More Family Holiday Traditions: The Powdered Sugar Can

One of my favorite family treasures is an aluminum can my mother used for storing the powdered sugar she sprinkled on all of the wonderful cakes and cookies she baked at holidays and for special occasions. I will be carrying on the tradition this Christmas, using this special can to add some delightful powdered sugar to the cookies I have made this year (see my previous post for a recipe).

Below is the story about this family heirloom:

Family Story: The Powdered Sugar Can

My mother had a special aluminum can for storing the powdered sugar she used to decorate her cakes and cookies. Whenever my mother would bake cakes or cookies for special occasions such as holidays, weddings, graduations, etc. she would take this can with her so that the items would be “perfect” when placed on the cookie trays. One time, while driving from Pittsburgh to Cleveland for one of my cousin’s bridal showers, my mother realized that she left this powdered sugar can behind and cajoled my father to turn the car around so she could retrieve it. Perhaps it was our imagination, but those cookies always did seem to taste better with a sprinkling of powdered sugar from that “magic can.” I now have the can in my kitchen cupboard.

For more recipes and traditions, see my Baba’s Kitchen Web Site.