What is the one thing you recall about your Mother's cooking?

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   sallybeaposted 10 years ago

   What is the one thing you recall about your Mother's cooking?
   
   

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   Cantuhearmescreamposted 10 years ago

   That she didn't know how to undercook anything! That would seem like a good thing, but I grew up hating meat or leather... as it seemed to be in my house. The first time I had a steak that was medium, I said 'Wow, is this what steak is supposed to taste like?' There was never enough A-1 Sauce in the house!

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      sallybeaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      That is a lovely story Cat - my memories are slightly different, I can recall the smell of home made bread, pastries and masses of pickles and jams of every description.  With six kids she knew how to keep the wolf  from the door.  Thanks very much

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      Cantuhearmescreamposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Don't get me wrong... my mother could bake like nobody's business; she'd make hundreds of Christmas cookies with over a dozen varieties and give them as gifts each year. She'd start baking the first week of December and not stop until Christmas.

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      sallybeaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      She sounds like an amazing Baker Cat - that kind of makes up for the leather!

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   Angela Blairposted 10 years ago

   Our mom might have been the world's worst cook -- but diligently kept trying -- and failing. Her coffee was famous among the family -- it was so strong and bitter it could dissolve the spoon you stirred it with. Any casseroles, meats -- whatever -- she couldn't get the hang of she dosed with liberal amounts of pepper. What mom lacked in cooking skills she certainly gained in attitude and a sense of humor. On several holiday occasions she sent us  notes promising if we spent the holidays with she and pop she WOULDN'T do any of the cooking. That promise was a real drawing card!

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   1. 95

      sallybeaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Angela, You just have to love a women who can't cook!  I always say that a little humor goes a long long way.  i wonder if you ever kept one of those notes?  Such a lovely reminder.  Thank you for sharing your memories.

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   Escobanaposted 10 years ago

   Her home made skewers of pork for the barbecue at the beach where we went to almost every weekend for about 10 years in a row. I can still smell them!
   
   We lived at Curacao when I was young and I remember those years as a very easy life. No worries, tropical climate and great food every day from my mother.

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      sallybeaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Sounds wonderful Escobana, similar i expect to the 'Sosatjies' we ate in South Africa - marinated Lamb in a delicious sauce and then put onto skewers on the 'braai' or barbeque.  Thank you for reminding me of those lovely carefree days Escobana.

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      Escobanaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      You're very welcome! Carefree days are so precious when we grow up. As an adult we need to do our best to be carefree in a different way:-)

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      sallybeaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Forgot to mention that I stopped in on Curacao about a year ago whilst on a cruise to the Bahamas.  That was an amazing holiday. How lovely to grow up there.

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   renegadetoryposted 10 years ago

   That my mother never really liked to cook.  She hated making dinner but because she was a stay at home mom and wanted to make our family dollars stretch, she made as much as she could from scratch.  I never ate pizza pops or kraft dinner when many of my other friends did, but she always had baked treats on the counter for us to eat like homemade pie, muffins or cookies which were really good.  She wasn't a bad cook, but if given the chance she would have rather done anything other than cook a meal.. and now that me and my sis are all grown up and have families of our own, my mom still doesn't like to cook!

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      sallybeaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I think that sometimes getting a meal on the table in those days was more about meat and veg, nothing like the processed foods that people eat today. I am sure those muffins and cookies were delicious though. Thanks renegadetory for your comment.

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   EJ Lambertposted 10 years ago

   She was never great with meats but nobody could beat her in the baking department.  Her coffee cake and fudge are legendary among family and friends.  They're so good we actually save them for special occasions.

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   1. 95

      sallybeaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I guess cooking has evolved quite a bit since the war years and still continues to - with some amazing techniques which would have seemed inconceivable in those days. Food sure can unite people. Thanks so much for your comment EJ Lambert

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   duffsmomposted 10 years ago

   My mom, as much as I loved her, wasn't much of a cook. A lot of the meat was really over cooked.
   
   Every so often she would make me Bisquick pancakes and we use the clear Karo syrup. If we were out of it she would make some syrup that I just loved but I have no idea how she did it or what was in it. I think just butter and sugar but  really do not know.

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   1. 95

      sallybeaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I guess she probably made some caramel from the butter and sugar - that's what Mum's did in those days, they made do, which is what made them pretty rare and special creatures.  Thanks for sharing your memory, it's amazing how taste can trigger one.

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   fpherj48posted 10 years ago

   Heaven's sake.....there's surely more than ONE thing, I recall about my mother's cooking!   She was definitely a STAR, in the kitchen.  All of her meals were amazing, especially, Italian foods, of all kinds.
   My sister and I felt so lucky to be able to learn from our mother.  It was actually amazing, that Mom could simply NOT make a bad meal.  We learned by "watching," btw!   Only if we asked a question, would she explain something.
   Although we did carry on, our Mom's cooking-style & recipes, I have to admit, we never really felt our meals were quite as great as hers. 
   Delicious question! 

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   1. 95

      sallybeaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      fpherj48 You were indeed fortunate as was I to have a mother who excelled in the kitchen.  There is nothing like the smell of cooking and the sound of people eating, laughing  and enjoying a meal together.  You have a fine example to follow. Thanks.

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   AUPADHYAYposted 10 years ago

   I can never find the taste of the items cooked by my mother in any of the items cooked by anyone.

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      sallybeaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Well, that sounds interesting - wonder if it is a good or a bad taste!  I think we will have to leave it to our imagination Aupadhyay.  Thank you for your comment.

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    Claudia Marieposted 10 years ago

    My mom can make the best hamburgers, using simple seasoning, they taste so good, perhaps. because they are made with love.

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    1. 95

       sallybeaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Hello Claudia Marie, you said it all - hamburgers made with love!  There can be no ingredient more essential than that.  Such a lovely thing to say about your Mum's cooking.  Thank you for sharing with all of us.

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    peachpurpleposted 10 years ago

    my  mom is a great cook when comes to nyonya food. She cooks anything you can think of. She likes baking butter cakes but too oily for me. She doesn't know how to  bake cookies nor muffins. I love her spicy food the most. Too bad, she had stroke and unable to cook now. My dad takes over the cooking now.

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    1. 95

       sallybeaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       I am sorry that your Mum cannot cook any longer.  I am glad that you have good memories of her cooking though - especially the Asian food - which I love.    My thoughts are with your family as they go through this difficult period.

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    hulah cagenposted 10 years ago

    I would have to say-Made with love. Did not think about that too much at all the times but in retrospect that was the cohesive force which made every meal special because it was never done with any impatience or grudge. Never can quite replicate any of the recipes either

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    1. 95

       sallybeaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       hulah cagen - love sure can be an important factor when it comes to cooking - doing it without grudge or impatience is something all of us would like to aspire to  - a rare quality to have -  thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us.

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    agusfananiposted 10 years ago

    My Mom is always good at changing  decently eaten food crumbs into something new and enjoyable with her skills in cooking. Last time she made a yummy cake out of breadcrumbs which people in the family liked it. By doing that, she can manage to minimize wasted food.

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    1. 95

       sallybeaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Your Mum sounds like a pretty inventive cook.  I so agree with her ethos, waste not want not - an expression I understand, having grown up in a large family.  It shocks me sometimes, how much food people actually do waste.  Thanks for your comment.

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