s/o Your grandma's cooking

[Deleted]

My grandma cooks everything in leftover bacon grease she saves in an old coffee can. Everything.

[Deleted]

Dec 9, 2014 11:44:07 GMT -5 mryrcn said:

Dec 9, 2014 11:43:35 GMT -5 @fucksticklegit said:

My grandma cooks everything in leftover bacon grease she saves in an old coffee can. Everything.

I heart your grandma.  Just so you know.  

She's kind of a lush too.  Peach Schnapps is her poison. Oh Nana.

[ajj]

My grandmother worked full time and her recipes reflect that. She used to tell me how she would spend her Sundays cooking all the food for the week and then would freeze them to eat during the week. She still mostly did that after she retired. My mom didn't enjoy her food much, but I loved it. She was an awesome baker and my mom does like those treats. She taught me how to cook and bake and I think I'm pretty good at it because of her. I'm pretty sure she gave me my sweet tooth, too.

She gave me a folder of all her recipes when I was younger, so I have them all now. I lost her earlier this year and miss her so, so much. Sometimes I'll pull out one of her recipes and make it to just feel like she is near me. Cooking really reminds me of her.

[msmerymac]

Dec 9, 2014 11:25:06 GMT -5 jillboston said:

My Mom's mom died when she was ten. As she had 10 kids I imagine she cooked a lot - but Mom didn't remember.
My Dad's Mom was a farm wife and a good cook - she taught my Mom to make pies (my Grandpa had pie in milk for breakfast every day of his life - so at least one pie was made everyday by Grandma). She died when I was seven so I never ate her food.
My Mom taught us pie making from her MIL instructions-one sister is a particularly great pie maker as a result.
My Mom was a great cook - made the best bread.

DH and I had his Italian grandma teach us her tomato sauce - so glad we did.

My mom's maternal grandparents both grew up on farm families. My middle name is actually after my mom's great grandmother (her mom's dad's mom) who used to get up and make a pie AND donuts every morning. For farm breakfast. In lard. 

[thejackpot]

Omg my Nanny (now deceased) was the best cook in the world. Her cooking is legendary and she passed that on to my dad. He can throw down in the kitchen. She never used a recipe and she really relied on the taste of the food. There are things that I make from her and I am "looks glossy enough, must be enough sugar" I know that is the only way that I can explain it. I am so glad that she lived close enough to us and she lived such a long life that we had a lot of time together. 

My mom's mother is a good cook but she doesn't really have a passion for it.

[meshaliuknits]

The only things I recall my mother's mother making are oatmeal and pancakes on Sundays. I'm certain we ate other meals there, but I have no memory of them. Her pancakes were magically, though that may have been because we didn't get breakfast until after church and it was almost noon by the time we ate them.

My father's mother made this thing that was a ball of rice and hamburger wrapped in a cabbage leaf. I think it's a Polish thing. I remember liking it.

[laurenpetro]

Dec 9, 2014 11:28:18 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

Dec 9, 2014 11:07:33 GMT -5 laurenpetro said:

i never met my dad's mom but my nanny was, by all accounts, the WORST COOK EVER. even worse than my mom and she was terrible.

Are you Irish-American? I called my maternal grandmother Nanny, too.

The only thing I really remember Nanny making for us was roast beef and mashed potatoes. My dad says she wasn't a very good cook, and my mom definitely didn't inherit any cooking skills from her.

My paternal grandmother's pot roast is really good. I know she's made other good things but that's my favorite dish of hers. And her cranberry sauce is also good - when she lived nearby she'd give me a jar every Thanksgiving. She's given me some cooking utensils, pots, and her wedding silverware over the years.

I think I'm a pretty good cook, but I'm self-taught. My mom's only good things are her Irish soda bread and her corned beef on St. Patrick's Day.

i am. well, i'm irish-italian. the italian grandma was the one that died young that i didn't meet. my irish grandma, nanny, used ketchup in her sauce.  a sin, i tell you.    

[msmerymac]

Dec 9, 2014 11:44:51 GMT -5 @fucksticklegit said:

Dec 9, 2014 11:44:07 GMT -5 mryrcn said:

I heart your grandma.  Just so you know.  

She's kind of a lush too.  Peach Schnapps is her poison. Oh Nana.

Lol, schnapps was definitely a thing at my grandparents' house. And gin and tonics in the summer. And Cold Duck as the holiday wine selection, which I'm pretty sure is a 50s thing.

