HAND WRITTEN RECIPE CARDS ARE THEY A THING OF THE PAST FOR YOU OR DO YOU TREASURE THEM AS A FAMILY HEIRLOOM?
FAMILY
What do hand written recipe cards mean to you? I’m lucky enough to have all of my Moms recipe cards in her handwriting. Most of the recipes have food smudges, splatters, and are yellowed with age and that makes them even more special to me.
For those of you who don’t know my Mom passed away last October. My brother and I went to Florida to help my stepdad go through her things and he was gracious enough to let us have anything and everything of hers that we wanted.
ORGANIZED
My mom wasn’t a clutter bug in any way and she was very organized. I say that’s where I get it from. Anyway my brother and I both wanted my moms recipe books. We knew they were full of all those meals we had at home growing up. My brother loves to cook and bake just like I do, so we were willing to share.
We sat down and sifted through the recipe books while we were in Florida reminiscing and shedding tears as we flipped the pages. We packed them in the trunk of my moms car and had them shipped back to Michigan.
MEMORIES
My mom loved her car and I just wasn’t ready to see it sold to someone I didn’t know so I purchased it from my stepdad and had a courier company trailer it back to Michigan. I know the cars not her but I wasn’t ready to see it go just yet, so now it’s mine.
I was searching for one special recipe; my moms lemon pie. I hadn’t had it since I left home at 22 and I can’t wait to give it a go and make myself a delicious lemon pie. It’s funny how a recipe can invoke a memory, but lemon pie hold many good childhood memories for me and no one could make one taste like my mom did.
HANDWRITTEN
My sister in law took the time to photo copy every recipe and give the originals to me. I expected my brother to keep half of the handwritten recipes and I’d take half and we’d each split the photo copies but he let me have them all.
She had many other recipes she’d saved over the years from magazines and things but I only kept those that were in here handwriting. Believe it or not no one can tell here handwriting from mine, they look identical.
RECIPES
I skipped school once as a high school kid and wrote my own, get back into school letter. By the way, it didn’t work out so well, I was caught. My mom was a teacher at school and we live in a very small village where I couldn’t have sneezed without her knowing. The principal did mention he couldn’t tell the difference between our handwriting though. I still get a laugh out of it yet today.
So tell me do handwritten recipe cards hold a special place in your heart?
Thank you for your story. It evoked all sorts of memories for me. I’m 78 years old and have my Mom’s splattered, yellow recipe cards too along with a beat up 3 ring binder ( about 5 x 8 with a peeling black paper cover. It’s filled with handwritten recipes and clipped magazines too. Our family’s favorite strawberry dessert came from this treasure.
Jan, Wow I’m hearing so many amazing stories it’s good to know people are hanging on to the old recipe cards. I was afraid people only used the internet and did away with hand written cards.
Oh Dawn, I have some of my mom and grandma handwritten recipe cards too:). My mom doesn’t cook anymore, but my sister who lives with her does. I have my Grandma’s Tom and Jerry, kinda like a eggnog version drink. Mom said friends and family all over would stop by for a cuppa, can see why with the rum and brandy. This was back in the day too! Cold winters in Wisconsin ya know:). Treasure those recipes and I bet that Lemon Pie was delicious, made with the memories of your mom:).
This post really brought back baking memories, Kathleen in Az
Kathleen, It was such a joy to hear your story today. I love that you and others cherish those recipe cards from loved ones.
Dawn..I too, have my Mom’s cook books and her card recipe boxes and she has been gone 24 years and yes, they are yellowed and smudged!! Thanks for reminding me as I have not looked at them in ages and now I will!!
Jeanie, I’m so glad you have your moms recipes they are true treasures to look back at from time to time.
Dawn, yes I have my Mom’s recipe box. Two of the dessert recipe’s I copied and framed and are hanging in my kitchen. We still make them! Mayonnaise Chocolate Cake and Pineapple Up-Side-Down Cake!
Linda, I’ve never thought of using them as art that’s a great idea. I’ve never heard of Mayonnaise Chocolate Cake. My mom would make Potato Chip cookies though!
My mother didn’t cook much and seldom used a recipe, so there was nothing to hand down. I married young (17) and lived with my husband’s parents while he finished college. My mother-in-law taught me to cook and I will be forever grateful to her. When we finally moved into our own home, she gave me handwritten recipe cards of the family’s favorite foods. I kept and used those recipes long after the marriage fell apart and years later when our daughter had her own home she bemoaned the fact that her aunt on her father’s side had gotten her grandmother’s recipe book and she would love to make some of her grandmother’s old recipes. I surprised her with every original handwritten card (there must have been 30-40) that her grandmother had given me and made a book just for her. She uses those recipes to this day and says she sees her grandmother in her kitchen every time she opens the book.
Mother in laws can be very special too.
Pat what an amazing story. I loved reading this, thank you for bringing a bright spot to my day! {hugs}
My mother was a horrible cook and unfortunately I inherited that trait from her. But, I’m a great baker and I have all my handwritten recipes from our early days of marriage. Unfortunately, I’m old enough to be vintage so I guess I could say I have a nice collection of vintage recipe cards.
Carol you are cracking me up. I’m in that vintage category too!
I have a lot of my mother’s recipe cards, too. They mean so much to me especially I was very young when she died. One of my daughters thought of an idea for my other daughter and granddaughters for Christmas this year. We got picture frames that hold multiple pictures and made copies of the recipes and a picture I had of my mother and framed them. They were a complete surprise and they all loved them. She also made one for me. Gifts like these are priceless.
Karen What a wonderful gift it made me cry. I’ll have to do something like that for my DIL to be. Thank you for sharing {hugs}
When my mom passed October 2014 I got all her recipes,hand written and clipped from magazines and newspapers. I’m in the process of putting all together in a notebook that I hope one of my nieces will want when it’s my time to go.
Janet, what a perfect idea and I’m sure your nieces will be honored to have it.