Baking has always been part of the holidays in my family. Grandma and Grandpa would come out to visit, and Mom would get Grandma to bake up some cookies that we could all help frost and decorate. Some cookies even became designed especially for their recipients. My birthday falls shortly after Christmas, and I always wanted Grandma to make cookies for me to share in school and a cake for my party at home before her visit was over.
Baking wasn't only a part of the holidays for Grandma. Whenever we visited, she had a stash of fresh cookies for Grandpa's mid-morning "coffee breaks." As I got older, I collected many of Grandma's recipes. Though I have some new favorites from friends, magazines, and cookbooks, handling the well-worn 3x5 cards and making a batch of Grandma's cookies gives me the same comfort and sense of family I get from this picture. It reminds me of connections, of traditions, and of quality time spent together.
Oh, yes, "Grandma's Cookies" are something special. My mother always mailed huge cookie boxes to each family as her grandchildren were growing up. Then when kids went to college, she sent more cookies that they loved even more. When we had to clean out the family house after she died, we asked each grandchild if there was something special they might want. Our daughter asked for Grandma's cookie sheets...the ones probably dated in the 1940s that had seen thousands and thousands of cookies. She now has them in her kitchen and uses them with HER daughters to make cookies and talk about Great-Grandma. I can cry at this because I know my mother would love knowing how much a new generation likes her cookies baked on her cookie sheets.
ReplyDelete(Aside: Our daughter has a number of other things from Grandma, but the cookie sheets and hand written recipes are her favorite.)