Christmas time is steeped in nostalgia. Each of us has our own traditions that make this time unique, and if it weren’t for these time-honored events, the holiday would not be complete. For some, it may be hunting for that perfect tree, hanging the outside lights, writing and mailing cards or decorating your home.  

Nonna’s recipe

For me, baking cookies is the activity I love best. I gather cookie cutters, rolling pins, bowls, cookie sheets, measuring cups and oven mitts. Then, I cluster the ingredients onto the counter tops—cans of Crisco, sticks of butter, milk, eggs, flour, baking powder, baking soda, confection sugar, granulated sugar, extracts, sprinkles, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, varied nuts and sesame seeds, dried fruits, chocolate chips, jams and jellies.  

My Nonna never used a bowl for mixing dough. She would clear the kitchen table, wipe it clean and pour cups of flour, sugar and baking powder, forming a rounded mound. She’d hollow out a hole in the center to break in the eggs, milk, oil, butter and extracts as the recipe instructed. Massaging the dough was easy as the table surface provided a free space for kneading. Baking cookies was an all-day event.

  My Struffoli

After several years, she passed the torch to me for making a beloved confection Struffoli.   

Preparing a mix of flour, eggs, salt, lemon and orange zest creates the dough. I knead and form it into long tubular strips—the length of the table—pinch off pieces about a half inch and roll them into tiny balls. The balls are dropped into a pot of hot cooking oil, and stirred around until they are a beautiful golden brown color. I remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain and cool. 

Once I’ve completed about 100 balls—which actually takes surprising little time—they’re coated in honey. It’s best to do this step in batches. I toss a handful of balls into a bowl of warmed local honey, then one by one layer and stack into the shape of a Christmas tree. The shapes of these conical towers are as varied as the shapes of trees. Once done and happy with your shape, dust your tree with colored sprinkles for a festive look.  

This edible honey ball creation can be beautifully displayed as a centerpiece for your table. You could make several small trees or one large masterpiece. Over the holidays the balls are taken off one by one and enjoyed.   

 My Christmas is not complete without a Struffoli tree. It’s not so much the eating of these delectable little honey clusters, but it’s the act of making them. When my hands are engaged in rolling the pieces of dough into tiny balls, the memory of my Nonna and me comes together. We are in her kitchen, coated with flour and listening to Perry Como on the radio singing “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays.”  

This is my nostalgia, my Christmas time.