LESLIE KARST: Welcome to Sunday Brunch! We’re using the third Sunday of every month to share our news and thoughts with you all, and today's question is this: What event made us first fall in love with food and/or cooking?
I've loved food since I can remember, and first started cooking back in junior high school, when my best friend and I would try out enticing recipes from the newly-released Time-Life cookbook series--you remember those books, that came in the mail with a glossy hardcover and a spiral-bound recipe book to go with it? Nancy was studying Russian at the time (she went to private school), so we made lots of dishes from that particular volume, including the eggy Easter bread with saffron (a spice I'd never before heard of) and delectable piroshki, with ground beef, hard boiled egg, and dill (also new to me).
We were young and fearless, willing to try anything (one year we baked 50 fruitcakes for all our friends and neighbors, using an enormous white-enameled diaper bucket to mix the batter), and I'm convinced those experiences are what made me the adventurous cook I am today.
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MADDIE: I love this topic, Leslie - and the story of your childhood culinary adventures! In a family of four children, I was the only eater who wasn't picky. Still, my mom cooked for the majority, so our meals, while nutritious, were simple and plain. Raw onions and garlic didn't cross the threshold, and pre-mixed seasonings came dried in a packet. Occasionally, while eating at a friend's house, I would discover some food new to me: red cabbage! Meatloaf!
Two experiences really shaped my food habits as an adult. First, I went off to Brazil for a year at just seventeen to live with a family. I didn't cook there, but my taste bud horizons really widened. I kept asking for recipes for feijoada, quindin de laranja (orange flan that is pure heaven), moqueca (a spicy seafood stew), and other favorite foods.
When I returned and went to university, I shared an off-campus house with three other young women. We joined a food coop and cooked all the time. I kept making discoveries new to my palate. Mushrooms slow sauteed in butter. Cheese souffle. All the delicious things you can do with tofu. German salads. Japanese soup. I've never looked back.
On a spring break camping trip to the desert - me on the far right |
TINA KASHIAN: Great topic, Leslie! I have always been surrounded by different types of food. It wasn’t one experience that made me first fall in love with food, but a lifelong one. My Armenian parents owned a restaurant for thirty years in South Jersey, and I grew up in the business. We served Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and American food. I was not a picky eater as a kid, and I also enjoyed trying different types of cuisine. Indian, Chinese, Italian, Vietnamese, and many more. My husband was raised on meat and potatoes, but over the years, he has been willing to try different foods. Thankfully, my two girls are much more adventurous.
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LUCY BURDETTE: Count me in as a kid of the 50's and 60's during which convenience foods were considered special treats. My mother loved to eat but not cook, so we ate in a similar way to what Edith is describing. In graduate school, I finally started some serious cooking with a good pal--mostly out of the Moosewood Cookbook. Honest to goodness, my food critic character Hayley Snow has really helped me expand my horizons the most!
PEG COCHRAN: My grandparents were European so we ate a wider variety of foods than most "Americans" -- recipes from Italy, Germany and Hungary. My mother didn't make anything too exotic but we had different dishes when we ate with my grandparents. My first foray into cooking was what we called "Girl Scout stew." I've also heard it called campfire stew--tomato sauce, macaroni and ground beef. I think I was about 12 when my mother began to let me make that for dinner. A girlfriend and I also baked a cake from scratch. For some reason, we had the bright idea to tint it green. Not the most appetizing color. Plus it was as hard as a rock and even the birds wouldn't touch it! In my early 20s I discovered Julia Child's cookbooks and slowly began to learn the lingo--sauté, blanch, simmer etc. I was always willing to try to cook anything--even boning a whole chicken and stuffing the skin!
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LESLIE BUDEWITZ: At sixteen, I started working in a bookstore and met Sandra, who was 10 years older than I and had gone to school with my brother. She came from an Italian family, had worked in restaurants, and even then, in the mid 1970s, had an impressive knowledge of food. Through her, and a little cafe in the mall that served an amazing marinated mushroom salad, I got a whole new idea of food and cooking. Since we worked in a bookstore, I bought a few cookbooks, mostly vegetarian---I still have my copies of Laurel's Kitchen and the Vegetarian Epicure---and began learning to cook dishes my mother never would have tackled. (In my mother's defense, though her cooking was heavy on breakfast for dinner and casseroles using Campbell's Soup, she was a tremendous baker and everyone, including Sandra, fondly recalls her plates of Christmas cookies.)
