The holidays are here again and it seemed overnight everything was draped in twinkling lights. Christmas music is proclaiming the season in department stores and elevators all over the land. Is this what the holidays are about? I think not.

My grandmother Jeannie flew out from Philadelphia to visit us for Thanksgiving this year. This was the first time in 60-plus years she traveled without my grandfather Jack as he passed away last spring. Needless to say, it was a bit sullen for us this year without him in the room. But there was an event that broke us out of the fog. Cream puffs.

Yes I said it, cream puffs. Those lovely parcels of sweet pastry cream so perfect in balance of flavors and textures they only could have been created in Italy. Jeannie said that she has had problems recently getting them to puff and that she and I should make some together. I, of course, jumped at the chance! The duties of my first paid job in a kitchen included making cream puffs so I consider myself somewhat of an expert.

We argued a bit on the butter/oil dilemma. Butter is heavier but tastier than oil. Oil will make for a lighter puff, but without the richness of butter. We put the water and butter on the heat and sipped some wine.

We chatted and chuckled about this and that. She told me stories about her mom cooking and making cream puffs when she was a little girl. She told me tales of her Sicilian ancestors and what trials they went through to get to America.

The water and butter boiled so we added the flour, mixing with a wooden spoon until the ball formed. I turned it out into a big stainless steel bowl, pressing it up against the edges to facilitate the cool down. This step really bothered Jeannie for some reason; she said she always throws the eggs right in the saucepot.

“Maybe that was your problem!” I said with a wink. The eggs went in one at a time and we mixed each one thoroughly until a shiny, sticky batter formed. I spooned the batter onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and into the 400 degree oven they went. We then looked at some photos, some new, some old. We talked about our missing beloved husband/grandfather. Thirty minutes flew by and out they came, tall and golden brown. We let them cool and mixed the half whipped cream, half pastry cream filling. We sliced the puffs, filled them with the cream mixture, dusted them with powdered sugar, topped each with a cherry and onto a platter they went. Coffee brewed and we all sat at the table and enjoyed dessert.

I’ll never forget that evening spent with my grandmother cooking. Those magic moments are what the holidays are all about. Make your own memories this season, with or without cream puffs!

Matthew DiMeo, C.C., is a culinary instructor at Lake Washington Technical College in Kirkland. Reach him at 425-739-8100, ext. 630.