My mother and her mother before her always told me that when baking I needed to follow along exactly in order to void disaster- that baking was a science. But when cooking? Cooking is an art.
She said that knowledge of how foods fit together is something learned only by experience, by getting your hands dirty, so to speak. She read and clipped endless recipes and then elaborated on them in her own way, making beautiful meals that their friends and our family have always remembered with great admiration.
When it comes to hospitality, my mother is an artist.
As a mom myself, now, I am constantly trying to imagine what fits into my daughter's long term "mom heritage" jar... those things I teach her that she will be using years from now, whether she be in a convent or in a family of her own. My eldest, for example, is developing into quite a little bread maker, which is funny (or not) because I LOVE to bake bread and don't bake much else. We don't eat desert much in this house.
She is also really good at seasoning bland American sauces and giving them rich tastes and textures. She inherited this from her dad, who also loves to cook.
Because of our varied backgrounds (my husband is Scandinavian and Scotch Irish, and he was raised a typical Southern American, while I am Mediterranean, southern French and Southern Californian--I have a great love of middle eastern foods and he of asian foods,so two very different "styles.") we often find ourselves making and eating very "different" food-- people always come away from our house saying something along the lines of: "I never thought of that!"
It's fun.
Years ago, a dear friend who discipled me into the faith received a cookbook from her own mother. It was beautiful, and full of recipes that warmed my heart and stirred up memories as a longtime fan of their family. I never forgot about that cookbook, which is why I was thrilled a few years back when a dear friend of our family gifted me with a giant binder in which she had placed some of her family's favorite recipes. I was so blessed... it could not have been a more prefect present.
I don't make the recipes in it exactly as they are written. I add a little of this and a little of that, I substitute with things we have and use and often times the dish itself comes out looking NOTHING like the picture-- but always tasting Oh so good! It all starts with the family recipes-- the things that really remind us of home. I'm of the opinion that moms should make one as a gift to their sons' new brides... it would help ease those first few months of marital stress! Haha.
Moms, are you making your own collection of family recipes? Scrapbook oriented people, this could be an amazing opportunity to make a lasting family piece. Art wrapped in art! I love it.
I'm displaying mine on the stunning Napa Cookbook Holder--Just $39.96 (Buy it in October and get half off any other item $40 or under.)
 |
| www.southernstar.willowhouse.com |
Like it?
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you so much for your comments! I look forward to hearing from you.