Pages

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Mom's Legacy of Love

      My mom was a famous cook.   Maybe not famous in the terms that you think of Paula Deen (whom mom loved!), or Wolfgang Puck; but, she was certainly well known in a particular area of southern Indiana, and a small county in Kentucky.

     Mom spent a major portion of her life cooking in restaurants.  Sometimes it was her own and sometimes she worked for other people.  Either way, she was known for her wonderful home cooking.  

     I can remember sitting down to home cooked family meals as a very young child thinking my mom was the best cook in the whole world.  Every Easter she would make us a chocolate cake in the shape of a lamb, covered with fluffy white frosting and coconut.  Those were special times.
Me & my big sister Jane with our lamb cake

     As I got older, we spent more and more time at the restaurant mom owned called the Mill Inn.  It was the local hangout for all the kids in the evenings and all the coffee drinkers in the mornings.  Everyone, no matter what age, loved mom and her cooking.  

     Mom passed her love of cooking down to her daughters in varying degrees, with all of us inheriting at least part of her skills.  Some of us just enjoy it more than others (there are 4 of us).  To our dismay, some things, no matter how hard we try, never seem to taste like Mother's.

     A couple years ago, my sisters and I decided to record our legacy of cooking for our children.  We decided to write a cookbook.  This book would record mom's best recipes, our recipes and a short family history.  We began and I spent several phone calls collecting information from mom and dad for our history pages.  I am so glad I did.

     Mom will never see the finished product.  She was killed unexpectedly in a car accident on July 7th, 2011.  Since the tragedy, we have struggled to finish the book that we had once been so excited about.  None the less, we are more determined than ever to finish what we started.   It will now be a labor of love, dedicated to the memory of the woman who taught us not only the love of cooking, but simply, how to love.   
     Mom was not only a great cook, she was a great mother and a true friend.  I miss her terribly.  I will always be thankful that she instilled in me not only a love of cooking, but also the importance of family.  That is a legacy that will live on as my sisters and I pass it down to our children.  Mom would be so proud.

Brenda #3, Me #2, Mom, Jane #1, and Tina #4



Until next time...that's my view.

Kat


30 comments:

  1. I do hope you girls finish the book. It will be so cherished by each of you and all your collective children. A labor of love and a gift to all future generations.

    Good to read you again. I've been so lax about reading and more so about writing.

    I do miss both, but time has been tight lately. Getting caught up day by day.

    Great job. <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Jo. I haven't been doing any reading or writing either but when I saw this topic for the blog hop I felt the need to participate. I do need to get back to reading more.

      Delete
  2. marjoriemetzger@aol.comMay 5, 2013 at 11:20 PM

    Love your writings Karen. Hope you put them into a book, or have you? Love, Marj Metzger

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Marj. No, I haven't put them in a book. Something to think about though.

      Delete
  3. My heart is pounding and I just want to hug you. I have missed you and to find out your beloved mother passed just months before I found your blog and started to get to know you a little bit has stunned me. You are even more a role model to me now than ever.

    M

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Marlia. I have missed you, too. We moved my 91 year old dad in with us a little over a month ago and I haven't been doing any blogging. I hope you are doing well.

      Delete
  4. Oh, I am sorry that you lost your mom so abruptly. My best to you and your siblings as you finish that cookbook. What a great legacy she left (cooking and so much more I am sure).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Karen. Yes, she is greatly missed. We will finish the cookbook.

      Delete
  5. My condolences on the tragic loss of your mother. Finish the book! It's the most loving legacy you can leave in her memory.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sharon. Yes, we will finish the book. It's the least we can do for the woman who taught us so much.

      Delete
  6. Thanks for sharing your story. My Mom moved from Texas to Louisiana as a young girl and learned to cook Texas style (chicken fried steak and white gravy). As some point as a young adult, she tried to make a Louisiana style roux, but only knew how how to make white grave, so she put food coloring in it and tried to turn it brown. It didn't work.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, that sure wouldn't work! Thanks for sharing that with me.

      Delete
  7. That book would make such a lovely gift for the next generation of your family. As difficult as it seems now, when your grief is still fresh and raw, I think the book would bring you and your sisters comfort later.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, we must finish it, and we will. Thank you.

      Delete
  8. I will buy your book . . . I'm glad you're continuing the work in honor of your mother.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Donna. We must try to finish it soon.

      Delete
  9. I'm so sorry about your loss. I hope you will finish the book. It will bring back so many good memories of your mother, who sounds like a very special person and wonderful cook.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Lois. Yes, it really would be a wonderful legacy. We will finish it soon.

      Delete
  10. The cookbook will definitely be a legacy of love to your mother. Can't wait to see it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Bonnie. We must finish it soon.

      Delete
  11. So sorry for the loss of your beloved mom. I hope that one day you and your sisters will find the courage to finish that cook book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Pat. We will finish it soon.

      Delete
  12. The cookbook is such a wonderful tribute to your mom and a priceless gift for your family. Cooking is an art and shows the supreme love of a mom to her children. Loved your piece for the blog hop.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much. Mom was a wonderful cook and she would have loved the cookbook. We will finish it.

      Delete
  13. Kat, your post brought tears to my eyes...I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm glad that your mother knew how much she meant to you and your sisters...she had to have been thrilled by the prospects of inspiring a cookbook! I hope that you are able to find the joy in the project again, and please be sure to let all of us know when the cookbook becomes available! Beautiful post...thank you for sharing your story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Marci. Mom was excited about the cookbook and I know she would want us to finish it. We will soon. I am making it a priority.

      Delete
  14. You have reinforced my idea that food is a social element. :-) Sweet story of your mom on her weekend. The cookbook ought to be filled with love (and great recipes).

    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you k~. It really will be filled with love and I am anxious to finish it.

      Delete
  15. Such a nice idea to do a book. Wow I hope you can finish it and wish you'll all the best.
    www.thoughtsofpaps.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. oh, Kat, this is lovely! God bless you and your sisters. You'll finish it - I know you will!!

    ReplyDelete

You've read my thoughts, now, please leave me yours. Thank you.