About Grandma’s Kitchen

By Janet Walgren
I come from a long line of very good cooks. Being the second oldest child of ten children, I was the family cook for a family of twelve persons. Some of my favorite family recipes date back over a hundred years. They were passed down in the kitchen not in a book, you know the handful of this and a pinch of that kind of thing. Obviously the recipes were pretty healthy because my ancestors have a history of longevity. Most lived close to one hundred years of age in-spite of the fact that they ate home canned fruits and vegetables, raw milk, honey, sugar, salt, eggs, real butter, real whipped cream and even lard. Perhaps they lived for the good food or perhaps it was the result of saying my great aunt Irma Taylor’s blessing:

Dear Lord,

We thank thee for this delicious food and pray that none of the calories will land on our hips.

(Blessing found in a recipe book that Great Aunt Irma Taylor had made up as a gift to give to her posterity at her 100 year old birthday party. Her recipe book contains tips and tidbits on cooking and life in the old days that I will pass along on this blog.)

Recently I received a cookbook containing photos of delicious looking recipes. When I started reading the ingredient lists it reminded me of another cookbook I received as a gift in my twenties, “Buy one box of this and one package of that and add (box, package or can of brand-name ingredient) to the ready made product and voila!” Doesn’t anyone know how to cook from scratch anymore? 

The same question goes for old fashion cookware and kitchen utensils. Does anyone know how to use them? Nowadays it’s buy this and be careful how you use it or the coating will scratch. Modern cookware isn’t made for cooking and neither is the modern kitchen. There is no place to put food. My daughter’s $400,000+ house came with a kitchen sink that isn’t supposed to be exposed to hot water. Go figure that one. 

I use cast iron pots and pans. I scrub them with soap, dry them, warm them on the kitchen stove then apply a light coating of vegetable oil to keep them in perfect condition. I use my grandma’s hand graters and beaters. They are precision engineered and work like a charm. I have had these utensils for over 40 years and they are in as good or better condition than when I first got them. My kitchen is stocked with basic ingredients and the fragrance of home baked bread.

After pondering the state of the modern kitchen and dinner table, I decided to pass on the wonderful tradition, the art of cooking, that was passed down to me. I hope that you enjoy this blog and please feel free to comment and share your own favorite recipes with me and my readers.

Happy Cooking!

Janet Walgren