I recently received a very special gift.
Ben’s late Grandma’s – Gwendolyn’s – collection of cook books.
His family has started the long process of sorting through her belongings after she passed away last year, and among the many items a woman in her 80s possesses – letters, knickknacks, pictures and notes – was her well used collection of cook books, which they thoughtfully entrusted to me.
Cook books she used everyday, jotting down notes to indicate a “family favorite“,
or re-writing ingredients to better suit her tastes.
Cook books stuffed with handwritten recipes that Grandmas seem to always make best,
like “Mystery Bars”
and “Honey Peanut Bar Cookies.”
Cook books with pages that were stained and splattered with the evidence of lovingly made family dinners and desserts.
Let me tell you about the desserts… If there was any question in my mind that Gwen had a sweet tooth, I am now completely clear on the matter.
The worn and well used tabs for “Cookies,” “Cakes & Frostings” and “Candies” stuck out in every cook book I opened.
A woman after my own heart.
Her favorites, from what I can tell, were Chocolate Cake, and Lemon Bars. Variations of the same two recipes were ear-marked in book after book – saved to be easily found and made again and again.
“Yep, she loved her Lemon Bars…” Ben confirmed after I informed him of my suspicions. And we all know about Grandma’s famous Cookie Cake which, if the chocolaty fingerprints covering the cake page of her favorite cook book are any indication, she made often.
There was a big lump in my throat as I was going through Gwen’s collection, flipping through the faded pages and catching glimpses of her handwriting every now and again, but it was more sweet than sorrowful. And given my love for cooking, I only feel closer to her now. Is that cheesy?
Hang on, I think I saw a recipe for a cheese ball a few pages back…
~~~~~
“My Grandma/Grandpa makes/made THE best _______.”
My Grandma on my Mom’s side makes THE best chicken noodle soup. My Grandma on my Dad’s side made THE best homemade caramels.
That is so amazing!
Enjoy cooking your way through the cookbooks!
My grandma used to make these butter cookies with M&M’s in the middle. When we were younger and she would visit from Florida, my brother and I would be more excited about the shoe box in the baggage claim (that’s where the cookies were) than seeing my grandparents. I have to get my hands on that recipe!
My grandma makes THE best funfetti cookies EVER!
my grandma made the best grasshopper pie!
and oddly enough, her handwritting looks almost identical to ben’s grandma’s!!!
My grandma made awesome chicken and dumplings.
That is so sweet. I love when I open up cookbooks and I cansee the stains! My grandma s a great cook. She makes wonderful salads!
My grandma was the woman in charge of the harvest crews lunch at my grandpa’s farm, and she always had an amazing spread ready. But the best thing that was always there, was her soft, buttery homemade white bread pure, simple genius.
My other grandma made the best pot pot of homemade beef and noodles. They are so simple, yet hearty and delicious. Her recipe comes form a cookbook much like the ones you posted here. This post was sweet and brought back memories.
Aww….Gwen’s Cookie Cake. I remember it well. Every Sunday dinner and church potluck. Was it Gwen or Loretta that made the Lamb cake every Easter? One would make the Lamb cake and the other a glazed angel food cake. Or was it two cakes for every birthday? The family was huge so two cakes were definately called for. Do you have either of those recipes in your treasure trove of cookbooks? Gwen and Loretta, two amazing women. Strong, wise, loving.Getting teary…must go get a tissue. I would love a copy of the cookie cake and angel food cake recipe. I do have a couple of Modale cookbooks if it happens to be in there?
I will for sure look for them! :)
What an amazing gift. I would love to have my grandma’s cookbooks, I wonder what happened to them. My grandma made the best fudge. It was so delicious, and I don’t even like fudge!
I only have one living Grandma, and she makes the best pumpkin pie, and deviled eggs. Every Easter she sneaks me to the side and lets me try a few to make sure they taste ok. :)
This is so sweet, Kristin. My grandpa makes the best homemade applesauce and spaetzles. We even had a German Christmas dinner one year where he made spaetzle, kielbasa, and sauerkraut. Not traditional, but special in its own way. :)
Blueberry gingerbread. We had to pick the blueberries (on the Maine coast) and always ate half of our bounty before we got home. If we ate too much, she would send my brother and I back out!
My grandma passed away last year and was wonderful cook. When she died, we went over to clean out her apartment and everywhere we looked, she had little scraps of paper with recipes jotted on them. There were literally at least a hundred, not counting all the cook books and recipe tear outs she had. Her best creation though, peanut butter fudge, went to the grave with her and my mom has spent the last year trying to recreate it – she’s getting close! I keep a photo of my Grandma in my kitchen of all places! I like to think that she’s enjoying watching me (try) to cook :)
Thats easy! My Grandma made the best sugar cookies! She would bring them to school for me at every possible occasion and holiday and always decorated accordingly too. It was the best and all the teachers and other kids knew “Lindsey’s Grandma”.