Food, Friends, and Moms by PW Food & Friends

Food, Friends, and Moms by PW Food & Friends

Photo above: Brenda with her mom and younger sisters making Christmas cookies, her great granma’s cut-out cookie recipe. Lots of sprinkles and frosting. Same Christmas baking scene, year after year.

 
One thing is clear about the moms in our lives: the ways they have nurtured us and fed us, body and soul, are innumerable. Food, of course, always plays a big role in our memories of and fondness for our moms. This week, in honor of Mother’s Day, we thought we’d share some reflections on our moms and the recipes that remind us of them. Those sweet times and delicious treats that made such an impression, we now make them ourselves, over and over. We hope you try and enjoy a few of them!

 
 

Brenda

Mom. A short little word with such immense meaning. How to express all that this woman means to me, to my life?

I love my mom for teaching me so naturally the everyday arts of cooking, baking, gardening, and housekeeping (although I could really use some continuing ed on the housekeeping part right now!). When I was a kid, my friends knew my mom as one of the cool moms, always with a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies and never turning down the opportunity to jump into a game of kickball, softball, or Scrabble. And she’s still that way. She loves adventure, regularly bakes treats to share, and she’s a fabulous play-on-the-floor kind of grandma! But the biggest thing that I admire Mom for, beyond the overall umbrella of her unfailing love, is her faith. It’s been a steady beat in her life that has set the rhythm for my own. When times have been rocky and downright tumultuous in my life, Mom’s wisdom and prayerful ways have helped me find solid ground.

When I was asked to share a recipe that’s special to me because of my mom, my mind immediately went to rhubarb. On the farm, the entire length of our garage was lined with rhubarb plants, which Mom happily harvested for all kinds of good things to eat. The simplest recipe, if you can even call it a recipe, remains a regular request from my dad: a super simple Rhubarb Sauce. Its tart-sweet goodness is wonderful over vanilla ice cream. And for an extra special treat, we like to spoon it over slices of cream cheese pound cake or grilled angel food cake, with big dollops of whipped cream. This is my staple spring and summer dessert to serve guests.

 
 

Bridget

My mom was a lot of things: red-headed, a loyal friend, quick with a laugh, smart as a whip, grammar nerd, believer in the power of lipstick, and so, so proud of her family. She was also a really good cook. Whether it was sweet or savory, appetizer or dessert, my mom’s kitchen was always the place for consistently good, ask-for-the-recipe food.

Mom was known around our neighborhood for her cinnamon rolls. She would bake and deliver them to our neighbors when they had company come to visit. How’s that for a good friend? Italian Cream Cake was her go-to cake. It’s rich and filled with pecans and coconut. I shared the recipe on my blog last year; I hope you love it. Thanks, Mom!

 
 

Dara

One of the most amazing things about my mum is her genuine interest in other people’s lives. She is one of those people who can talk to anyone and seems to gain that person’s trust within minutes. It’s not unusual for her to know that the woman who owns the local cheese shop is celebrating her daughter’s wedding (and to then drop by with a small gift for the bride), or for the couple who runs my mum and dad’s favorite breakfast spot to be invited over to a family barbecue. Why? Because she cares enough to take the time to really listen to other people’s stories and to remember important events in their lives. It is a gift, and something that I strive to be better at in my own life.

As for cooking, my mum is a wonderful instinctual cook who rarely follows a recipe. One of the dishes I learned to make from her was salmon baked or grilled in foil, which is fantastic for weeknight meals or dinner parties. It can be served hot or at room temperature, making it a great make-ahead option. This Easy Grilled Pesto Salmon in Foil is inspired by my mum’s recipe.

 
 

Erica

Growing up, my mom cooked most meals from scratch. She had a collection of well-loved cookbooks and recipe cards that she would refer to for whatever she wanted to make. I remember in particular a paperback cookbook with a broken spine and the pages falling out, grease spots on several of the recipes. Mom cooked from it nearly daily, it seemed.

All of that home cooking ruined my taste for pre-packaged food. For example, I didn’t like store-bought chocolate pudding cups: they tasted fake compared to my mom’s homemade chocolate pudding. Once you try the real deal, there’s no going back. It’s heavenly served warm over vanilla ice cream or with a dollop (or three) of whipped cream (you can grab my recipe for homemade chocolate pudding over on my blog, Buttered Side Up).

Thank you, Mom, for giving me a love of food made from scratch! I hope I can do the same for my little munchkins.

