What you see in this picture is one of the yummiest treats I have enjoyed since I was a child. It is a German recipe my grandma learned from her mom. Nana says she has been making it for over 60 years. It is blackberry kuchen. When nana was here there were fresh blackberries on the vine, so we got kuchen. It was my daughter's first taste of kuchen and she was hooked.
This was a childhood treat for me and something that is definitely tied to my nana Helen. There are many other food favorites that are tied to other special people in my life.
The smell of fresh baked cinnamon bread is what reminds me of my nana Alice. A fresh loaf wouldn't last long. I don't think I have ever tasted a better loaf of cinnamon bread. Along with a cup of hot chocolate like only nana Alice could make, it was a child's dream. Nana Alice also kept a supply of ice cream sandwiches and It's-It ice cream bars in her freezer. I can't eat one of those without thinking about weekends spent at their house.
My grandpa's also had their special treats. Grandpa LeRoy made the fluffiest scrambled eggs ever and his candy supply was endless. Grandpa Bill always treated me to my own bottle of Pepsi and peanut butter and saltine crackers while we were playing Go-Fish.
My mom has several great dishes, but the one I think is the most significant is her lasagna. It is the same recipe my grandma made and my mom has taught my sister and I to make it. It is always a family favorite. My mom is a great dessert maker too...she has passed that on to my sister.
My sister didn't know how to cook when she got married, but she was a quick study and is a great cook now. I would have to say though, that baking is her forte. She makes an amazing cheesecake!
Then there's Aunt Bee...the organized party planner, meal planner cook. She never forgets a thing. My all time favorite from her is un-frosted cupcakes!
I married into a family of amazing cooks. There is nothing my mother-in-law can't make. I think my husband would agree that her pies are the best around. I'm not sure if the pear or rhubarb is the favorite, maybe we need to sample again.
Aunt Marce is the family cook and loves to cook big meals for the entire family. My sister-in-laws, Deb and Lisa are also great cooks.
When you think about your family, I am sure each person has something special they prepare. I have been working on trying to collect all of these favorite recipes from family members and trying to learn how to make them. There is so much history and so many memories in these favorite family foods...I want to be able to share them with generations to come.
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