rush was over. Dan sat at his table by the window with his coffee, bran muffin, and newspaper, occasionally people watching and chatting with Yusuf and Muriel.
Dina was preoccupied with her seemingly endless “to do” list. The school concert was on Thursday evening for which she’d agreed to bake cookies. She’d also agreed to bake cookies for the Christmas pageant on Christmas Eve. Kazu was a shepherd and Gustavo a lamb, which meant she had to put costumes together as well.
On Friday they were finally going to get the Christmas tree and on Saturday she wanted to try and get some shopping done, perhaps look for her angel. She also had to clean the house before Julio’s mother arrived on Sunday. Then, there was more baking for family and friends and planning Christmas dinner. Dina let out an audible sigh as she looked over the list.
“Busy?” Yusuf asked Dina.
“I love Christmas, but it always sneaks up on me.”
“Have you found your angel?” He asked with a smile.
“No.” Dina frowned. “And, I’m not even sure where to look for the one I’d like to find.”
Just then Eli came in, holding up his new skateboard with a huge grin. He hugged them all in turn, thanking each one of them.
“I don’t even know how to thank you, but Estela makes a mean batch of fudge,” He said, setting a Christmas tin on the counter.
“More treats!” Yusuf’s eyes lit up.
“How’s Estela doing?” Dina asked.
“About a week away now,” Eli noted.
“Well, just tell me you won’t be skating on that thing with the baby,” Dan said, patting Eli on the back. “Now, what’s this I hear about fudge?”
Across the country, in a small town in Tennessee, another Christmas confection was being attended to. Arella Washington pulled six loaves, one by one, out of her cooler pantry.
Two weeks earlier she’d spent a whole day chopping hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, dried apricots, pineapple, dates, and prunes. She then added raisins, currants, dried cranberries and cherries, setting them to soak in brandy for three days. No artificial candied fruits in her cake.
Flour, butter, eggs, white and brown sugar, lemon and orange zest, then more brandy made a thick batter. Each pan, lined with parchment paper, was filled to just below the rim. Then, the loaves were baked, slowly at a low temperature with a pan of water at the bottom of the oven to keep them from drying out. Arella never timed them, she just knew by smell and touch when they were done.
When the loaves were hot out of the oven, Arella brushed them with more brandy and then waited for them to cool completely before removing them from the pans. She wrapped each loaf first in a brandy-soaked towel, then in aluminum foil, leaving them to sit for a week.
Now, as Astella unwrapped each loaf to brush on more brandy, a golden glow fell over the fruitcakes.
To be continued December 15...
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