Sunday Story: Afternoon Snack “La Merenda”

Apr 18, 2021, Updated Jun 12, 2024

What is your Favorite Afternoon Snack?

From leftover apple pie, to fresh baked lemon loaf cake, Italian pear cake, homemade bread and butter, and warm cinnamon oatmeal cookies, there is nothing better than an afternoon snack at the kitchen counter- do you agree?

My sister, Anna, and I are 10 years apart in age. It’s a tricky age gap. Sometimes I’m the fun older sister and sometimes I’m a motherly figure.

When I was in high school and college I was the face behind the kitchen counter that greeted her after school. Our mamma worked full time and I wanted to give her something I secretly wish I had at her age- a chat and snack in the kitchen after school.

I loved welcoming her and her crew of friends with my afternoon snack creations as I listened to giggles and friendly gossip about the day. I made fruit smoothies, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (recipe on website), Nutella banana on toast, and ice cream shakes with all sorts of interesting flavors- including Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal (yeah, my mom bought sugar cereal for the second child ;)). Whatever it was, there was something ready for “la merenda” when I was home.

I find the same comfort in welcoming my own children today. I’m blessed with a career that allows me to be home after school for them. I consider it pure luxury. An afternoon snack in the kitchen spells comfort, love, time, patience, slow down, and … live in the sunshine moment that Is The Present.

Since my mother wasn’t home she always left me something on the kitchen counter in the same glass cake plate that still sits on her counter today. She would make homemade bread, sweet cakes, and much more and leave them out for me on the kitchen counter in that special glass cake plate I still treasure. Even though she wasn’t physically there I could feel her love for me through this gesture.

Make a meal or “merenda” and create a memory.