How it all started

I come from a very large, loud, loving Italian family. We had a tradition where we gathered every Christmas Season for weekend to make these wonderful fig cookies. My Granny started making these in 1956 with just a few relatives and making about 500 cookies. We stopped in 1989, by then we were busting out of kitchens and making 3000 cookies in one weekend. Many great times were had, lots of cackling laughter, many cold beers, and maybe a few tears thats also went into our cookies. We stopped when my Gramps had a stroke. My cousin Kelly was getting married this year, she got us together, and I am so glad she did. Hopefully we will get do this again in Dec. usually the first weekend for the twins birthday.

The Start

Here is Granny and Aunt Clair with the dried figs, The beginning of the whole process

Started the Grind

Here I am with my Mom and my Granny, we are just mixing all of the ingredients together, notice Carmen thinks she will have to worry about stray figs flying at her.

Mixing

This is Granddaughter-in-law Mandy mixing the fig with Granny looking on to make sure she is doing it right.

Teaching

Here is my Mom Carmen with her Granddaughter Jillian, she is showing her how to form the fig filling.

Forming the Filling

This is My Granny, her daughter Clair, her kids Joesph, Michelle, and Kelly working together to form the grinded up figs and other ingredients into rolls for the filling.

Assembly Line

Here is Casie, me, Michelle, my Mom Carmen, Jillian, Clair and Kelly working in unison rolling, filling and cutting the cookies.