What's Cooking - Part 2

Photo by Calum Lewis on Unsplash

Summer is in full swing, and it will be a busy two weeks for me entertaining and enjoying family and friends. I thought I’d reshare a blog I posted some time ago regarding food and family and family stories plus a few more thoughts on the topic.

I recently was treated to a great gathering of friends and our host, whose family is fifth generation South African with her family roots firmly based in Scotland, made a dessert called Malva Pudding. Yum! It is right up there with Sticky Treacle Pudding in my book. She was kind enough to share the recipe with me which was in metric measurements so I’ve transcribed the recipe so I can try it.
 
This made me think about an old, faded notebook that my Great Grandmother kept. I never knew her because she passed away in 1937. She used the notebook to jot down odds and ends, including spending as well as cake and cookie recipes. While some of these recipes look tempting, like many good cooks, she only cared about what was different about the recipe so there is no information on the oven temperature or length of time to bake or sometimes even the basic cake recipe! I noticed this even in older women’s magazines. I guess they thought everyone knew that stuff.
 
Think about how food helps color the story of your family gatherings, traditions, and possibly ethnic heritage. How can you incorporate this information into your family history? In the meantime, here are a few more ideas from that previous Blog. What's Cooking? - Herding Cats Genealogy
Happy Cooking!