Some people are fortunate enough to grow up with parents that cook.. I mean not just one of them, but both. I think having two parents that know their way around a kitchen and that are able to whip up something that just melts in your mouth at any meal.. well consider yourself lucky. Jumping to the other end of the spectrum there are those that have or have had parents that consider “cooking” when they order out..
Then there are those that were in the shoes I was in, a combination of the two…
My dad born and raised in the south grew up learning to cook from his mother, who in turn he passed the cooking on to me. I will be honest there weren’t many things he’d fix that I would turn my nose up at… however there were a few.. I hated liver and cabbage and to this day I won’t cook or eat either. There were plenty of other things I did not want to eat as a kid and will be forever thankful I had a dog in the house on the days those meals were made. My dad gave me the gift of patience, which I have only seemed to have mastered in the kitchen..and my husband would probably have to agree with this…lol There were certain traditions growing up with my dad that I have tried to keep alive after his passing almost 16 years ago. Sometimes I am successful with remembering them and keeping up with them and other times..not so much. I remember the dinners he would make and hanging out in the kitchen watching sometimes stirring something together and really not thinking about it until recently that I was in the kitchen cooking my fair share even back then. He never read a recipe card or book making things off of pure memory from making them with his mother. I was never fortunate enough to meet her, however I do think she must be with me in the kitchen at times making sure my meals pull together as well… Right before my father passed I asked him to teach me how to make Eggs Benedict. I sat on my dad’s bed on December 23rd, 1997 with pen and paper in hand as my dad recited off items from memory to buy at the grocery. My oldest child had just been born 7 months prior, and I figured after all the health problems my dad had endured for the previous 10 years that I would get my act together and start writing down some of his recipes he had memorized. I can’t say that I knew or even have known many 20 y/o’s were married, had a baby and already wanting to be ready to share in a tradition later on in life.. I returned from the grocery and discussed with my dad how Eggs Benedict were made and what I would need to pull out the next morning to set up the kitchen to start cooking… I never did learn how to make his Eggs Benedict… My dad passed away the following morning…
My mom not born and raised in the south had a bit of a different upbringing. To be honest parts of it I’m really not sure of since she had lost her mother at an early age, she doesn’t remember or want to talk about certain things.. So I respect that and I have tried to fill in any blanks along the way whenever I am with her. My mom use to work crazy hours as a Realtor in Miami, that I will chuck that up to the limited meals that she made. Whenever I was at her house t.v. dinners were the norm., as was cereal and takeout Chinese. I knew though my mom could cook, because on Thanksgiving she would pull a meal together that I would end up in a food coma from eating way to much. So once a year my mom would go all out and I just didn’t understand it.. Well in the early 90’s when she remarried something strange happened, I would actually see her in the kitchen making stuff.. (cue the Angels..lol).. but then I would look around and wouldn’t really see anything “happening”.. I mean sure I would smell food cooking. The turkey was in one oven while not just one pie, but two were in the other… green beans on the stove boiling away. After many years of watching my dad cook and knowing the mess that is involved with making pies, I didn’t see a measuring cup or spoon in sight..HOLY CRAP!!! The Angels came to a hush as I opened up the cabinet where the garbage can was in.. It wasn’t my mom cooking.. it was Mrs. Smith 😦 I gave her crap for a long time for those pies and still do to this day..lol Maybe she felt it was too difficult to make a pie from scratch (which it really isn’t) and opted to go the safe route. Regardless, I will admit there are some things my mom has learned to make along the way that makes up for the pies. My mom makes an omelet that honestly can’t be replicated by anyone. They really aren’t your “traditional”omelet and I’m fine with that…and thinking about it right now only makes me wish she wasn’t so far away because I would be at her house tomorrow morning asking for one..actually I don’t know who I am kidding, I would go over right now..lol Oh and I recently tasted Brussel sprouts, first made by my sister (although I wasn’t sold on them at that time).. I gave them another go when my mom told me how to make them and I told her my sister went rogue and did her own version. Wow! is all I can say with the ones my mom made.. 🙂
With two totally different parents, that had two totally different views on food.. I decided to put this blog together. With the recent passing of my stepfather, who really was more of a second dad and not just someone my mom married. I know my mom will be out socializing again, like she had before B. had gotten sick..and I know that someone really shouldn’t call something homemade when you only heated it up, because you may not get invited back to that event..well maybe you will but your pie sure won’t..lol I’m pretty sure my mom never brought one of these above mentioned pies.. Am I saying this over and over again?? Yes I am.. Why? because I know as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow that I will receive an email or a phone call about this and so as my “disclaimer”.. (Mom, I know you haven’t brought Mrs. Smith’s pies to anyone’s house passing it off as your own).. but I do know there have been some things leaving her house that could be in question.. Since I do know my mom has the ability to make some awesome meals and dishes to “Wow”her friends with, and I know I have the ability to make things that are easy for her to recreate..
Mom, I am going to provide you with the best how to in cooking that I possibly can.. I hope you enjoy it. Love you~N.
That Southern Girl 