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.
Grandma bar cookies (shortbread, jam, nut meringue). And (oh forgive me – you’ll probably be grossed out) – bacon, cabbage and noodles – all mixed together and if she had them, a sprinkle of poppy seeds oh – and poppy seed bread. – Very old world. Trying to put together a “family cook book” for my two kids – that’s always fun, right?
Oh, you made me all weepy! What a sweet post! Ben’s family obviously made the right choice when deciding you would appreciate the cookbooks the most.
I remember when I was little eating one of my grandma’s chocolate cakes she made from scratch (she liked to put rum in some of them). I took a bite & was like, “Whoa! Grandma got a little carried away w/ the rum in this one!”
My other grandma made the best grilled cheese sandwiches! I also remember her making chocolate pudding for us on the stove. You know how it’s all warm & gets kind of a “skin” on it as it cools… YUM! I also remember Jiffy Pop popcorn on the stove (the little foil pkg that popped up & exploded). :)
Omg, my grams makes the BEST potato salad in the world! There is nothing like it and I can’t duplicate it ;)
My maternal grandma used to make the best chocolate chip cookies. She always made a batch for us when we came to visit, but when we ate them before a meal, she’d always say, “Stop doing that! You’re going to spoil your appetite!” Oh, grandma.
My paternal grandmother was a single mother and had to work multiple jobs so she didn’t get much time to cook. Now she’s a health nut and really into Greek yogurt. How un-grandma-like, right?
Aww, that’s so cool! My Grandma Jane makes the best mashed potatoes and GRAVY… we’re both potato heads. My granny made the best chocolate frosting.
My Grammy made the best white rice and roast. And cornbread. I know it sounds simple, but she died when I was 19 and had stopped cooking years earlier, so it’s what I remember.
I love this post. You’re incredibly lucky to have those cookbooks, I know how special they must be to you and Ben.
what a sweet, sweet (no pun intended) legacy! random fact (and i know you’re an iowa fan, so bear with me): ISU special collections has a collection of cookbooks that were written by/used by each president of the university’s wife. pretty cool, eh?
Not chessey at all!! I loved your post today. It made me cry in a good way. Those are the kind of things that people should always pass on. But my grandma is the best at making red chile!! Yummy
You really hit home with this one! I also received my grandma’s cookbooks and my favorite is a book she made ALL in her own tiny handwriting! It was fun to see she even had a few recipes she had gotten from me way back when I first learned to cook. I remember her coming over to our house; she peeled all the apples for me when I was a 7th grader making my first homemade apple pie! That cookbook in her handwriting is more precious to me than any priceless antiques could ever be! Our generation should remember not to have all our recipes printed from a computer; something very special about those hand written recipes and notes beside them!
My grandmaw makes the best pecan candy and fresh sausage with rice and gravy!
What a sweet and special gift! I am teary-eyed just reading this.
My mom’s mom makes some great chicken fried chicken. She also makes awesome and unique desserts. She clips them from newspapers and magazines and keeps them under a glass cutting board in her kitchen. I always find a fun recipe or two every time I visit her. Last year it was a pineapple cake and the year before, S’more’s Brownies! I’m going this weekend…can’t wait to see what I find!
My dad’s mom had Alzheimer’s and I don’t ever remember her cooking. :-( She did make a great dip that my family always used to have around the holiday’s. The called it “Christmas Dip.” I re-named it “Gramma’s Dip,” and I make it any time I feel like it. I’ve got the recipe memorized, but I love pulling out the little recipe card in her hand writing.
This post made me laugh as I thought about my two grandmothers. They were complete opposites in the kitchen. My paternal grandmother was a terrible cook, so I remember eating a lot of frozen pizza at her house. My maternal grandmother, on the other hand, was a fabulous cook. I loved her Christmas candy the most.
What a sweet, sweet gift from Ben’s family. This is better than any “expensive” heirloom. Gifts like this just don’t have a price.
My favorite cook from my family was my great grandmother. She made the BEST cookies and cakes. My favorites were her cookies called Lady Fingers. They were so wonderful!!