This morning I saw part of a segment on TODAY about favorite family recipes. That brought to mind my favorite remembered aroma, coming from my mother's kitchen: Apple Custard Pie. I've never known anyone else who made it, and I believe one of my children said they didn't like custard, when I mentioned this pie. But, oh those delicious apple/cinnamon aromas wafting through the house! I thought it was delicious. I could hardly wait until dinner time, once I knew it was in the making. Perhaps you would get the same pleasing aromas from 'regular' apple pie, and I made a lot of those; but when mother made apple pie, it was always apple custard. She was a very good cook, and it was said that, "Mary made the flakiest pie crusts around." People also raved about her chicken and dumplings, but during that period of my life, I didn't like that particular dish.
I don't have a picture of my mother that goes with this period, but this is a snapshot of her at age 93, just a few weeks before she became ill and passed away 3-1/2 months before her 94th birthday.
Isn't it interesting how important a mother's kitchen is? I remember your kitchen, too. I especially remember your kitchen when it was a holiday or a family gathering. You always made the best desserts; especially banana pudding, coconut cream pie and lemon pie. But I also remember your chili! I remember it as a Friday night staple in the fall and winter. And, while I didn't duplicate the Friday night tradition, I have duplicated the wonderful chili you always made. Both of my kids like chili, even though they manage to eat around the beans. That chili recipe is so good I managed to win the chili cook off at work twice!BJC
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