What I Really Know About … GRANDMOTHER’S COOKING

Ancestral food – that’s what we name those special dishes that evoke fond childhood memories of times past.  “Gran-gran” lived a simple life in a simple home in southern Georgia.  When we traveled from “far away” in northern Georgia to visit her, there were always two certainties that greeted us, no matter what time of day or night we arrived.  One was her wide-armed hug which enveloped grandchildren she saw far too seldom.  The other was a collection of dishes prepared no doubt with love and anticipation of our arrival. 

A meager budget required her to plan weeks in advance to feed the crowd.  But feeding the children and grandchildren with her special dishes was one of her ways of showing love.  The pie safe (hand built by my grandfather) held apple crisp, along with a white enamel bowl covering a pound cake made by hand from scratch (there was no modern mixer).  On the stove were white rice and field peas – a well known staple in that region of the country.  In the oven simmered an aromatic pot roast and onions baked for hours to fork-tender perfection.  A unique version of macaroni and cheese rounded out the feast that we savored at whatever hour we arrived.

Gran-gran passed away in 1975, but the memories and recipes of those ancestral foods lives on.  When we gather as an extended family, these dishes are always served at least once.  Now the great grandchildren ask for and love to cook some of the same foods.

The pie safe that held the sweets now holds a place of honor in my brother’s kitchen.  The white enamel bowl is no longer used as a cake cover, but is a treasured piece of my kitchen décor.  I’m not sure where the rice pot and roast pot are, but I bet they are in my dad’s collection of special treasures. 

The recipes, which by today’s standards would not be deemed healthy, live on.  We may not eat those ancestral foods often as we strive for healthy living – but we do enjoy them still.  What does remain is a healthy memory of Gran-gran and the love she showered on us all with her special cooking.

Gran-gran surrounded by her grandchildren Christmas 1974.

Submitted by:

Diane Shelton