftless Christmas even more. 


Think about it. Lousy dinners happen to everybody. But the family Grinch who comes up giftless at Christmas gets blabbed about throughout the neighbourhood and the generations. 
You don't want to be remembered by your great-great-grandchildren as Granny Grinchie.


Try creative cooking. Pretend you're on the TV show Iron Chef. You've just been given a tube of ground beef, a bag of marshmallows, a jar of salsa, a bottle of raspberry vinegar, a carton of frozen spinach, a jar of maraschino cherries and a box of rice-a-roni. Think only a nut throws odd things together? How do you think raspberry vinegar was invented? 
If the family gets snarky, tell them you found the recipe in a magazine. Drop names. Martha is always good, and if they can't appreciate all the effort you put into making dinner interesting… Well! 
You know the speech. 
Remember, guilt, when the other person has it, is a good thing.

Go ethnic. Granny's recipes don't have to be saved for Folklorama. God bless family. Go to an Italian restaurant and get a load of the prices they charge for a plate of Pasta Fagioli. That's two cheapies: noodles and beans! Grandma would die laughing if she saw those prices. Starch and beans got millions of people through tough times. Go thou and eat likewise.

Beans aren't good enough? Go past the recognizable cuts and shop the mystery meats. Put enough spices on them and the family won't know what hit them. I once made spaghetti and meatballs using animal organs only a mother could love. Guess what? Hubby had invited a friend. Well, the buddy was getting a free meal, so I followed the Cook’s Golden Rule: Don't apologize and don't explain. 

The buddy said it was delicious, like the meatballs they serve at the Bay. 
Hmmm… I notice the Bay is still in business. There's more than one way to skin a cat.

Shop your house. No kidding. Grab a bag and stroll through your house. Look for things somebody foisted… uh… gave to you. Well, why should you be stuck with it until you're six feet under? Unless it was made by your preschooler - don't even think it, they DO remember - you're free to pass it on to someone else.
Just don't give it to the person who gave it to you.

Pack your own. Ever notice the little overpriced goodies the stores stuff into baskets and bowls? One current gift item is a box of pasta, a tin of sauce, some cheese and some wooden spoons nestled within a large bowl. 

Are you too stupid to do the same thing? I didn’t think so. It's one way to get rid of some of those extra airmiles purchases. Let somebody else eat the tuna. 

Still thinking about the folks in the flyers looking wildly happy over a toaster?  
Toss the flyers. Those models were paid big bucks. Stores want you to buy. A stress-free family holiday is not their goal. If they had their way you'd replace everything and pay 50% interest. 

Remember how the best presents were things that showed that someone cared? 
Maybe somebody hunted down an out-of-print book by your favourite author. 
The gadgets that looked amazing seem strange on December 26.  

While you're shopping, get yourself some treats.  
I have a friend who picks up a bag of  pfeffernusse cookies every year. When she feels like all she's doing is giving, giving, giving, she pops a pfeffernusse into her mouth and gives herself an old time Christmas. It doesn't take much.   

God bless us, everyone.

Anna Sultana’s Fruitcake Baking Hints / 1930s Dollar Fruitcake & Other Fruitcake Recipe Links

 

We got our first snow of the season last Wednesday and the recipe for the Winnipeg Free Press’s Dollar Fruitcake in my Winnipeg is Better Than Chocolate blog was a top hit last week.
The stores have already started stocking their shelves with Christmas decorations.
I can remember a time when they at least waited until after Halloween.
Oh, well, that was then, this is now, and now is the time to start getting ready.

Maybe starting Christmas preparations now isn’t such a bad idea.
Chores that used to take me a day now take three.
Is it the same for you?
If we start now we can pace ourselves and not be exhausted when the big day comes.

Some items are actually better if done now.
Yes, I’m talking about fruitcakes.
Over the years they’ve been regarded as an embarrassment, like biting one’s nails.
But, properly done, a fruitcake can be a treat. Yes, really!

Use fresh good quality ingredients, and make sure the spices are fresh.
Dredge fruit and nuts with some flour so they won't sink in the batter, then shake off excess flour and use the excess flour in the recipe.
Want a a moister fruitcake?  Add 1 cup applesauce to your recipe.

