INTRODUCTION
In our family, holidays festivities were centered around cooking and were a very important event in our homes. There was a sense of dedication for meal-planning from Thanksgiving through Easter Sunday.
My mother, grandmother, aunts and women cousins all participated in the family events with each individual’s unique creation and interpretation of how the dish should be prepared. They were meticulous about their planning and preparations with desserts prepared first, the main dishes second, then side dishes and the bread lastly. It had to be just right for the celebration. We had a large family with many whom had ferocious appetites, particularly the men folk.
Some had special requests for particular dishes and always encouraged the women folk to include their individual favorites. It was the men’s belief, the meals would not be complete without their favorite dishes.
