Hey, Milk Street listeners. As fall approaches, I've asked Stella Parks to help me answer your baking questions.

So from spice cakes to Halloween candies and much more, we're opening the phone lines to tackle your autumn baking projects.

Please email us at questions at milkstreetradio.com.

One more time, send questions to milkstreetradio.com and we'll be in touch.

This is Milk Street Radio from PRX. I'm your host, Christopher Kimball. Today we're getting ready

for the holidays with Rose Levy-Baronbaum. She shares everything we need to know about

baking cookies, from equipment to techniques to why her recipes come down to precision.

Well, I weigh everything. In fact, my editor at Food Arts Magazine said, Rose weighs everything,

even air. Before Rose's baking lesson, I'm talking with Gabriel Sanchez, a tour guide from Wauaca, Mexico.

Every year on December 23rd, his city celebrates the night of the radishes, an annual Christmas festival dedicated to radish carving.

Gabriel, welcome to Milk Street.

Thank you, Chris. Thanks for the opportunity.

Before we actually get to the radishes, tell me a little bit about holidays in

Oaxaca.

There's a long tradition of celebrations and events.

Just tell us a little bit about that.

So we always say in Mexico that starting September, it's nonstop holidays.

Because after our independence, in September, Day of the Dead is October 31st to celebrate the loved ones that have, you know, are not longer on this earth with us.

And getting into the month of December, getting ready for this beautiful tradition that Francisco Vascenzelos, the city president, started on the December 23rd of 1897.

That was the birth of the night of the radishes here in the city.

And why radishes?

The reason of radishes is because it's a very typical dish during that time of year.

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