...pride in accomplishment...
Our Italian fig cookies were made at Grandma Rivero's house and the recipe was similar to this one Italian Fig Cookies.
When my Mother-In-Law was a very very young mother (17 years old) she lived on a street with quite a few Italian families. My Father-In-Law worked on tug boats which kept him away from home most of the time. Her Italian neighbors thought she was widowed and began to call her the "little widow". They took her under their wing and shared their wonderful food with her and how to make it.
These cookies were made at Christmas time and for St. Joseph's altars. All of the ingredients for the altar had to be begged for door to door. All of the ladies got together and made huge batches of these cookies. Each lady having their own responsibility.
One day my Father-In-Law was home and all of the ladies were delighted to see the little widow "had a boyfriend". Eventually they were learned that this was her husband and even many years later they laughed about the young "little widow".
Our filling included:
raisins
dates
figs
pecans
walnuts
orange peel
nutmeg
cinnamon
allspice
Steen's cane syrup
If allowed to dry a couple of days and then sealed, these cookies last up to a year!
...oh yes, I like them dripping with icing and covered in those adorable dots.
5 comments:
They look delicious. Sweet story about your MIL, too. :) Your girls are getting so tall.
They were YUM! I liked them.
Thanks for the cookies. We ate them right up! I've never been real fond of Italian cookies, but those were delicious. Also, can't help but love Ms. Rivero's shirt. We love Ms. Rivero too, she is a treasure.
Thanks for letting me come and have a great great time I love the cookies and tell mrs.River0 hi for me love carmencita
What a neat anecdote! I love learning family history.
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