Am I in the minority in that even well beyond the age of 70 I still make
things the same way my mother and grandmother did, even though almost
everyone else make them differently?

A couple of examples from many many:

* Meatloaf with just ground meat, pieces of wet bread, egg, diced onions
and salt and pepper. I made one addition - horseradish.

* Poultry dressing with just bread, egg and water with chicken bullion
cube disolved in it.

Weird huh? But that's the way I like them. I've never been civilized.

Do you make stuff the way you ate it when you were growing up or did you
instead switch to cookbook versions, the latest trends, etc.? Or maybe
you are not as fussy as I am and enjoy experimenting.

Ken






--
"When you choose the lesser of two evils, always
remember that it is still an evil." - Max Lerner

Ken said...

> Am I in the minority in that even well beyond the age of 70 I still make
> things the same way my mother and grandmother did, even though almost
> everyone else make them differently?
>
> A couple of examples from many many:
>
> * Meatloaf with just ground meat, pieces of wet bread, egg, diced onions
> and salt and pepper. I made one addition - horseradish.
>
> * Poultry dressing with just bread, egg and water with chicken bullion
> cube disolved in it.
>
> Weird huh? But that's the way I like them. I've never been civilized.
>
> Do you make stuff the way you ate it when you were growing up or did you
> instead switch to cookbook versions, the latest trends, etc.? Or maybe
> you are not as fussy as I am and enjoy experimenting.
>
> Ken


Ken,

I do miss lots of Mom's unwritten home-spun recipes that we so enjoyed!!!

Meanwhile, I'm $15 away from a free turkey at the local ACME supermarket. I
can hardly wait!

Best,

Andy

In article >,
Ken > wrote:

> Am I in the minority in that even well beyond the age of 70 I still make
> things the same way my mother and grandmother did, even though almost
> everyone else make them differently?
>
> A couple of examples from many many:
>
> * Meatloaf with just ground meat, pieces of wet bread, egg, diced onions
> and salt and pepper. I made one addition - horseradish.
>
> * Poultry dressing with just bread, egg and water with chicken bullion
> cube disolved in it.
>
> Weird huh? But that's the way I like them. I've never been civilized.
>
> Do you make stuff the way you ate it when you were growing up or did you
> instead switch to cookbook versions, the latest trends, etc.? Or maybe
> you are not as fussy as I am and enjoy experimenting.
>
> Ken

I don't actually cook by recipes for the most part. I cook by mood and
make many variations. I make it up as I go along. :-) I must admit
tho' a lot of things have been turning out better the past couple of
years (most notably, rare steaks) since I've started more routinely
using a timer!
--
Peace! Om

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive." -- Dalai Lama

Ken > wrote in message
...
> Am I in the minority in that even well beyond the age of 70 I still make
> things the same way my mother and grandmother did, even though almost
> everyone else make them differently?
>
> A couple of examples from many many:
>
> * Meatloaf with just ground meat, pieces of wet bread, egg, diced onions
> and salt and pepper. I made one addition - horseradish.
>
> * Poultry dressing with just bread, egg and water with chicken bullion
> cube disolved in it.
>
> Weird huh? But that's the way I like them. I've never been civilized.
>
> Do you make stuff the way you ate it when you were growing up or did you
> instead switch to cookbook versions, the latest trends, etc.? Or maybe
> you are not as fussy as I am and enjoy experimenting.
>
> Ken
>

Same here Ken. Of course, I will be 70 my next birthday so maybe it's a
generational thing. I can remember thinking 'What?' one Christmas when a
cousin said to another that the dressing was 'the real thing', that it was
'Stove Top'.

