Favorite foods kindle fond memories

The air is crisp, the days are sunny; the trees are displaying their rainbows of parting color. It’s finally fall! As you already know, I absolutely love this time of year… pumpkins, Indian corn, hay rides, apple cider, snuggly sweaters and family time.

It also marks the imminent return of winter and with it… snowmen, snow boots, holiday lights, Christmas carols, Christmas trees, hot cocoa, gift giving and family time.

The holidays bring many fantastic things to mind, each with their own colors, ideas and memories, all unified by time spent together. It’s most often during this time of year that we consciously make the effort to come together and really take quality time to celebrate each other, our traditions and our families. And that right there - the focus on our families and traditions - is why I adore the holidays, and everything they entail.

With all this wonderful family time approaching, it’s also time to dust off our recipe boxes and cookbooks. As we all know, when families come together, they like to eat… a lot! Thanksgiving turkey with apple cider brine, grandma’s stuffing, your aunt’s pecan pie, my mom’s Christmas cookies and fudge, my sister-in-law’s honey-baked ham glaze, my mother-in-law’s sweet potato soufflé. We all have those kinds of recipes, collected just for these occasions. And with those recipes come some of our fondest memories, many spent in the kitchen preparing traditional meals and treats for the upcoming family celebrations.

On page 54 of this issue, I’ve shared some of my mother’s Christmas cookie recipes. They’ve been a staple at our holiday get-togethers for as long as I can remember. Each year, when we get together to bake these delicious treats, I am taken back to years past. I have also asked some of you to share your favorite holiday memories in the kitchen and the recipes to go along with them. This year, we start off with my friend, Keebler Holley, and his memories of his turn hosting Thanksgiving dinner for his family, followed by many more cherished memories from our readers and staff. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Here’s to a blessed, beautiful and delicious holiday season, from my kitchen to yours!

By Lori Holcomb
Food Editor, Salt Magazine