Using Cookbooks as Family History Books
Yesterday one of my Facebook friends posted a link to a news story about a family who took their family history and recipes and created a cookbook. (Read more about the story entitled, Family Records 160 years of History in Cookbook.)
One of my cousins did something similar to this. She wrote a cookbook where she included a brief story with each recipe. Stories included the author of the recipe, memories of that person and when they cooked the dish (for example it it was a holiday or a family favorite). As I looked through her cookbook I noticed the names of ancestors as well as family friends. This cookbook is a non-traditional family history narrative.
A family cookbook could include quite a bit of family history including photographs of ancestors, images of their homes, kitchens, recipe cards or even signatures. And of course stories behind each recipes should be included. Not only is this a great genealogical gift for those family members who are not into genealogy but it's a great way to document and pass along your family's history.
One of my cousins did something similar to this. She wrote a cookbook where she included a brief story with each recipe. Stories included the author of the recipe, memories of that person and when they cooked the dish (for example it it was a holiday or a family favorite). As I looked through her cookbook I noticed the names of ancestors as well as family friends. This cookbook is a non-traditional family history narrative.
A family cookbook could include quite a bit of family history including photographs of ancestors, images of their homes, kitchens, recipe cards or even signatures. And of course stories behind each recipes should be included. Not only is this a great genealogical gift for those family members who are not into genealogy but it's a great way to document and pass along your family's history.
What a fantastic idea!
ReplyDeleteMy hometown of Roxbury, Connecticut, made a cookbook with remembrances of the "olden days" in the 1970's. I still cherish that book. It contains some recipes from my grandmother, gone now for thirty years. Your blog posting is inspiring me to think about it for this year as a gift. Thank you.
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