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.

A Colorful And Tasty Holiday

Spring is the time of year when there are many colorful holidays . There is Purim and Easter along with the Indian Holi. This is when people are gleefully hit with colorful powders. Clouds of yellow, green and pink are seen floating through the air as people celebrate the escape of Prahlad a devotee of the god Vishnu. Like any joyous holy day, it is also celebrated with tasty dishes and treats.

Yesterday's New York Times Dining section had an interesting article about the Guyanese version of it called Phagwah. Times regular , Julia Moskin wrote about it and the tasty dishes that the city's Guyanese population create for this time. The Guyanese were originally shipped, more or less, in indentured servitude to British Guiana (there were also Europeans and Asians involved in this as well) to work on the many sugar cane plantations. They retained their customs and foods, also incorporating South American spices and ingredients into their cuisine. What resulted was a hybrid cuisine combing the best of an ancient culture with the flavors of the New World.

The Guyanese in New York have a very tasty array of treats. There are chickpeas with curry sauce along with the English black pudding flavored with red peppers called wiri-wiri. The stars, though, are banana beignets made with ripe banana . This is a mix of mashed bananas flavored with almonds and vanilla and a fragrant dough ,laced with cinnamon and nutmeg. These are fried as with any fritter and then served with powdered sugar. This last is probably based on the Indian shakapara which are fried bread balls covered with powdered sugar. The Indian Holi sounds a bit wilder with drinks laced with a form of cannabis called bhang.

Whether it's Holi or Phagwah, it's a time of celebration and feasting. Young and old make and eat time honored dishes and just have fun. It's a time to enjoy Spring.

Christmas Eve

Tonight is Christmas Eve. Enjoy it with loved ones, whether they be family and friends. Cherish your family recipes and holiday dishes. Remember the needy and the ones at war. Pray for worldwide peace and tolerance.

Liz