Family, Culture, and Food

Today we have an extra special guest blog post written by none other than my very own Mom! Over the years my mom has done a fabulous job of including both her family heritage and my dad's family heritage into our lives. One way she has done this is through cooking. Today she's sharing a brief look into some of our family's traditions. I think you're going to love it!

Suzie is wife to Gene and mom to four (dare I say wonderful) children. She lives on a small farm in Southern Pennsylvania. She enjoys reading, gardening, cooking, being outside with her many animals, and spending time with family.

I really have to give my mom credit for helping me become the woman I am today! I am happy to say we are not only mother and daughter, but also close friends. I hope you really enjoy what she's written for you today!

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Hello! Thank you for this opportunity to share some thoughts with you.

Every family has a culture. And by culture, I mean a way of living, a family history, and the traditions and beliefs you weave into your family life. It is unique to your family!

One way to embrace your family culture and appreciate your family history is through food. Many memories can be made and shared as a family as you bake a special treat together or gather around the table to eat a special meal.

Allow me to take a walk down my memory lane. As a little girl, I loved when my great-grandma came to visit. She would bring a basket, covered with a cloth. I couldn’t wait for her to pull back the cloth and let me reach inside! Her basket was full of giant ginger cakes! These cookies were so big and so soft and were yummy with a glass of milk! Whenever I see or smell a ginger cake, I am immediately flooded with warm memories. So I bake ginger cakes for my family and I share about their Mennonite great-grandmother and little snippets of her life and my memories of her.

My husband’s grandma lived in Puerto Rico and would make delicious pasteles, wrapped in a banana leaf and then in paper and tied with string. She would mail a box of frozen pasteles to the U.S. and when it arrived at their door, they would put them in a big pot of boiling water and then all sit down to feast. Grandma Tonita had mailed a big box of love and family heritage! She is still remembered today whenever we eat pasteles.

As your family grows, your family culture expands too. I married a man who is a fusion of French-Puerto Rican culture! His mother was from France and married his Puerto Rican father while he was stationed in Europe serving in the U.S. Air Force. They eventually settled in Pennsylvania. My family has German/Pennsylvania Dutch/English roots. They like their meat and potatoes without any spice or fuss! Now that our children are getting married, we are continuing to expand our palates!

Holiday meals and birthdays are the perfect time to start a family tradition and serve a food from your heritage. My Grandma Hess always made Cracker Pudding for holiday family gatherings. Although she is now home in heaven, she asked me to keep making the Cracker pudding whenever the family gathers! It is a privilege to keep her tradition going!

For the past 53 years we have had Cookie Day. Little did my Grandma Wilt know that she was starting a beloved family tradition when she invited her newly married daughter back home to bake cookies for Christmas. As the family grew, so did Cookie Day! Lots of children, grandchildren, aunts, and cousins have joined in the fun of this special day!

I am grateful for my family and to have these roots to pass on to my children. I pray that they will have precious memories and special recipes to share with their families.

Do you have a favorite family dish?

Do you know what it tells about your family history?

Please share!