My friend Katie started the never ending blog about christmas memories on her site and it made me think. Of all the memories that I have, I posted a comment about remembering german springerle cookies. My great-grandma, grandma, mom and I would make them only at christmas. I don't know if they are meant to be this way, but ours were always rock hard. you could only ever eat one cookie because it would take an hour of dunking it in hot tea to soften it enough to eat it. When I think of it they aren't anything special, they are a simple cookie with anise seeds. The joy was in the process of making them. That special time with my mamaw and mom, that was what made the cookies great. The other wonderful part was using the special board to make imprints in the dough that we rolled out, then using the cutting wheel to cut them into little rectangles.
After thinking about all of this, I called my mom and we laughed and talked about the springerle and the process. You have to let them dry out over night and bake them the next day. To my surprise and great joy my mom brought the board and recipe when she came to visit for christmas. She said "I think it is time to pass on the board to your keeping." How lovely. Who knows how many generations old it is. Hopefully it will be enjoyed for many more generations to come.
3 comments:
That's so wonderful! What a special gift and a special memory. My mom and I made Swedish Tea Rings this Christmas, we always have those a Christmas. It was so much fun baking them with her!
swedish tea rings sound yummy. I will have to get the recipe from you! I love some of the old recipes.
I LOVE that springerle mold, Elizabeth! So beautiful and such a wonderful gift.
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