*crispy waffle*

Whenever it starts getting close to the holidays, I start thinking about cookies. Not that I don't think about cookies all the time, but I start thinking about specific cookies.

My favorite holiday cookies are butterhorns. They are crispy, sugary, and shaped like little baby croissants. Kind of like rugelach without the jam. My mom makes dozens and dozens of these every Christmas, to keep and give away as gifts, and they never lasted very long in our house.

I was just up on my Flickr account recently and saw some pictures I took many months ago of a batch of butterhorns I had baked with my mom's recipe. I had wanted to post te recipe here, but when I phoned my mom, she was like, "No, you are not posting my recipe."

I should have expected such a response. I've grown up with many Filipina cooks in my family, both on my dad's and mom's side, and every one is loathe to share recipes. When they do, you might as well throw the recipe away, because odds are they've left out 1) a crucial step, or 2) a crucial ingredient. As a result, your version of your Auntie's famed ensaimadas are too dry, or your pancit is just somehow a little bit off. I'm not sure what they're afraid of-- maybe that you will become the Pancit Queen of the family and their glory will be taken from them. They imagine you cackling and rubbing your hands together, "The pancit palabok fortune will be mine!"

My sister and mom have been begging my Auntie for her suman recipe for years. (Suman is a delicious sweet rice and coconut dessert, wrapped in banana leaves.) It's gotten to the point where, not only will she not give the recipe, but she's not about to let anyone watch her make it. Yes, it is clear we won't ever get our grubby hands on that recipe. Maybe she's doing the right thing; it has certainly elevated the suman to family fame status.

So no suman, ensaimada or butterhorns recipe will appear here these days, although here's a pic of said butterhorns to make you determined to get at it.

Just like I'm determined to publish my very own pancit recipe. hOh yes, I will be the Pancit Queen.

Labels: the sweet

posted by sheryl | 11:41 AM |

These look great! Now are they a cookie or a roll, because I was searching for a recipe, and I found both. Do they have yeast in them?
Thanks!
By

Intisar 11/3/07 10:34 PM

"But tita, the kids live in Europe, how will they taste your perfect ensaimadas if you don't like to give me the recipe?

Hmph. Never mind. They barely know you know, they'll grow up and never know about their tita's famous ensaimadas. Sayang."

If it get's ugly, you say this in front of your auntie:

"You're auntie never loved you kids. If you weren't so bad all the time, maybe you auntie would have told the secret of her ensaimadas.
By

jp 吉平 11/4/07 3:01 AM

Ha, JP you are hardcore when it comes to guilting the Filipina donyas!

Although a really hardcore tita might say, "That's right. Your kids are talagang espoiled anyway!"
By

sheryl 11/5/07 12:52 PM

Thanks for your comment intisar. These are small cookies-- look for recipes for rugelach, or butterhorn recipes that either call for cream cheese or sour cream (no yeast) and these will be closest to these cookies. Enjoy!
By

sheryl 11/5/07 12:53 PM

Sheryl,
I have to be honest, I was takend away by this! I mentioned it to Jimmy and your mom made some butterhorns! I'm in love. Can't wait to try to make some of your recipes. They always look amazing.
Marnie
By

Marnie 12/2/07 2:50 PM

Pity that your relatives won't share recipes. Many heirloom recipes are forever gone because of this stinginess. They don't realize that they can be immortalized through their recipes which will be enjoyed by generations after them.
By

Maricel 3/12/08 3:07 AM