How To Find Grandma's Long Lost Recipe

It is only logical to begin by asking a family member since recipes are often handed down through the generations. If not on paper, then by way of preparation.  For example, if I asked my mother for my grandmother’s recipe for scalloped potato’s she would probably say she doesn’t know it.  However, from watching my grandmother and my mother make them over the years, I know they use the same ingredients and you can’t tell their dishes apart.

Years ago it was common for women to exchange recipes.  While my grandmother may not have given her daughter a specific recipe, she may have shared it with a friend.  That friend may have in turn passed it on to her own daughter or other family member. Understand where I am going with this?  The granddaughter of the neighbor of your Grandmother may have the recipe you are looking for.

Many civic organizations and churches used to (and some still do) publish an annual cookbook. Members would contribute recipes to be included. Heritage Societies are another place to check along with College Sororities. Both  frequently compiled cookbooks using member submissions as a form of fundraising. If you know of a relative that attended a particular school it might be worthwhile to research if a cookbook was published during their years of attendance. Try to acquire a copy. They might have contributed a “borrowed recipe”.

A trip to the Library or a Used Book Store might bring about a happy ending to your search.  The recipe you are looking for might be older then you originally thought.  It could have been handed down numerous times and may not have been “original”. It might have come from an old cookbook, like my mother’s “secret” recipe for mincemeat cookies!

If you know the name of the recipe, the search should be very easy.  The results will be numerous and it will be a matter of simply finding the one that looks like it might be right.  Of course you won’t know for sure until you actually try it.

If you don’t know the exact name, type in as many ingredients as you can recall, starting with the uncommon. The number of results may be overwhelming at first but you can eliminate many by adding or deleting some of the search terms.

When I was a little girl, my neighbor was Mrs. Reid.  I calculate she was born in the late 1880’s. I would trot across the street every Saturday morning because it was her day to bake and I had the honor of being her official “helper“. I would watch her for hours. Her hands flew around the kitchen with expertise as she chatted with me. She never showed any signs of hesitation when mixing the ingredients, relying solely on memory. Looking back I am amazed at how successfully she multi-tasked.  I can still recall the large, round, plump, sour cream cookies and how incredibly good they tasted straight out of the oven. 

I have tried repeatedly to track down her recipe. I have baked many that seemed similar only to be disappointed when the end result was lacking a certain something.  Recently, I recalled there were teaspoons of something brown that went into the mix. I looked online using the search terms Sour Cream and Nutmeg/Cinnamon/Cloves.  I quickly found a few recipes that called for Nutmeg. After a few attempts, I used the one that called for baking at a lower temperature for a longer period of time.  I  believe I have finally found what I have been searching for.  If only I could remember to set the oven timer so they don’t burn!

Do you have a favorite recipe? Was it handed down or did you have to locate it? Please feel free to post it or comment on how you acquired it.