Childhood Memories From My Grandmother’s Kitchen

Challenge Accepted

My Grandmother was an amazing woman. She grew on a self-sustained family farm in eastern-Washington state. She lived through my grandfather going off to World War II and my uncle going to the Korean War.

All that to say, she could hold her own. Especially with my dad and his three brothers running about the farm and countryside.

While I don’t know much about my grandma before I was born I know she was one blessed lady. She must have been fierce too because my grandfather would do whatever she asked or said.

As I think about my grandmother's kitchen, I remember several distinct memories of her. No matter her age or health, the kitchen was a place of many memories.

Dementia Couldn’t Stop Her

My grandmother had dementia near the end of her life. As she got older she would forget people, things, and even where she was at times. I think back and feel sad that it happened to her.

Yet, she was a strong and stubborn lady. We actually didn’t see the early signs of it because she was so good at covering it up. I imagine she knew things weren’t quite right, but it didn’t stop her.

One place this was true was in the kitchen.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

In the last few years she was at home, I would stay with my grandparents during the summer while I worked a summer job. Mostly to give grandpa a break, but also to spend more time with my grandma.

One afternoon, I got back from work and she was in the kitchen. Working in the kitchen like she did when I was a child I noticed something. She was making grandpa’s favorite chocolate chip cookies.

But she wasn’t using measuring spoons or cups. I asked grandpa about it and he said she had memorized the receipt by the ‘feel’ or the ingredients and the cookies were always the same. Even when she couldn’t remember my name or where she was.

While her mind was failing her, she continued to use the parts that did not.

Winning Card Games

Another thing we used to do in the kitchen was play card games at night with Grandma. While this was typically her worst time of day, she still remembered all the rules to Rummie, Skippo, and Uno.

Oh, and she beat grandpa and me most of the time. And I’m not exaggerating. Grandpa would be so frustrated by it but kept playing because they always played games and it was one of the most normal thing s they did together.

I loved playing games with my grandparents, no matter how often grandpa beat us.

Family Foods

The last memory I have to share comes from the times we would make the old ‘German’ foods that grandma and grandpa grew up within their families.

While their generation was three removed from immigration to the United States, the family has strong roots in their heritage through food and hard work.

Grandma used to have all her grandsons (the sum total of her grandkids minus two granddaughters) come over in the summertime so she could put us to work to make Kraut Ranzas, homemade noodles, and Koochen (Spelling? This is how it is written in an old family cookbook, but it may be different in modern German).

She would assign us each a job and then we would spend all day doing it until the work was complete. We would make enough for each family to take some home and have a big dinner that night too.

Childhood Memories: A Challenge

Thank you Ana Ryan for including me in your post:

I realize I rarely talk or write about my grandmother, mostly my grandfather because he impacted my life so much. So, I felt this was a great chance to bring my grandma to the world.

Rules for this Challenge

If you accept the invite, you must mention who you received the tag from and tag other people. Copy the Title and share your own experiences.

So, what do you say Nicole Akers, Gayle Kurtzer-Meyers, and Stephen Dalton?