Childhood memories
Recently, I asked my mom for the blueberry crumb cake recipe she made when I was growing up. I have some blueberries that need to be used and I thought this would be the perfect use. She told me that the recipe was in her “dessert” binder at her apartment (my mother summers out of NYC). Many years ago our cousin, Noa organized my mom’s loose recipes into binders. In the end, my mother made a meal of 1970s recipes that included a green Jello salad that is just “G-R-O-S-S” in my opinion and is sacrilege to Jello. The last time my daughter was at her Grandma’s place, I asked her to retrieve the binder and she did. As I flipped through the binder looking for the recipe (not there), I came across several that I remember well from my childhood. The gingerbread recipe that our next-door neighbor, Caroline would make for special occasions. The Georgia Chocolate Cake and Mocha Cream Frosting recipes, from another neighbor, Susie. This cake became the standard birthday cake in my family. And since the Mayer family cake is an icebox cake, Sylvie’s first birthday cake was an icebox cake made with mocha cream frosting to combine the two family birthday traditional cakes. Also, recipes for cookies— Cherry winks made with corn flakes and my sister’s oatmeal cookies (I have this recipe too.) It is amazing how food brings us back to a time and/or a place or both. Three of my most memorable meals:
The grilled cheese and tomato soup dipping sauce appetizer in Kohler, WI when my ex and I visited his extended family in Milwaukee for the first time and then went to see the Door Peninsula on our own.
The flaming baked Alaskas at my maternal grandparent’s 45th Wedding anniversary party that caused me to dive under the table and be scarred for life. Meringue pie of any kind gives me the willies to this day.
My mother’s thanksgiving specialty Southern Sweet Potato casserole with marshmallows on top. We spent the holiday with another family, the Levines, that we were close with and their son Zach and I were the only ones to ea it, so eventually she stopped making it. Boo-Hoo! And then my love turned to her Pumpkin Chiffon Pie. We now do the holiday at friends’, Ellen and Hank’s house, and I have told Ellen, I won’t come unless my mom can bring her pie.
(Honorable Mention) My maternal grandparent’s cook, Lucy’s fried chicken. I still drool when I think about it.
What are your food memories?