[starlily]

My grandma cooked over open flame in an outdoor kitchen her whole life. Seriously. There wasn't any electricity or running water in their village until a few years after she died. Almost everything was homemade with ingredients from their farmland.

My mom used family recipes for curries, etc., but had the conveniences of an American kitchen.

[ijack]

My grandma doesn't cook. However growing up I remember her making the most amazing chocolate chip cookie dough. The cookies weren't that great once they were baked, but damn the dough was good.

[mbcdefg]

Dec 9, 2014 11:50:03 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

The only things I recall my mother's mother making are oatmeal and pancakes on Sundays. I'm certain we ate other meals there, but I have no memory of them. Her pancakes were magically, though that may have been because we didn't get breakfast until after church and it was almost noon by the time we ate them.

My father's mother made this thing that was a ball of rice and hamburger wrapped in a cabbage leaf. I think it's a Polish thing. I remember liking it.

Galumpkis/stuffed cabbage!

[MarmeeNoir]

My paternal grandma was born in 1904. Everything was homemade and they were dirt poor. She be came a widow in '35 and 5 illegitimate kids after, plus 3 surviving from her husband. I remember LOVING her noodles. I didn't see her much.

My maternal grandmother was dead before I was born, but she didn't even raise her kids.

[mominatrix]

the one grandmother who was alive into my childhood was Scottish.

that's all you need to know about that.

[NitaX]

My mother's paternal grandma (aka Madea to me - yes, this black girl had a Madea) was best known for her sweet potato pie. I'm the one who took an old basic recipe and makes it the same way she did. My first pie attempt was horrible. I stood in my kitchen and was like "This bad. Madea, what am I doing wrong!" I'm pretty sure it was her spirit who told me what I was doing wrong. I had an AH-HA moment, and it's been just as good as Madea's old pie ever since. I had fond memories of walking down to her house after church and there being a pie there waiting on me.

My grandma (my mom's mom) can't cook. We don't let that lady touch shit when she comes to visit. Well - except banana pudding. Now, she can fix that right. LOL

[5thofjuly]

One of my grandmothers isn't even an "open a can" woman. She and my grandpa ate every meal out. The other cooks A TON but, unfortunately, isn't very good at it. She puts together all kinds of bizarre combinations. Her favorite food texture appears to be "mushy." Thankfully my mom and I must have gotten the recessive genes.

[skwcm80]

My paternal grandparents passed away before I was born. My grandmother is still alive and makes amazing Nigerian food, but my favorite dish of hers is Akara (balls of peeled black eyed peas fried in oil). I think I offended my mom a few weeks ago when I told her I won't anyone else's but my grandma's.

[cattledogkisses]

Oh, and we always had crêpes for breakfast when we'd stay with my grandparents when I was a kid. Crêpes with fruit and molasses or maple syrup. Now I want some.

[mominatrix]

Dec 9, 2014 11:54:07 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

Dec 9, 2014 11:44:51 GMT -5 @fucksticklegit said:

She's kind of a lush too.  Peach Schnapps is her poison. Oh Nana.

Lol, schnapps was definitely a thing at my grandparents' house. And gin and tonics in the summer. And Cold Duck as the holiday wine selection, which I'm pretty sure is a 50s thing.

not just Cold Duck, but Andre Cold Duck, goddamit!

it was the 70's, though.

[gottadobe]

My paternal grandparents dies too young for me to remember. No recipes were passed down.

My maternal grandfather did most of the cooking. After he died, my grandmother would forget to eat because he'd make dinner and call her to come it, and there was nobody there to do that anymore.

After he died she went through a crazy cooking phase where she mixed things like bok choy and chorizo.

[ghostmonkey]

Other than baking a turkey that was always dry, I have no idea how my mom's mom cooked. I'm assuming not well. My aunt really can't cook either.

My dad's mom and her family? Yeah, every last one of us can cook. My mom learned to cook from dad's mom. Grandma taught her well.

[sporky]

My dad's mom was an amazing cook. She was a down-home country Southern cook so that meant lots of butter and bacon grease and cheese. My absolute favorites of hers were her potato soup, veggie soup, mac and cheese, fresh cherry cobbler, and green beans. She had a severe stroke several years ago, so she is no longer able to cook, unfortunately. To this day, my sister and I have not been able to replicate her green beans. Seriously, I know exactly what brands she used for all her ingredients, but no matter how many times any of us try, they are never as good as when she made them. I miss those a lot.

[lyssbobiss, Command, B613]

Full fat, huge meals, always way too much food, and my grandfathers both always wanted you to have seconds and thirds. I got truly spoiled eating with them. My mom, by comparison, cooks like Cher in Mermaids.

