Every year my dear friend Graciela returns to her home town of Veracruz to celebrate the holidays with her family, and this is the present she brings back for me - Dulces finos Tlacotalpenos.

It is so addictive for such a simple treat. Only a few ingredients - basically milk and sugar with a single flavor like lime, cinnamon or almond, and a very old fashioned, handcrafted method that has been used for hundreds of years.

I love to hear her describe the process to me which entails several tireless women, a hot stove, a few big pots and hours and hours of stirring until it reaches the perfect consistency - of course, every story sounds great in her beautiful accent.

Such a nice visual. And speaking of nice visuals, thanks to photos like these I can get a glimpse of Tlacotalpenos and the magic she describes.

And thanks to this sweet slice of life, I can taste it too.