Over the years, Sandra worked in several restaurants, in the kitchen or at the front of the house, and I continued to learn from and be inspired by her. We're still close friends, and she is the model for Sandra Piniella, the Spice Shop's assistant manager, right down to the wild frames of the readers she wears, her design sense, and her deep appreciation of the gift of her "Mr. Right." She recognized herself immediately when I sent her an early copy of Assault & Pepper and in her bubbly way, told everyone "that's me!" Guilty as Cinnamon is dedicated to her.
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Fast forward a number of years, and picture me facing off with my mother-in-law, a fierce little woman who once cooked lunch for the Queen Mother and who had quite a competitive instinct when it came to her only child. Ahem. Credit where credit was due: we used to say she could conjure up a fabulous meal out of a glass of water and some leftover peas. My signature dish until I got married was tuna fish sandwiches, so I belatedly realized I should learn fast. Years passed and gradually I was able to manage in a kitchen. I never reached her speed and talent, but I’m still having fun trying! I noticed Moosewood, Vegetarian Epicure and The Joy of Cooking make it onto this entertaining post and there was even talk of the old Time-Life spirals. I still have my copies and they were fantastic to learn from, but my much needed kickstart came from Peg Bracken’s I Hate to Cook Book. Bless you, Peg Bracken!
Get Cleo's Italian cookie recipe with a free PDF by clicking here. |
Many cultures have versions of Angel Wings. In our house, we called them Bow Ties. In Italy, these cookies are traditionally eaten during Carnevale. Here in the US, we make them at Christmas and Easter. We also make them for weddings, and if you have ever been to an old-school Italian wedding, then you know about the “cookie table,” where relatives contribute their favorites and everyone eats with joy. We hope you do, too. ~ Cleo
GIVEAWAY!
Is there a special event that
by Leslie Budewitz, writing as Alicia Beckman
I never really cooked until I moved out on my own. Then I either had to cook or do takeout so I learned to cook
ReplyDeleteThat'll do it, Sandy, lol!
DeleteMy cook love of cooking came more from necessity - at the start. While growing up, food is what just appears on the table at meal time. I didn't appreciate the time involved getting it there or my Mom's talent of taking simple ingredients and turning out wonderful culinary delights. It wasn't until I had to do the cooking for myself that I realized it was more than throwing things in a pot, saying a few magic words and delivering a tasty meal that others might even compliment.
ReplyDeleteThe one event that helped move that along even more was an illness I had at the age of 25. It involved a 37 day hospital stay where the first part was spent having me eat so much I was like do I have to when food came into the room. Then it flipped and went to where I was given very little to eat at all. During all this you have to imagine someone use to home cooking left to only eating hospital food that seems to have no flavor or seasoning to it at all. All of it combined just made me more determined as ever to actually take the time and effort to learn as much as I could from my Mom and Granny about cooking good food.
The next step in picking up my game came from a tragic event. When our daughter died at the age of 17, I was needing something to keep my mind occupied and my hands busy. That's when I decided to make a family cookbook. As with most cooks of the time, both my Granny and Mom cooked by pinch of this and a dab of that with no written recipe to go by. It took some doing and lots of experimenting on my part, but by standing with Mom and measuring what she poured in her hand, I was able to write down a recipe. Then I actually made the recipe under her tasteful supervision tweaking the recipe until it got final approval from them. I bought three 3 ring big binders and lots of clear folders to insert the typed recipes in. Just like a regular cookbook, my typed recipes have a title, number of servings, ingredients, directions and any helpful hints to making the recipe a success. Then I made special sections for the book such as measurement alternations, emergency food substitutions and seasoning charts giving details of the spice, it's uses and what they worked well with. I even added fun sections on anniversary charts, laundry hints for soiled laundry and horoscope charts. The first few pages are dedication pages to Jenet, who the cookbook was made in memory of. After working on them for quite some time, I gave two of them as Christmas presents - one to my Mom and one to hubby's Mom. I use this book a LOT - more so as I get older and don't make the recipes quite as often as I did so that I make sure I don't forget something. The bonus for having made this cookbook was when Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer knowing that family tried and true recipes wouldn't be lost to this horrid disease. When Mom went to her heavenly home, I gave her copy to my BFF who has told me many times how much she loves it and how often she uses it for go to recipes.
Now many years later and with a deep love of cooking/baking, I can't imagine not being in the kitchen and sharing the bounty of my kitchen with others.
Thank you for this wonderful opportunity! Shared and hoping to be the extremely fortunate one selected.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Thank you for sharing your inspiring story, Kay. Food connects us to others the way nothing else can. ~Maya
DeleteYes, it's so true what Maya says. And what a wonderful gift you've given your family, Kay, for generations to come!
