The Wisdom of Recipe Sharing

As you think back to your childhood, is there a dish that your mum, dad or someone special cooked?  and no I am not talking about Nanny’s junket desserts or her famous curried eggs.  It would be that dish that when you knew it was coming, your mouth would water, although the curried eggs that had been stored on the dining room table for 2 days did that too.  With this dish you would savor every bite and at the end you would argue over who got the most?!! (it was always Marcus).

Many women hold close to their chests those recipes.  They present these special dishes at family gatherings and receive in return the accolades and attention deserved of an excellent and delicious meal and sometimes family gatherings are not quite right unless that dish is present, it becomes part of the moment and part of the memory!  Of course we have such dishes – nutty ice cream, caviar dip, mum’s baked potatoes, mum’s roast lamb (Tom Cruise never got this delicious one) and even her toasted sandwiches.

Mum was here in October (yes I know another blog note on this is due) and she FINALLY wrote down the recipe for the pancakes that she cooks and we all fight over.  Floss loves hers with a little sugar.  Neil loves his sugar with a little pancake, Max likes his with a chocolate cookie but hold the pancake, and I?…well I was taught that the best way to enjoy these was with lemon, sugar, rolled up, on a plate, with a knife and fork and to this day that is my preference.  Although I do wonder why I was taught this and yet the grandchildren are taught to just roll it up, hold with two hands and let the sugary buttery delight drip down your wrists so that your mother has to wash your school uniform AGAIN!.

So this morning for about the 20th time, I have made a batch of pannies (the affectionate term we have for this delicious dish).  Yes Gran, the dish is runny like melted ice cream, No I forgot to make it last night so that it had time to sit and “cure”.  But it is ready for the team when they are ready.

Thank you Mum for sharing your special Gran Pannie Recipe.  I think of you every time I make it, we talk about you every time we eat it, and you have ensured you remain a part of our mornings (afternoon teas, desserts) even though you are probably making them for Johnny, Clairy and Patrick as I write.

Oh and Dad? Don’t feel left out.  Every time I eat mushrooms or the kitchen smells of freshly cooked fish…I think of you.

Sal

P.S. But mum that doesn’t mean you are relieved of this duty! Expectations are such that when you are in the country, you make the pannies!