Celestial Sunrise

Cold nights and warm days aren't unusual here at this time of year, but we are all hoping for some rain the dampen the state, put out the fires and raise the humidity. There was some hope when I saw this beautiful sky out the bedroom window this morning, but they didn't have much water in them, just beautiful colors.

There have been quite a few conversations about food and preparations for Christmas and special meals. My Italian friend brought me some panettone which I exchanged for some Christmas cookies*. When I commented on the Italian tradition of The Feast of Seven Fishes, I was amazed to hear her say that she had never heard of it. A bit of research revealed that  Festa Dei Sette Pesci is actually an Italian American celebration of Christmas Eve.



She didn't say what they were having to eat, but as my friend Tobi and I exchanged cookies, she did say that her family would be celebrating Christmas in three different houses in two days...a sort of progressive Christmas celebration. Her cookies are a family 'signature' and are a lovely collection of about four different kinds....

I took some Christmas cookies to our neighbors Ann and Paul, who are Jewish, but assured me that they weren't in any way offended by Christmas cookies. We didn't talk much about food except to comment that many California Jewish families go to Chinese restaurants  because they are open on Christmas. 

My other neighbor, Cindy, will be boarding a plane for Hawaii tomorrow where she will be spending Christmas on Waikiki Beach with her family. I said we did that one Christmas and the vacation was delightful except for Christmas Day. It seemed a bit weird that we not only weren't at home and didn't exchange presents, but it was 80 degrees and didn't occur to us to plan a special meal for the day until it was too late. I suggested to Cindy that they make a reservation well ahead of time for a special meal at a restaurant on Christmas Day.

We are having bouillabaisse, the ingredients for which we will go out to procure tomorrow at 7am....I can remember when seafood was inexpensive and many people had fish on Friday even if they weren't Catholic, because it was cheap. Now a dish like bouillabaisse is a luxury requiring a visit to the bank manager (who does that anymore, either?) and people stand in  long lines line to get crab for a holiday meal. We may not be doing presents this year, but there is nothing I want more this season than family, friends and good food. I'm not sure we will manage seven fishes, but we hope to have five or six. Anyway, we're not Italian. I just like the idea of traditions.... 

However you plan to spend it, and whatever you decide to eat, I hope that this long Christmas weekend will be, above all, a happy time with family and friends.

*The last of my sugar coated cookie offerings can be seen extras. All made from Blipper Nana K's ancestral recipe.