Have you ever longed for that special pie your grandmother would make every time you visited? Is there a favorite family recipe that’s been handed down over the years? Do you have old, stained, hand-written recipe cards that bear witness to a past generation? Then you have the beginnings of a very special Grandparent’s day celebration!

Recipes used to be passed on orally, the same as stories. Food is a central character in family traditions and in reminiscing about the past. A mere whiff of long-forgotten scent can instantly transport us back in time and a taste of an old comfort food can lighten a melancholy mood. Family history and family recipes enjoy a timeless, symbiotic relationship. You can not separate them without losing essential parts of the story.

If you are fortunate enough to live in close proximity to either your parents or grandparents, you have a perfect opportunity coming up to revel in the joy that food brings to shared family history. For Grandparent’s Day this year, plan a meal that includes one or more recipes from their past and then enjoy that meal together. If your extended family members are not close by, you can still celebrate by baking cookies or a cake that can be easily shipped to them. You could even splurge on shipping and have your delivery expedited with overnight or 2-day shipping so that your goodies arrive as fresh as possible.

What You Need

Recipes – You may have them already but if you don’t, you have a couple of choices. The most direct would be to call or email your parent or grandparent and ask. And then of course, there’s our friend Google. Many of those beloved recipes came from magazine clippings and cookbooks and while you may not find and exact replica, you can get pretty close. Sites like Grandma’s Vintage Recipes are dedicated to sharing those kinds of recipes.

Stories – Start with your own experiences with the recipe(s) your are making. When was the first time you tasted it? What do you remember about how or why it was made? Then interview other family members for their recollections.

Photos- This is definitely optional but if you have the time and resources, it could be a special touch. Your grandparent’s wedding portrait, multi-generation photos (i.e. great-grandma, grandma, mom, you, and your child in one picture), photos of the handwritten family recipes, photos of the food you are making are some ideas but certainly use your imagination and available resources.

Video camera – If you will celebrating in person, take this prime opportunity to get video footage of your parent or grandparent reminiscing about the recipe(s), telling stories from their childhood and interacting with you and your children.

Share the Meal and the Memories

Collect your stories, use the photos to decorate the table and set-up the video camera. During the meal, share the stories and most importantly, take time to listen to tales that your guest of honor has to tell. It will be priceless.

What are some of your most fond family recipe memories?

Photo credits: Liz West and Phil Roeder via Flickr Creative Commons