those oldies but goodies.

{cue back ground music} 
those oldies but goodies, remind me of you...
the songs of the past bring back memories of you
I'll always remember the first night we met,
the songs they were playing I never will forget.......

Many recipes are woven into the fabric of my ancestry, they help to define who I am. I still fancy the the foods of my childhood... tiny bits of meat, potato and onions folded into impossibly thin crepes and whoopee pies (sweet cream filled chocolate cake snacks), duplicated by my Mom whose recipe was uplifted to the level of the holy grail. I yearn for one more hunk of Mom's plum cake and cling to memories of Sunday dinners like a drowning man clings to a life raft. While not haute cuisine, these recipes were simple, homey and endlessly delicious...comfort food if you will.

I have spent many years asking begging for heirloom recipes from family members, some were easy to come by, others I have spent years sleuthing and cooking to duplicate (Tante Lydia's hochzeitssuppe still eludes me) until the taste and memory become one. I am lucky enough to have a wonderful mother-in-law, Emma, who loves to cook and loves to share her recipes with me, her beans and rice and arroz con pollo are legendary. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, moved to New York City, met and married a sailor of Swedish decent (most romantic story ever!) finally setteling in Washington State after stints in New York City, Berkley California and Boise Idaho. Let me tell you, Emma has quite the kaleidoscope of recipes. The last time I visited her in Spokane it was all I could do to keep myself from borrowing stealing her recipe box, as it was I filled a small notebook with as many recipes as I could. This is a particular favorite of Emma's, she got it in 1948 from "one of the gals" in her garden club in Seattle, she makes it every time we visit, it is dreamy indeed, after rice and beans of course (never for breakfast)!

 Danish Puff

(go here for recipe)