My Flickr 'Baking Mit George' project

[Portia_Smith]

On a recent trip home to Australia I asked my Dad to show me how to make some of the wonderful cookies/biscuits that he provides every time the occasion demands something sweet.

I consider myself a poor baker, and i have little patience for fiddly things - like folding cream cheese dough into small parcels - but i wanted to preserve a bit of family history and was determined to 'watch and learn' and then have photographic evidence.

As I live in London and my family is in a small town in Australia, I can't stop by to ask questions on a regular basis! So I decided to create an album on flickr - entitled Baking mit George , complete with recipes and methodology. My father was born in a small village in what is now the Czech Republic, but I'm assured by George that the recipes are Austrian.

I managed to get dad into the kitchen twice - first to make vanilla kipferl - a shortbready type crescent cookie rolled in sugar and then for Wiener Liebesbriefe (possible spelling issues here) which are parcels of jam filled cream cheese dough also sprinkled sugar. It was quite chaotic! I managed to annoy both my parents and do everything 'the wrong way'... but we had a lot of fun. recipes are included under the finished photos of all the products.

I haven't attempted to re-create either product yet. i'll have a go in a few weeks - but i'd recommend this type of project as a great way for anyone to ensure that valuable family heirlooms (such as recipes for cookies!) are kept safe for posterity.

[JFLinLA]

What a great idea. Some of my best memories are cooking or baking with my late grandmother. One of my best and last memories of her before she got sick for the last time was when we had 4 generations cooking together -- Grandma, my mom, myself, and my daughter who was then about 4 years old (now 15).

Some years earlier than this, my mom spent time with Grandma following her around and taking copious notes on some of her classic dishes where she never really followed a recipe. It just never seems like a particular holiday without one of the classic dishes. Is there something newer and more gourmet? Absolutely. But the memories are more important. Now that she's gone, I know we are keeping her memory alive with these dishes.

Cooking is a great way to pass on culture and traditions as it uses every one of the senses.