IN THE KITCHEN

Holiday Sweets

Every winter holiday has its own signature dessert from pies and puffs to cakes and cookies.

By Jessica Gilbreath

The best holiday memories come from spending time in the kitchen with loved ones, rolling cookie dough or mixing pie filling. There is always that one recipe that comes to mind while preparing the holiday meal; a dish that always has a spot on the table and in our hearts. For many, that’s dessert, and every holiday celebrated around this time of year has its own traditions, customs and favorite sweet recipes.

Christmas Cookies

There are a variety of traditional Christmas desserts, including fruitcake and yule logs, but for many families, Christmas cookies are the staple for this holiday. Modern Christmas cookies can trace their history to recipes for Medieval Europe Christmas biscuits. These treats include ingredients such as cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, almonds and dried fruit. One of the most common (and delicious) treats that appear around Christmas is ginger snaps and gingerbread men.

Diwali Desserts

Diwali, or the festival of lights, is a five-day Hindu festival. Days before it begins, the females of the family start preparing traditional delicacies for everyone to enjoy. On Diwali, there is a custom to exchange sweets with friends and neighbors so, naturally, Diwali can’t even be imagined without its traditional desserts and homemade sweets. One of the most common and loved desserts of Diwali is badam phirni, which is made mostly of almond, rice flour and milk, and is an irresistible festival favorite.

Hanukkah Desserts

This eight-day holiday is a time to celebrate Jewish tradition and faith. Like most great holidays, it is accompanied by a delicious feast. Hanukkah bimuelos or loukoumades are fried honey puffs from the Mediterranean region, particularly Spain, Greece and Turkey. Depending on the region, these delicious honey puffs are made in a variety of ways. Some are filled with jelly, while others are sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar or tossed in a sweet honey or citrus syrup. Other treats include rugelach, a rolled pastry with a sweet filling that resembles a croissant, and gelt, which are gold-wrapped chocolate coins handed out to children during the holiday.

Kwanzaa Confections

For Kwanzaa celebrations, a homemade sweet potato pie makes a delectable dessert that also honors ancestry and tradition. The dessert honors the great black chemist and botanist George Washington Carver, whose landmark work highlighted dozens of uses for the sweet potato, which is now recognized as one of the most nutritious natural foods. Including it on the holiday table is a tribute to culture and tradition.

This holiday season, use these ideas from various cultures to fill your table with both sweets and love.

Axiom Bank Expands with New Flagship Winter Park Branch

Take a look at how Axiom Bank is dedicated to supporting the local community.

By Dan Davis, president/CEO

Over the past few months, we’ve been prompted to step back from life’s details and reflect on what matters most. At Axiom Bank, our top priority has always been building relationships with the communities we serve.

Founded in 1963 as the first minority-owned banking institution in Florida, Axiom Bank takes pride in providing families, businesses and community organizations with personalized, convenient service. On every visit, you will encounter familiar faces, warm smiles and a banking team that knows you as a person, not just an account number.

Whether you’re planning for retirement, starting a college fund, or helping your child open his or her first checking account, our team can collaborate with you to find a financial solution that works. That’s part of the reason community banks are consistently rated higher for customer satisfaction than large national banks.

Axiom offers big advantages for small businesses, too. Because leadership and decision making are local, you’ll be able to share your business plan in person and get assistance throughout the application process. With short approval times and competitive rates, it’s a simple and stress-free way to finance your company’s development.

Banking local means a longterm relationship that we are here for you. When entrepreneurs were turned away for Paycheck Protection Program loans at other banks, Axiom’s team worked around the clock to provide the information and support needed to secure $66 million in relief for our customers during the global pandemic.

And that’s no coincidence: Our staff members live in the same neighborhoods, buy from the same businesses and send their children to the same schools as the customers we serve. It’s only natural that we’re committed to financial service that supports local enterprise and families.

Giving back isn’t an obligation at Axiom; it’s intrinsic to our culture. In spite of the challenges facing our community, we’re doing our part to help through partnerships with local charitable organizations, including the BASE Camp Children’s Cancer Foundation, Feeding Children Everywhere, Matthew’s Hope and more.

No matter how quickly technology advances, a personalized, customer-to-banker relationship is still at the heart of good banking. As Axiom expands to new locations — including our flagship branch in Winter Park — we remain committed to building brighter financial futures with the families, neighbors and businesses we serve. We invite you to come by for a visit to experience the Axiom difference — we make lives easier.

862 Orlando Avenue Winter Park, FL 32789 407.636.3511

www.AxiomBanking.com