In Remembrance of Cookies Past (and a Parrot on Nana’s Shoulder)
Dear Readers of Taste, Chers Lecteurs du Goût,
This week I’ve been writing about Nana, Christmas cookies, and the quiet ways families carry secrets.
I found this photo of her in my gallery—Nana with a parrot on her shoulder—in Florida - and it made me laugh out loud. This is how I want to remember her: brave enough to let a bird perch by her ear, sturdy enough to keep baking anyway.
On Substack, I’ve shared a new piece called “In Remembrance of Cookies Past” about walking Fourth Street with tins of her cookies on Christmas Eve, and what it felt like to try to protect her love from everything swirling around us.
I’m still hunting for her recipe box (and the handwritten cards that carried her from year to year), but for now I’m starting with this Nana-and-the-parrot moment—a reminder that even in the hardest stories, there was always a flash of joy, mischief, and color.
👉 Read the story on Substack and maybe think of the Nana or elder in your life who taught you that cookies—and love—can survive a lot.
👉 If you’d like to read my latest novel about another bird, the Bécasse, browse the bookfunnel promo and download your free reads, including The Mistress of Apples and Bécasse, here:
Nana, unbothered by parrots and other chaos.
Sand Tart Cookies - a traditional Pa Dutch Christmas specialty
Thin, crisp, cinnamon-sugar dusted cookies topped with a single pecan. The dough is also great as a crust for mini mincemeat pies!
Makes 9–10 dozen
Ingredients:
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 pound unsalted butter
3 large eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg (for brushing)
Cinnamon sugar (1/2 cup sugar + 1.5 tsp cinnamon)
Pecan halves
Instructions:
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Chill. Roll dough thin, cut into 3-inch rounds. Place on a greased or parchment lined sheet. Brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, top with pecan. Bake at 350°F for 7 min. Cool on racks.
For topping (choose nut or non-nut)
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon milk or water (for egg wash)
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Option A – Traditional nut topping
Pecan halves or pieces for garnish
Option B – Non-nut toppings
Use any of these instead of nuts:
Red or green sanding sugar
Plain cinnamon-sugar only (no garnish)
Tiny bits of candied cherry or citron
A few coarse sugar crystals pressed in the center
Top the cookies
Stir together the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.
Brush each cookie lightly with egg wash.
Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.
Top either with a slice of almond/pecan or one of the non-nut options (colored sugar, candied fruit, or just extra cinnamon-sugar).
Little note. That way anyone with allergies (or who just doesn’t like nuts) still gets the full magic of the cookie.