This Post is Brought to You By the Letter "S"

When my husband and I were blessed with our first child we did not have an easy time coming up with a name. We didn't know if it was going to be a boy or girl, so we had to be prepared in either case. We had no problem coming up with girl names. The hard part there was whittling down the list to the one we liked the best. But we just couldn't come up with a boy name. Every name I put forth my husband would shoot down with a "No, I knew a boy named that who was a huge bully." Every name he picked I'd dismiss with a "Oh, no, I grew up with a boy named that who picked his nose and ate the boogers." Or something along those lines.

I went into labor two weeks before my due date so we were caught off guard, still unprepared with a boy's name. So between contractions we discussed possibilities. My husband tossed out a name. "Fine," I said, breathing slowly and evenly. I was in no mood to have an argument about names. So, when my son was born we were ready with a name. Which happened to start with an "S".

When child #2 came along I was sure it was a girl. So sure, in fact, that I didn't even pick out a boy's name. I wanted to name her after one of my childhood best friends. Thankfully, yes, she's a girl (it would have been an awkward name for a boy), and she, too has an "S" name.

Several years later, bundle of joy #3 was on the way. I was happily compiling a list of beautiful girl names (I knew this time) when my kids said, "No, you can't name her that. She's got to have an "S" name, too, or she'll feel like she doesn't belong!" I think pregnancy hormones damage the brain because this seemed like sound logic to me, so we picked out a lovely "S" name for her.

And when the youngest came, it was a foregone conclusion that this one, too had to be an "S".

What was I thinking? When I am irritated about a chore left undone or a pile toys in the middle of the floor, I start to holler for the child responsible, my brain pulls out the mental file labelled "Annoying child, alphabetized" and I have to run through all their names, sometimes combining the names, sounding like an epileptic snake. When I'm really enraged (library book 2 years overdue that I swore to the librarian I'd returned, found under the bed in a treasure trove of dust bunnies, single socks and missing toy parts) all that comes out is a hiss, like a teakettle about to pop it's top.

But on the plus side, for the beginning reader, "S" is easy to recognize, doesn't get confused with any other letter, has only one possible sound, and is simple to make out of playdough. My youngest thinks anything with an "S" is for him. That's his name letter, after all.


I've had a recipe for Lucia buns bookmarked for years. They are a traditional Swedish bun, made for the Queen of Light Festival (December 13th), marking the beginning of the Christmas festivities. And the traditional shape for these buns is an "S". My son named them "S" cookies and thought the whole batch was for him.

I've never baked with cardamom before and had no idea what it was like. I opened a brand new jar and sniffed. Whew! It smells like a pine forest. Was I going to be making pine needle buns? But I was pleased with how the spice mellowed in the buns into a subtle, unique taste. They were delicious and didn't last long. My husband particularly liked them with a cup of Earl Grey tea.

Swedish Lucia Buns
- adapted from Betty Crocker's International Cookbook

2 pkgs active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 deg F)
2/3 cup lukewarm milk (scalded, then cooled)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp salt
1 tsp grated orange peel
5 to 5-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup raisins
Softened butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp sugar

Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl. Stir in milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 2 eggs, the cardamom, salt, orange peel and 3 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover; let rise in warm place until double 1-1/2 to 2 hours. The dough is ready if you poke your finger in to the first knuckle and the indentation remains.

If your raisins are not plump and soft, place them in a bowl and cover them with very hot water. Soak for about 10 minutes, then drain them set on a towel to dry off. This will prevent them from scorching in the oven.

Punch dough down; divide into 4 equal parts. Cut each part into 6 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth rope, 10 to 12 inches long. Shape each rope into a "S"; curve both ends into a coil. Place a raisin in the center of each coil. Place on greased baking sheets. Brush tops lightly with softened butter (I forgot this step); let rise until doubled, 35 to 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 350 deg. F. Mix 1 egg and 1 Tbsp water; brush buns lightly with egg mixture. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.