I grew up in an extremely poor family with very little 'extras' in our cabinets that many view as staples today. Regardless, my greatest childhood joy was coming home from school to ask my mom what was for supper? Does anyone say 'supper' anymore???? In Maine, we say 'suppa' !!!!
I was fortunate enough to have a mom who was there when I arrived home. I took it for granted back then, but so appreciate it now. We had a meal together every night. It usually consisted of a meat, starch, and vegetable. That was the norm back in the day. When she ran out of bread, she always made biscuits!! Moms during that era knew how to improvise and be resourceful! We could learn a lot from them. We live in a world of instant gratification. If we don't have a certain ingredient, we make a trip to the market which usually leads to purchasing other items we truly do not need.
My mom's proudest dish was her beef stew. She has no secret recipe or secret ingredient that she holds back from disclosing. All of her grandchildren absolutely rave about her stew. What's so special about it? She is the special , secret ingredient!!!! The second best thing is eating it at her house!!
What's so special about her house? Is it something like the old, spacious farmhouses they depict grandmothers to live in the movies? No. She lives in a one bedroom, elderly housing apartment.
What makes it so inviting? It's impeccably clean and orderly. More importantly, it's filled with her love. She takes deep pride in taking great care of the few possessions she owns and keeping a clean home. As the mother of five, she often said 'just because you have a lot of kids, doesn't mean you can't have a clean house.' I recalled those words often while raising my four children.
Back in the 1960's and 1970's supermarkets gave S&H green stamps at the end of ones purchase . It was a great perk for moms because they would save these and cash them in at the S&H store for something special for themselves or their family. It was a thrill for us to have my dad take us there when mom had enough to redeem. Most of the time, it was months in the waiting. Words cannot describe the unbelievable joy my mom experienced when she saved enough stamps for a dinnerware service for 8!!! It even included a gravy bowl!!! She was incredibly happy to come home to set the table for our first meal on her first set of 'real' dishes!!
Long before the days of HGTV, the Food Network, Amazon, Target, Walmart, the internet, BLOGS :), etc., people relied on what they had at hand. There wasn't anyone to tell them how they should decorate, cook, and entertain at the click of a mouse. That was probably a good thing because they weren't able to compare and maybe become depressed if they couldn't keep in pace with latest and greatest. For many housewives in my mom's situation, the big splurge was a trip to the S& H Store!
What a change from the society we live in today. It's not enough to have a set of dishes, many people have several. The sad reality is that many will end up in a yard sale a few years later. My mom's dishes are in my possession. She gave them to me a few years back as she no longer needs a service for 8. She had them for close to 40 years.
I will highlight them in a future blog.
Follow the lead of my mom: Keep it as simple as a bowl of stew, serve it in a clean house, and while it doesn't have to be served on fine china it does have to be SERVED with LOVE!! That's what makes a memorable meal!!!
Ask any of her kids or grandchildren, when you want comfort food, go to Evelyn's!! Mama knows best!!
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