When I was 18, I was presented with a blue recipe box, by my mom. It had recipes from my great great grandmother and other family members. I was thankful to have it, added new recipes often.
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| Actual blue box, as it looks today, on the right. |
A few years after receiving the box, I met a boy, fell in love, and got a dog named Kiska. She was an adorable little schipperke, great companion, but ornery!
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| What is a schipperke dog? Look it up! |
On more than one occasion, Kiska would "attack" the blue box, knocking them to the kitchen floor, lid barely hanging on, she scattered them all over, while I was at work. She left teeth punctures, slobber and ruined a few of those recipe cards. I repaired, refiled and duplicated, the best I could. The lid was another story. It was attached on one side, to flip closed, only by a little piece of plastic. Once it was gone, the lid would be useless. I left it there anyway.
Life went on.
Along came a son, a boy I nick named Boo. Love of my life, also ornery!
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| In a cool zip up space suit supplied by his Uncle Jimmy, space hat (paper bag) made by me and dads boots. |
This adorable boy, (at 5 A.M when everyone was asleep) decided to sneak into kitchen eat cookie dough with fingers, and for some reason, scatter contents of recipe box all over kitchen floor, sitting on the box, splitting the lid off, then he went back to bed, with the lid in his hand.
Whats the deal with this blue box being scattered all over the kitchen floor? Why does this keep happening?!
I was able to save most, but now they had dried cookie dough all over them, but now it was an open recipe box, no lid.
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| Created on Paintshop 1997 by my husband, Brandon. |
I know.
I could easily make my little recipe box, digital.
Everyone is doing it, right? Online recipes are the new thing, simplify, they say.
Would this really make things less messy?
No.
I guess I prefer messy, tangible hand written cards. They tell more than a recipe, they tell a story, and pass on traditions, like no online recipe site could, even if they tried.
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| Same kid, now all grown up. |
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| My son and his prom date, and first serious girlfriend. |
Now, as my mom did all those years ago, I find myself duplicating these priceless recipes passed down the generations, in ink for my own kid.
It is now up to him to explain to future generations, the cookie dough, punctures and wrinkles. He will enjoy making his own story and will be able to make, 'Swedish apple coffee cake', that's German any time.
Loved every minute I owned the blue box, it is now yours, Boo.
I love you , Mom.
