Book of Days Tales

Today is the official beginning of Las Posadas in Mexico and the US Southwest, although actual timing may vary. The 16^th of December is 9 days before Christmas, a novena that can represent numerous things – including 9 days symbolizing 9 months of Mary’s pregnancy. La Posada is Spanish for “lodging” and is used in the plural because the celebration often involves activities on several days, or because it involves visiting numerous places that are potential lodgings.

Classic Las Posadas that I am familiar with from New Mexico and northern Mexico involve a candlelit procession of townspeople from designated house to house led by a young couple dressed as Mary and Joseph (often with Mary on a burro). At each house the couple sings a song which is responded to by the homeowner. The procession continues from house to house with different answers from inside (all basically saying “we have no room”), until eventually a designated host lets Mary and Joseph in and there is a re-enactment of the Nativity scene with food and drink laid out for the crowd.

Biscochitos are a New Mexican favorite for Christmas gatherings:

Ingredients

2 cups lard
1 cup sugar
2 whole eggs
6 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp anise seed (optional)
6 TBS sweet table wine
½ cup sugar (for sprinkling; may need a bit more)
2 TBS cinnamon (for sprinkling may need a bit more)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F/175° C.

Cream the lard and 1 cup of sugar together until creamy. Add eggs and beat until very fluffy. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, and add to the creamed mixture. Mix well.  Add in the wine (and anise seed, if using) and stir until it’s a dough-like consistency (which you may need to knead).

Roll out the dough on a⅛ floured board to ⅛” thickness. Cut into desired shapes (hearts, stars, etc.) and place on baking sheets ½” apart.

Combine ½  cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon, and sprinkle on top of each cookie.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Combine the rest of the sugar and cinnamon. Once out of the oven immediately cover the entire cookie with cinnamon sugar mix.