“Do you know how to cook?” Ma asked Rev Stuart. He had brought supplies : beans, flour, salt, tea and salt pork. “The meat is easy. Cut slices, parboil, roll in flour and fry…” “Would you mind writing it down?” said Rev Stuart. “How much flour, and how much milk?”
“Goodness” said Ma. “I never measure, but I guess I can make a stab at it.” She got a sheet of paper and her little pearl-handled pen and the ink bottle, and wrote down her receipts for fried salt pork and gravy, and sour-dough biscuits and bean soup and baked beans…

Who doesn’t have boxes and boxes full of treasured family recipes? Handwritten by mothers and grandmothers, sisters and friends… torn pages *gasp* from magazines! Who, at times, felt ready to throw it out because it took up space, or you never looked at it, or you don’t have the time nor inclination to sort through it and put it in order. Which mother doesn’t want to leave a legacy of recipes for her daughters? I told myself, “MAKE TIME”! Start with sorting it into categories, make piles of tried and tested recipes, another pile of recipes you still want to try, and another pile of family favorites which conjure up memories of laughter and aromas and sibling rivalry and everything that resembles family gatherings. Preserves, all those favorite appetizers everyone tucked into, the last sausage roll everyone wanted, puddings, breads, you name it …

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So I started the project and my ultimate goal is to “publish” a book that will hopefully be around for many years to come. The recipes will be accompanied by stories of gatherings with friends and family, memories of kitchens and fun, holidays, camping, some of my dad’s poems …

A labor of love, for sure. A legacy for my children and their children and friends. Actually, for anyone longing for the warmth of family gatherings and laughter.

Watch this space!