JonquilJan

Learn something new every day
As long as you are learning, you are living
When you stop learning, you start dying

"Ken" > wrote in message
...
> Am I in the minority in that even well beyond the age of 70 I still make
> things the same way my mother and grandmother did, even though almost
> everyone else make them differently?
>
> A couple of examples from many many:
>
> * Meatloaf with just ground meat, pieces of wet bread, egg, diced onions
> and salt and pepper. I made one addition - horseradish.
>
> * Poultry dressing with just bread, egg and water with chicken bullion
> cube disolved in it.
>
> Weird huh? But that's the way I like them. I've never been civilized.
>
> Do you make stuff the way you ate it when you were growing up or did you
> instead switch to cookbook versions, the latest trends, etc.? Or maybe
> you are not as fussy as I am and enjoy experimenting.
>
> Ken
>

Same here. I like to eat foods made with new recipes (especially when made
by other people!), but I tend to like "my mother's way of cooking" when it
is something we frequetly had at home. For example, I grew up in northeast
Ohio, and my mother used white bread in her turkey dressing (which we called
"stuffing"), flavored with sage. When I moved to Texas and ordered turkey
with dressing shortly after arriving here, I thought, "What in the world is
this??" It was made with cornmeal (I don't think it was even corn bread),
and it took me a long time to get used to it. Now, I don't eat anything
made with flour, so it's a moot point.

MaryL

On Thu 06 Nov 2008 09:37:09a, Ken told us...

> Am I in the minority in that even well beyond the age of 70 I still make
> things the same way my mother and grandmother did, even though almost
> everyone else make them differently?
>
> A couple of examples from many many:
>
> * Meatloaf with just ground meat, pieces of wet bread, egg, diced onions
> and salt and pepper. I made one addition - horseradish.
>
> * Poultry dressing with just bread, egg and water with chicken bullion
> cube disolved in it.
>
> Weird huh? But that's the way I like them. I've never been civilized.
>
> Do you make stuff the way you ate it when you were growing up or did you
> instead switch to cookbook versions, the latest trends, etc.? Or maybe
> you are not as fussy as I am and enjoy experimenting.
>
> Ken

I make many things exactly the way my mother and/or grandmother made them,
although I do sometimes make slight changes in ingredients.

I also make many things that neither of them ever made.

--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)

*******************************************
Date: Thursday, 11(XI)/06(VI)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
4dys 12hrs 25mins
*******************************************
Diplomacy: The patriotic art of lying
for one's country.

Ken wrote:
> Am I in the minority in that even well beyond the age of 70 I still make
> things the same way my mother and grandmother did, even though almost
> everyone else make them differently?
>
> A couple of examples from many many:
>
> * Meatloaf with just ground meat, pieces of wet bread, egg, diced onions
> and salt and pepper. I made one addition - horseradish.
>
> * Poultry dressing with just bread, egg and water with chicken bullion
> cube disolved in it.
>
> Weird huh? But that's the way I like them. I've never been civilized.
>
> Do you make stuff the way you ate it when you were growing up or did you
> instead switch to cookbook versions, the latest trends, etc.? Or maybe
> you are not as fussy as I am and enjoy experimenting.


It annoys my wife that most of the dinners I cook are always a little
different. I rarely use recipes, except when baking. Granted, it is hit
and miss. The not so good results aren't bad, but once in a while they
turn out exceptionally well. Occasionally when in a waiting room I look
through the magazines and find recipes that look interesting, read them
over and get an idea of what to do and then go home and try them.
Sometimes I miss an important ingredient, and sometimes I substitute or
add something.

In article >,
Dave Smith > wrote:

> Ken wrote:
> > Am I in the minority in that even well beyond the age of 70 I still make
> > things the same way my mother and grandmother did, even though almost
> > everyone else make them differently?
> >
> > A couple of examples from many many:
> >
> > * Meatloaf with just ground meat, pieces of wet bread, egg, diced onions
> > and salt and pepper. I made one addition - horseradish.
> >
> > * Poultry dressing with just bread, egg and water with chicken bullion
> > cube disolved in it.
> >
> > Weird huh? But that's the way I like them. I've never been civilized.
> >
> > Do you make stuff the way you ate it when you were growing up or did you
> > instead switch to cookbook versions, the latest trends, etc.? Or maybe
> > you are not as fussy as I am and enjoy experimenting.
>
>
> It annoys my wife that most of the dinners I cook are always a little
> different. I rarely use recipes, except when baking. Granted, it is hit
> and miss. The not so good results aren't bad, but once in a while they
> turn out exceptionally well. Occasionally when in a waiting room I look
> through the magazines and find recipes that look interesting, read them
> over and get an idea of what to do and then go home and try them.
> Sometimes I miss an important ingredient, and sometimes I substitute or
> add something.

