12 Comments

Love this! Something else I need to write about. Mom left recipes inside her cookbooks, snippets from newspaper articles, etc. Don't remember her making many of those. However, she made a couple spiral notebooks of her favorite recipes for us to have. I've made several cutting down the sugar, and making a few changes. However, that nasty chipped beef recipe I've never made. I didn't like it when she made it!! Thanks for bringing some of my memories back with your post.

Expand full comment

Linda, please tag me when you've written the post - I'd love to see your Mum's Love Letters to you!

Expand full comment

Jane, Will do!

Expand full comment

What a lovely remembrance. I'd never really thought about what a gold rush there was in those English language Chinese cookbooks from the era. We have a shelf of them. Treasure hunting among the pages — what a treat anyone can relate to.

Stories told in meals.

Expand full comment

Yes! We all have these collections. I'm looking forward to seeing what you and others find!

Expand full comment

Loved this! You've sent me hunting for the little notes in my mom's cookbooks.

Expand full comment

I'm so pleased! Be sure to let me know when you post!

Expand full comment

I still refer to my Mum's ol recipes written in her beautiful handwriting in a spiral pad. The pages of recipes bring back childhood memories and are discoloured from buttered fingers.

I found a treasure in a book a few years back. My Dad passed away in 1990. In 2015 we were helping Mum to move and I was packing up her book collection. For some reason I decided to fan the pages of a book I was about to pack (I hadn't been doing it to the other books) and a piece of paper fell out from the pages. I was taken aback. It was a drawing of my darling Dad. I actually remember it being drawn by my younger cousin Declan. He would have been about six at the time. Dad signed it 'Himself' By Dec

I keep under glass on my hall stand. It makes me smile.

Expand full comment

Oh that's so precious Kerrie. Have you ever been to Tom Keneally's library in Pitt St, Sydney? All have books have notes in the margins. In fountain pen. So gorgeous.

Expand full comment

No I haven’t. That sounds like a wonderful new excursion for my bestie, Margie & I. Thanks Jane x

Expand full comment

Love the family cooking history. Not unlike mine, both parents chefs/cooks.

Expand full comment

It's a lovely thing to talk about and share Roy. Thank-you.

Expand full comment