A big part of this concept is the food that has been passed down from generation to generation within families. I am willing to bet that every one of us here can instantly recall a dish, a recipe or some other food memory from our mother or grandmother that never fails to make us feel warm, comfortable, safe and loved - even if it has been years since we have seen our loved ones or tasted the foods that bring such good memories. Preserving these foods and memories is quite possibly the most important thing that we do here. The forum is littered with many posts and pictorials stemming from family dishes and memories, and I'd like to see more.

 

Ask yourself this: What are some favourite dishes that your grandmothers used to make? Do you know how to make them? Are you passing them along to the next generation?

 

I'd be honoured if everyone would share some memories and recipes, so that they can be enjoyed by all. It's a way to be sure that the past will continue to shape the future. My challenge to everyone is to post a favourite "grandma recipe" in its appropriate section of the forum (where your grandma or your family is from), along with some of your memories about the dish, about your family and why this recipe is important to you. Then post a link to that recipe as a reply in this thread. Or better yet, prepare that dish sometime this week and post a complete pictorial, teaching us how your grandmother made the dish, or how you carry on the tradition.

 

For current members, this could be a way for you to help us all get to know you a little better. For lurkers, this might be a chance for you to finally join, and jump right into the fundamentals of our community with both feet!

 

I'm hoping to see some great things, and thank you all in advance for sharing ~

GREAT QUESTION ... 

Firstly, my paternal grandmother Margherite, bravely crossed the Atlantic with 3 little boys, twins boys aged 3 and a toddler of 2 ... Thus, with this in mind, of course, we all dedicate our Christmas holidays to her unforgettable Lasagne al Forno prepared in clay earthenware amongst other relatively rare Italian dishes outside of Venezia. 

Margherite owned and operated a very successful Trattoria, and as most of the members know, a wide selection of her recipes had been posted in the Italy Section when I joined the Forum, in February 2012.

Now, to the maternal side; Grandmom Margot and my Mom Eva, were the Bakers in the Family and I have never forgot the exquisite aromas from Mom´s oven, when I was a child and the Gals, were young, they loved to go help Eva in the Kitchen ! 

Due to our hectic professional time tables / schedules, I have little time to prepare Trattoria lunches daily ... however, at the weekends, when we are both home, I love to go through Margherite´s hand written antique memoirs and recipes ... and go shopping for the specific fresh Italian ingredients ... and prepare her Pastas amongst some other Italian delicacies relatively rare outside of Italia ... 

The un-identical twin Gals; the elder, Naia is quite versed and an Artisan Baker, of my maternal family´s breads, cakes and cookies which Mom Eva, had baked when I was a child ... Naia only works at home, as she has 2 very young children 2 1/2 and 5 ... 

Nathalia who lives in Zürich, on the other hand, also has an extremely busy professional life, and can cook some very lovely Swiss, Italian and French traditional dishes with simple sublime evolutionary touches --- 

At holidays, Christmas especially, we vow to have a reunion, whether it is in Switzerland or Italy or Iberia ... and Share in the Profound Memory of Margherite, Margot and though Mom Eva is still alive, she is 90 and unable to cook at this time in her life.

When, time permitting, I prepare many of her Italian traditional recipes, which are standard and renowned the world over:

1) home made tomato sauce simmering all day 

2) meatballs 

3) MARGHERITE´s RAGÚ 

4) Lasagne al forno

5) CANELLONES 

6) Mantecato alla Veneziana ( salt cod spread for Lent ) 

to name a few...

Mom Eva´s cheese, meat and chocolate Fondues are always served the 31st December in remberance of our Maternal roots ---  

The Vet and I  have a number of wonderful recipes from his Mom as well and she always joins us in Switzerland during the holidays, as she is still quite young in comparison ( 70s ) to my mom who is 90. 

GREAT QUESTION TAS,

MCD.