[jillboston]

Dec 9, 2014 11:54:27 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

Dec 9, 2014 11:50:03 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

The only things I recall my mother's mother making are oatmeal and pancakes on Sundays. I'm certain we ate other meals there, but I have no memory of them. Her pancakes were magically, though that may have been because we didn't get breakfast until after church and it was almost noon by the time we ate them.

My father's mother made this thing that was a ball of rice and hamburger wrapped in a cabbage leaf. I think it's a Polish thing. I remember liking it.

Galumpkis/stuffed cabbage!

love these!! My sis married a Polish-American and learned from his family and an SIL is from a PA family of 7 girls - same thing

[EloiseWeenie]

My maternal grandmother was an awesome baker. She loved making cookies, cakes, and treats for us. We got lots because she lived next door. I know she made main dishes, but I honestly can't think of any meat/side that she made, LOL. I just remember her making a ham sandwich every night for dinner, LOL!

I don't know my paternal grandmother very well (my dad initiates with her, never her with him or us). In eastern NC, the Chef & the Farmer (Vivian Howard's restaurant from PBS Show) is the best restaurant in the entire region. My grandmother lives in the same town as the Chef & the Farmer. When my parents visit me, they try to take her there, and she says, "I prefer Hardee's." I imagine if she actually cooks everything (I don't imagine she does), it would probably be total crap.

eta: HOW COULD I FORGET HER CRAB CAKES?! Her crab cakes were the best.

[Scout'sHonor]

I'm jealous of these amazing grandmother cooks. Mom's mom is the one that burned stuff and dad's mom just heated cans. H tells me all the wonderful things his grandmothers made and I salivate.

[EloiseWeenie]

Dec 9, 2014 12:32:51 GMT -5 mryrcn said:

Dec 9, 2014 12:30:34 GMT -5 EloiseWeenie said:

My maternal grandmother was an awesome baker. She loved making cookies, cakes, and treats for us. We got lots because she lived next door. I know she made main dishes, but I honestly can't think of any meat/side that she made, LOL. I just remember her making a ham sandwich every night for dinner, LOL!

I don't know my paternal grandmother very well (my dad initiates with her, never her with him or us). In eastern NC, the Chef & the Farmer (Vivian Howard's restaurant from PBS Show) is the best restaurant in the entire region. My grandmother lives in the same town as the Chef & the Farmer. When my parents visit me, they try to take her there, and she says, "I prefer Hardee's." I imagine if she actually cooks everything (I don't imagine she does), it would probably be total crap.

I love Vivian.  She is so awesome.  I missed my chance to meet her and 3 other female chefs recently and I was pissed.  Do you watch her show?  She keeps it real. 

I love her and the show! Have you been to Chef & the Farmer? It's amazing. I haven't been to the Boiler Room yet, but I'm sure I'll go soon. 

[pinkdutchtulips]

my mom's mom didn't cook or if she did, it was super bland tasteless crap. she never taught her daughters to cook either.

my dad's mom ... omg !!! she and my gpa owned and operated a texmex Italian restaurant in new mexico and my gma's mom was a trained pastry chef who worked in some pretty swank hotels in so cal. my mom's dinner rolls and cinnamon Christmas tree rolls were hijacked from her former mil. my mom learned how to cook from her in-laws not much other than the yummy yeasty dinner roll recipe survives ... that said, my gma told my mom that she had perfected the roll recipe as my mom's were better than her mil's too bad great gma wasn't around to be the ultimate decider !

[Deleted]

My paternal grandmother was very Phyllis Schlafly and pro-homemaker. Typical Polish/Hungarian fare, which I could still find at any of our local festivals. But her baked goods were to die for--kiefels, nut roll, and her OMG peach pie. She was a firm believer in lard. (she's still alive, but in assisted care and no longer cooking/baking).

My maternal grandmother was a bit too fond of Southern Comfort for me to remember much about her cooking. But I learned my love of kielbasa with cheddar and mustard, and a cold beer (yes, even when I was in single digits, a sip here and there), from my grandfather on that side of the family.

[terpsfan]

Both sets were terrible cooks. NYD consisted of smelling simmering sauerkraut and brats all day long. They didn't need to cook all day!!

[terpsfan]

Dec 9, 2014 11:50:38 GMT -5 mryrcn said:

Anyone have a grandma that makes really good dim sum? I need her because it's a long way to Yank Sing from here.

My MIL makes pretty good goi Cuon (Vietnamese summer rolls)