Monday, June 20, 2011

A Tribute to My Mom

That is (was) a plate of blueberry muffins. My mom had a recipe for blueberry muffins that I have never seen its duplicate. I've also never tasted its duplicate. Mom used to make these for every church bake sale, and they were the first to sell out.

Luckily, I have the recipe. I have since let the Girl in on the "secret" so she can make them. Whenever they are made, they are devoured within 24 hours. My Mom's name for the recipe was the simple, yet alluring "blueberry muffins". We have changed the name to the more descriptive "Grandma Margie's blueberry muffins". This isn't the first recipe name change I have made. I changed "molasses cookies" to "Mamoo Ruth's molasses cookies".

I think there is no better way than to keep a loved one's memory alive for later generations than through food. Every time we make these muffins, it's a chance for me to tell the kids about the grandma they never knew. By following her recipe, it's like she's there guiding them through the steps to the best blueberry muffin ever.

But you don't need to have a favorite recipe from a long gone family member to remember them by. I had a great aunt named Edna. She was by far the funniest person in my extended family. She was prone to making hysterical statements in her hillbilly twang that would bring tears of laughter to your eyes. Whenever some one starts telling stories about Edna, there would always be a mention of the mouthwatering blackberry cobbler she made in her cast iron skillet, followed by the lament that she never passed on the recipe (if she even used one.)

Not only is food a great way to remember some one, it can also bring great comfort by reminding us of that person. Years ago when my mother learned that the cancer could no longer be treated and she had only days, I asked her if there was anything special she would like to eat. She requested the molasses cookies that my grandmother (her mother) used to make. I had the recipe and rushed home to make a batch. My mother only had the energy to eat one, but at least she had one before she passed, hopefully bringing her some peace.

It's enough for me that some day my kidlets will remember their grandma and great-grandma this way. If I don't come up with something, they'll be telling my grandkidlets that this grandma really knew her way around a box of macaroni and cheese!