 
 

Jessica

My mom cooked dinner for us nearly every single night when I was growing up. She had a lot of regulars but she would always talk about her favorite comfort foods, things like French fries with gravy, chicken and waffles that her own mom would make, bean soup and any sort of breakfast for dinner that included scrambled eggs. I guess it’s apt that I associate her with comfort food, because there is no one else in this world that is as comforting as my mom. Of course, I think that because she is my mom, but people who know her would agree. Everyone loves to have her around—she instantly relaxes a room and is so wonderfully calming. She is always so happy, gracious, and never has a bad word to say about anyone.

One thing my mom never served us as a kid was tomato soup—mostly because her mom used Campbell’s tomato soup from the can as … spaghetti sauce. I am not even joking. We are talking about the depression era here with my grandmother. I guess some lines were crossed. So when I discovered my favorite tomato soup recipe, I was determined to turn my mom into a believer. It took many tries, but with the help of a super cheesy four cheese grilled cheese, it worked!

 
 

Joanne

One of the biggest gifts my mom has given me is my love for food. She showed me that food is love, food is nourishment, and food can be a way to show you care about someone. My mother is from South Korea and lived there until she married my dad in her 20s, so she fed me authentic homemade Korean food that her mother taught her to make, plus classic French dishes, Thai curries, and everything in between. She LOVES cooking! Thanks, Mom, for nourishing me with the incredible homemade food you made for me and for doing it with such love.

My mother eats pretty healthily, with a diet full of fresh fruit and vegetables. But she has a soft spot for cheese. She once told me that growing up in Korea, it was really difficult to come by good cheese, so she really appreciates the wide variety of imported cheeses from around the world that is available today. This simple and delicious recipe for Crispy Parmesan-Crusted Chicken is a favorite of hers. It’s quick and uses minimal ingredients, but it really celebrates how outstanding an authentic Italian Parmigiano Reggiano cheese can be.

 
 

Julie

I know I got my love for feeding people from my mom. Growing up, she would always cook Vietnamese food for us. We didn’t eat spaghetti and hot dogs like other kids did, and I didn’t appreciate that until I was much older. Some years ago, I made these Vietnamese egg rolls with my mom, and I was excited to be able to make them for myself. Those who’ve tried these egg rolls can’t stop talking about them!

Photo of me and my mom from my 1st birthday party! At the time, she was pregnant with my younger sister, who was born about a week after this photo was taken.

 
I want to wish my mom a Happy Mother’s Day this year. I don’t tell her this enough, but I’m grateful for all she did for us when we were kids. At one time, she was a single mom, which is a handful when you have six kids. She taught me resilience, that I can chart my own destiny, create my own happiness and that I don’t need to rely on a man. She showed me that I can take care of myself. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. I love you!

 
 

Natalie

When I think of my mom, the first thing that comes to mind is her spunk, which I love. She’s fun to be with and she’s always up for a big day of shopping and hanging out. The second thing is her drive and dedication to everything she does. She’s firm and immovable in her faith, her devotion to our family, and building her career. She also taught me how to take care of a household, to under-bake cookies just slightly so they stay soft, and the importance of having dinner together every night as a family.

My mom’s also super generous—one of the most generous people I know. I remember her planning neighbor treats and gifts for dozens of families every year during the holidays. (I have a hot glue gun scar on my arm as a memento.) I can’t even count how many times she cooked dinner for dozens of people during big family gatherings—and it was ALWAYS delicious. Always.

For many of those Easter dinners, she made a Strawberry Trifle for dessert. This isn’t a cake mix and a box of pudding, people. It’s fluffy, from-scratch sponge cake, creamy homemade vanilla custard, and sweet strawberries and their juices. I still make this trifle every Easter, and it’s one of my very favorite desserts in the whole world.

 
 

Sommer

When I think of my mom, three words come to mind: tender, wise and selfless.

Over the years, my mother has listened with endless patience, offered insightful counsel, held her tongue when I didn’t take her advice, and given of herself more freely than any person I’ve ever known. She taught me the delicate balance of give and take in relationships. She taught me to hold personal character with the utmost importance.

I will never forget watching her help those less fortunate, even when our family resources were low. Or watching her stand her ground to protect our family when she felt our values were under attack. She is a tribute to motherhood; I’m so very blessed to have her. (Her potato salad has no equal, too. Try it and you’ll see.)

I only hope one day my children will think of me the way I revere my mother.

 

Photo of Sommer’s mom and her daughter, caught in a tender moment.

 
 
Thanks to all the moms out there for the wonderful food traditions they pass on, but also for what that food represents: the love and care they show every day. Here’s to all of you, too, and a Mother’s Day full of favorite foods, favorite people and maybe a little R&R.

 

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