DeleteMy mom was a wonderful cook and basically made everything from scratch. Growing up, I liked to make the desserts—cookies, cakes, not pies. Never learned to make a good pie crust, but mother’s pies were the best. It was not until I married that I enjoyed cooking meals. And especially when my grandkids are here.
ReplyDeleteGrandmothers' pies are ALWAYS the best, no?
DeleteWe lived with our grandparents and my Mom and Nana were southern cooks, lots of fried everything. What I really loved was the fried chicken. The floor and counters were spread with newspapers to catch the hot popping oil, and the wonderful smell. I never could make it as good but they did teach me how to make home made french fries and I still use a cast iron skillet and of course cover with newspapers.
ReplyDeleteI rarely deep fry because of the mess, but what a great idea to spread newspapers everywhere!
DeleteI developed a love for cooking after signing up for Home Economics in Jr. High School. I loved getting in the kitchen and making something yummy. I also started collecting cook books and recipes for things that sounded interesting. I still have a cook book that my great aunt gave me in 1972.
ReplyDeleteI so wish I'd taken Home Ec. in school, but since I played in the band and orchestra, I never had enough class time to do so. Sigh...
DeleteI'm not sure when I started cooking, probably early teens. Eventually I became the one who was to cook certain dishes, like baked spaghetti and slippery pot pie. My mother was more than happy to have me take over making the slippery pot pie.
ReplyDeleteOkay, you can't post this without telling us what the heck is slippery pot pie--inquiring minds want to know!
DeleteI live in south central PA, like 6 miles from the PA/MD line. The recipe I use, with adaptions, is from a local chuck cookbook. Cook a meat, any meat, add potatoes, veggies if you like, and then a the dough - flour, salt, vegetable oil, water. Roll out the dough, cut it in squares, drop in the pot. It's very similar to a recipe from a Paula Deen magazine, Chicken and Biscuit Dumplings. I'm thinking Slippery Pot Pie is just a regional name, but I could be wrong on that.
DeleteOops, that should say church cookbook
DeleteLater in life I decided to start cooking. I have fond memories of my mom cooking and I wanted to replicate some of her dishes. Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteJess
maceoindo(at)yahoo(dot)com
Replicating others' recipes is hard but always so fun!
DeleteA book started me out on my love of cooking - Betty Crocker's Cook Book for Boys and Girls that was originally published in 1957. A few years later, this book somehow came into my collection. My parents allowed me to try and cook as many different recipes as I wanted. I actually have my original cook book that has fallen apart. I was able to find a reprint of the original a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteNancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
Oh, my goodness, I had that same book--and I think making recipes in it was my first cooking experience, too! I'd forgotten all about it till I read your post.
DeleteWhen I was young and we went to my grandmother's for Saturday lunches the experience was beautiful and memorable. She would produce a feast since she was just a natural cook who always gave such warmth and appetizing meals. I miss those wonderful years and I now try to duplicate the meals for my family. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThank goodness for grandmothers!
DeleteNo special event. My paternal grandparents were from Norway so we always had a norwegian dish once a week. cheetahthecat1986ATgmailDOTcom
ReplyDeleteSounds fun--and delicious--Kim!
DeleteI don't have a specific event that made me want to cook. My mom had the vintage 1950's Betty Crocker Cookbook that she always stuffed her family recipes that were written on paper or cards into. Some of them were always falling out, getting misplaced. So at the age of 8 I started working my way through the regular Cookbook recipes and the handwritten recipes . After that I gave my mom a day off once or twice a week . I was around 10 when I noticed the old recipes were fading or falling apart. I had just been gifted a typewriter so I began typing them out on cards. Unfortunately somewhere along the way those got misplaced during on of my house moves. We thought them lost until a few years ago I stumbled across them. I sent copies to my two sisters who cried when they got them. One of them sent me a copy of the 50's Betty Crocker cookbook so I have all of those enjoy again. 1cow0993(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThank you, Carol, for sharing the joy of finding lost recipes. ~Maya
DeleteWow, your story brought a little tear to my eye, Carol--how wonderful!
DeleteMy grandmother lives with us for 7 years and during that time she ruled the kitchen. Her cooking and baking talents were amazing and wonderful. Such a variety of delectable treats and unforgettable meals for our entire family. Her stews, roast chicken, blintzes, challahs, mandelbrot etc. were known far and wide which she gave to neighbors, friends and relatives. I learned from her and I know how lucky I was to enjoy and appreciate this special time with my loving Bobbeh. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteWow, I wish I could have lived with your Bobbeh--that sounds amazing!
