Foodmemories

Debbie
June2006

Astheoldestcousininthefamily,andwithmorethanapassinginterestinfood,Iwas
excitedthatafamilyrecipebookwasoneoftheproposedprojectsforthereunion.It
stimulatedmemoriesthatIhadalmostforgotten,andmademedecidetosharesome
ofthemsinceIdidntthinkIcouldcomeupwithalltherecipes.Oneofmyfirst
foodmemorieswasinNewYorkCity.Iwas4yearsold(?)andwewerelivingin
thesameapartmentbuildingasGrandpaandGrandmaatthetime.Iremembergoing
totheirapartmentandbeingservedasinglelayerofCheeriosfloatinginashallow
dishdecoratedwitharedChinesedesign.Grandpaenjoyedbaking(andeating).
Therewasasortofpoundcakewithraisins(hewouldpourthebatterintothebaking
pan,scrapethebowlwithhisfinger,takealick,andcontinuescraping,reassuringme
thatallhisgermswouldbekilledbytheheat,myfirstlessoninsterilization),andflat
rectangularcookiesdecoratedwithblacksesameseeds.Henamedthose
Grandfathercookies.Slicesofthincrustedpizzasfoldedinhalf,averylargescoop
ofblackberryicecreamperchedonacone,andeatingliverwurstsandwichesat
AuntieSusiesalsocometomind.
Aswecousinsgotolder,ourappetitesalsogotbigger.Rememberthesummersinthe
poolatGrandpaandGrandmasapartmentcomplex?Andfeelingsohungry
afterwards,itwaslikehavingaholeinyourstomach?Grandpawouldoftenhave
readyaboxofWinchellsdoughnuts,McDonalds,orsometimesapotatosalad,
creamywithchunksofegg,hamandpeas(Mychildishsenseofdogmawastaken
abackoncewhenmymommentionedthat,askids,afavoritesnackwaspotatosalad
sandwiches.Whoeverheardofeatingstarchbetweentwolayersofstarch?But,after
eatingsaobingortzeveh/rohsongwithyiutiao,Iunderstood.).
Grandpausedtomakeathicksweetsoupwithredadzukibeans,peanuts,lotusseeds,
Chinesedatesandeithersmallglutinousriceflourballsortheoblongricecakes.
Zhongtze(glutinousricewitheitherasweetorsavouryfillingwrappedinlarge
bambooleavesandsteamed)wereanotherfavorite,andGrandmawasanexpertin
makingthem.ShegaveJennyandmealessoninzhongtzemakingwhenwewerein
ourteens,alessonIstilloccasionallypracticetoday.Once,GrandpatookatriptoSao
Paulo,Brazil.Hebroughtbackalargeflatcanofguavapaste,theguavascookedas
thoughforajam,butforsolongthattheresultisastickysolidcake.Heservedsmall
chunksofitwithcheese.ItwasntuntilIgottoEuropethatIrediscoveredthis
Braziliantreat,butmadewithquinceorotherfruits(probablybroughtbythe
PortuguesetoBrazil?).AnotherfavoritesnackofGrandpaswaspeanuts.Hewould
buythemintheshell,andplaythepeanutgamewithus(atleast,Jennyandme).
Wedshellsomepeanutsandonepersonwouldthrowthepeanutsontothetable
surface.Thatpersonwouldindicateatargetpeanutandthefiringpeanutby
drawinganimaginarylinebetweenthetwopeanuts.Ifhe/shesuccessfullyhitthe
target,he/shewouldgettokeepbothpeanuts(andeatthem!),andtryagain.
SorryformixingShanghaidialectwithMandarin.Asakid,Ididntdistinguishbetweenthetwo,and

itsstillabitmixedupevennow.

