Making a Keepsake Cookbook

Family Cookbooks. A gift of the past for the future. A keepsake cookbook is one way to preserve the past in a personalized collection of recipes.

My grandmother had this pan. It was an aluminum one I think and bumpy on the outside. She made soup, chicken and gravy, chop suey and the best scalloped potatoes in that pan. Her youngest daughter has it now and every holiday meal, there it is, in all its glory, filled with wonderful scalloped potatoes. One look at it, whether it be aunt, uncle or cousin is all it takes to bring back wonderful memories of our beloved grandmother and the wonderful food she cooked in it.

In the past, most people relied on word of mouth to keep the family recipes and memories alive, but with time these details can fade. More and more, people aren't leaving it to chance.

There are many ways you can create your own family cookbook. Some are informal and handwritten with recipes only, others may be written as a memorial to someone, some have recipes, stories and photos. Others send out questionnaires asking for favorite memories and recipes.

You can design the pages on your computer, scan photos and original recipe cards. I think it is a great touch if you can have recipes in the handwriting of the person who made a certain recipe.

I started a family cookbook last summer and had to put it on hold when we made our move to Boston. I was lucky enough to be able to scan my great grandmothers handwritten recipe book before I moved. These recipes are special and many are still made today by various aunts and cousins. Last year, my sister e-mailed me and needed a recipe. She was so surprised and pleased when I sent it back in our grandmothers writing.

If you've done a family cookbook, are working on one, or just getting ready to do one I'd love to hear from you. All tips, stories and suggestions are welcome. I'd love to do some pages on this site that might help someone do a keepsake for their family.

I've added a few more pages about making a keepsake cookbook. You'll find them here. Keepsake Cookbook
 

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