I grew up in South Texas where Mexican dishes are popular and part of every day cooking in most households. My family was no exception. My grandmother grew up in Mexico and when she immigrated to the United States, she brought her recipes with her. These recipes are now part of our family traditions. As a young girl, I remember watching my grandmother, my mother, and aunts spend the day preparing meals. Each dish was prepared with love and patience regardless of how tedious or how long it took to prepare.

My mother showed the same passion in the kitchen as I watched and learned the art of cooking and baking along side her. I remember when she would whip up a yellow cake in no time at all. She knew the recipe by heart and made it from scratch, of course. We would enjoy it for merienda, or afternoon tea or coffee.

Baking became my special hobby at an early age. For every holiday, birthday, or family gathering, I volunteered to bake one of my favorite recipes. My birthday present at the age of twelve was a stand mixer. I still have the bowl that was part of the mixer. It was such a special gift from my mother. She knew that baking was more than a hobby for me. My mother's influence and her love for food, my favorite home economics and baking classes, the many cookbooks that I still collect, and the many extraordinary desserts that I have discovered in my travels, have all opened up a door to my new business, SweeTweets.

At SweeTweets, my goal is to provide customers with delicious, traditional cookies which are baked from scratch, baked fresh daily, and made with the finest ingredients. Each cookie is packaged by hand. My specialty is my family's version of the Mexican Wedding Cookie-the Polvoron. In South Texas, they are called pan de polvo, or polvorones. As you move north from the Rio Grande Valley to San Antonio, they are also known as reposteria or ojarascas.

Originally, these spiced shortbread style cookies had their beginning in Estepa, Spain. They date back to the 16th century, and due to the use of lard, these cookies were known as Mantecados. Latin American countries with Spanish origin introduced local ingredients to produce their own version of the Mantecados, or Polvorones. Eventually, the use of lard was replaced with shortening or butter.

In South Texas, Polvorones are not only a favorite dessert during the Christmas season, but they are served at weddings year-round. In neighboring Mexico, the cookies are wedding favors given by the bride and groom as a token of thanks. Whether you choose to serve them with your wedding cake, or as a wedding favor, try these treasured, centuries-old, crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth Polvorones. You will discover a new cookie, and an old tradition.

My other gourmet and equally delicious cookies, a French butter cookie, called a Sable, topped with sugar, almonds, and shaved chocolate; an Italian favorite, Amaretti, or almond macaroons; and a Scottish version shortbread with pistachios. My worldly selection of cookies, I believe, will be a unique addition to your dessert table. They are petite in size, but big in flavor and delicate richness.

Shipped to you in a colorful, attractive gift box, I invite you to order a box or two for your special event, as a gift, or as a personal sweet indulgence. They are also available in large quantities upon special request.

SweeTweets guarantees your complete satisfaction.

Elena Perez
Owner of SweeTweets