Welcome!

Hello, and welcome to Rediscovering Grandma!

This blog will be the account of my journey through the recipes of my grandmother, Helen, and her mother, Anna. There may be occasional appearances by other relatives or family friends (Gma was pretty good about noting who gave her a recipe), and if I encounter something fabulous from the likes of Real Simple, Everyday Food, or even a good friend, I may well include it here, but mostly, this blog is an extended trip down Memory Lane. Gma didn't cook much in the last 20-25 years of her life, so a lot of my memories of them will be from when I was very young, if I remember them at all. Her mother, (I've always called her Sweetie) died when I was not quite eight, so most of her recipes will be new to me, with a few exceptions. Many of the recipes will be Pennsylvania Dutch, since I grew up in York, PA, as did Gma and Sweetie and generations before them. I don't have a provenance for every recipe, though, so I can't guarantee a focus there. I plan to post 1-2 recipes per week in order to keep things manageable.

It's not really about the food, though. The recipes are a vehicle through which to stir up old memories and learn more from the rest of my family about whether a particular dish was made for a special occasion, was someone's particular favorite (or perhaps the bane of his/her existence!), or any stories associated with the cooking/baking or the times when they were served. I hope this blog will give me the chance to learn new things about these two women and the lives they led while I catalog the food they cooked for the enjoyment of anyone who cares to try it out. I'll post my first recipe tomorrow, for pork and sauerkraut, the traditional New Year's/good luck meal in York County, and possibly in Pennsylvania Dutch country in general.

I hope you'll come along for the ride!