Tag: the family table

The Family Table: Spaghetti Clam Sauce, a Family Favorite From the Pantry

Submitted by Linda Johnson, Kalispell, Montana I grew up in the Bronx in New York in the 1950s, and oh, was it fun! It was such an eclectic neighborhood—every nationality was represented. The smells coming from windows and doorways and sometimes a street cart made you dash for home to eat! My dad was always…


The Family Table: Memories of Albania: Simple Dishes, Beach Picnics, and Food Rations

Submitted by Elda Capuni-Lemmon, Apalachin, New York My childhood food memories are of simple cooking, big and small family gatherings and celebrations, and food lines and rations. I was born in communist Albania, which remained so until 1991. Food diversity was limited, so every family cooked very similar dishes. Climbing my apartment building’s stairs, I could…


The Family Table: When Dad Made His Latkes, Even 100 Wasn’t Enough

Submitted by Sandra Banas, Brunswick, Maine My dad used to make these latkes every year at Hanukkah. He said he got the recipe from his momma, who made them in a coal-fired stove in her big kitchen in Burlington, Vermont. Dad was a wonderful cook who found joy and relaxation in the kitchen, and my…


The Family Table: A 4-Generation Holiday Side, From Germany to America

Submitted by Kent Higgins, Highlands Ranch, Colorado When I was a teenager, my grandmother Margarette (1888–1966) taught me how to prepare a few traditional German meals, which her mother, Caroline (1853–1936), had taught her. These recipes all originated in northern Germany in the Eschersand and Sonderborg, Schleswig-Holstein areas near Flensburg. Blaukraut, this simple red cabbage…


The Family Table: In Praise of Family Dinners

Submitted by Patricia Clemens, Port Angeles, Washington A few weeks ago, a grandson was visiting from several hundred miles away. At an evening meal with uncles, aunts, and cousins, his father said, “Now one of your wishes for this trip has come true: You got to have a family dinner.” It reminded me of the…


The Family Table: Mom’s 4-Ingredient Baked Macaroni

Submitted by Patricia McAdams, Sun City Center, Florida My mom, Martha Callahan, was a fantastic cook, but my favorite meal was her amazing macaroni, colored red because of a bit of tomato paste added to the recipe. Mom made this comfort food almost every Friday night when I was growing up. I continued the tradition when I…


The Family Table: Biscuits and Chocolate Pudding, With a Side of Kentucky Memories

Submitted by Lanie Montgomery, Ohio Biscuits and chocolate pudding might seem like an unusual pairing. But growing up, it was loved by everyone in my family, especially the kids. We had it for breakfast on Saturdays when we would spend a Friday night with my grandparents. It was usually served with a side of fried…


The Family Table: 4 Secrets to Grandma’s Unbeatable Brownies

Submitted by Megan Baker, Grants Pass, Oregon My grandmother and I have similar penmanship. Perhaps that’s why I pull out the index card containing her “Saucepan Brownies” recipe even though I’ve had it memorized for years now. I like looking at her writing. Growing up, my family would spend Sunday mornings at church and Sunday afternoons…


The Family Table: It’s Sacumpach Season!

Submitted by E. M. McCreight (grandchild No. 1), Springfield, Virginia Every September, when the garden overflowed with tomatoes and green peppers, my German-born grandmother would gather the family, including us seven grandchildren, for a dinner of homemade “sacumpach.” We kids picked out the best parts of the casserole (does anyone like green peppers as a…


The Family Table: A Grandmother’s Legacy of Love, Home Cooking, and Coffee Cake Mornings

Submitted by Terese Luikens, Sandpoint, Idaho For the first eight years of my life, I lived near my grandma and enjoyed partaking in the feasts she served for memorable holiday meals. Uncles, aunts, and cousins sat shoulder-to-shoulder around tables laden with tender beef roasts, smooth brown gravy, fluffy mashed potatoes, and always a choice of cream…