Some of you probably recognize the brand of cookie in the picture. When I was a kid, they were one of my favorites, so when I saw them at the grocery store dressed up for the holidays in sparkly red I made an impulsive decision to buy a package. And you know what? I still like them.
Why was this one of my favorite cookies? It was one of the cookies that my grandmother frequently bought. She bought a lot of cookies. I ate a lot of cookies sitting in front of her television. Little did I know that my grandmother was, at one point, renown in her community for her cookie baking. Renowned! Famous! Envied for her cookies! She'd bake up a storm during the holidays and store the cookies in tins to be shared out later. My mom told stories about how she'd find where grandma had hidden the cookie tins and sneak cookies, and then later when grandma demanded to know who ate the cookies there would be all sorts of denials.
When the era of mass produced and factory food really took off, my grandma set aside her baking. She got her GED, went to work full time, had less time for all that time-consuming home labor that home baking and canning required. Factory cookies and processed foods saved her time and made life easier. She was done with all that. Well, that and her kids grew up and moved out, and when I came around as the first grandkid I guess she didn't feel like starting up again.
My mom gave me the recipes shortly before she died. I was hoping we'd have a chance to bake them together, but that was not to be.
I guess I'll just have pull out those recipes and make them myself. But, you know, I just really wish I had a chance to eat some of my grandma's cookies made by her own hands.
What a lovely tribute to your grandmother's baking. I hope the recipes work well for you.
Posted by: ejly | December 04, 2010 at 09:30 PM
That is a lovely post! It is so interesting how mass produced food changed so much. I don't doubt that it made women's lives so much easier and that is important, of course, but still...homemade is so much better.
Posted by: TeacherPatti | December 05, 2010 at 10:11 AM
Lovely memory. i'd love to help you make and eat some of your Grandma's cookies sometime! And what kind of cookie is that pictured? I don't recognize it. a ginger cookie?
Posted by: Julie Saul | December 05, 2010 at 02:27 PM
@Julie: just the Pepperidge Farms gingerman cookies.
Posted by: Kitchen Chick | December 05, 2010 at 10:36 PM
What a lovely post!
Posted by: Lisa | December 27, 2010 at 11:49 AM
Brings back happy memories!
Posted by: Foodsaver bags | February 28, 2011 at 12:42 AM
My husband told me that his grandma make the best chocolate chip cookies and he was also sad that she already passed. In Thailand we also like cookies, and I try some American chocchips in the store. They are OK, but of course we prefer our original Thai recipe! Your blog is nice, I am reading more today. :) Joy
Posted by: Joy B | July 25, 2011 at 02:12 AM
Such happy memories :)
Posted by: Suzanne @ Stainlesssteelfrypan | August 09, 2011 at 02:02 AM
I never was close to my grandmas because they died when I was still very small...anyway, lovely post...nice to hear of your lovely memories!
Posted by: Bianca @ Upright Vacuum Cleaner | August 09, 2011 at 02:04 AM