Life...It's All About the Food

This past weekend I was lucky enough to be visiting some great friends of mine that I had not seen in a long time.  Their daughter is 8 years old and loves to cook.  When I arrived there were 3 containers of sugar cookies all cut out in the shape of reindeer, snowmen, bells and angels.  “Auntie M, do you want to decorate with me?”  My children are now in their late teens, and spending time with mom decorating isn’t exactly on their list of favorite things to do.  I quickly responded to Sarah, “I would love to”.  This started the most magical afternoon of giggling, breaking cookies, eating them, and telling stories. 

The event reminded me of the motto our family has always lived by: “It’s All About the Food”.  We remember events by recipes and family members, we always include some fantastic nibblies for a social event, we cater to our guests with libations and sweets when they visit, and we hand down traditions as a sacred rite of passage.

A few Christmas’ back we had a guest spend a week with us from Cape Breton.  It was her first time in Alberta and we wanted to show her all the things about Alberta that we love.  We spent time at the Banff Springs Hotel for Sunday Brunch; we took her for Vietnamese Food at our favorite local spot; we went skiing and ate on the hill; we went into Calgary for some major shopping and a hot chocolate at the top of the Calgary Tower; we had fondue; and, we did raclette.  When she phoned home to let everyone know what she was up to, she didn’t mention the landmarks, she bragged about the food!  That was our first real reflection on how important food is to our social environment.

Last night we were at a Christmas concert in Port Hood, Cape Breton, and before the concert finished we all had to join in and sing the last song – our reward would be the numerous treats waiting on the back table:  sandwiches, squares, punch, oatcakes and cookies.  No event is complete on the island unless the guests are treated to the best goodies, and of course King Cole black tea.

My family has roots in Hungary, and paprika has always been an important part of our recipes.  I remember my Great Grandmother making us donuts upon our arrival for our vacation.  We would then have a huge lunch, usually with homemade soup and noodles, fried chicken or chicken and dumplings, and bird’s nest cookies for dessert.  One day of our vacation was always set aside to spend a day with Nagymama, (as we affectionately called her), where she taught us how to make noodles from scratch.  One day I had the honor of learning how to make strudel as well.  She rolled the dough so paper thin by hand, I could not believe her patience and perseverance.  After lunch, Papapa, (my Great Grandfather), would walk us to the corner store and give us a quarter.  My sister and I always bought a bag of barbecue potato chips and savored the walk home with our great grandfather.    

At my grandparents house, my grandmother was famous for her homemade bread.  She always had fresh twists ready when we arrived, and breakfast would see the loaves of bread disappear quickly as our homemade toast was slathered with fresh apricot jam that was runny and soaked into our bread.  I always found room for 4 pieces of toast on those breakfast mornings.   My grandfather always insisted on taking a picture of the dinner table before we ate at our family gatherings.  He had lost both his parents and the family farm by the time he was fourteen years old, and there were many days and nights that he wandered the roads across Canada trying to find somewhere to get a bite of food.  By taking a picture of the table for our family feasts, he could give thanks for the many blessings that he had found since that time. 

As we prepare for our Christmas celebrations this year, we have moved across the country to Cape Breton Island and we have left our extended family behind.  Our son, who is now out on his own, is visiting us for a few weeks.  What do we think about?  What would you like to eat while you are here?!  His first two requests, having been on the road for six months and eating restaurant food a lot of the time, was for my homemade pancakes (my Dad’s Dad’s recipe), and homemade macaroni (my husband’s claim to fame).  For his birthday I made Waldorf Astoria Red Cake (my mother-in-laws recipe).  Next week we will have the fondue pots out for some favorite beer batter with mustard sauce and sausages.  Devilled eggs will be on the menu for Christmas day, that is what both Mom’s always made for us.  And, no visit is complete without a few dozen chocolate chip cookies in the cookie jar.

As the commercialism of the season descends upon us through the weeks leading up to Christmas, I embrace my fond memories of dinners over the decades and with my family.  I think one of the greatest gifts I could pass to my kids, is a recipe book full of the favorites and the stories that accompany each delicacy.   My Great Aunt, who passed away this past January, published a cookbook of my Great Uncles recipes from the old country and from his time as a cook in the war.  This family heirloom is a bigger treasure now that she is no longer with us.  And, she was a writer.  She wrote for her local paper for over 3 decades.  We used to get angry with her telling family secrets from our various family events.  But now, as I look back at her stories, she recorded our history for us.  She preserved those precious moments visiting with each other and sharing the dinner table. 

Even the Christmas tree was full of popcorn strings with cranberries, gingerbread cookies, and candy cane treats!

As you plan for your festivities this season, take a moment to reflect on the traditions you are carrying on.  Perhaps you will have time to pass a recipe forward or attach a story to a favorite dish.  "Bon Appetite" as Julia Child’s would say, and Happy Holidays from our family to yours.