Sharing Special Holiday Traditions

Our Community Feature written by Holly Stupak

This holiday season I think we are all looking forward to hosting or attending festive get-togethers again. After last year’s quiet holidays, this year’s celebrations with family and friends will seem even sweeter. So what should you bring to your next family get together or gathering with friends? We turned to some local bakers for some ideas.

Margie Varallo

First, we head over to Margie Varallo’s kitchen. Margie’s family moved to Broomall when she was 15 and she’s lived in Marple ever since. She and her husband met when they were 16 and they’ve been married for more than 34 years. They have two wonderful sons who both brought amazing women into the family. Their greatest blessing right now is their two grandchildren who bring so much joy and craziness to their lives, but they love every minute of it!

Margie said what she loves about the Marple community is the sense of unity and kindness towards one another. Whether it be a meal train, volunteering, or a fundraiser, if there is a need in the community, people step up. Margie learned this firsthand after she recently started her own soup business, Mima’s Kitchen (the name was inspired by her grandchildren who call her Mima).

When I first posted on social media about my soup business, the response was overwhelming,” Margie said. “Yes, some people just wanted to try my soups, but others said they ordered simply because they wanted to support a local business. The sense I get from people in the community is that if we’re all on this journey of life together… why not help each other out when we can!

When Margie’s sons were young, they enjoyed baking, decorating and especially eating Christmas cookies and she has continued this tradition with her grandkids. “They love to bake around the holidays and cover the cookies with excessive amounts of icing and sprinkles,” Margie said. So in that spirit, she chose her butter cookie recipe which is not only melt in your mouth delicious, but it’s the recipe she always uses for their decorating extravaganza.

Mima’s Butter Cookies

(makes 6 dozen cookies)

Photo courtesy of Margie Varallo

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ lbs. butter (6 sticks), softened

• 2 cups sugar

• 4 eggs

• 5 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

• Using a mixer, combine cream butter and sugar.

• Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.

• Chill dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

• Drop teaspoons of batter onto ungreased cookie sheets and decorate with colored sprinkles.

Bake at 350º for about 12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Enjoy!

Delores Antenucci

Now, let’s visit Dolores (Dee) Antenucci’s kitchen. Dee has happily resided in Broomall for 52 years and was fortunate to have taught for 37 years in the Marple Newtown School District. She’s also blessed with a wonderful husband of 46 years and a beautiful daughter, Lauren, who graduated from Marple Newtown and went on to further her education and become a Civil Engineer. Lauren also resides in Marple Township, so the legacy continues.

Dee’s ancestors were of Italian descent and therefore cookies (biscotti) and pizzelles were always part of celebrations. Dee said that Italian American families always had a cookie tray at birthdays, communion parties, showers, weddings and of course, Christmas.

I have my Grammy’s pizzelle iron (hand held version) hanging on my kitchen wall. My memories are vivid and sweet. Grammy would make pizzelles with vanilla extract instead of anise because I didn’t like that flavor,” Dee explained. “I remember her standing at the stove and reciting a perfectly-timed prayer in order to ensure the consistent amount of cooking time on each side of the pizzelle.

Dee’s mother continued the tradition of baking pizzelles but used an electric pizzelle iron and modified the recipe to a level of perfection.

Every Christmas season Dee, her mother and daughter baked cookies together. “We would call ourselves the Three Little Bakers and my husband and father would enjoy every moment of being taste testers!” Dee said. “We baked at least five types of cookies and shared them with friends and family.”

Dee chose the pizzelle recipe because of it being a family tradition and a beautiful memory spanning four generations. She hopes readers take ownership of this recipe and alter it in any of the ways she has suggested.

Dee’s grandmother’s pizzelle iron

Photo courtesy of Dee Antenucci

Italian Pizzelles

(makes 30 pizzelles)

INGREDIENTS

• 3 eggs

• ¾ cup sugar

• 1½ tsp. vanilla

• 1¾ cups flour

• 2 tsp. baking powder

• ½ cup melted butter (8 Tbs.)

DIRECTIONS

• Beat eggs and sugar. Add cooled melted butter and then vanilla extract.

• Sift flour and baking powder and add to egg mixture.

• Batter will be stiff enough to be dropped by a teaspoon onto the hot pizzelle iron.

• Enjoy baking up lots of love for every celebration!

• Batter can be refrigerated in order to be used at a later time.

Modifications to this recipe:

• Gluten-free (measure for measure) flour can be used.

• A butter substitute may be used.

• Use one teaspoon of vanilla and use one half teaspoon of another extract one half teaspoon of another extract (such as anise, lemon, almond) if (such as anise, lemon, almond) if another flavor is desired. another flavor is desired.

Wishing all of our readers a magical Wishing all of our readers a magical holiday season filled with warmth, holiday season filled with warmth, love, joy… and LOTS love, joy… and LOTS of good food! of good food!