This weekend we celebrated  the first nights of Passover and Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Two major holidays that coincided, along with a statutory holiday enjoyed.

For me and perhaps for many of you, these holy days have a traditional familial connection rather than a religious one. The foods eaten, or perhaps the foods not eaten, while symbolic of a religious theme, also provide a  cultural comfort and familial custom. It is this connection and the lifelong memories associated with these annual holiday celebrations, which I believe remain with us. For me, it is the family gathering, the specialty foods and singing of songs that stay. I think for many with memory decline, this holds true as well. For those who lost a loved one, an empty seat at the holiday table can be particularly difficult. For the many families that are in conflict with one another and may not be talking, this too can prove challenging.

Every year I take comfort in making my late grandmother’s friend turkey recipe, which is one of my family’s favorite meals. This is a  recipe handed down to my mother and then to me, which one day I hope my sons will be making.  However you celebrated and whatever foods you enjoyed,   I hope you too had a special holiday long weekend.