Fruitcakes taste better after they have aged. This is called "ripening”.
They should be made at least a month ahead of when you’ll need it.
Two, three, or even four months is better if you can store them in a cool and dry place.
Fruitcakes freeze well, but they must be aged at least four weeks before freezing.
They won’t ripen while they are frozen.
Do not decorate the cakes before storing them.

Have a recipe that’s been in the family for generations, but just seems a bit off now?
Don't feel absolutely bound by a recipe, no matter how old it is.
If you don’t have or don’t like something you can substitute.  Really!

If the recipe calls for                              You can substitute
brandy, rum, etc.                        wine or a fruit juice
citron                                          another candied or dried fruit
raisins                                         a mixture of chopped dates and just a few raisins
candied pineapple, cherries        the same weight of a candied fruit mix

As long as the weight of fruit and nuts is the same as in the recipe you’ll be fine.


Pre-Baking hints
Two or three days before baking prepare the nuts and fruits.
Pour the liquor or fruit juice over the nuts and fruits, and let the mixture stand well-covered for two or three days, or at least overnight.
Then drain and use the excess liquid in the recipe.

Fruitcakes may be baked in muffin tins, loaf pans, cake pans, etc.
If changing the pan's size, remember the baking time will be different.
Be sure to grease the pans well, or use greased brown paper or wax paper.

Baking hints
Place a pan of hot water on the floor of the oven to keep the cake from drying out.
Always bake a fruitcake at a low temperature, no higher than 325º F.
If the cake is browning too quickly, place a sheet of foil on the top of the cakes.
Be careful not to over-bake.
Test with a cake tester or skewer inserted in the centre of the cake.
It will come out moist, but not doughy, when the cake is done.

Post-Baking hints
Poke the cake with a skewer (optional) and sprinkle with the liquid you used.
Cool the fruitcake on a rack in the pan in which it was baked.
When cooled, turn it out of the pan and carefully peel off the paper, if used.

A liquor-based cake may be stored several months in a cool place.  
Wrap the cake in a liquor soaked cloth, then in either plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
For very long storage, bury the cake in powdered sugar and place in a tightly covered tin in a cool place.
Once a week, brush the cake with more liquor.
Check periodically and rewrap in liquor soaked cloth.
Fruit cakes can be enjoyed as long as 25 years this way.

Non liquor based cakes may be kept in a cool place for short term storage or in a freezer for long storage.

Serving hints
Frost cake close to serving time.
You can brush a sugar syrup glaze on a cake for a shine.
Slice the cake in a sawing motion with a sharp thin-bladed knife or a serrated knife.

Refresh a stale fruitcake by gently heating slices in a microwave or a steamer and serving with a hard sauce, brandy sauce, glaze or your favourite topping.


Back to that 1930s Dollar Fruitcake…
During the early 1930s this recipe cost $1 to make.
By 1974 those same ingredients cost more than $4.
By 1979 the price passed $8.
Now? You do the math.


                        1930s Dollar Fruitcake (Winnipeg Free Press)

Line a 9-inch tube pan with greased brown paper or heavy-duty aluminum foil

Pour boiling water over
1 pound sultana raisins
Place raisins between paper towels and dry thoroughly.
Set aside.

Halve
1/2 pound candied cherries

Chop
1/2 Cup blanched almonds
1/2 Cup walnuts

Place in a measuring cup
1/4 Cup fruit juice (orange, apple, grape or juice from canned fruit)
1/2 teaspoon brandy flavouring or almond extract

Place in a large bowl
the washed and dried raisins
the halved candied cherries
the chopped blanched almonds and walnuts
2 Cups mixed peel

Sift together
2 Cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Sift again over the fruits and nuts, then stir until each piece is coated.

Place in a large mixer bowl
1 Cup butter
Cream until light and fluffy.
Gradually blend in
1 Cup sugar

Beat in, one at a time, until blended
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 300º F

Making 3 dry and 2 liquid additions, stir the flour / fruit mixture alternately with the fruit juice into the butter / sugar mixture.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours, until the cake starts to pull away from the side of the pan.

Remove pan from oven and let the cake cool in the pan on a rack.
When cooled, remove it from the pan and carefully peel off the paper or foil.
Wrap well and store in airtight container.



Here are a few other fruitcake recipes you could try.
Some don’t need aging!

