Creating and Reliving Slow Food Memories

Have you ever dined on a meal prepared from an old family recipe? The connection to the past with the present is one that is almost 3-D. You have memories, tastes, and sights all blended together for a little trip down memory lane. Preserving our heritage through cooking is one way to allow the memories of loved ones remain close in our hearts and recall a special time when "Grandma Donna", or "Aunt Florence" were still alive. Today's youngsters often miss out on such a rich family heritage by our fast paced world. Take some time to recreate a special dish and share the experience and memories of ancestral family. Just imagine if our children's only memories of food are of a burger and fries from McDonald's eaten out of a bag in the backseat of a car? ... or a skillet dinner from the freezer?  Do you remember how much better farm fresh food tastes compared with grocery fare today? Homemade pickles were an everyday treat at Grandma's house ... some even made from watermelon rind! My dad is still the king of homemade ice cream. Grandma Donna's Jewish Apple Cake conjures up sights and scents from her tiny aqua blue kitchen. Aunt Lottie's fresh corn and roast beef dinner ... served at her farm in the grownup's dining room with a lace tablecloth ... yummy.

My Pop ~ he made this ice cream rig over 60 years ago!

Tonight's slow food: Four course supper starting with Herb 'soop' .. a late 1700's receipt (recipe), followed by ice cold green salad, baked citrusy/herb chicken, fresh corn on the cob. Dessert ~ Pumpkin bars topped with fresh whipped cream and a few berries. Music provided by: 200 Years of American Heritage in Song with the likes of 'Barbara Allen' .. 'Greensleeves' ... 'Green Grow the Lilacs' ... 'Billy Boy' ... I'm bound and determined that Hubby and Nathan connect food, music, history and manners. 

Do you purposely create slow food memories for your family?

Family Recipe

Recipe: (Grandma Donna's) Jewish Apple Cake
Ingredients: 1/2 lb butter, 1/3 C sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 3 C flour, 1 egg, 6 green apples, 1/4 up to 1/2 C sugar, lemon zest, 1/2 tsp. vanilla.

Directions: Cream butter, 1/3 C sugar and vanilla, add beaten egg and flour. Mix well and divide dough in half. Press half the dough in a greased 13x9 rectangular pan to form lining. Peel and slice apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon, additional sugar (up to 1/2), 1/2 tsp. vanilla and a little lemon zest. Spread the apple mixture into prepared pan. Press remaining dough on wax paper to form a 13x9 inch top. After placing on the top, bake in a preheated 300 degree F oven for about one hour.  Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Serves 8-12

Stepping into the Past

Genealogy has gotten me off the beaten path with blogging.  That has lead to more in depth research on ways our fore-bearers lived, ate, slept, drank, cooked, dressed, doctored themselves, and relied on each other instead of government overstep.

So, while I believe writing about thrifty living and gardening still fits into my new area of research, I hope to find other interesting topics of which to write.

Paternal great grandparents' home, children, domestic help, circa 1903

The above photo is of my great grandparents, taken at their farm prior to the birth of my grandfather ... before electricity had come to their area; prior to an automobile and any of our power hungry 'modern' appliances were invented   You will notice that grandma had the help of a stable boy and domestic servant; both listed in the 1900 Census as part of my grandparent's household.  One wonders if the advent of the modern age put many a person out on the streets, unemployed after being replaced by a machine?    This idea of humans being replaced by machines, and cheap labor has helped contribute to our generation's lack of skills, desire to work for daily bread, and reliance on poor quality everything!