A Christmas Tradition with Lucrecia

On an unseasonably hot autumn day in Shakopee, Lucrecia is already thinking ahead to the holiday season.

“I love Christmas,” she says in Spanish through an interpreter. 

Lucrecia is originally from Mexico and lives close to the Mi Casita food shelf. Going to the food shelf has helped her offset some of her grocery costs, as she has been limited in her ability to work as a house clear since an injury.

“About a year and a half ago, I started to have knee problems. I have a torn meniscus. The food shelf has been very helpful for me,” she says. “Even though I can’t work, it feels good to know that I can cook and we will have food on the table.”

Lucrecia likes to cook many traditional Mexican dishes with ingredients she buys at the food shelf. “I like to come here for the rice, tomatoes, onions, beans, fruits, vegetables, and whatever meats they have,” she says. “I cook for about five people every week. My youngest child is thirteen years old, so it’s a lot of food to prepare!”

The food shelf comes in especially useful around the holidays. Lucrecia and her family get together to reenact Las Posadas—a Christmas pageant with lots of singing and prayer. Afterward, Lucrecia cooks a huge meal for her extended family.

“We like to cook pozole, tamales, roasted pork, and salads. We have this drink called ponche, which is made of fruits—it’s like a hot homemade cider.”

If you are looking for a new Christmas tradition to share with your loved ones, below is a recipe for Ponche Navideño—just like the one that Lucrecia enjoys with her family. Second Harvest Heartland is proud to partner with food shelves like Mi Casita to make sure that everyone can have a warm meal to help celebrate the holidays and ring in the new year.

“I have lots of people to feed. This has helped so much.”

Ponche Navideño (recipe adapted from Mexico In My Kitchen)

4 quarts water

12 oz brown sugar

3 cinnamon sticks

1 lb canned tejocotes

1 ½ lb chopped guavas

¾ cup chopped prunes

1 ½ cup chopped apples

1 cup chopped pears

½ cup raisins

1 cup of tamarind pods

Place water in a large stockpot.

Add the brown sugar and cinnamon to cook for 15 minutes. 

Add the rest of the ingredients.

Simmer for about an hour. Serve hot.