They only bad part of "seat of your pants" cooking is that when
something comes out exceptionally good, I can't always remember the
details of what I did. <g>

You wanna measure or you wanna cook?
--
Peace! Om

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive." -- Dalai Lama

blAndy wrote:

> Ken said...
>
> > Am I in the minority in that even well beyond the age of 70 I still make
> > things the same way my mother and grandmother did, even though almost
> > everyone else make them differently?
> >
> > A couple of examples from many many:
> >
> > * Meatloaf with just ground meat, pieces of wet bread, egg, diced onions
> > and salt and pepper. I made one addition - horseradish.
> >
> > * Poultry dressing with just bread, egg and water with chicken bullion
> > cube disolved in it.
> >
> > Weird huh? But that's the way I like them. I've never been civilized.
> >
> > Do you make stuff the way you ate it when you were growing up or did you
> > instead switch to cookbook versions, the latest trends, etc.? Or maybe
> > you are not as fussy as I am and enjoy experimenting.
> >
> > Ken
>
>
> Ken,
>
> I do miss lots of Mom's unwritten home-spun recipes that we so enjoyed!!!
>
> Meanwhile, I'm $15 away from a free turkey at the local ACME supermarket.
I
> can hardly wait!


Is that "ACME" the same ACME that's featured in _The Roadrunner_ and other
cartoons, blAndy...???


--
Best
Greg

Omelet wrote:
>
>> It annoys my wife that most of the dinners I cook are always a little
>> different. I rarely use recipes, except when baking. Granted, it is hit
>> and miss. The not so good results aren't bad, but once in a while they
>> turn out exceptionally well. Occasionally when in a waiting room I look
>> through the magazines and find recipes that look interesting, read them
>> over and get an idea of what to do and then go home and try them.
>> Sometimes I miss an important ingredient, and sometimes I substitute or
>> add something.
>
> They only bad part of "seat of your pants" cooking is that when
> something comes out exceptionally good, I can't always remember the
> details of what I did. <g>

Yep. That is the problem. One of the things I have messed around with is
shrimp and pasta stir fries. They have all been good but a few of them
were exceptional. But damn it, I remember the days when I had to have a
recipe sitting open in front of me and didn't know how to cook anything
without written instructions. It was not a lot of fun. Then I started
watching the Galloping Gourmet and learned that it is a matter of
technique. I have picked up a number of techniques over the years and
have no problem winging it.



> You wanna measure or you wanna cook?

In article >,
Dave Smith > wrote:

> Omelet wrote:
> >
> >> It annoys my wife that most of the dinners I cook are always a little
> >> different. I rarely use recipes, except when baking. Granted, it is hit
> >> and miss. The not so good results aren't bad, but once in a while they
> >> turn out exceptionally well. Occasionally when in a waiting room I look
> >> through the magazines and find recipes that look interesting, read them
> >> over and get an idea of what to do and then go home and try them.
> >> Sometimes I miss an important ingredient, and sometimes I substitute or
> >> add something.
> >
> > They only bad part of "seat of your pants" cooking is that when
> > something comes out exceptionally good, I can't always remember the
> > details of what I did. <g>
>
> Yep. That is the problem. One of the things I have messed around with is
> shrimp and pasta stir fries. They have all been good but a few of them
> were exceptional. But damn it, I remember the days when I had to have a
> recipe sitting open in front of me and didn't know how to cook anything
> without written instructions. It was not a lot of fun. Then I started
> watching the Galloping Gourmet and learned that it is a matter of
> technique. I have picked up a number of techniques over the years and
> have no problem winging it.
>
>
>
> > You wanna measure or you wanna cook?

Fun, ain't it? :-) It also takes a lot of the work out of cooking.
--
Peace! Om

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive." -- Dalai Lama

Gregory Morrow said...

