If you know me or my family at all, you knkw we feed pretty much anyone at the drop of a hat (although I will say, I’ve discovered this doesn’t happen with people I don’t like.) Not just feed either, we adopt people and give them more food than they know what to do with. It’s our way of showing love along with bad puns and teasing, of course.
Time spent cooking and baking comes with all sorts of memories ranging from silly, to lovely, to just plain ridiculous. For example, Dad sneakily tying my apron string to a chair, singing loudly into a spatula, fights over who gets the first prune tart from the oven, sneaking behind doors to lick the dessert plate (that one was all Grandma Shirley,) making family recipes, pickle trays, and the infamous Christmas butter count.
I remember making lovely tea parties with Grandma Shirley and getting big chocolate chip cookies in oatmeal cartons from Grandma Florence. And, of course, telling my younger brother for years that I made him a “special-no sauce” chicken potpie (that absolutely had sauce!) until he learned that he actually did like the sauce. Oh, he was so mad!
Not surprisingly, family kitchen lore is really weaved into my family history. After sharing the picture of my Mom’s hanging rolling pins in her birthday baking post, we had a lovely chat about the origins of those particular pins. That led to thoughts about all the kitchen heirlooms I’ve inherited over the years. I thought it might be fun to share them with you too!
I’ll start with the rolling pins, as I was charmed to know their stories, although they aren’t mine.
I made the ornament on top for my Mom out of a canning jar ring that was starting to look a little wonky to can with, but works great covered in thread! The top pin was made for my Mom by my Grandpa Ed. The middle pin was gifted to my Mom by my “winter grandma,” a dear family friend, Nancy. The bottom pin belonged to my Grandma Florence.
Continuing the rolling pin theme, I have the Husband’s paternal Grandma Ruby’s pin. I knew my MIL liked me when she started giving me family kitchen things. 😁
I was also given a cookie press and a sifter belonging to my Grandma in Laws- Ruby and Mary.
The same year I was given that cookie press, I was also given my Grandma Shirley’s cookie press, so now I could keep one as a gluten free press if needed. I have used them for at least a couple of Christmases to make delicious spritz cookies.
This year I also received a cake plate that belonged to Grandma Mary as well. Look how pretty the underside is!
One of our family traditions is sand tarts, a Norwegian almond cookie. They are made in little shaped tins. My Grandma Shirley had quite a collection of them and I have some of them. Some of them probably came from out family’s bakery that was started by my Great Great Grandpa Sivert.
A few are probably getting too rusty to use and I’m thinking of making keepsake ornaments with them. Those are most likely the older ones, so it makes them more special!
I have a pie plate and a bread pan from my Grandma Florence that my Mom gave me when I moved out on my own.
My Dad makes really lovely wooden spoons and he gave this one to us! He also carved a wee doll spoon for my Kirsten American Girl Doll.
Since it’s Christmas, my favorite family kitchen heirloom is a relatively new one, but no less special. It’s our very own Christmas tablecloth made by my Mom in 2011. It made me cry, of course! Now it’s a huge part of our Epiphany party. This year we delivered cookies and took the tablecloth with us!
There’s a post online that been going around for a while that’s about a family who has a signed table cloth going back 16 years. It cracks me up every time, since the original family one for us was started in the 60’s!
It makes me wonder about other family traditions and kitchen stories, so if you have any to share, please feel free! I hope you’ve enjoyed these small memories and stories. I will be posting some year end and feview posts shortly!
