Cook Up Some Love By Lisa Payne
I recently saw a post going around asking the question: If you had an hour to talk with anybody, who would it be? There were different answers, but the overall majority of respondents said they wanted an hour to talk to a grandparent who was no longer here. Anyone who knows me knows that I am incredibly passionate about capturing our loved ones stories before it’s too late. So you can imagine the huge inhale/exhale of mixed emotions I took reading those answers. An inhale of hope for those lucky enough to have grandparents alive that they can still ask the questions, and at the same time an exhale of sadness for those whose grandparents have already passed. Unfortunately I don’t have grandparents alive any longer to ask the questions of what was life like when they were kids, or what was the biggest lesson they learned in life and what was their one regret? But I did spend a few weeks each summer visiting my grandparents in Wisconsin, gathering memories of playing with cousins and eating food fresh from the garden. Of sitting on my grandpa’s lap watching the Milwaukee Braves (now the Brewers) or listening to my other grandpa tell endless stories of playing all the wind instruments in big bands back in the 40s. I had one grandma who always had a glass of orange juice waiting for me on her kitchen table when I woke up, and another one who was up at the crack of dawn baking her signature kringle and cinnamon rolls. These memories make up who I am. And for me, the smells from their kitchens can bring me right back to those lazy summer days where there isn’t a care in the world. I’m sure most of you have at least one recipe that was handed down from a grandparent or great grandparent. You know the one, that recipe card with the food splattered all over it from making it so many times. Preserve these! Laminate them, especially if the recipe is in their handwriting. What a gift to hand down to your own children someday. Many years ago when my grandma was still alive, I gathered all of her recipes and made a cookbook for our entire extended family. I gathered stories of her cooking to include with each recipe. I laugh now looking at that cookbook with the terrible editing and misaligned margins. But no matter the format, I am so thankful to have that cookbook and those memories today. To honor all grandparents who have given us so many warm memories through cooking, I am going to share a family recipe that comes from my German heritage. German potato salad! My grandma made this for us and it has always been my favorite potato salad. The warm, melt in your mouth potatoes along with the salty bacon and tangy vinegar… heaven. It is a great picnic and potluck food since it can be left out at room temperature longer than mayo-based salads. Use this recipe, or bring out your own family recipes and cook up some love today!
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Our Broomfield™ Magazine | September 2020
German Potato Salad (Serves 4)
Ingredients: • 2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and sliced or diced • 1 small onion, diced • 2 hardboiled eggs (optional)
Sauce: • • • • •
4 strips bacon ¼ cup white vinegar ¼ cup water ¼ cup sugar 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
