I grew up in Britain in an environment where was cooking was always a chore and eating was often a punishment. It's only embarrassingly recently that a friend has inspired me to see cooking for others as an act of love.
I love this! My dad loved great food. His mom was a professional chef, cooking for banquets and even for the Girl Scout camp every summer in the Sierra Madre camp in Los Angeles. He made the Thanksgiving stuffing and the gravy, and I make his recipes all the time, figuring they are my grandma’s recipes. She died before I was born, of colon cancer likely due to heavy consumption or meat and prepared foods like baked goods and stuff, while my other grandma, a vegetarian, lived with us and taught me you could, actually, live without meat. Great Aunt Violet was a fruitarian, only raw foods and sprouts and nuts and stuff. She lived to be about 96. Sweet people, all of them.
Love, love, LOVE this. What a great tribute to your dad.
My dad also loves to eat and is always up for trying whatever I put in front of him. My mom is 100% Italian and she’s an amazing cook, so my dad has been a lucky guy for over 50 years. I’ve been cooking tons of new plant based recipes for them when we go visit and my dad likes to say “you sure you don’t want to stay a few more nights and try more new recipes?” It’s hilarious and also makes me smile because I know food is how our family shows love. Mangiamo tutti!!!
Hell yes! Dads who encourage their daughters appetites in all things help balance out a lot of the bullshit messaging we get from society. I love you all show love in such a delicious way too. What’s better than that?
My grandmother was the matriarch of the family and took holidays and Sunday dinners seriously. I have all of the recipes that I am slowly getting back into. She said butter was love, lol.
The women in my family definitely influenced me. Starting with my grandmothers would cook sunday dinners for the whole family. I came from a family of 5 kids, my cousins were a family of 7. So when we all got together, it was quite the production.
My Aunt Mary Lou had a catering business on the side in addition to working full-time and commuting to Washington DC from Delaware for work. I can remember cleaning and cutting pounds of mushroom for her cream of mushroom soup that she gave as Christmas presents.
My mom always loved to entertain and threw great dinner parties.
Covid squashed that for me. I am slowly getting back to having friends over for meals.
Yes!!! Entertaining and cooking for people in your home is such a wonderful feeling and I hate how Covid took that from us. Dinner parties are the absolute best and I’m glad the women in your family showed you how to do them right. That’s a legacy right there!
My grandmother was my connection to food and cooking. My home life wasn't great so any opportunity to be at my grandmother's place was relished. Even without it being a refuge, Grandma Dora was my favorite person in the world along with my grandfather.
She had that unique capacity to make anything taste good. Somehow or another, her peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were the best on earth.
I have many cherished memories of sitting at her little kitchen table, stirring ingredients together for a cake or cookies. She would always let me crack and separate the eggs. (When I became vegan years later, she was a little disappointed but she understood I was always going to do what felt right to me -- I was her granddaughter, after all.) We would sit at the table, talk, bake, play cards, eat cookies and enjoy each other's company. Food was love, but it was really connection, and that has carried me through my life. What I wouldn't give to sit in that little kitchen again with my grandma, my grandpa eating her chicken noodle soup, humming happily. Nothing better!
She sounds exactly like Aunt Pat! What a blessing to have a person like Grandma Dora in your life to teach you all about love and food, particularly when you really needed it ❤️
My husband inspired me to learn to cook. My mom did her best while working full time by cooking for her kids from a box or can. When my husband and I started dating he cooked for me and I was in awe of what could actually be made in a home kitchen.
First of all, this made me cry: “ …but I can’t imagine a better testament to showing and receiving love. That’s what good food is, a chance to show one another that our happiness and satisfaction matter to each other. Whether you’re dining out at a family-run restaurant or cooking at home, making and eating good food is always an act of love.” I inherited my love of food and cooking from my mom, and nothing makes me happier than a house full of people eating something I’ve made them, what joy to take care of people in this way!
I acquired a lifelong love of crafting from my mom. We grew up in the country with no close neighbors, so we did crafts to keep busy! Mom sewed our clothes, everything from underwear to winter coats and leggings. She never met a craft she wouldn’t try at least once. Her mother-in-law was in tears laughing while trying to teach her to tat; Mom kept getting knots with the tatting shuttle. So Mom learned to tat with a needle instead. Of course she did all the usual needle arts and I remember her doing all the crafts popular in the 70s when I was growing up — decoupage, macrame, etc. She even made wedding cakes, canned an enormous amount of food from our garden (including chicken 🤪), and reupholstered furniture. At age 90, she still does needlework and simple clothing alterations for the people in her independent living community. Love you, Mom!
This is really lovely, Michelle.
Thank you so much Kate!
Love this, Michelle.
I grew up in Britain in an environment where was cooking was always a chore and eating was often a punishment. It's only embarrassingly recently that a friend has inspired me to see cooking for others as an act of love.
Thank you for seconding the motion.
