I can remember back when my grandmother would slave in the kitchen all night long so that her family could savor the flavor of her soulful talents. Many meals I cook today are an ode to her greatness as a self taught gourmet of food for the soul. As I think fondly of the countless holidays she cooked for us, I am reminded that the most important memory is the time we spent together as a family. Many jokes were told and stories shared around the dinning room table of Catherine Dorothy Deramus Cast or simply Mudea. Over these meals the history of our family was handed down from one generation to the unknowing next.
I think my love of cooking and entertaining began to manifest itself when favorite daughter and favorite son were toddlers. Looking back, I see how I progressed to organizing some pretty awesome themed birthday parties at home. I miss a lot of the fanfare associated with those days. The excessive amount of decorations. The need to find all things "Power Puff Girls." The over the top goodies bags. Even adults loved the parties I organized for my kids. Absolutely nothing screams "C-E-L-E-B-R-A-T-E" like a ceiling full of colorful balloons from a rented helium tank. All this for the birthday party of a 6 year old....on a Monday night.
As I have gotten older I now understand that from these gatherings memories are made. Stories are formed. Traditions and history are passed on. As we break bread for holidays, birthdays, graduations, baby showers and weddings we begin to add our patch to the growing patchwork that represents our family and friends.
Time is always moving, forever changing the things and people around us. So it is important to take those snap shots of our experiences and marinate on them so that they are ingrained in our soul. What I have and will continue to cherish are those holidays and birthdays spent around my Mudea's dinning room table and the lofty aromas that floated through the air.
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