Vijita de Alhad
by Daisy Alalouf Newell
One of the most precious memories of my childhood (from about 7 to 11 years of age) were the Sunday Afternoon Visits. Every week, after our dinner, which was in the afternoon on Sundays, we would rest a little and then we would go to visit a family friend, a relative or in-law…all the family together to have coffee, sweets and conversation.
We didn't have a telephone in t hose days…the visit would have been arranged during the week as to where we would be going. On the way we would stop at Gattegno's Pastry shop to buy pastries, marzipan or other goodies to take to our hostess. She and the young girls of the house, would have been preparing the silver tray (la tavla de plata) with its glasses of cold water, the teaspoons and the 'dulces' made of quince, or apple, or dried apricots or rose petals, or orange rind, or 'sharope' a sweet sugary delight….and the Turkish Coffee with 'kaymak' the special frosting that was created when the coffee was prepared properly….oh, that kaymak! After coffee, the ladies would retire to the kitchen, the men to discuss politics or what was happening in Salonica, and the children would go to another room to play. Sometimes a record newly arrived from Greece would be put on the Victrola and there was singing and dancing Turkish style.
I especially loved when we would go to Uncle Albert and Tante Esterina's house…because he played mandolin and sang Spanish songs. He taught me the words to 'La Paloma' and 'La Kukaracha' 'Ay, ay,ay, Kanta I non yores', that to this day I sing accompanying myself on guitar.
Memories of my childhood Daisy Alalouf Newell
