Auntie Jean & I took a break from shopping on Saturday & went into a little cafe to have some tea. We began talking about my cookbook & the progress I've made. I told her about some of my frustrations with the recipes, the latest being pepper biscuits, which I've made three times & it's just not quite right. I told her that I know I'm missing lots of dishes from my childhood that my grandmother doesn't remember how to make. Auntie Jean went on to tell me about the handwritten recipe book Momma put together for her after she got married over 35 years ago. What!?! My grandmother actually wrote out accurate recipes for someone in the family??!!! And they include lots of recipes that are no longer, for whatever reason, part of our daily lives, as well as old favorites!?! So, I was a little shocked to say the least, because this divine book could save me lots of time & aggravation. It would be so wonderful to follow a family recipe that actually worked on the first try. No more phone calls to Rhode Island going over every ingredient only to hear- "Did you add a cup of water? Well I know it's not in the recipe, but everyone knows to add a cup of water."
My Auntie Helen once wrote out her wonderful recipe for corn chowder. As I looked over the list of ingredients I noticed that corn was nto listed, when I asked her why she replied "isn't it obvious dearie that corn would be added ot corn chowder?" Yes, but how much I wondered. Before I was able ot ask she pulled the recipe from my hand and wrote in big bold letters at the bottom of the index card: "CORN AS MUCH AS YOU DAMN WELL WANT!"
Trust me I have looked in countless markets and never do they sell corn in a tin marked "AS MUCH AS YOU DAMN WELL WANT."
Yay for you for discovering the family recipie book. Let me know if it says how much corn to use in a chowder.
Even though it didn't pertain to recipes, the cookbook you described brought to mind the big fabulous scrapbook in "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood." Except your aunt's would be full of family secrets of the cooking kind! :)
Michele- your Auntie Helen's...as much as you damn well want..reminds me of my grandmother's saying- cook until it's done! Moira & Jes- I hope to have the book in my hands the next time I go to RI, the 1st weekend in March. Marilyn- I loved that book(movie was just o.k.) & I hope my family's divine book is half as inspiring as the Ya-Ya Sisters.
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5 Comments:
110875604484275291">At 2:47 PM,
Michele said...
My Auntie Helen once wrote out her wonderful recipe for corn chowder. As I looked over the list of ingredients I noticed that corn was nto listed, when I asked her why she replied "isn't it obvious dearie that corn would be added ot corn chowder?" Yes, but how much I wondered. Before I was able ot ask she pulled the recipe from my hand and wrote in big bold letters at the bottom of the index card: "CORN AS MUCH AS YOU DAMN WELL WANT!"
Trust me I have looked in countless markets and never do they sell corn in a tin marked "AS MUCH AS YOU DAMN WELL WANT."
Yay for you for discovering the family recipie book. Let me know if it says how much corn to use in a chowder.
At 6:23 PM,
Anonymous said...
It will be *amazing* when you finally get to read that book! I bet you're not going to quite believe it until you're holding it in your hands...
Moira
At 10:44 AM,
Jessica Moreau Berry said...
oh my god Dawn!! That's so cool! Now you'll really be cranking out those recipes!!!
At 2:29 PM,
Marilyn said...
Even though it didn't pertain to recipes, the cookbook you described brought to mind the big fabulous scrapbook in "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood." Except your aunt's would be full of family secrets of the cooking kind! :)
At 6:44 PM,
Dawn Falcone said...
Michele- your Auntie Helen's...as much as you damn well want..reminds me of my grandmother's saying- cook until it's done!
Moira & Jes- I hope to have the book in my hands the next time I go to RI, the 1st weekend in March.
Marilyn- I loved that book(movie was just o.k.) & I hope my family's divine book is half as inspiring as the Ya-Ya Sisters.