Mmmmmm Sopaipillas

Mmmmmm those yummy sopaipillas, what memories they bring to me about being at mom's house. The smell of the deep-fried, crispy, puffy bread makes my mind wonder off and remember the day we would all join together for our Christmas dinner. When I say all of us, I mean all 17 of us; mom and dad, my 10 sisters and 4 brothers and of course all their spouses and children of the older kids. Our house was so full of not just people, but the wonderful smell of home cooked food, a grand feast.

My favorite, of course, were mom's famous sopiapillas. I can still see mom with her rolling pin in her hands and her dish towel thrown over her shoulder as she dipped each piece of dough she rolled into the hot oil. She amazed me how each and every roll of dough would be such a perfect round circle, unlike mine which resemble each state in the U.S. As she pulled out each sopaipilla my mouth would just water waiting to sink my teeth into the hot bread with the sweet taste of honey.

The tradition, however, was no food was eaten until dad said grace and believe me he would take his time knowing we were all salivating over the tasty food. The story of The Waltons where they all sat at the table to eat their meal well that's how it was at our house, especially when I was a child. Once the word "Amen" was said there were hands flying everywhere, but I knew where mine were going straight to the sopaipillas and honey. Wow, what a treat!

Thinking back and remembering the joy and satisfaction on everyone's face after the grand feast, I have to wonder what was mom thinking. Was she wore out because of all the hard work? Or was seeing her many blessings of all her family being there her joy and satisfaction? Well now that I have a family, and I have my rolling pin in my hands with a dish towel thrown over my shoulder I have experienced the same thing. I watch my children sink their teeth into their sopaipillas after their dad says grace and I sense their joy and satisfaction of a grand feast, I know it was my mom's joy and satisfaction to see all her many blessing sitting before her, just as it is mine.

I hope to pass on this tradition to my lovely children so they can pass it on to their children and so forth. I want them to say "Wow, what a treat!" as they serve this magnificent delicious Spanish pastry, sopaipillas. Here is a link to a receipe and may be this will become your tradition also.

http://allrecipes.com/Cook/Photo.aspx?photoID=34657