I love this! My dad loved great food. His mom was a professional chef, cooking for banquets and even for the Girl Scout camp every summer in the Sierra Madre camp in Los Angeles. He made the Thanksgiving stuffing and the gravy, and I make his recipes all the time, figuring they are my grandma’s recipes. She died before I was born, of colon cancer likely due to heavy consumption or meat and prepared foods like baked goods and stuff, while my other grandma, a vegetarian, lived with us and taught me you could, actually, live without meat. Great Aunt Violet was a fruitarian, only raw foods and sprouts and nuts and stuff. She lived to be about 96. Sweet people, all of them.
Dry toast, canned green beans and jello cake—a fabulous tribute!
It takes all kinds lololol
Love, love, LOVE this. What a great tribute to your dad.
My dad also loves to eat and is always up for trying whatever I put in front of him. My mom is 100% Italian and she’s an amazing cook, so my dad has been a lucky guy for over 50 years. I’ve been cooking tons of new plant based recipes for them when we go visit and my dad likes to say “you sure you don’t want to stay a few more nights and try more new recipes?” It’s hilarious and also makes me smile because I know food is how our family shows love. Mangiamo tutti!!!
Hell yes! Dads who encourage their daughters appetites in all things help balance out a lot of the bullshit messaging we get from society. I love you all show love in such a delicious way too. What’s better than that?
My grandmother was the matriarch of the family and took holidays and Sunday dinners seriously. I have all of the recipes that I am slowly getting back into. She said butter was love, lol.
You are so lucky to have all her recipes! What a gift
The women in my family definitely influenced me. Starting with my grandmothers would cook sunday dinners for the whole family. I came from a family of 5 kids, my cousins were a family of 7. So when we all got together, it was quite the production.
My Aunt Mary Lou had a catering business on the side in addition to working full-time and commuting to Washington DC from Delaware for work. I can remember cleaning and cutting pounds of mushroom for her cream of mushroom soup that she gave as Christmas presents.
My mom always loved to entertain and threw great dinner parties.
Covid squashed that for me. I am slowly getting back to having friends over for meals.
Yes!!! Entertaining and cooking for people in your home is such a wonderful feeling and I hate how Covid took that from us. Dinner parties are the absolute best and I’m glad the women in your family showed you how to do them right. That’s a legacy right there!
I loved this.
My grandmother was my connection to food and cooking. My home life wasn't great so any opportunity to be at my grandmother's place was relished. Even without it being a refuge, Grandma Dora was my favorite person in the world along with my grandfather.
She had that unique capacity to make anything taste good. Somehow or another, her peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were the best on earth.
I have many cherished memories of sitting at her little kitchen table, stirring ingredients together for a cake or cookies. She would always let me crack and separate the eggs. (When I became vegan years later, she was a little disappointed but she understood I was always going to do what felt right to me -- I was her granddaughter, after all.) We would sit at the table, talk, bake, play cards, eat cookies and enjoy each other's company. Food was love, but it was really connection, and that has carried me through my life. What I wouldn't give to sit in that little kitchen again with my grandma, my grandpa eating her chicken noodle soup, humming happily. Nothing better!
She sounds exactly like Aunt Pat! What a blessing to have a person like Grandma Dora in your life to teach you all about love and food, particularly when you really needed it ❤️
Aw what a beautiful birthday tribute to your dad!! 🥹 I love hearing stories like this, it’s so lovely. I hope he has a great day and year ahead! 🎉
Thank you so much ❤️❤️❤️
My husband inspired me to learn to cook. My mom did her best while working full time by cooking for her kids from a box or can. When my husband and I started dating he cooked for me and I was in awe of what could actually be made in a home kitchen.
That’s beautiful and exactly what a marriage should be right? Inspiring each other to grow is no small thing ❤️
First of all, this made me cry: “ …but I can’t imagine a better testament to showing and receiving love. That’s what good food is, a chance to show one another that our happiness and satisfaction matter to each other. Whether you’re dining out at a family-run restaurant or cooking at home, making and eating good food is always an act of love.” I inherited my love of food and cooking from my mom, and nothing makes me happier than a house full of people eating something I’ve made them, what joy to take care of people in this way!
I’m so glad you liked it Darcy! Food people are the best people, always.
I acquired a lifelong love of crafting from my mom. We grew up in the country with no close neighbors, so we did crafts to keep busy! Mom sewed our clothes, everything from underwear to winter coats and leggings. She never met a craft she wouldn’t try at least once. Her mother-in-law was in tears laughing while trying to teach her to tat; Mom kept getting knots with the tatting shuttle. So Mom learned to tat with a needle instead. Of course she did all the usual needle arts and I remember her doing all the crafts popular in the 70s when I was growing up — decoupage, macrame, etc. She even made wedding cakes, canned an enormous amount of food from our garden (including chicken 🤪), and reupholstered furniture. At age 90, she still does needlework and simple clothing alterations for the people in her independent living community. Love you, Mom!
Yessss!!!!! This is what I’m talking about. She’s a lifelong learner and there’s nothing better than that. What a great mom ❤️
Great read Michelle happy birthday to your father.
Thank you so much!