Anna Sultana’s Halloween Barmbrack
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2018/10/anna-sultanas-halloween-barmbrack.html

Anna Sultana's St. Martin's Cake / Fruitcake, Maltese Style
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2011/11/anna-sultanas-st-martins-cake.html

Anna Sultana’s Cinnamon Swirl Sour Cream Coffee Cake
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2014/09/anna-sultanas-cinnamon-swirl-sour-cream.html

Anna Sultana's White Fruitcake
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2014/11/white-fruitcake-by-margaret-ullrich.html

Carmela Soprano's Mom's Pear and Grappa Pound Cake
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2013/05/moms-pear-and-grappa-pound-cake.html

Light Fruitcake by Margaret Ullrich
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2012/11/light-fruitcake-by-margaret-ullrich.html

Anna Sultana's Zuppa Inglese and Zabaione with Berries / Would Santa Ever Find Me? by Margaret Ullrich

 

Five days until Christmas!
We’ve had over a month of baking - and eating - platters of traditional breads, cakes, cookies and pies.
Time to enjoy something a little less starchy.
A bit of alcohol would be a good idea, too.

The name of the Neopolitan Trifle, Zuppa Inglese, translates into 'English Soup'.
The original recipe called for Alchermes, an Italian liqueur. It was prepared by infusing spirits with sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, herbs, vanilla, and other flavouring agents. Its scarlet colour came from the addition of cochineal.

Some say the name is a little joke to tease the English about their love of rum.
It was first served to Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton in the 18th century and there was so much rum in it that it had to be eaten with a soup spoon.
It’s a good idea to eat it with a spoon in the twenty-first century, too.

Zabaione is an Italian dessert made with eggs, sugar and Marsala wine.
It was invented in the 16th Century in the Medici court in Florence, Italy. It is classified as a sauce, and was used to fill pies and tarts. It is not a custard because it does not have milk or cream in it.
It is usually served warm, though it can be served cold, as a sauce, or even frozen.

Hints:

About the Zabaione with Berries…
You can substitute any other sweet wines that you prefer, or have on hand. Try sherry, port, Madeira, Moscato d'Asti, or Grand Marnier.
If you prefer your Zabaione sweeter you can add more sugar, a tablespoonful at a time.

The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water.
Zabaione needs constant whisking, so that it doesn't overcook or curdle.

Whipped cream can be added to the cooled Zabaione and gently folded together.

It can be served with fruit, such as canned or baked peaches, or between cake layers, or on chocolate pudding, or to fill cream puffs.



                        Zuppa Inglese

Combine in a small bowl
2 1/2 ounces cocoa
1 1/2 ounces sugar

Place in a small pot
1 ounce milk
Heat to boiling, then remove from heat and slowly add
the cocoa / sugar mixture
Blend together and let cool.

Peel the zest from
1 lemon

Combine in a medium pot
3 Cups lukewarm milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place in a large pot
5 large egg yolks
5 ounces sugar
Beat together until well blended and slowly add
3 1/2 ounces flour
Add
the lemon peel
the milk / vanilla mixture
Put the pan on the stove and cook over medium heat.
Stir continuously until the ingredients reach the boiling point.
Reduce heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.
Remove the pot from the stove and let it cool.
Stir occasionally and remove the lemon peel. Let cool.

Have on hand
7 ounces lady fingers, approximately
1 Cup rum
1 Cup maraschino

Dip a lady finger on one side in rum and the other in maraschino and place in a deep glass flat-bottomed bowl.
Repeat with enough lady fingers to make a layer on the bottom of the bowl.
Add a layer of chocolate and a layer of the sugar / egg mixture.
Repeat the layering process.
Garnish the top with whipped cream and shaved chocolate.


                        Zabaione with Berries

Place in a bowl that fits in a double boiler
6 large egg yolks
1/3 Cup sugar
Add
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 Cup Marsala



Fill the pot of a double boiler halfway with water.
Over medium heat bring the water to a simmer.
Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
Set the bowl containing the custard mixture over the water. 


Whisk the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture triples in volume and becomes pale. 
Longer cooking will thicken the Zabaione, giving it the texture of a mousse. When it reaches the desired consistency, take the container out of the pot of water.
Pour it into a serving bowl and serve warm.

If you want to serve it cool, set it aside for about 15 minutes.
Ladle the Zabaione into individual dishes and serve with whipped cream, berries, and / or cookies, such as biscotti.


