I love using family recipes. In fact, I wrote a post in my CeLeBRaTe!! series about using family recipes in our celebrations.
Recently, I celebrated family in my cooking. But this time, I didn't use a family recipe. This time I celebrated family with something I used to cook in!
I was recently given a cast iron skillet that had belonged to my great-grandmother. Anna has been gone for many years as she passed away when I was only a few months old. My mother tells me that she was a "Martha" in her day -- cooking wonderful meals, serving on beautiful dishes, sewing quilts, hand embroidering linens. Mom lived with her grandparents for a time, so Anna was a big influence in her life. She inspired Mom's love for reading by sharing books and stories with her. She inspired a love for beautiful things. She provided the stability of a warm and welcoming home. And she provided comfort, often holding Mom's hand at night until she drifted off to sleep.
I have several pieces in my home that had been my great-grandmother's, including her china tea set, a lovely blue transferware platter, silver spoons, and a handmade quilt. And this new-to-me skillet is a treasure as well.
Do you have something in your kitchen that keeps alive your family history?
I have a small iron skillet about 8" (probably the same as yours)--it's just right for one package of cornbread mix (yes, I do use the package stuff and we love it). I love the old things, especially when it came from a family member or friend. Love your recipe series. Blessings, Sharon D.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful woman your great-grandmother was. Real beauty. It must run in your family Cheryl, as you have that kind of heart for home and family too.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I have anything but a blender handed down from my grandmother. Not super old or a treasured item. I am trying to build that kind of thing though. It's special.
Deanna
Unfortunately, not too many things, but lovely memories! xo
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I don't have many things from the generations before my grandparents. Having had large families, being "plain" (Amish Mennonite), and living semi-transiently, they didn't have many items to pass along. But I do have a few glass serving plates that were my Grandma's.
ReplyDeleteYour great-grandmother has such a soft and kind face, and I can see some family resemblance! Enjoy your new old treasure :-)
Yes I have a lot of things but not a cast iron pan! I even through passage of time have lost/got rid of my cast iron pan. Would love to find my mother's. I get such a kick out of using old things and thinking of the stories those old pieces could tell -- or the stories they heard ! A beautiful post!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I just came across a couple of iron skillets a few weeks ago that I forgotten all about. I'm pretty sure they belonged to my husband's mother. I also have a slew of kitchen items and utensils that were my mothers that posted about several months ago. I love having AND using these items and love the memories they bring back too!
ReplyDeleteYes, I am certainly blessed in that regard. What a treasure! Nothing like a cast iron skillet well seasoned from years of use. I bake a lot of things in mine...everything from cornbread to biscuits to brownies. I even like making casseroles in it. It always makes a fun presentation on the table. I see the family resemblance! Your great-grandmothef was a lovely lady.
ReplyDeleteI actually have quite a few things. A tiny cast iron skillet that was my granny's, a sifter that was my great-aunt Mabel's, some pink depression glass and a few serving pieces that were my great-grandmother's, and a few cake plates that were my grandmother's. Nothing very valuable, except that they belonged to people I loved, which is the most valuable part to me:)
ReplyDeleteA beautiful tribute to your great gandmother Anna, I too have treasured items from family I have my paternal grandmothers cabinet ,and several of her dishes as well as my maternal grandmothers dishes. memoeries past down are priceless, thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Sue
Jim uses his grandmother's cast iron skillet for cornbread. He uses her recipe for cornbread too and it is the BEST ever!
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