December 18, 2014 Advent with SusieJ

Kitchen

Conversation in the car, because I have cookie dough waiting to be baked:

"Mommy, do you have any of Omi's [grandmom's] cookie cutters?"

"No, but I have Omi's mom's cutters. If you have something of Omi's, does it feel like Omi is still here?"

"Yes."

"I know, Sweetie."

I feel closest to my grandmother when I am baking. She and my Aunt Heide in Germany are the best bakers I have known; my other aunts and great aunts are all a close second. It was my grandmother's recipes that were the important thing that I wanted to share with the world, back when I took over my web page from my husband.

Grandmom's kitchen equipment are my most cherished possessions, despite her saying, "What do you want with that?" To her, they were old and so well-used they were almost used up. To me, they were the equipment she used to make the magic happen. Like Voldemort, who was convinced the Elder Wand would make him the most powerful wizard ever, I believe using my grandmother's storage tins, cookie press and springerle mold will make every cake and cookie a culinary delight, or at least keep her by my side. I use her odd-shaped spatulas: the one with the hole that is perfect for Spaetzle dough, and the wooden spoon my grandfather cut off at an angle. I cook with the some of the pots from my Mom and Grandmom

When Mom died this summer, I brought home the apron one of her cousins had sewn for the grown women in the family. They were a plain apron shape, no frills, with a large divided pocket in front. For years, I have worn the one given to my grandmother. I am happy they are together again.

I have three binders of recipes Mom gave me a few years years ago, and my grandmother's recipes in a copy book and small binder held together by a rubber band and good will. Recipes are handwritten, typewritten (remember onionskin?), cut from magazines and newspapers. Reading the recipes, I can picture dinners in the dining room, friends over for holidays. It's the 70s and 80s again, Mom typing up a term paper for me on her electric, or I'm trying to bake Ausstecherle for the first time, while taping The Waitresses' "Christmas Wrapping" off the local rock station.

[Copyright Susan J. Talbutt, all rights reserved.]Mom with her friends.

The recipe: Sour-cream cut-outs

When eaten, these are tangy and delightfully soft. When rolling them out, they can be frustratingly sticky. Refrigerate until you can work with the dough without using extra flour or wanting to toss everything into the trash.

The craft: A variety of paper ornaments

I loved the How About Orange site's Christmas postings. Unfortunately, the site has ceased publication, moving everything to Pinterest and Facebook (!).