| After the death of a loved one some families | | | | gifts were the hit of the day. Family |
| make quilts from their loved one's clothes. | | | | members told Nana stories as they paged |
| Other families compile memory books. I did | | | | through their cook books. If you are looking |
| something different for my family; I made a | | | | for a meaningful way to remember a loved one, |
| memory cook book. After my mother-in-law | | | | think about compiling a memory cook book.Your |
| died my sister-in-law and I looked through | | | | cook book will spark stories about the meals |
| her old recipe box. Actually, there were | | | | you have shared, and link the older |
| four boxes, and the recipes inside were | | | | generation with the younger. I didn't have |
| grouped loosely into categories.There were | | | | time to put more photos in the books, but a |
| hand-written recipes, lots of newspaper and | | | | photo on each page would make the cook book |
| magazine clippings, and many duplicates. We | | | | extra special. Now you are probably |
| threw out the duplicate recipes and saved | | | | wondering about the recipes. My favorite |
| family favorites - recipes that grandchildren | | | | recipe is the one for fudge. Though I don't |
| and great grandchildren would enjoy. Reading | | | | make fudge, I love the ending. Here is the |
| the recipes brought back memories of family | | | | recipe, just as Nana wrote it so many years |
| picnics, holiday dinners, and snacks Nana | | | | ago.NANA'S FUDGE 19202 c. sugar3/4 c. milk2 |
| prepared for her three growing boys.I typed | | | | sq. chocolate1/2 t. salt1 T. butter1 t |
| the recipes (one per page) and compiled them | | | | (teaspoon) vanilla |
| in a three-ring notebook. The title of the | | | | |
| book: "Favorite Recipes From Nana's Recipe | | | | nutsMix and cook all ingredients except |
| Boxes." For the cover I used holiday | | | | vanilla & nuts. When it boils up once lower |
| stationery with a candy cane border. Each | | | | the heat to a slow boil. After 5 min. begin |
| cover had a photo of Nana on it. To protect | | | | testing for the soft ballstage (1/2 4sp. |
| the recipes from splatters and drips I put | | | | fudge in a saucer of ice water.)When you can |
| them in plastic notebook sleeves. There were | | | | pick up a soft ball in 3 fingers it's ready. |
| only 25 recipes so I didn't index them. | | | | Cook it 1 minute more. Remove from stove and |
| However, I did write a short introduction and | | | | cool completely before stirring. Add vanilla |
| it contained a story that is still clear in | | | | and nuts and beat until it looks [like] it's |
| my mind.Nana served Sunday dinner at 1 p.m. | | | | glass and begins to set. Pour into a small |
| After one dinner she announced that supper | | | | square cake pan.Cut when hard. (If it gets |
| would be cake and ice cream. I laughed | | | | too hard add a few drops of cream at the end |
| because I thought Nana was kidding. But | | | | of beating.) Cut, enjoy. Save some for |
| Nana, the only person I have ever known who | | | | mother and dad. Be a good scout and clean up |
| would eat cold butter rolled in sugar, had a | | | | the kitchen afterwards.Copyright 2006 by |
| sweet tooth, and supper was just as | | | | Harriet Hodgson |
| advertised. We had huge bowls of French | | | | |
| vanilla ice cream and hefty slices of yellow | | | | Hodgson has been a nonfiction writer for 28 |
| cake with Penuche frosting. What a | | | | years and is a member of the Association of |
| memory.Because the cook book was a glimpse of | | | | Health Care Journalists and the Association |
| family history, I typed the recipes as Nana | | | | for Death Education and Counseling. Before |
| wrote them, including abbreviations such as | | | | she became a health writer she was a food |
| "refrig" for refrigerator, and references to | | | | writer for the former "Rochester Magazine" in |
| family members and friends. I grouped the | | | | her hometown of Rochester, MN. Her 24th |
| pages into sets, put the pages in the | | | | book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: |
| notebooks, and tucked rubber spatulas inside. | | | | Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, |
| Then I wrapped the books in holiday paper | | | | MD, is available from A five-star review of |
| and ribbon, and tied measuring spoons to each | | | | the book is posted on Amazon. You will find |
| one.So much love had gone into the cook books | | | | another review on the American Hospice |
| that I could hardly wait to give them to | | | | Foundation website under the "School Corner" |
| family members on Christmas morning. A few | | | | heading. |
| fancy gifts were exchanged , but my homemade | | | | |