I know. You are wondering "What the heck are Rose Fagan Cookies?" Let me explain. Roe Fagan was a woman. Rose worked with my great-great Aunt Regina in the kitchens of Felician College MANY years ago. Side note: I met my great-great aunts who lived to be in their nineties and late eighties. Rose Fagan made these cookies with a particular dough she made and smeared melted chocolate on top and sprinkled finely crushed nuts over them. My Aunt Regina (Ridge we would call her) LOVED them and asked for her recipe.
I do not know when Rose Fagan passed away, it may have been mid 1980s, perhaps even early 1990s, but I never met her. And when she died, Aunt Ridge never got the name of the cookie. She only had the recipe of how to make them and that is it. So we always called the cookies "Rose Fagan Cookies" as a tribute to it's creator. And the recipe has been in the family for YEARS. Aunt Ridge died in 2004 at the age of 94 and we still make Rose Fagan cookies.
Who knows where the Fagan family is today, but they have no idea how we think of their ancestor every Christmas when we make these cookies. So today, at my grandmothers house, she took out THE ORIGINAL hand written recipe Rose Fagan had given Great-great Aunt Ridge. To me, this paper that was no bigger than five inches high, three inches wide, was GOLD to me. I got to make the entire cookie, minus the nuts because I have a cousin who is deathly allergic to them.
Yes, it was like a spiritual experience for me. I know it may seem silly for others, but this traditional cookie, channeling Rose Fagan and my Aunt Ridge while playing Christmas music was such an awesome ritual to be a part of for our Christmas.
Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO
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