The Importance Of Old Family Recipes As Link To Our Past

There's something about finding old family recipes that just brings back a flood of memories. Much like a history book, journal or scrapbook, they give us a sneak peek into our past. However, I fear that for generations to come those tattered, handwritten recipes are vanishing.

With the digital age came the convenience of storing and sharing recipes through online platforms like Pinterest, TIkTok and a multitude of others. Those are great, easy ways to catalog our favorite dishes. And, I love to use those services as well. But, there's just something about seeing the old index card or loose leaf sheet of paper on which your mom or grandmother jotted down the family recipes.

It's especially sentimental if that family member has passed. With that little 3x5 card or 8x11 sheet of paper you forever have a record of the author's handwriting. My mother had beautiful cursive writing. And, that is something we no longer have. In fact, it's no longer taught in school. And, I get it. There's no practical need for it. But, again, it's a piece of history.

And, there's another thing those handwritten family recipes tell us. You can immediately see how popular the recipe was by how soiled the page is. I look at the all those smudges and stains probably put there by flour, sugar, and butter, and I know that was a dish made dozens of times. How many Christmases, Thanksgivings, birthdays and family reunions saw that dish on the table? It's like a trip down memory lane.

That's the case with this Chocolate Chip Cake recipe I stumbled across in my mom's handwriting. I wanted to share it on this digital platform with you. However, for all the reasons I stated above, I will never discard the paper it's written on. And, in fact I found a company a few years ago that would take your written recipes and transfer them onto dish towels. I gave a few as Christmas gifts, and they were a popular keepsake!

So, enjoy this recipe with a cold glass of milk and a dose of nostalgia!