Make Notes on your Recipes!

Preparing food and cooking is such a delight in life, and we have so many memories with food. How do you know what to document for future generations? Here are our suggestions:

Dates and Methods: It can be very helpful to write down any recipe modifications on the back of your recipe card. This way you will be able to remember your process if you would like to pass down or share your recipe. Remember to record the date!

Occasions: Do certain foods remind you of childhood meals or special occasions? Add notes to your recipes to describe the occasion and any memories associated with the event.

For example, my favorite cake growing up was my grandmother Lois’ Chocolate Cake with Sticky Icing, and I would request it for every birthday. On the back of her recipe is a note: “Kate’s favorite cake.”

Bylined Articles

Preserve Family Traditions with a Time Capsule

American kitchens pretty much want for nothing anymore. From the ever-convenient microwave to electric ice cream and bread makers, we have access to tools that help us make just about anything we want in our own kitchens. There is no shortage of ingredients, either. I can get exotic fruits and spices at my local grocery store. I can buy as much flour and butter as I want.

My grandmother Betsy recently explained to me how cooking and meals changed during World War II. During that time, sugar, coffee, butter and beef-steak were among the types of foods that were in short supply. Women were encouraged to plant “victory gardens,” that would provide food for the family if even harder times arose – such as an attack on American soil. I am amazed by these stories, but I have to say, I want proof! Download: TimeCapsule

The Power of Food and the Importance of Family Recipes

As a child I remember waking up early to the smell of my grandmother’s cooking. She would rise at 6 or 7 AM to begin preparing a meal for the family. As usual, this meal would be special. She would know each of our favorite dishes and find the time to make all of them while offering breakfast to the grandchildren, who spent the night frequently. For many people food and family are intimately connected. Modern families have a difficult task when it comes to preserving this connection. How is it possible to make a meal from scratch when you have to work, pick up the kids, clean the house, complete personal projects, do the grocery shopping and carry on relationships with friends and loved ones? Download: PowerOfFood

Savor Family Recipes Forever: How to Write Clear Recipes

The way you write a recipe is as important as how you prepare it.

My grandmother Lois cooked huge, delicious meals for my extended family every Sunday. When my sister Whitney started cooking on her own, she asked for these recipes, but most of them were ingrained in Lois’ memory - not written on paper. So, Whitney would call Lois for particular recipes, who would dictate directions over the phone.

It may sound time-consuming or even tedious compared to the technology available today, but it was well worth it. I am so thankful that Whitney recorded these recipes. Now they are included in my family’s heirloom cookbook and will be there for future Walling generations.

One of the best ways to preserve family traditions is to put them to paper, especially recipes. But writing a recipe intended for years of use by many people requires a few extra steps beyond jotting down ingredients and directions. Download: Writing Clear Recipes