Otherwise,thenextpersonwouldtakeaturn.Itwasagoodwaytoeatpeanuts
withouteatingtoomanytoofast!
Ofcourse,Grandpawasnotmyonlysourceoffoodinspiration.Mydadoftencooked
buttereggsforbreakfastonweekends.Theseweresimplyscrambledeggscooked
inbutter.ImadethemrecentlyforNicolas,whonowrequeststhemforbreakfast.
Ivecutbackontheamountofbutter,buttheyrestilltasty.Idoubtthatmydadhas
eatentheseinquiteafewyears!Anotherinventionofhiswasavocadocream,
avocadosmixedinablenderwithmilkandsugaruntiltheybecomeathickpistachio
coloredcream.Pancakeswerealsoafavoriteweekendbreakfastofours.Mymom
wouldservethemsmotheredwithsourcream,slicesofcannedpeachesandpowdered
sugar.Andtherewasaperiodwhenwewerecrazyforambrosia,afruitsaladmixed
withminimarshmallowsandtheKraftPhiladelphiacreamcheesepineapplespread
thatcameinsmallglassjars.AndcelerystickswithFrenchoniondipmadefrom
Liptonsdrysoupmixandsourcream.Thesedays,sourcreamisntanywhereonmy
grocerylist!
AndwhocanforgetallofAhyeesfunfood?Sandwichesthatlooklikelittlejelly
rolls.Jellocake.Jelloblendedwithsourcream.Thanksgivingdinners.Andhow
aboutthesummerwemadefruitleather?Ihadmyfirsttasteofyogurtatherhouse.
Smokingfoodsisalsooneofhertraditions,carriedonbySusette,whosefirstattempt
lastsummerwasexcellent!
IknowtherearemanythingsIhaventeventouched,ourfamilybanquets,for
instance,somethingmykidshavenotexperiencedatall.Orourownfirstattemptsat
cooking.ButIcansaythatbeingbroughtupinafamilyinterestedinfood(and
havingadadwhoeatsfisheyes!)certainlyhelpedmetobeinterested,too.Even
now,mymomandIoftenexchangerecipesoverthephone.SoIhopethislittle
discussionoffoodwilltriggersomegoodmemoriesforallofus.Andifnot,lets
makesomenewones!

Crpes
Makesapprox.6large.

Debbie

1cflour
1cmilk
2eggs
1/4tspsalt
1tbspoil
Mixallingredientswithawirewhiskorelectricmixeruntilsmooth.Addabitof
waterifthebatteristoothick.Heatpan(wellseasonedorTeflon)overmediumhigh
heat.Addafewdropsoil.Pourinsomebatterandswirltospread(orspreadwitha
woodendowel).Whengolden,fliptobrowntheotherside.
Servehotorcoldwith:
Jam
Maplesyrup&plainyogurt
Freshfruit
Powderedsugar
Nutella
Cinnamon/sugar
DashofGrandMarnier

Gratedcheese
Gratedcarrots,zucchini
Creamedspinach
Choppedham

Nutellalikespread
Togowiththecrpes.

Debbie

4ozpeeledtoastedhazelnuts*
2tbspvegetableoil
1/2tspvanillaextract
2ozmeltedmilkchocolate
Combinehazelnuts,oilandvanillainthe2cupbowlofsmallfoodprocessoror
blender.Processtoasmoothpaste.Addthemeltedchocolateandblendwell.Pour
intoajar.Storeinrefrigerator.
Notes:Probablycanuseothernuts,suchasalmonds,butIhaventtriedityet.Add
morechocolate,ifdesired.
Totoastnuts,heatinapanovermediumtomediumhighheat,gentlyshakingpan
untiltheyhaveanicetoastedsmell.Asthenutscool,rubthembetweenyourpalms
toremovemostoftheskin.Alternatively,thenutscanbeheatedinthemicrowave
oven,stoppingtostirthenutsevery23minutes,dependingonthepoweroftheoven.
Sincethenutstendtocontinuecookingafterheating,itsbettertobeabit
conservative.Itsafastermethod,butIveburnedseveralbatchesfiguringitout.
*

TofuSpaghettiSauce
Astandardatourhouse.

Costa

Abatchofyourfavoritetomatobasedsauce,withorwithoutmeat
Firmtofu,cutintochunks
Makesauce.Addthetofuandsimmertoallowthetofutoabsorbflavor.Serveover
pastawithgratedcheese.
Notes:Thekidslikethissaucewithspinachorzucchiniaddedtoit.

Humus
Oneofourfavoriteappetizers.

Debbie

1can(14oz)cookedgarbanzobeans(chickpeas)
juicefrom1lemon
1ormoreclovesgarlic
dashofsoysauce
1/2tspsalt
lotsofblackpepper
dashofcayennepepper
2tbspchoppedparsley
46tbsptahini(sesamepasteusedinMiddleEasternorMediterraneancooking)
Rinseanddrainthechickpeas.Combineallingredientsexcepttahiniin2cupbowlof
chopper/foodprocessor.Processuntilfairlyhomogeneous.Addtahiniandcontinue
blending,orstirwithspooniftoostiff.Chilluntilreadytoserve.
Servewithcrackers,piecesofbreadorpita,rawvegetables.Canbeusedtomake
sandwiches.

CurriedTunaandZucchini
Quick.

Debbie

3zucchinis,cutup
1cantuna,drained
100gfetaorothercheese,cubed
1tbspcurry
oil
salt,pepper
Heatoilinpot.Addcurry.Whenaromatic,addzucchini.Stirwelltocoat.Add
somewaterandcover.Steamuntiltender.Seasonwithsaltandpepper.
Addtunaandcheese.Mixwell.Serveoverpasta.
Notes:ThisissomethingIwouldneverservetoourItalianbabysitter,becausefish
andcheesetogetheraretaboo,atleastinherpartofItaly.