TDG: The Cookbook

[Dave the Cook]

Brooks Hamakers' Mama's cookbook has quickly become the stuff of eGullet legend. Finally, Mayhaw Man comes clean with the whole story:

. . . there are no mulligans or do-overs in this world, and generally we can't go back to the things that we remember from our youth.

I am one of the lucky ones.

Cook with Brooks (and by extension, Mama) . . .

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[NulloModo]

Wow, it sounds absolutely wonderful.

After hearing you mention this book from time to time I have to say that out of every book I have heard talk of on eGullet, this is the one I most want to read

You should approach your mother for permission to scan the pages and upload them for ummm posterity and all..... ;)

[snowangel]

Thanks for the article, Brooks.

I have a cousin who has been living with us for the past couple of months. He is now moving back to his house, after along and difficult journey. It is a sad story which I won't go into.

Anyway, as I mused as to what to give him as a housewarming gift, I went through the list of "thing" gifts. None seemed appropriate. Not that he doesn't need them, he seemed to just need something more personal, more something of myself. He can buy what he needs. Lord knows that when we were getting ready to move, I culled my kitchen seriously (going from very large to quite small), and stashed the extra stuff (did I really need 12 cookie sheets and 5 - 12 cup muffin pans?).

But, none of this seemed adequate.

So, over the last few weeks, I have been going through my oh-so-wonderful-harvest-gold-inherited-from-my-greatgrandmothers-grandmothers-mother recipes, as well as the gems I have collected, and have been copiling a book for him, complete with memories, etc. I will photo copy this before I give it to him, and it will be one thing I will give my children, my cousin's children, etc.

It has been a labor of love. It has been a most rewarding labor of love and as I have reviewed the past and shared the stories (I should add that I was the oldest of the cousins by over 5 years). As with your mother, Brooks, it boils down to where something was in the kitchen, or in my case, just which wooden spooon works best.

Best of all, I have created this for a person who will appreciate every little bit of energy I have put into it.

[Mayhaw Man]

Thanks for the article, Brooks.

I culled my kitchen seriously (going from very large to quite small), and stashed the extra stuff (did I really need 12 cookie sheets and 5 - 12 cup muffin pans?).

So, over the last few weeks, I have been going through my oh-so-wonderful-harvest-gold-inherited-from-my-greatgrandmothers-grandmothers-mother recipes, as well as the gems I have collected, and have been copiling a book for him, complete with memories, etc.  I will photo copy this before I give it to him, and it will be one thing I will give my children, my cousin's children, etc.

It has been a labor of love.  It has been a most rewarding labor of love and as I have reviewed the past and shared the stories (I should add that I was the oldest of the cousins by over 5 years).  As with your mother, Brooks, it boils down to where something was in the kitchen, or in my case, just which wooden spooon works best.

Best of all, I have created this for a person who will appreciate every little bit of energy I have put into it.

Thank you for the kind words.

I am sure that he will appreciate your gift greatly. I wish him luck.

That's way too many muffin tins, but you can never have too many sheet pans.

[bleudauvergne]

A priceless essay, Brooks.

Thank you.

[Varmint]

I hope that at some point in their life, my children look back on some gift that I have given them with the reverence that I feel for that red binder full of now stained and occasionally hard to read recipes. I suppose if I ever give them anything that is as important to them, I won't know it until years after the fact. I suppose that's as it should be.

This might be the second or third time that I've read something on eGullet that actually made me tear up. Thanks, Brooks. You're someone who definitely "gets it."

[Mayhaw Man]

I hope that at some point in their life, my children look back on some gift that I have given them with the reverence that I feel for that red binder full of now stained and occasionally hard to read recipes. I suppose if I ever give them anything that is as important to them, I won't know it until years after the fact. I suppose that's as it should be.

This might be the second or third time that I've read something on eGullet that actually made me tear up. Thanks, Brooks. You're someone who definitely "gets it."

What a girl. Man, go out and teach your boys how to fight or build fireworks or something.

Thanks Dean.

[Varmint]

No, no, no, you misunderstood me, Brooks. When I said, "tear up", I meant that I got pissed off and tore up all that was around me.

Actually, Mrs. Varmint is the one who teaches everyone how to kick some ass.

[ms. victoria]

I got a little teary myself. Thanks for sharing this, Brooks.

[bloviatrix]

What a fabulous story. I'm so envious of anyone who has access to the family recipes. It's such a special part of your heritage.

[mags]

Exactly what Bloviatrix said.

[Mayhaw Man]

What a fabulous story.  I'm so envious of anyone who has access to the family recipes.  It's such a special part of your heritage.

The best part is that there is real food in that book. No tuna hot dish and no green bean casserole with canned fried onions (although I like gbc w/cfo-hard to improve on a classic ).

