Bizcochito (Anise Seed) Cookies & San Antonio Missions NHS (Day 8)

On the ocho day of Christmas, we went to San An-to-nio… Okay, okay. It’s cheesy I know. Today we’re in the Lone Star State. The home of bluebonnet flowers, longhorns, Buc-ee’s truck stops, and the Alamo. Remember the Alamo!?

Day 8’s arrival finds us at a series of 18th-Century Spanish missions collectively known as the San Antonio Missions National Historic Site. We’ll be checking out three of the five locations.

About 150 years before Texas became a state, Spain controlled this region of south Central Texas. The Spanish Empire’s great world land grab started with Christopher Columbus’ Caribbean arrival in 1492. Spain went on to control North American, stretching from present-day Florida across to southern California, and northward well into the Pacific Northwest, Great Plains and Great Lakes regions.

In about 1690, the French began to intrude on Spanish land in modern-day east Texas. Spain in turn amped up their colonization efforts and began to build six missions along the San Antonio River. Spanish rulers had two motives–1) protect the interests of their Mexican silver mines to the south, and (2) convert as many souls into Catholics or Christians. Like a trickle effect, Spanish Franciscan friars in these missions were expected to convert the local nomadic native peoples into loyal Spanish citizens. In addition to Spanish-imposed spiritual saving, natives were a taught a trade or craft skill, such as farming or weaving. After being deemed “secularized” by church officials, the mission and its members were given self-control under no specific religious order. (1)

Spanish missions were essentially church-sponsored communities, built for practicality and easy defense. Planned around a central quad-shaped courtyard, buildings included spaces for living quarters, a kitchen, storage, administrative offices and classrooms. Most missions had a bell tower, though some didn’t. Vegetable gardens, fruit orchards, and livestock helped sustain the mission residents. Depending on the location of the mission, some compounds were surrounded by protective perimeter walls and gates against raiding native peoples. Soldiers lived in nearby presidios or forts. Housing for converted native peoples, and shops like the blacksmith, kilns, gristmills, tanneries, and carpentry dotted the surrounding landscape. (2)

Of the existing five missions in San Antonio, Mission San José is considered the “queen of the missions.” It was established in 1720 to serve the nearby Coahuiltecan Indians. Originally built of mud and straw adobe and brush, the buildings and walls were reconstructed with local limestone blocks. Living spaces for up to 350 natives were built into the heavy stone perimeter walls.

The existing church was constructed in 1768. It contains many examples of Spanish Colonial decorations, including intricately carved statues and brightly colored frescos.

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Behind the church sits a series of grand arches and gardens. Mission San José was given to the Coahuiltecan Indians in 1794, and church activities ended in 1824. (3)

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In contrast, Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Acuña was established earlier in 1716. The site we see today, now known as Mission Concepción, was moved here in 1731. It also was designed to convert the local Coahuiltecan Indians to Catholicism.

Mission Concepción’s limestone building was also once covered inside and out with bright frescos. The ones visible inside the sanctuary, church, and old library ceiling in the convent were restored in 1988 and 2010.

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Mission Concepción is quite remarkable in several ways. It remains the oldest unrestored stone church in America. The first battle of the Texas Revolution, the Battle of Concepción, was fought here in 1835. And it’s still an active church. Devout Catholics can attend mass here every Sunday! (4)

The most famous of these former Franciscan complexes is the Alamo. (Disclaimer: The Alamo is not considered part of the NPS system. It’s owned by the people of Texas and is administered by the Texas General Land Office and Alamo Trust staff.)

Downtown San Antonio normally bustles with visitors lining up to pose under the Alamo’s historical hump and walk in awe through its hallowed grounds. With over two and half million folks stopping by yearly, it is the number one attraction in Texas giving San Antonio its’ “Alamo City” nickname. Images of this iconic mission church are everywhere.

The Alamo, originally named San Antonio de Valero Mission, actually started out on a different location in 1718. After three moves, in 1724, the mission was built in its current location and established San Antonio forever. Later that same year, a hurricane blew in from the Gulf Coast, knocking down the construction efforts. Shoddy site work in 1744 caused the building to re-collapse. Another face lift on the mission lasted briefly in 1757, before the structure re-re-collapsed on itself. By 1835, San Antonio de Valero Mission changed hands 17 times! (2)

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FYI…the scrolling hump we see today was never originally there. After Texas’ annexation in 1845, the U.S. Army transformed the unfinished church into a supply building. It’s once flat roof was raised into a cheap pitched one. The hump, or “campanulate” if you’re being architecturally technical, was added to the front’s facade to hide the roof line. The complete story is here.

Ask any Texan why the Alamo is important and it might sound something like this…The Alamo is considered the “cradle of Texas liberty,” where state independence and identity were forged in the face of impossible odds, by brave self-less men.

History says this…after years of unrest between Texas and the Mexican government, in 1835 Texas residents had enough of Mexico’s acts, laws and resolutions penalizing them. The phrase “Come and Take It!” emblazoned on t-shirts and flags today originated from the TX Revolution’s Battle of Gonzales. And a 3-foot-long cannon. The citizens of Gonzales refused to return it to the Mexican government previously gave them for protection against local Native Americans.

Fast forward to February 23, 1836. For 13 days starting on February 23rd, roughly 200 defenders of this former Franciscan mission refused to back down to Santa Anna’s Mexican forces. Led by James “Jim” Bowie, William B. Travis, and Davy Crockett, these same men were overrun on the morning of March 6, 1863. All 200 some Texians were killed during the siege or executed. A few people did survive however. Another phrase, “Remember the Alamo!” was used to inspire American troops during the 1846-1848 Mexican-American War.

Visitors this summer were unable to visit the Alamo for obvious 2020 reasons.

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Fortunately, the Alamo is open again. Tickets are still free to enter the Alamo church’s original sanctuary. Visitors can walk through the gardens under live oak trees and across the authentic floors of the adjacent long barracks. Artifacts dating back to the 1836 battle are on display, many of which came from collector Phil Collins. Yep, you read that right. Phil Collins, the legendary drummer from the band Genesis. Can you guess what hooked him on his Alamo addiction? The 1950’s Disney Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier series featuring actors Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen. The full story of Phil’s Alamo collection and how it came to be is here.

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If you’re curious about the other two San Antonio missions, Mission San Juan Capistrano and Mission Espada, click here. The Bullock Museum in Austin also has a great site on missions in Texas.

Today’s cookie, the Bizcochito, originally hails from nearby New Mexico where it was created over the centuries from Spanish colonists. Traditionally served with hot chocolate at weddings, baptisms and holiday celebrations, the Bizcochito is a butter-cookie, flavored with licorice tasting anise seeds, cinnamon and liquor. Brandy is traditional, but cognac or whiskey can be substituted. The alcohol burns off during the bake time, so you don’t have to worry about keeping these cookies for the 21+ crowd.

Bizcochitos can be rolled and cut out with shapes of your choice. If that’s too much work, simply form the chilled dough into 1-inch balls, roll in cinnamon-sugar and bake off.

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On Day 9, plan to stay in the Lone Star State just a day longer. We’ll be trucking over to the Texas White House, complete with a cattle ranch, movie theater, swimming pool, and fire department.

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