                                                            ~~~
In 2004 I wrote this story and read it on our CKUW radio show '2000 & Counting - Older & Wiser'. For a few years it was an annual tradition for ‘2000 & Counting’ and for ‘Better Than Chocolate’. I got a few e mails asking if I could post the original story.
Here it is… Merry Christmas!

Change follows us from the cradle to the grave. When I was five years old I was hit with a megadose of change - I moved to another town, got a baby sister, got to go to kindergarten and got Santa Claus.
    
Five years earlier my parents and I had emigrated from Malta to New York and settled in Corona. We didn't have much choice. Five of Pop's brothers and sisters lived in Corona. So, we had to live in Corona, too. 
    
Corona was a little slice of Italy on Long Island. The store clerks were bilingual: English and Italian. The grocery stores in Corona were stocked with Italian necessities. Almost everything in all the other stores had been imported from Italy. 
Corona was where we learned how to be Americans. 
    
Nonni's children, Betty and Angelo, had married two of Pop's siblings, Joe and Helen. So, Nonni was a double Grandma in my family. Since all my grandparents were in Malta, Nonni treated me as a grandchild, too.     
    
Every Christmas Eve we gathered at Uncle Joe and Aunt Betty's home. A whole corner of their living room was filled with Nonni's manger scene. It was not just a shed with Mary, Joseph, three kings and one shepherd standing around Baby Jesus. Nonni had a complete village with houses, trees, hills, paths, ponds and animals. There were people walking around just minding their own business. Some of the figures were really old and we couldn't play with them. But each year Nonni added something new: a woman carrying a basket of eggs, a farmer carrying a head of cabbage, a man carrying a bundle of wood. Nonni’s manger scene was better than any store window on 5th Avenue in Manhattan.
    
Dinner was a feast. Fish was traditional - eel for the parents, bluefish for the children. There was also soup, pasta and vegetables, followed by ricotta pie, anise biscotti, pizzelle and cuccidati cookies, strufoli, creamy roasted chestnuts and torrone candy. My favourite was the huge golden mound of strufoli: tiny doughnut balls covered with honey and multi-coloured sprinkles. After dinner we played games and our parents talked until it was time to walk to the Midnight Mass at St. Leo's. After Mass we returned to Uncle Joe's for some panettone, a holiday bread made with butter, raisins, almonds and citron.

Then Nonni would tell us to look at the manger scene for the surprise. The blessed Bambino, Baby Jesus, had suddenly appeared!
    
Christmas Eve was a wonderful night. But the big day for us children was January sixth. The night before we had hung our stockings and waited for La Befana to bring us toys. 
    

For those unfamiliar with the story, La Befana was a little old lady who had been sweeping her house when the Wise Men knocked on her door. They were looking for Baby Jesus and asked La Befana for directions. They then invited La Befana to join them. The old woman refused, saying she had work to do.
    
When it was dark, a great light and angels appeared in the sky. La Befana realized that the Wise Men weren't kidding about somebody special being born that night. Broom in hand, La Befana tried to catch up with the Wise Men. She never found them or Baby Jesus. Every year she searches for Baby Jesus and leaves presents for good little boys and girls. 
    

La Befana took care of me for four years. Then we moved to College Point so we could live closer to Lily Tulip where Pop worked. Then it was time for my sister to be born. While Ma was in the hospital I stayed with Aunt Betty, Uncle Joe and their daughters, MaryAnn and Carol Lynn. It was nice living in Corona again. The next day, Nonni diNoto took me to the local 5 and 10 and gave me a quarter.      
"Buy for sister."       
I didn't have any idea what a baby sister would want. I liked westerns, so I grabbed a toy gun.      
"No. Buy a rattle."    
A rattle? That sounded boring, but I bought a pink plastic rattle. 
    
In those days children were not allowed to visit anyone in the hospital. When Aunt Betty visited Ma, she gave the rattle to my new sister. I waited outside the hospital and waved to the window of Ma's room. When Aunt Betty returned she had a gift from my new sister for me: three pieces of chocolate. 
    
Well, wasn't that nice of her. Not as nice as a toy gun, but maybe that was all she could get from where she'd been.   
    

After Rose was born we didn't go to Corona as often. It was easier to walk to the local church instead of driving to St. Leo's. I missed seeing my family. 
    
