Tomorrow, my grandmama would have been 100 years old. I lost her nearly 10 years ago, and a day never passes that I don’t think about her. I think she was the only person in this world that loved me unconditionally. She taught me a lot of life lessons. One of the many things that she taught me was how to cook. My mother never cared to teach me how to cook. She was only intent on teaching my sister how to cook, who to this day can barely cook a can of soup. My sister did master cornbread, but I doubt anyone could really live on cornbread alone. Anyway, I’m off topic.
Mama tried to teach my sister how to cook so she’d have the “skill” when she got married. My grandmama taught me how to cook because she recognized it was something I loved to do. I can’t remember Grandmama ever using a recipe. She had a box full of them that she’d cut out of magazines or newspapers. The box mostly sat on top of her refrigerator untouched. She cooked by instinct and years of practice. I’ve never known a better cook.
Part of it was the fresh ingredients she grew herself, but another part of it was that she cooked with love. I’m not going to try to be modest here because I’m a damn good cook. I learned to make Grandmama’s recipes from her showing me step by step. I also learned a lot from watching Food Network back when it was about cooking and not food competitions.
If I ever found a man I wanted to marry but he needed convincing, I think if I cooked for him, I’d have a ring on my finger before dessert. When I have cooked for or talked about cooking to non-family members, they all say I’d make a great husband to a lucky man. I think my charm and personality would help, but I’ve yet to find the Mr. Right. Again, I’m off topic.
I miss my Grandmama every day. Whenever I cook, I think of her. For years after she passed away, I’d round the corner in her house or walk through the kitchen and expect her to be there. At first, it made me so sad every time she wasn’t. Eventually, the expectation became less and less, but things remind me of her every day. For example, when I was young, we ate supper with Grandmama and Granddaddy every Wednesday night. She would often cook food she new I loved, but at some point in my life she got convinced that I loved meatloaf. I don’t know where she got that notion from, and I never had the heart to tell her that I hate meatloaf. If I had to eat it, I preferred hers, but it was not a favorite by a long shot. Nowadays, I’ll sometimes make a meatloaf and think of her. I always convince myself that it is something I want, and while, like Grandmama, I can cook a pretty good meatloaf, it also reminds me of how much I dislike meatloaf.
I loved her dearly, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop missing her.
8 comments:
I love cooking too and after working from home for more than 15 years have found it is an excellent way to close up my home office and take my mind off of my work.
My grandmother and her sisters were excellent cooks - each with their own specialties. For example, my grandmother made the best eggplant parm and baked stuffed artichokes out of the five sisters. Years ago, before they all passed, my mother went to each of them to get their recipes to create a family cookbook.
Just like your grandmother, their instructions would read, "turn on the oven and when it is hot, cook until it looks good." My mother did a great job translating the instructions as best she could and I treasure our family cookbook. I actually put a lot of the recipes online and over time added many more from my aunts and uncles.
https://8girardroad.wordpress.com/
I have even added a few recipes. A favorite of mine is the baked salmon with dill sauce.
Those are great memories.
And then "Nowadays, I’ll sometimes make a meatloaf and think of her. I always convince myself that it is something I want, and while, like Grandmama, I can cook a pretty good meatloaf, it also reminds me of how much I dislike meatloaf." LOL! Reminds me of my brother syaing something like, "I don't like peas and I'm glad I don't because if I liked them I'd eat them, and I hate them."
My mother will be 96yo next July 21 and she was a great cook too.
She learned it from my grand mother on my dad's side.
When I was at the university she wrote all her recipies on a pad so I can cook good home meals. Which I did.
I still have that great pad hand written by my mom.
I also have an aunt sister of my dad who did have a cater company and was a great chef too.
She was even teacher cook art in a college.
My family always was happy to get along around a full table of good food.
JiEL, several years ago, my mother wrote all her recipes down in a cookbook and gave it to my sister for Christmas. I said, "Mama, she hates to cook. I'm the one that likes to cook, why didn't you give this to me." So, she made another one for me. My mother was always a good cook, so there are some really good recipes in the little handwritten cookbook.
Several years ago, I wrote an essay in a cookbook about my grandmother's cooking and gave the recipes just like she gave them to me, so some of her best ones will always live on.
BosGuy, whenever I need to calm down or as a friend of mine says, “Go to my happy place,” I cook. I have an app on my phone called AnyList where I can add recipes that I come across on the internet, or I can add my own. I can look up a recipe and add the ingredients I need and how much to my grocery list. I find it very useful and have added some of my grandmother’s and my mother’s recipes. So, when I need calm, I find a recipe, sometimes something simple and other times something complicated and immerse myself in cooking.
I read your post. Suddenly I realize that my heart is colder than the clay :-(
Joe like you I learned to cook from my Dad's Mom. I was the only grandchild allowed in the kitchen when the family got together for the monthly Sunday Dinners. She and I would cook numerous Itilian Meals from scratch. When she passed away he dad's youngest sister took all of Grandma Cast Iron Cook ware B4 I could get it. I did get her receipes which where similar to what you had. No amounts of anything just a pinch or dash and cook until done. If you would cook me some good food I would marry you in a minute
Jon from UGA
Jon, I would absolutely cook you some good food, and I wouldn’t even mind that you’re a Georgia Bulldawg fan. LOL I was lucky enough to have an essay I wrote about my grandmama and her recipes published in a cookbook (granted, it was a scholarly cookbook) several years ago.
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