December is a month of traditions, celebrations, and faiths across the world. Whether in tropical warmth or wintry cold, it’s a time to embrace the joy of the season. Sharing traditions, old or new, and being present with loved ones brings meaning and peace to the holidays.
It’s Monday for most of the world. Back to work, school, family and everyday responsibilities, but for me, it’s a holiday wonderland … without snow and with plenty of time to explore, discover and share with my friends on Two Minutes du Jour.
Over the weekend, my sister and I embraced a shared tradition with a tropical twist: crafting a Bûche de Noël in her warm-weather mountain home in Panama. Our traditional recipes – hers in French (and metrics) and mine in English – vary slightly. But collaborating in the kitchen is half the fun.
The process, however, was different from what I’m used to in my suburban home in Minnesota—her oven seemed to have a mind of its own, requiring the sponge cake to bake a little longer than planned. Yet the warm cake rolled beautifully in a powdered sugar-dusted tea towel only to crack slightly when unrolled. Undeterred, we spread room-temperature ganache (or should I say humid, tropical-temperature ganache?) over the cake, which held it together perfectly as we re-rolled it.
A quick chill in the refrigerator set the cake for the next step: frosting. Despite the frosting’s tendency to melt in the tropical air, I managed to create a convincing log-like texture using the tines of a fork. The final touch came Sunday at lunch, with festive decorations atop our creation. A decadent dessert, yes, but even more so, a delicious memory shared.
Later, we turned to another holiday tradition: movies. While Wi-Fi outages meant we watched Christmas with the Kranks in fits and starts, we laughed all the same—and finished it uninterrupted the next day. This week, I plan to share the 1947 black-and-white classic The Bishop’s Wife, introducing my sister’s family to the timeless charm of Cary Grant, Loretta Young, and David Niven.
Panama, though warm, fully embraces the holiday spirit. I delighted in spotting Christmas trees for sale in La Chorrera and Coronado and look forward to exploring a festive display near Parque Urracá when we spend time in Panama City later this week.
Wishing you peace on earth and goodwill to all, wherever you are this season.
Trois Links Du Jour:
Measuring Cups that Do and Don’t Measure Up – David Lebovitz – a must-read post in his weekly blog
Beyond Brioche: The History and Tradition of La Bûche de Noël – Frenchly
Christmas Lights in Urraca Park in Panama City, Panama – TVN
Two Minutes Du Jour 
One response to “A Tropical Twist on Holiday Traditions”
Love it of course. ..great Memento if shared holiday fun. And how beautiful your frosting and decor looked! Only equalled by the decadent taste! Yahoo Mail: busca, organiza, toma el control de tu buzón
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