Yes, it's a chick-flick, but I loved it! I loved it on several levels. First, I admire anyone who takes on a task with purpose. Second, it helped Julie change her life for the better. Third, she inspired me to take on a similar task.
For those of you who haven't seen it, Julie is a woman who feels like her life is stuck in Blah-landia. She loves to cook and decides to take on Julia Child's cookbook, making over 500 recipes in one year's time, and blog about her experience, for good or bad. This was no task for the faint of heart, since this is Julia Child, afterall. Both Julie and Julia are real people, so this is a true story, and you know I'm a sucker for that!
Well, I just thought that sounded like such a brilliant idea. I love a challenge. I have 5 kids, do I need to explain? But I digress. I loved the idea of getting to know someone through their recipes. The more I thought about it, the more I decided that this is something I want to do. However, Julia Child's recipes don't pique my interest so much. I thought about all the cookbooks I have bought/browsed through/tried over the years. Really, there are so many to choose from. Then one day, out of nowhere, I was inspired.
Grandma Balukoff.
In 1978, my grandparents were asked to "Increase your Talents" and raise money for the church fund. Grandma gathered a collection of her tried and true recipes, made an inexpensive cookbook, and sold them. "Tony's Favorite Foods... by Jo" was typed (on the old typewriter), photocopied (this is 1978!) and published(if you can call it that). A classic was born. If legend holds true, they raised more money than anyone else. A copy was bought for each family member, and many others were sold to friends and neighbors. I was 8 years old, and Grandma gave me my own copy. I was the oldest grandchild, and had helped her in the kitchen for as long a I could remember. I was so excited, mainly because she had included one of my very own, 8-year old friendly recipes and I saw my name in print.
What made this recipe book so special was that Grandma wrote a little blurb about each entry. She mentioned the people who shared their recipes with her, or where the recipe came from. It was personal, and everyone loved it.
Fast forward a couple of decades, and there were more grandkids born, and even more great-grandkids. Everyone referred to their favorite recipes out of Grandma's old cookbook. By this time, most copies were splattered, shredded, and pages-falling-out reminders of meals gone by. Many had lost this prized possession, and even more weren't born yet when the books were first sold. We needed a second copy. My parents took on the task and printed enough books for each relative to have their own. Viola! We had Grandma's collection again for all to enjoy.
This was the first cookbook that I ever owned, and the one I have used the most in my almost 41 years on this earth. It was the book that I took to college, and that I learned from when I was newlywed. It's the place I would go to for a good meal when I was broke. After all, Grandma was a child of the depression. They lived on beans. Literally.
I could always count on Grandma's recipes to be fairly easy to make too, since Grandma wasn't a fancy cook. She fed us well and her main ingredient was love. As a child, I remember family parties in San Diego where it was"hands-on" eating as we all helped assemble plate tacos, and then went to the backyard to hammer the ice from frozen milk jugs so Grandpa could make Tutti-Frutti ice cream. Good food and great memories.
I am sorry to say that for as long as I've had this recipe book in my possession (over 3 decades now), I still have not tried all the recipes that are included in the book. I have read through them many times, and I remember eating many of them at Grandpa and Grandma's house. But.... I haven't cooked them.
That is all about to change.
Now, please, give me the benefit of the doubt. There are definitely a few that make me a little nervous. What exactly is Palantia? And who ever thought of Wheat and Spam Cakes? However, I do remember with fondness Chow Mein Casserole, Mosaic Candy, and Fruit Cocktail Cake.
So, People, if you are brave enough to wade through Steamed Bepaloes with me, and the name Moussaka makes you curious enough to grab your rubber spatula and pull on your apron, then WELCOME! You are invited to take this tasty adventure along with me through Tony's Favorite Foods... by Jo.
You won't be sorry.
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