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Monday, December 8, 2008

The method to my madness


I’m not sure what it is about me and cookbooks, but I’m pretty sure it’s genetic. As I’ve patiently explained to Ryan, there is no real good reason that I have about fifty cookbooks, ranging in specialty from Indian food to 1970s Lutheran cooking madness, but I love each and every one of them.

Just like my mom does. Just like my Aunt Sue does. And just like both of my grandmas did. Some of my greatest treasures are cookbooks I got from my grandmas, their handwriting populating the corners of recipes that they tried and liked, recipes that they meant to someday make for their families and recipes that totally flopped when they tried to reproduce them in their kitchens. (A note from one of my grandma’s cookbooks: “BAD!” OK, grandma – I won’t make that one.)

When I would go to church festivals with my mom or if we were anywhere that sold an organization’s cookbooks, my mom would always buy three – one for her, one for my Aunt Sue and one for my Grandma Boots. I now have many of those cookbooks that once belonged to my grandma and there’s something right about that. And now if I see a unique cookbook, I’ll buy three copies – one for my mom, one for Suzie and one for me.

My Grandma Boots is currently in a nursing home and she’s gone to that place in Alzheimer’s where many people can’t reach her. But some of the best times that I had visiting her in the home when she was coherent were the times that I’d pick up a current copy of “Taste of Home” or Paula Deen’s cooking magazine and bring them in to page through with her. We would talk about the things that I would make for Ryan and how much recipes changed – how Chinese food used to be a rarity for American housewives to make and how now everyone has a go-to recipe for their own version of Sesame Chicken.

No matter how much my grandma’s mind has slipped over the past decade, there is one moment that cemented her reputation as one of the ultimate bakers in my mind. I was living in Wisconsin and tried to make a cranberry cake with a buttercream sauce. My mom always made it for me, it was one of my favorites and I wanted to try to recreate that dessert for some friends. The cake turned out fabulously, but the sauce never thickened properly.

So I came home and had coffee with my grandma and grandpa. When I told grandma what happened to the sauce, she immediately narrowed her eyes. “Which cookbook did you use?” I told her which one. “Whose recipe was it?” I told her the cook. “Hmpfh,” Grandma said. “Well, she can’t cook.” Grandma turned to where she had her handwritten recipe files. “Next time, use this one.”

And next time I make that cranberry cake, Grandma – I will.

7 comments:

Deb said...

You are aware that you now HAVE to share that recipe with the masses, right????

Anonymous said...

The Joy of Cooking is the only book you need. Do you have that one yet?

Tara

Shelley Kubitz Mahannah said...

Tara - Ryan has The Joy of Cooking and I gotta be honest - I was reared on Betty Crocker, so I'm just not as in love with it as I should be. (And I put sugar in my tomato soup - you know I'm weird.) :)

And Deb ... if I can find the "good" recipe, I so will. I'm afraid to make the cake though because I'm the only one in the house who will eat it!

Anonymous said...

Okay understood. Ironically I came by the Joy of Cooking from my husband Michael, I think it was one of his other wifes. Do try the iced sugar cookie recipe (its on page 825 in my edition). It is the best cut out recipe ever, I alwasy get compliments. Also, this book is the bible for information about strange ingredients, and it has a calorie list of everything on the back. I guess it is more of reference book than the glossy, mouth-watering picture book. My mom's a Betty Crocker woman too, and just doesn't get the Joy like I do.

BTW, I made your crockpot Lasagna last night. AWESOME! Mike liked it, Max liked it, and I forced Noah and Edison to eat it, those boys are picky picky picky eaters.

Tara

Shelley Kubitz Mahannah said...

I agree about the bible of strange ingredients. And honestly, if I ever need to know a technique to do something (like making chicken stock), that is the best source to go.

I've been craving sugar cookies ('tis the season). Will try!

momma said...

"Nothin' says lovin' like something from the oven" Does that man of yours realize how lucky he is to be getting a Kubitz woman let alone getting on that cooks, bakes and .....Mom

Anonymous said...

"patiently"? -R