Heart of the City by Steenz for November 17, 2011

Just how both my grandmothers used to cook.

plus tasting depends on freshness of herbs the fresher the herb the less you need

That’s how I learned to cook.

is she related to Rachel R.?

And the time……….. the packages on pasta and macaroni generally say to cook for 15 minutes. But my mom, may she rest in peace, would say that left it too hard – al dente, which she didn’t like. But – if it cooked too long, it would get mooshy, which she ALSO didn’t like! So – I would cook pasta, generally for 30 minutes, or ziti for 20 minutes, then bring a sample to her, and she would either say it was okay or to cook another two or three minutes.

Sheesh! Learning to cook at home!

I suggest Heart has her demonstrate and take accurrate measurements after she pours out the amount. As a seasoned cook, I can pour out a tablespoon or teaspoon by just looking at it in my hand.

Sounds like how my Mom and Grandma cooked and baked. Nearly impossible to duplicate.

My mother and grandmother cooked like that…

My mothers bread recipe: how much flour? “until it looks good”

“A pinch of this,a pinch of that,a Dewey buttonand a French-fried bat!”

My Italian grandmother came over in around 1900, and never really learned English. My dad tried without success to get her to record her recipes, and all she would ever give was what Nab said above. so one day he finally just shadowed her around the kitchen, writing down what she did. I have made her spaghetti sauce a number of times, and it’s good – but I have never duplicated hers. I think it’s missing her love.

It doesn’t matter a tad, but it does matter a bit.