That September I started kindergarten in St. Fidelis School. Some of the good sisters had wanted to travel and meet exotic heathens in far away places. Well, they almost got their wish. I was the first Maltese child they'd ever seen. College Point had been settled by Irish and German families. It was time for me to learn about America through their eyes. 
    
As Christmas approached, the windows of the German bakeries were filled with the most beautiful cookies I'd ever seen. They were in all kinds of shapes: stars, angels, animals and wreaths. They were decorated with coconut, jam, icing and tiny silver balls. Some of my classmates brought in samples of their mothers' baking. I brought some biscotti. My friends were polite and tasted the dry, double-baked bread. Then we ate the lebkuchen, pfeffernuesse, zimtsterne, and jam filled spitzbuben. The stollen reminded me of panettone. I thought a German Christmas was delicious. I planned to eat German and Italian holiday food every Christmas for the rest of my life.

We helped Sister decorate the Christmas tree with sugar cookies which had been twisted into figure eights. Then Sister told us to gather around her. She was going to read us a story. Sister showed us the picture of Santa Claus and his eight reindeer. My friends were delighted.
    
I was confused. 
    
I had never heard any of this before. Santa was supposed to slide down a chimney and land in a fireplace. We didn't have a fireplace. We had a huge, oil-burning furnace in the basement. Ma hung our stockings, along with all the other wet laundry, on a clothesline near the furnace. It made awful noises and had fire in it. If Santa landed in it he'd fry like a strufoli. That would end Christmas forever. I didn't think Santa would take such a risk for a total stranger. The lovely cookies felt like lead in my stomach.
    
Sister talked about Santa checking his list of good little girls and boys. Santa had a list? I knew we were on the Registered Aliens list. Every January the TV reminded Ma to fill out green cards so we wouldn't go to jail or Malta. How could I get on Santa's list? Could Santa get my name from the Aliens list? Did I need to fill out another card? 
    
The afternoon went from bad to worse. Sister told us we could put our letters to Santa in the special mailbox in the classroom. A letter? What language did Santa speak? He'd never heard from me. I wasn't on his list. What could I say? 
    
"Hi, you don't know me, but I'd like some toys." I'd never written a letter to La Befana. She just gave me toys. Would Santa shoot La Befana if she came to College Point? Oh, boy… I was in big trouble.    
    
In kindergarten we learned about God the Father, about how we should pray to Him and tell Him what we needed. I didn't need another Father. I figured if my Pop was always busy working, this guy who took care of everything in the whole wide world would really never have time for me.
    
I needed a Grandma.
    
The next time we went to Corona I told Nonni about Santa Claus and that he was in charge of Christmas in College Point. Nonni listened patiently as I explained the rules.
    
She repeated the main points, "Santa Claus. A letter."     
I nodded.    
"I fix. I write letter to Befana. She give to Santa. No hard feelings. Christmas come."
    
I had my doubts. Nonni had never been to College Point. Maybe nobody ever had to change from La Befana to Santa Claus. Maybe Christmas was lost forever, like some of the packages we never got from Malta.
    
On Christmas Eve we all gathered at Uncle Joe and Aunt Betty's home in Corona. We had the Christmas Eve dinner. Then we went to St. Leo's for the Midnight Mass. Everything was familiar. Latin and Italian. Why couldn't we have stayed there? 
    
When we were leaving the church I saw a pale cloud in the sky. It looked long and thin, with a sort of lump on one end. For a moment I thought it looked like Santa and his sleigh with eight tiny reindeer. I kept looking at that cloud. It followed us from the church to Uncle Joe's house, where we had panettone. When we left, the cloud was still there. I watched from the car. The cloud followed us from Corona to College Point. 
    
I never noticed clouds before. Did clouds always follow people from one town to another? Was it really a cloud? Sister had told us that Santa had millions of helpers, tiny people called elves. Could it have been an elf picking up the letter from La Befana?
    
Christmas morning, Pop was eating breakfast while Ma was cleaning Rose. Ma sent me to the basement to get some dry diapers that were hanging by the furnace. Being a big sister wasn't much fun. I pulled down two diapers. Then I noticed some lumps by the furnace. I thought some clothes had fallen off the line. I walked toward the furnace. 
    
But the lumps weren't clothes. 
They were boxes. 
They were wrapped. 
They were presents! 
They were for me!!

Santa had found me.