A while back, Ma posted about how to cook my Grandmother Mammy’s Chicken Fried Steak but what was fun about the whole thing was while she cooked she told me what she was doing as she cooked and why she was doing it. It was like a cooking class, she taught and I asked questions.
During Christmas break the children and I drove down to Smith Mountain Lake to my parents house to spend a few days with them. I always like going “home” because my mother pampers me. I know I am a mom but I really like being a daughter. Even though my kids are there my Ma makes sure that she mothers me too. I love her big meals. I know I cook too but there is something about Ma cooking for me.
See that KitchenAid mixer up there? While we cooked we did some math to figure out how old that mixer is. It is 28 years old and still going strong. It has some dings and nicks but it has worked well for her. Below is a tip I learned from her on this last trip. You don’t need another gadget to keep the food from spattering, she simply covers her mixer with plastic wrap when mixing anything messy, in this case mashed potatoes or whipped potatoes I should say. I have used a towel but it is not as efficient as the plastic wrap. Isn’t it nice to watch other people cook?
My mom also shared stories about Mammy (her mother-in-law) and her cooking and I was glad to know that she and my own mother had a good relationship. One funny story is that Mammy was a Texan and every time she visited my Ma (who is Italian), Ma would make Mammy Italian food and it wasn’t until many years later that Mammy finally admitted to my Ma that she did not care for it! While we cooked Ma pulled out this old pot to boil the potatoes. “This was Mammy’s pot.” she said. I think it is very special that some of Mammy’s cookware made it into my mother’s own kitchen.
TIPS I LEARNED WHILE COOKING WITH MA
1. When you dredge meat in flour, use that flour to make the gravy then throw the flour away.
2. When mixing something messy in the KitchenAid cover and seal the entire bowl with plastic wrap, no gadget to wash!
3. If you are having difficulty getting everything on the table hot at the same time, then turn your oven on low and place hot covered food in there to keep warm. I knew this one but it is so good to be reminded of the obvious!
4. Mammy’s fried chicken, pork chops, and chicken fried steak was always so tasty because she was never afraid to “season the heck” out of the flour. The flour should taste seasoned!
5. Mammy made sure to have one vegetable on the table that each child liked. That meant 6 different veggies for them! Does ice cream count?
6. Ma also told me that Mammy’s green salads were so simple. Lettuce, tomato if she had it, cucumber, and carrots. But the neat thing was that she chopped everything up very small. I thought about this and figured it is probably easier for little ones to eat it that way too. We asked my dad what Mammy served as dressing and he said, “salt and pepper!” Umm, no, pass the Ranch please!
Do you have cookware, cookbooks, or gadgets in your kitchen passed down to you from a loved one? Or special tips from mom, grandma, or an auntie?
Robin Sue
28 Comments
This is a great post! It is so important to share those kitchen stories. I have my aunt’s cookie jar that she got from her mother-in-law. I also have a bowl or two, aprons and I wish I had her favorite knife. Most of all I have great memories of spending time with her in the kitchen. That is really the important thing!
This is a wonderful post! I love that you got to spend time with your mom and all that she shared with you. Maybe it’s not new, but some folks are calling salads chopped small like that “spoon salads.” I haven’t tried it yet, but I like the idea because I love the little bits of cabbage and carrots from the cole slaw mix greens I add to my salads. Everyone really likes little bites.
As far as special things passed down, I got a little teary when I read that question. I have so much from my beloved grandmother. Cooking wise, the first thing that comes to mind is a true “hand” mixer–the kind where you turn the handle. The handle is painted red and white. You often see them in antique shops. It still works great, of course. I had an apron of hers that I just adored. A full apron. The kind that has an opening for your head. Very lightweight and great for cooking. Made from a very old-fashioned, but colorful print. It finally wore out, but there was enough left that I used it as a pattern to make another one. I still miss Grandma.
Shirley
Robin Sue, after discovering your blog yesterday and emailing you, I came back to it this afternoon and found this lovely post. It really spoke to me because just this morning, while making a batch of strawberry jam, I had been thinking how lovely it would be to be doing that with my mother. I really miss her, but I enjoy using all the kitchen equipment I inherited from her.