>
> blAndy wrote:
>
>> Ken said...
>>
>> > Am I in the minority in that even well beyond the age of 70 I still
make
>> > things the same way my mother and grandmother did, even though almost
>> > everyone else make them differently?
>> >
>> > A couple of examples from many many:
>> >
>> > * Meatloaf with just ground meat, pieces of wet bread, egg, diced
onions
>> > and salt and pepper. I made one addition - horseradish.
>> >
>> > * Poultry dressing with just bread, egg and water with chicken bullion
>> > cube disolved in it.
>> >
>> > Weird huh? But that's the way I like them. I've never been civilized.
>> >
>> > Do you make stuff the way you ate it when you were growing up or did
you
>> > instead switch to cookbook versions, the latest trends, etc.? Or maybe
>> > you are not as fussy as I am and enjoy experimenting.
>> >
>> > Ken
>>
>>
>> Ken,
>>
>> I do miss lots of Mom's unwritten home-spun recipes that we so
enjoyed!!!
>>
>> Meanwhile, I'm $15 away from a free turkey at the local ACME
supermarket.
> I
>> can hardly wait!
>
>
> Is that "ACME" the same ACME that's featured in _The Roadrunner_ and
other
> cartoons, blAndy...???


You still watch cartoons???

Figures!!!

NOPE!

Ken wrote:
> Am I in the minority in that even well beyond the age of 70 I still make
> things the same way my mother and grandmother did, even though almost
> everyone else make them differently?
>
> A couple of examples from many many:
>
> * Meatloaf with just ground meat, pieces of wet bread, egg, diced onions
> and salt and pepper. I made one addition - horseradish.
>
> * Poultry dressing with just bread, egg and water with chicken bullion
> cube disolved in it.

I make things the way my mother and grandmother did, but even they used
more flavorful things in their meatloaf and dressing than you cite.

On 6 Nov 2008 16:37:09 GMT, Ken > wrote:

>* Poultry dressing with just bread, egg and water with chicken bullion
>cube disolved in it.

I'd dispense with the egg & bouillon and add a couple of seasonings.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On Nov 6, 11:37*am, Ken > wrote:

> Do you make stuff the way you ate it when you were growing up or did you
> instead switch to cookbook versions, the latest trends, etc.? Or maybe
> you are not as fussy as I am and enjoy experimenting.

I'm 51.

None of the dishes I cook are anything like my mother's and
grandmother's
recipes. They were terrible cooks. When I was a kid, mealtimes were
a
battle; they usually found it easier just to give me buttered
macaroni.

Additionally, I rarely eat the types of foods they cooked. No
meatloaf,
no canned peas, no pan-fried fish. No liver and onions. No bean
soup.
Pot roast is nearly the only exception, and I make it radically
differently.

I have a pretty adventuresome palate now. I have a great fondness for
Asian food, Ethiopian food, and other spicy cuisines. I don't give a
damn for French food, but I love the cuisines of Italy. I eat Eastern
European food occasionally.

For the most part, though, I eat simple foods, simply prepared.

Cindy Hamilton

On Fri, 7 Nov 2008 03:18:30 -0500, TFM® wrote:
>
> I'd fry a whole turkey, but hey, I have crushed red pepper embedded in my
> chewing tobacco right now, so I might be just a bit off.

<snort>

your pal,
blake

On Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:25:09 -0600, Omelet wrote:

> In article >,
> Dave Smith > wrote:
>
>>
>> It annoys my wife that most of the dinners I cook are always a little
>> different. I rarely use recipes, except when baking. Granted, it is hit
>> and miss. The not so good results aren't bad, but once in a while they
>> turn out exceptionally well. Occasionally when in a waiting room I look
>> through the magazines and find recipes that look interesting, read them
>> over and get an idea of what to do and then go home and try them.
>> Sometimes I miss an important ingredient, and sometimes I substitute or
>> add something.
>
> They only bad part of "seat of your pants" cooking is that when
> something comes out exceptionally good, I can't always remember the
> details of what I did. <g>
>
> You wanna measure or you wanna cook?

see, if you basically 'work from' a recipe and make changes, you can go
back after eating and note the additions, etc.

cookbooks and dictionaries are the only books i write in.

your pal,
blake

In article >,
blake murphy > wrote:

> On Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:25:09 -0600, Omelet wrote:
>
> > In article >,
> > Dave Smith > wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> It annoys my wife that most of the dinners I cook are always a little
> >> different. I rarely use recipes, except when baking. Granted, it is hit
> >> and miss. The not so good results aren't bad, but once in a while they
> >> turn out exceptionally well. Occasionally when in a waiting room I look
> >> through the magazines and find recipes that look interesting, read them
> >> over and get an idea of what to do and then go home and try them.
> >> Sometimes I miss an important ingredient, and sometimes I substitute or
> >> add something.
> >
> > They only bad part of "seat of your pants" cooking is that when
> > something comes out exceptionally good, I can't always remember the
> > details of what I did. <g>
> >
> > You wanna measure or you wanna cook?
>
> see, if you basically 'work from' a recipe and make changes, you can go
> back after eating and note the additions, etc.
>
> cookbooks and dictionaries are the only books i write in.
>
> your pal,
> blake