DeleteI can't think of one specific event, we cooked and baked with mom all the time as kids. My dad did a good bit of cooking too, since he was home with us more. Most everything was from scratch (cheaper and made bigger meals than convenience food- I've never had mac and cheese from a box and didn't even know it existed till I was well into school). As an adult I still do homemade casseroles, pizza, desserts, etc. I enjoy collecting cookbooks to try out new recipes.
ReplyDeletekozo8989(at)hotmail(dot)com
Nice to hear about a dad who cooked! (Mine only made certain things, for "special" meals--I guess 'cause he was the dad, lol--like Steak Diane and potato pancakes, and he always made a HUGE mess which my mom then had to clean up, lol.
DeleteI have been a food lover since I can remember. There isn't a specific food memory or event that caused my interest. My father did all of the cooking because he enjoyed it, and my mom had made him promise to take on the cooking chores as part of agreeing to marry him.
ReplyDeleteoops, I should have added:
Deletelittle lamb lst at yahoo dot com
Ha! Good for your mom, Lil!
DeleteLeslie, The Vegetarian Epicure! What a flashback. How is it I don't still have those books? I still have almost all the Adelle Davis books.
ReplyDeleteMy family was a bunch of cooks. Both my father and mother cooked. We had lovely stuff from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I was given a copy as a wedding present.
I started cooking pretty much as soon as I could see the top of the stove.
libbydodd at comcast dot net
And now I have a wonderful image of little Libby's eyes peeking over the edge of an old white-enameled stove...
DeleteI have always loved food but I don’t think I was until my mom and I started to go to the Fort Worth Symphony that I became a true foodie. We have a number of great restaurant to eat at that around the Bass Hall for dinner and or brunch.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful memory, Christine!
DeleteDenise, I LOVE the image of Dave the Engineer and those perfectly diced carrots and potatoes! Plus the cooking shows -- how they have inspired cooks everywhere!
ReplyDeleteWatching my mom and grandma bake. Soon I was begging to help with the holidays when I was 10
ReplyDeleteDon't get me started! I am a hopeless foodie. I’ve edited cookbooks, reviewed restaurants and pretty much eaten my way around the world. I blame my mother for this (in a nice way, of course). My mother was a foodie before foodies were even invented. She taught me that you cannot put too much butter on anything and when in doubt, consult Julia Child. She also knew that good food -- prepared with love and shared with those you loved -- was community.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course Julia will advise you to add even more butter, lol.
DeleteWhen I was in college I started getting interested in cooking. In the past big brother and I had made cakes from mixes and dyed them interesting colors. But for unknown reasons college made me want to learn how to cook. There were plenty of failures!
ReplyDeletepatdupuy@yahoo.com
Isn't that what college is all about--learning new things? Love the image of the dyed cakes...
DeleteI had that Boys' and Girls' cookbook in the late 50's as well. And, I took home ec in junior high and high school. But, after my son grew up, he decided he preferred his food to be more seasoned that what I made so he became the chef and I stopped cooking. It's much easier now.
ReplyDeletelkish77123 at gmail dot com
Nice having a chef as a son!
DeleteI started cooking when I moved out on my own and more so after I got married. I would try recipes I would find in cookbooks and in the paper and magazines and tried anything that sounded good. Now, I only cook when I feel like it.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
Ha! Yes, much more fun to cook only when you feel like it!
DeleteI had to start cooking when my roommate moved out and I lived alone for the first time! lindaherold999(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteHa! Nothing like hunger to make you learn to cook.
DeleteDecember 2019 I decided to learn to cook. So I ordered Every Plate to try. Over a year later I am still doing this. I raised 4 kids on 1-800-PizzaHut (the only thing I miss is the ex’s cooking) and at 61 decided to learn to cook. (BTW, all my kids are great cooks).
ReplyDeletegmad4(at)ymail(dot)com (that is Ymail, not g)
Hey, it's never too late! Yay, you, Jane!
DeleteWhen I was growing up we had what we referred to as dinner in the ground after service on Sunday. Oh my all the different varieties of food made me so excited, we sure didn’t have things like this at home, I fell in love with eating right there, who could pass up homemade potato’s salad, pies, meatloaf, casseroles etc?
ReplyDeletejhdwayneatpeopkepcdotcom
I love that name, Dinner in the Ground--how fun! And delicious!
DeleteWhen I was growing up we had what we referred to as dinner in the ground after service on Sunday. Oh my all the different varieties of food made me so excited, we sure didn’t have things like this at home, I fell in love with eating right there, who could pass up homemade potato’s salad, pies, meatloaf, casseroles etc?
ReplyDeletejhdwayneatpeopkepcdotcom
My mother collected recipes and I followed suit. I love the creativity I could use when trying new recipes or modifying recipes.
