Do you have a favorite family recipe that you dream about? Maybe it's your abuelita’s secret pozole, your mom's famous pink conchas, or your tia's tamales. It's a dish that brings back warm memories and fills your heart with comfort. But what happens when the recipe's keeper is no longer around? You don't want to be like me.
Molé Mama shares her tips on how to preserve your family recipes.
Don't let those precious family recipes fade away. By following these simple steps, you can capture your culinary heritage and ensure these delicious dishes are enjoyed for generations to come.
Please schedule an appointment to visit your home cook in person to videotape them and make your favorite recipe, or schedule an appointment via Zoom or another conference service, and make sure you record it! Do this today!
Learn the recipe history. Watch, learn, pay close attention, and take notes.
Once you begin recording your home cook, find out who taught them the recipe. Was it their mother, abuelita, a tia? Encouraging your home cook to share the story of their recipe will help them relax while being videotaped and allow the conversation to flow. I love learning about home cooks' origin recipe stories. They’re always so touching!
Please don't leave the kitchen; let me repeat: don't leave the room while your home cook is making the recipe.
My mother and I would make her chili beans together all the time, and whenever I left the room to answer the door, go to the bathroom, etc., I'd come back to beans that were a different color, and I'd ask, “Mom, what did you do?” And she’d innocently respond, “They needed a little more this and that to perfect the taste.” And I'd shake my head in dismay that I’d missed her secrets once again. Don't leave the kitchen unless there is a real emergency.
Ask them about their recipe mishaps.
As a home cook, my biggest learning has come from my mistakes: undercooking, using the wrong ingredients, over-salting, etc. Learning more about their mistakes will hopefully keep you from repeating them.
Ask them how many times they've made the recipe.
This will help you understand more about your beloved recipe's story and how long it might take for you to perfect it. My mother made thousands of flour tortillas during her lifetime, and although I've made hundreds, I still can't make a round tortilla. But I'm not losing hope yet!
Thank them.
Once you take that first bite of your favorite recipe, thank your home cook for teaching you how to make their favorite recipe and what their food has meant to you. It means so much to us home cooks to be appreciated for sharing our love with you through the food we make for you, and you're going to create a lovely memory.
Bonus Tip.
Offer to clean up their kitchen! Trust me, you will make your home cook's day and score so many points!
By following these tips, you can preserve your family's culinary heritage and ensure that these delicious recipes are enjoyed for generations to come. Remember, every recipe has a story, so take the time to capture it and share it with others.
Be well, everyone!
Happy Holidays!
Molé Mama