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enough, Mom would ask me to crush whole cumin opening gifts by firelight and candles, felt magical.

seeds by pounding them with a hammer. The tiny
seeds were placed inside a handkerchief and I was New traditions begin: After leaving
amazed to discover when I opened up the cloth home and meeting my husband, Rex, and
that they’d been transformed into a powder. The experiencing the incredible joy of falling in love
pungent smell that wafted up was always part of and getting married, we moved to Canada. Within

the pleasure of making that recipe. Fruit cake never a year we had both become vegetarians. I began
found its way into my heart, but the Russian Tea to miss my childhood traditions, and looked for
Cakes and other Christmas cookies, like Spritz, along ways to establish new traditions that I could make
with pounds of fudge or chocolate, were devoured for us. After several years we finally settled upon
with glee. a menu that would become
our holiday meal for many
The house was filled with years: marinated baked

classical music, smells and tofu (that replaced the
aromas of holiday breads roast goose), served with
and cookies being baked, a mushroom gravy made
and the many special with sautéed mushrooms,
dishes that were only made green onions, garlic,
at that time of year. It was tamari, thickened with a

for me, one of my happiest little water and arrowroot
times. Mom later changed powder. I couldn’t give
the holiday menu to roast up my mother’s Danish
goose with dressing, wild red cabbage, or the wild
rice with chestnuts and gravy, and a sweet and rice and chestnuts. To these I added in a big green
tangy Danish red cabbage. The rice, chestnuts, and salad, and a baked apple or pumpkin pie.

cabbage were my favorites. Of course, my brother
and I were always called to the kitchen to help When our kids were older, we started a new
peel the thick skins from the hot, finger-scorching Christmas Eve tradition—homemade pizza.
chestnuts, which was another tedious job, but well Everyone joined in to help with the preparation. It
worth the effort. was fun to make leavened dough, and get all the
toppings ready—mushrooms, onions, tomatoes,

The family gathered around a crackling fire on zucchini, olives, tomato sauce, and cheese. We
Christmas Eve, sipping on hot Glögg—a traditional baked our creation with pride, and served it hot
Scandinavian drink made with mulled wine, port, out of the oven, smelling insanely delicious, along
spices, and almonds—and Yulekaga, a sweet with a big salad. The colors of red and green made
Scandinavian Christmas bread. The music, and us feel like it was a perfect holiday dinner. Eaten
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