A couple of weeks ago, I found myself meandering through the local store in search of bargain bags of Halloween candy; you know, the great bags with all different types of mini-candy bars in perfect Trick-or-Treat size. This was a week or so before the big day, so I was a little frustrated at not finding the selection right away, and decided to ask a sales clerk for help. She instructed me to the “seasonal� aisle, and “that was all that was left.� Puzzled, I made my way to the seasonal aisle to find a few, sad looking cardboard jack-o-lantern window cutouts, while a clerk filled the empty shelves with rows of Christmas cards, tree lights, and ornaments. Needless to say, I left the store in disgust.

Before I continue, let me say that I am a huge fan of the holidays. I remember riding the bus with mami and abuela to the poultry store to pick out the lucky turkey that would be the year’s pavochon, and the fragrant garlic adobo they would make in the kitchen to dress that blessed bird! I remember our home on Thanksgiving morning, perfumed with the aroma of the roasting turkey and the water simmering on the stove for the pasteles, while aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends filed through the front door and the Macy’s parade played on the television. THAT was the beginning of the holiday season!



Mami also shared stories of her Navidades in Puerto Rico, as a little girl. She told me that Santa Claus didn’t visit Puerto Rico because there was no snow for his sled to land on, but good boys and girls were rewarded when they left empty shoe boxes under their beds filled with grass for the camels of Los Tres Reyes Magos for the Feast of the Epiphany. The camels would eat the grass, and leave gifts for the children who had been good that year! Los Reyes, parrandas, and coquito were all part of my Puerto Rican Christmas experience. I knew that one day, when I was a mom, I would recreate these wonderful traditions for my children so that they would have wonderful family holiday memories, too.

When I wrote Daisy: Morning, Noon and Night earlier this year, I wanted to leave my children a “memory album� of recipes we had experienced as a family during our holiday trips in Latin America during Christmas week. These recipes became a part of my regular repertoire and I would make them for my family all throughout the year, invariably inspiring my kids to recall stories of our adventures abroad. While this was tres cool it still didn’t capture the feelings that I’ve wanted to capture for my family from the time I was a young girl. It wasn’t until after I started putting the outline together for a holiday meal inspired book that I became aware of how especially daunting many people find entertaining during this time of year. Enter, Daisy’s Holiday Cooking!