Field Trip to De Pablos House, January 5, 2010

Mexican Rosca Celebration! The Three Kings!

On the eve of the Three Kings, it is tradition in Mexico to share the Rosca bread with steaming hot chocolate.  The Mexican hot chocolate was spiced with cinnamon.  The special sweet bread is only made on this special day.  Hidden inside are 6 plastic baby Jesus'.  This symbolism represents when baby Jesus had to be hidden from Herod.  Each guest slices a piece of bread and if you cut through the doll you are obligated to prepare tamales on Feb. 2, Candlemas, to share with everyone.  The cutting is the symbolism of the danger to the baby.  As we each cut the bread we sighed with relief when we did not get the doll and laughed when someone did!  It was great fun!  Monica and Victor shared the stories of when they were children and how they celebrated at home, always with Rosca bread!  Thank you both for including us in this beautiful celebration!  Jaime's slice had a doll, so it looks like he will be helping the others prepare the yummy tamales on the 2nd!




Feliz Anos!

~ Come Gather Around The Table!

~ MJ
Copyright 2010 MJ's Table Talk

Field Trip to the Heathman Hotel, December 18, 2009

Christmas Present, Past and Future! Tea at The Heathman!

Today MJ's family celebrated Christmas early! We broke all the traditions and made what time we have work for us. We slept in, Alex and I went and got Mani/Pedis together and then we swooped back home to get the man of the house and go to an elegant tea at the Heathman Hotel in downtown Portland. Arriving right on the dot, we were ushered into the beautiful salon where the gorgeous Christmas tree stands in the corner by the staircase. All ages of women and girls filled the room with a few brave men sprinkled in the mix. Christmas Present is filled with all things grown up as we order our champagne before tea!

As we settled in and unfurled our crisp white linen napkins, small girls with beautiful Christmas dresses that rustled as they passed our table, giggled and looked around with great anticipation as they tried to be OH SO grown up! All those red wool coats and layers of lace brought back memories of Christmas Past and our own sweet girl's giggles! Soft music played and the hummmm of the conversations around us made for a relaxing conversation. As you can see from our beautiful tiered serving plates, we did not want for a thing!

All to soon our party came to an end and it was home to open gifts and share moments under the twinkle lights on the tree. Santa had come early and left some nice surprises for each of us, but none more precious then being together. As Alex prepares to head south to Peru to see her grandparents and cousins for Christmas and New Years, the hubs and I will be heading north to share Christmas with my mom and siblings. As we go off in different directions I am feeling a glimpse of Christmas future when Alex is truly out in the world on her own, and the vision is bittersweet.

I am making the most of the moments we have, which is not always easy when you feel them slipping away. Sweet and cherished, I want more and there is the rub!

Thank you St. Nick for a week of blessings and family!

~ MJ
Copyright 2009 MJ's Table Talk

Recipe, December 3, 2009

Fridged Temperatures in Portland and MJ's Peppermint Pound Cake!

What do you do at home when it is 29 degrees outside and if you take your 90 year old mom out in the elements she will turn into a Popsicle? Well, we bake! Christmas music playing, fireplace crackling, and hands are busy in the kitchen! That's what we did yesterday morning, baking up a storm for my cookie exchange party this week. Also, I owed a dear friend her birthday dessert. I like to make a dessert that is named after the birthday gal and have the recipe reflect their tastes.

Premiering Pam's Peppermint Pound Cake, and it is a keeper! I whipped up several loaves of this tasty treat that surprises your taste buds on the first bite. Refreshing and invigorating, can a pound cake do all that? This one can!

Peppermint Pound Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

3 cups sugar
3 sticks butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
5 eggs
1 cup milk
3 cups of flour
Crushed candy canes
Frosting optional

Mix all the ingredients (except the candy canes) until well blended. Pour into one tube pan or several small loaf pans. Bake 80 min if in one pan. 5 minutes before done baking lay a whole candy cane across the top and sprinkle with crushed candy. Serve warm and watch it disappear! Next time I will add white chocolate chips! You can also frost with white frosting or chocolate :)

~ MJ
Copyright 2009 MJ's Table Talk