Well here goes! This is my first post and I am a wee bit nervous. This, despite the fact that I have been recipe testing for over 30 years. I am just not as confident in my ability to write well.
My interest in cooking started when I was 16 or so. Mom, Kathy, was newly divorced with 7 children on her hands. In order, Myself, John, Jane, Tom, Frank,Jimbo and Tootsie (Clare). It must have been overwhelming. But my mom really had been in charge of almost everything for quite a while. She kept us in line, made sure we did our homework, cooked, cleaned, organized and was a member of the South St. Paul school board for 25 years, 10 years or so as president. She had even attempted to run for political office as a republican candidate ( a story for another day). She also realistically understood that she would likely be supporting the family. So she learned to drive and she enrolled in the School of Architecture at the University of Minnesota. It was then that we all had to pitch in and help out. My job was meal planning and cooking.
I remember opening Mom’s Betty Crocker cookbook for the first time. So many recipes, so many possibilities! She also had the French Larousse Gastronomique hidden way back in the cupboard above the oven. I believe it was a wedding present. This too was fascinating.Snails! Strange cheese, liver pate, eels! My siblings were my test audience and my clean-up crew. they can go on and on about that. Ask them about the 7 course chinese menu where Ann used EVERY POT AND PAN IN THE KITCHEN!!! It took 15 years before they stopped bringing that up.
To backtrack a bit, I am primarily German with just a hint of Irish. My cooks growing up were Mom, Grandma Frieda and my Great Aunt Rose. Aunt Rose lived across the street from Grandma Frieda. Saturday was her baking morning. She had a little bungalow with a breakfast nook (which explains why I adore bungalows). The bakery would cool on the breakfast nook table. I remember the warm kitchen smelling of cinnamon and baked bread. My Mom says that Aunt Rose’s baking wasn’t all that stellar but I remember thinking it was just wonderful. It might have just been the smell.
My family believes that we make the best German potato Salad in the world. Potatoes, bacon,onion,vinegar, salt and pepper. AND THAT IS ALL. Sugar is NOT allowed.I will show you one day. Our piecrust is also really good. I know now that is because it is a 50/50 mix of fat to flour, the handling of which is very delicate. Now having read many piecrust recipes I understand that the best of them are similar. I recently made the best apple crumb pie ever and my pecan pie is legendary. Again, I will share later.
Besides loving food I am also an OB/Gyn physician and a mom. I love to exercise and I love music. Over the years I have acquired a little cookbook of wonderful things. Those who know me will be happy that I am finally going to give you the recipes. All the great nurses I have known, the clinic staff, my friends, these recipes are for you. I love you all.
Ann Friedmann MD 