You write in Dictionaries???
--
Peace! Om

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive." -- Dalai Lama

"Ken" > wrote in message
...
> Am I in the minority in that even well beyond the age of 70 I still make
> things the same way my mother and grandmother did, even though almost
> everyone else make them differently?
>
> A couple of examples from many many:
>
> * Meatloaf with just ground meat, pieces of wet bread, egg, diced onions
> and salt and pepper. I made one addition - horseradish.
>
> * Poultry dressing with just bread, egg and water with chicken bullion
> cube disolved in it.
>
> Weird huh? But that's the way I like them. I've never been civilized.
>
> Do you make stuff the way you ate it when you were growing up or did you
> instead switch to cookbook versions, the latest trends, etc.? Or maybe
> you are not as fussy as I am and enjoy experimenting.
>
> Ken



Like I had mentioned my mother was good at burning water & planning a menu
for the staff to serve. I do think in a pinch she could scramble an egg.

Ergo most of what i learned was from the cooks and/or my grandparents. If I
an really honest I am a much better cook then they ever were. It's not
saying a lot but times have changed and a much larger variety of food is
available.

Dimitri

On Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:09:06 -0600, Omelet wrote:

> In article >,
> blake murphy > wrote:
>
>> On Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:25:09 -0600, Omelet wrote:
>>
>>> In article >,
>>> Dave Smith > wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> It annoys my wife that most of the dinners I cook are always a little
>>>> different. I rarely use recipes, except when baking. Granted, it is hit
>>>> and miss. The not so good results aren't bad, but once in a while they
>>>> turn out exceptionally well. Occasionally when in a waiting room I look
>>>> through the magazines and find recipes that look interesting, read them
>>>> over and get an idea of what to do and then go home and try them.
>>>> Sometimes I miss an important ingredient, and sometimes I substitute or
>>>> add something.
>>>
>>> They only bad part of "seat of your pants" cooking is that when
>>> something comes out exceptionally good, I can't always remember the
>>> details of what I did. <g>
>>>
>>> You wanna measure or you wanna cook?
>>
>> see, if you basically 'work from' a recipe and make changes, you can go
>> back after eating and note the additions, etc.
>>
>> cookbooks and dictionaries are the only books i write in.
>>
>> your pal,
>> blake
>
> You write in Dictionaries???

not so much anymore. when i was a technical proofreader, new words would
come up and i would note them in my desk copy (which i stole when the place
went out from under me).

your pal,
blake

In article >,
blake murphy > wrote:

> > You write in Dictionaries???
>
> not so much anymore. when i was a technical proofreader, new words would
> come up and i would note them in my desk copy (which i stole when the place
> went out from under me).
>
> your pal,
> blake

Okay, that makes sense. :-)
--
Peace! Om

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive." -- Dalai Lama

On 6 Nov 2008 16:37:09 GMT, Ken > fired up random
neurons and synapses to opine:

>Am I in the minority in that even well beyond the age of 70 I still make
>things the same way my mother and grandmother did, even though almost
>everyone else make them differently?

<snip>

Your post reminds me of a tale I heard years ago - in fact, I'm pretty
sure I posted it here years ago, too:

A man was watching his wife prepare a ham for the oven and inquired as
to why she cut the ends off the ham before she put it in the oven. Her
reply was, "Because my mother always did it that way."

When his mother-in-law next visited, in asked her why she cut the ends
off her ham before she put it in the oven. Her reply was, "Because my
mother always did it that way."

He was finally able to ask his wife's grandmother why *she* cut the
ends off the ham before she put it in the oven. Her reply was,
"Because that's the only way it will fit into the pan I have."

Apropos of nothing, really, but jarred a memory.

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd

--

"If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as
old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the
waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner."

- Duncan Hines

To reply, replace "meatloaf" with "cox"