ReplyDeleteSrjeanp@gmail.com
Yes, modifying and experimenting with recipes is so much fun!
DeleteMy mother and Dad were both excellent cooks. My dad worked nights and my mom worked days. My dad would start dinner and I would keep an eye on it until my mom got home. I was the oldest of four and this got me interested in cooking. I would often keep my book in the kitchen so I could read between turnings and stirrings.
ReplyDeleteNow there's the perfect combo: cooking and reading--yes!
DeleteMy interest in food and cooking was nudged along while trying to feed six daughters who all had likes and dislikes. I wound up enjoying the cooking for all of them.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you learned the skills to work at a restaurant, lol.
DeleteI started by baking Christmas cookies because my mom really hates to cook - especially baking. She used to do it with a friend but they had stopped when I was a teenager.
ReplyDeleteWhen I got out in my own, I started reading cookbooks and trying recipes. After all, there is a limit to how many boxes of Kraft macaroni and cheese you want to eat in a week. ��
I'm not a huge baking fan, either--but I do LOVE Christmas cookies!
DeleteIt was my special time with my Mom helping her in the kitchen especially during the holidays as some of the family came to our house. Plus we made cookies to give as gifts to teachers, milkman, mailman, etc. In high school I continued to learn more and took cooking for 3 years. The boys were always waiting in the hallway after class ended to see if we made anything that we could share with them. I wish I could cook more now but am disabled but my husband loves to cook and I help when I can. pgenest57 at aol dot com
ReplyDeleteI love that story of the boys waiting in the halls for your food--ha! And how sweet of you to make cookies for all those people!
DeleteThough my Mom & my Dad's Mom, who tried to interest me in cooking, were wonderful cooks. I was never that interested until high school. When in high school we had a home economics (10th grade) teacher who loved to cook & sow. We learned because her love of the subject & her love of teaching shone through clearly & inspired us to learn. She was an exchange from Scotland. With a strong brogue that had us laughing, sometimes. She had been to several countries & encouraged us to try the different tastes. "Spices & sauces make the meal and can turn left overs into a gourmet delight" was a comment she often made. Took it to heart. It's why we rarely have left overs older than 24 hours. bessdeepotter84 at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteYour teacher sounds like a wise woman! And I totally agree about spices and sauces, and about leftovers!
DeleteI fell in love with the idea of cooking back in the 90s watching Emeril. JL_Minter(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteEmeril is indeed fab, non?
DeleteI started cooking and baking in junior high taking home ec but just made basic stuff My husband does more of the cooking now although I am learning to bake gluten free for some of my grandkids
ReplyDeleteAll these stories about home ec make me so wish I'd been able to take it! (But it conflicted with band and orchestra, alas...)
DeleteMy mother insisted that my sisters and myself learn to cook around 9 years old. We assisted her even earlier as a family of 6 with baking and cooking. lindalou64(@)live(dot)com
ReplyDeleteGood for your mother, Linda!
DeleteMy grandmother taught me to love cooking. Everything from cooking and baking. I can make a great pie now because of her! Thanks for the chance!!
ReplyDeletejarjm1980(@)hotmail(dot)com
Let's hear it for grandmothers!!
DeleteMy love of food & cooking started very early in life. Growing up on an organic farm, I would go to the garden and pick things for breakfast along with gathering eggs. At the age of 3 I was breading chicken for my mom while standing on a stool. I love getting my hands into everything from the dirt to grow my food to creating mouthwatering recipes for family and friends. Not much has changed with that, in fact it is the one thing I am still able to achieve since being diagnosed with Primary Progressive MS and breast cancer. I go to my garden to lose myself and find my soul.
ReplyDeleteYes, gardens are an amazingly soothing and restful place--even when you're weeding! So glad you have that for your soul.
DeleteI learned to cook from my grandmother. My grandpa had passed away and she was lonely. She helped my parents out by picking my sister and I up from school every day and we would help her prepare a meal for our family. tmleafs42 (at) yahoo (dot) com
ReplyDeleteHere's to grandmothers!
Deletei learned to bake from my grandmother when i was little. she couldn't cook, but made wonderful cookies. my other grandmother taught me how to cook.
ReplyDeleteI love all these stories about everyone's grandmothers!
DeleteMy love for cooking comes from my family getting together at Christmas to make candy, cookies and, my favorite, popcorn balls. So many memories of people that have left us. But, their recipes remain!
ReplyDeleteThat's one of the wonderful things about recipes, no?
DeleteI grew up in the family restaurant so you can say it was in my genes mama2bulls (at) Gmail.com
ReplyDelete