Gathering Up Family Recipes

Summer is the time of family reunions. It's also the time to swap and collect decades old family recipes. After all food and most importantly a shared meal is what keeps families connected through the decades and even the centuries. That's why it's important to hold fast to these gems that link us to our families and to our heritage.

A good idea is to have everyone bring a favorite family recipe to the next gathering. Some older relatives like moms and aunts may be the bearers of the family culinary archives. Have them write the casserole and cookie recipes. Keep in mind to use exact measurements however. Someone else's dash may be another's dollop. Don't skimp by using short cuts. If Oma's potato pancake call for shredded potatoes don't sub in frozen hash browns.The same goes for Nonna 's sauce recipe. You don't want the family manicotti recipe ruined by the store bought stuff.

How to store these recipes? Have a few cousins volunteer to help compile them in books. You can scan in the hand written recipes and then print them out . Remember to put who contributed what and where it came from geographically. Also separate them into courses so there's no confusion when searching for a dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas (such as don't put the fruitcake recipe next to the baked ham one) If the dish has a story behind it include it in along with pictures of the finished product. A family crest is always a nice touch on the cookbook's cover.

Family recipes are just that - recipes that have been passed down from one generation to the next. Treasure and cherish yours. They link you to your ancestors and to you heritage.