I'm going to see her this weekend for the first time in a couple of months. There will be kids everywhere and she will be cooking up a storm (even though everyone there (but my Dad-who is useless in the kitchen) can cook, she insists and that's ok by us). Chicken Pie for Sunday Dinner (that's lunch for some of you city folk ).

We're into the nineties and summer has started. It's so hot only about half of the blooms are hanging on my tomatoes and I have actually had to water a couple of times. Have a nice weekend everyone. I'm planning on one myself.

Brooks

Edited to say that not before I go meet a couple of happy go lucky (I hope anyway) eGulleteers for a late night meal or an early morning breakfast in New Orleans-it all depends on their driving habits, I suppose

[afoodnut]

A heart warming story. Thanks for sharing it.

I have my mother's old recipe box, filled with faded, barely legible cards that she wrote when she was trying to record and save her mother's recipes, that, of course, had never been written down.

I'm stealthily putting the recipes into a Word doc, but not yet telling my daughter: It's more fun and memory making when we cook together and laugh and puzzle through those evocative handwritten notes, but my daughter will eventually have the whole card collection, as well as a new-fangled, saved on the computer, printed, compilation.

Edited May 28, 2004 by afoodnut (log)

[doppio]

Brooks- If you aren't going to scan to whole darn book, at least give your public a shot at Brooksie's basil soup.

Fred

[ElfWorks]

damn.

that was sweet.

i love stuff like that.

thank you for sharing.

lisa

[Priscilla]

Wow, MM, what a beautiful sentiment. What a beautiful, exceedingly well-written sentiment.

You are sososo lucky. However what is very nearly best is how you KNOW you're lucky, you know what I mean? And THAT, I believe, is how one can tell that your downright inestimable Mother did a very good job.

[Mabelline]

Nothing can compare to that...many times I've said how lucky you are, but you don't need the telling of that. Safe and happy holiday, MM!!

[marie-louise]

Wonderful. Thanks for sharing.

PS I hope you show your mom this thread!

[Mayhaw Man]

My Mom read the thing the other night. She seemed to like it quite a bit. I am terrible about presents, but she seemed to like this one.

She lurks here occasionally (I think) but is polite enough not to admit it to me. She already knows where to eat in New Orleans as she has been doing it since 1940. She and my Dad actually have a group that were in Law School at Tulane with my Dad who have been eating and drinking together all over the world and in New Orleans two weekends a year since 1958. Dinner at Antoines the Friday before Tulane Homecoming for almost 50 years. They have a great tradition of the person who guesses the price of the whole meal for twenty or so people doesn't have to pay. My father is remarkably good at it. b

[NulloModo]

My Mom read the thing the other night. She seemed to like it quite a bit. I am terrible about presents, but she seemed to like this one.

She lurks here occasionally (I think) but is polite enough not to admit it to me. She already knows where to eat in New Orleans as she has been doing it since 1940. She and my Dad actually have a group that were in Law School at Tulane with my Dad who have been eating and drinking together all over the world and in New Orleans two weekends a year since 1958. Dinner at Antoines the Friday before Tulane Homecoming for almost 50 years. They have a great tradition of the person who guesses the price of the whole meal for twenty or so people doesn't have to pay. My father is remarkably good at it. b

So we know where you stand on Tulane vs. LSU then....

What about McNeese State vs. Southern ? ;)

[Rachel Perlow]

That was just beautiful, Brooks. I wish I had such a book of my grandma's recipes.

[mags]

Not me. I wish I had such a book of BROOKS' grandma's recipes. A book of MY grandma's recipes would have sections like "Ten Things to do With that Leftover Half-Cup of Cottage Cheese" and "Why You Should Save All Plastic Containers" and "Tips for Making Brisket Really Dry and Unappealing."

[Mayhaw Man]

So we know where you stand on Tulane vs. LSU then....

What about McNeese State vs. Southern ? ;)

As far as Tulane vs. LSU in my house we always just described it as:

Culture vs. Agriculture

Actually, I am a Grambling Man(as far as SWAC goes). I grew up watching Eddie Robinson put more players into the NFL than just about anybody.

[fifi]

I have to say that there is not much more sacred in families than passing down well loved recipes. I did the Chicken Pot Pie and felt a connection with history. I am trying to compile a collection of recipes for my kids and I think they understand the connections. They have already made me recreate my mother's cornbread dressing. And there is this recipe for pickled shrimp that has a historical and family connection. These things are more important than you know. My son is trying to get some of the historical recipes from his grandmother and I hope he succeeds. Yes, I will try to compile all of this for "posterity" and I think they will appreciate it.

Brooks, I think you captured the sentiment and importance of such an endeavour in your article. Bravo!

[redfox]

I see that the pickle recipe is in Recipe Gullet (yay!) -- about how many jars' worth of cucumber pickles does that amount of brine make?