About eight years ago the mother of my daughter’s best friend’s invited my family to join hers for lunch on the fourth of July. Knowing it would be more fun than staying home, we accepted readily. My large fruit cookie decorated like a flag was a hit and we were invited back the next year and every year since. 

 

Our family had not yet really had a 4th of July tradition established. My childhood recollection of the fourth is spending the day watching the "Twilight Zone" marathon on KTLA, Los Angeles’ independent TV station. In the evening we would look out of our balcony for any fireworks we could see in our view of the Santa Clarita Valley where I grew up. Occasionally the extended family would join us, but I don’t recall there being any consistency.

 

I realized last week that our family had not yet been invited to lunch by my daughter’s best friend’s family. Although the two girls no longer attended the same school and were no longer on the same soccer team as they had been throughout elementary school, they were still best buddies. I had a moment of panic. What would I do if my friend was not hosting her annual Independence Day luncheon? 

 

After 8 years her family tradition had become ours. Many of the people I saw there I only saw once a year during this holiday lunch, but there were others that were more familiar. Her home was on the route of the local community parade and across the street from the kiddie carnival the local fire department put on. My kids are no longer into being apart of the festivities but still love to go for the food and the fun.

 

I made a phone call mid week in order to ask our friends if the fourth of July lunch was still on.  I was assured by my friend, that of course we were invited. She had not gotten around to calling us, but we were welcome to come.  She quickly added, “Will you be bringing your flag cookie?”  “Of course!” was my reply.  It’s tradition!

 

Recipe for my traditional flag cookie is at:

http://teriparrisford.typepad.com/teri_parris_fords_blog/2009/07/traditional-4th-of-july-flag-fruit-pizza.html