Certain recipes survive long after the handwritten notebooks die and the wooden spoons become smooth over time. Grandma had no trends or shortcuts to her kitchen. It was of gradual stirring, frail simmering, and dinners which summoned the family to the table without previous training. They were made using basic ingredients, were timed and employed a tacit knowledge of what was meant by comforting food. They brought comfort, familiarity, and home. Families still talk fondly of these flavours, making attempts to reproduce the feelings and smell of some items that previously filled the room they were used to. These traditional foods continue to influence the way most individuals determine home-style cooking.
Sunday Chicken Stew
Roots, herbs and chicken stews in a gentle broth that filled the house with a cosy fragrance. It was served with fresh bread and constituted a plain but strengthening meal that set all who were at the table munching with an inarticulate growl of contented hunger.
Buttermilk Pancakes
Golden pancakes had been made carefully on a warm cooking pan and heaped up. They were served with fruit preserves or honey, and it was an unvarying routine on weekdays that seemed special without being difficult.
Vegetable Pot Pie
Tender vegetables were enclosed with a flaky crust and in a creamy filling. Every slice was warm and cosy, so it also became a favourite on evenings when the air became cool, and the discussion lasted longer.
Homestyle Meatloaf
The meatloaf was cooked firm, the seasoning light and the cutting neat; it was on a plate with mashed potatoes. It was always the continual stock dish that sat on the top of our table, everyone knew about and enjoyed.
Apple Cinnamon Crumble
Sliced apples were baked beneath a crumble topping made of flour, sugar and spice. The fragrance drifted through the kitchen, of an antique sweet and warm treat.
Creamy Rice Pudding
There was also a pot of rice pudding cooked down with milk and spice, it tasted creamy, smooth. It was delightful when eaten warm, and fitted well into the generally easy tousle of a harmonious meal.
Classic Lentil Soup
They boiled up all the mustard, cabbage, onions, beans and made a stew of the heavy lentils they had. They stuffed themselves with vegetables, and their flesh took on the blue. It was ladled into bowlfuls and eaten as a meal with bread, ideal for cosy afternoons.
Butter-Roasted Vegetables
The plain vegetables were rolled in butter and roasted until they turned golden. Their natural flavours were deepened in the oven to become a solid side dish, something that is delicious with almost anything else you’re making.
Old-Fashioned Banana Bread
Lots and lots of ripe bananas went into a tender batter that baked for nearly an hour. The loaf was allowed to cool on the kitchen counter, and cut into nice thick slices, and in time, the air around was filled with sweetness that was mild and sweet around melting afternoons.
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Vegetables were mixed with seasoned rice and put in peppers and baked. Their bright colour and mild taste made them a staple in most homes and an easy dish to set on any dinner table.
Warm Oatmeal with Fruit
The oats were carefully boiled to a nice consistency and mixed with fruit (fresh or dried). This breakfast was regular and gave solace, warmth, and a sense of comfort of routine to begin the day.
