Mom’s Recipe Box – a family heirloom becomes a cookbook
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Hanukkah and Christmas have already passed this year, but Melanie Hood has a great gift idea that she is going to spend 2014 working on. We love hearing about people using their photographic talents to do special things for their families. Today Melanie is sharing an idea she has to create a family heirloom cookbook based upon her mother’s handwritten recipe cards. It’s really such a lovely and special idea! Read on.
A Legacy of Love Through Recipes
by Melanie Hood
As my 19 year old son and I sat on the edge of my bed chatting about how much we missed his Grandma, he looked over and pointed to her recipe box. “When it’s your time to go, I want that box”. He was referring to the old tin recipe box my Mom had made when she was only 14 years old while in Home Economics class. It was tucked in between my valuable coupon totes. A place where nothing would get spilled on it. A place where it would be visible and never get lost. Each recipe card is handwritten and has a little check mark on it with the word “ok” inscribed in ink, where her teacher graded each one.
It’s a treasure of mine. My sister has her diamond ring and I have her recipe box with index cards, full of love. My Mom used to refer to it while she did her cooking for us kids while we were young. She loved that Home Economics class and had even tried to attain a career in Culinary Arts.
Her heart is in that box. And although my oldest son staked a claim to it, I decided I could use my gift for photography to allow this special treasure be shared with other members of the family. In the next year, I will be cooking/baking each recipe and photographing it to put inside a cookbook that can easily be made through Blurb with their drag and drop photo ability and cookbook theme. Although she wasn’t able to have her dream, I am so glad to be able to share her heart with my family through this cookbook.
Each card contains a treasured memory, not just a recipe. In the book I create, I would like to include the recipe and the story that belongs with each. For instance, I have childhood memories of baking this chocolate brownie recipe from scratch on New Years Day with my Mom. Then, I would go outside and shoot my Dad’s rifles with him. It was the best of both worlds for me.
The Almond Ball Cookies were always baked at Christmas time. A year never went by that these were not in our little snow house cookie canister on our table. We knew that Christmastime had truly arrived with the appearance of these cookies and this canister!
Unfortunately at the end of my Mom’s life, she wasn’t able to cook like she once had. She told me that she really wanted some waffles like the kind she used to make. So one morning I woke up early and made her a batch of her waffles. She was so excited to see them all on a plate ready for her when she woke up, her face lit up like a child’s on Christmas morning. I will never forget it.
All these great moments must never be forgotten, which is why I have decided to photograph the handwritten cards, make the recipes and then photograph them to put inside our own cookbook. What better way to pass down the memories and recipes than to document them in a cookbook. That way both my boys and my sister can have a piece of all the good times and the recipes to go with them! This is my project for this next year. I can’t think of a better gift to pass along.
Melanie Hood: www.theinsidedish.com
Melanie Hood, a self taught photographer, is married with two grown sons. She became interested in photography as a way to ease the dreaded empty nest syndrome and quickly fell in love with macro and food photography.
Find Melanie on: Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter
000Tags: beautiful photographs, family cookbook, family heirloom, food photography, Holiday gift ideas, Photo Projects, photography forum, photography inspiration, recipes, the photographer within
Categorized in: Guest Bloggers
45 Comments
Oh wow, I love this. What a special tribute to your mother. Your family will treasure this forever. Enjoy the process!
Thank you for that great reminder, Melissa. I can’t wait for the final product…but, definitely wouldn’t want to miss out on the joy of the process. 🙂
This is so special. What a wonderful way to use your special talent. Your mother is beyond proud, I am sure. <3
Thank you, Erin. <3
Mel, I love this project so much. This was my first Christmas without my grandmother and I went looking for her recipe box when we were back at her house (which looks just like your Mom’s, only red). All I thought was I’d like to have that some day. It’s so special. I can’t wait to see your project come to life! xo
Thanks, Erica. 🙂 I know exactly how you feel. Were you able to find it? I hope so!
I did!! 🙂
Melanie, this is an amazing idea and tribute to your mother! I can only imagine how much this will mean to your family and how proud your mother would have been that you are using your awesome talent to create something so special. I love it!
Thanks, Erin. I know it may sound crazy, but I know she is still here with me in spirit. 🙂 I hope she is proud of me. <3
Oh, Melanie – I love everything about this. What an incredible way to remember your mom and let her legacy live on through this book. Such a treasure for you and your family. <3
Thank you, Allie. I feel very blessed to be able to pass it along. My boys were very important to my Mom. I don’t want them to ever forget her love. She was the one always sneaking chocolate for them, after all. 🙂
Mel, this is an incredibly amazing project! So special and all from the heart! Enjoy this process and everything you receive from it 🙂
Thanks, Emily! I’m very excited and can’t wait to finish it. I love crossing things off lists! But, will try my best to enjoy the process. 😀
Oh Melanie, I love this project! This is such a wonderful tribute to your mom, and what a priceless gift for your children and their future kids and grandkids!
Thanks, Anne. I can’t wait to give it to them! This project is very close to my heart. <3
I love this idea. You have inspired me to shoot some pictures this year of our favorite recipes to make a family cookbook as a holiday gift. Thank you!
This just warms my heart more than you know, Jes! <3 <3 <3 They will be prized gifts for sure.
I love your good photography, it literally makes my mouth water but I love your heart even more. This will be such an incredible gift to get from you. Your family is very lucky! Can’t wait to follow along your cooking journey. 🙂
Thank you so much for your kind words, Courtney. 🙂
Sorry mel it was supposed to say *food* ph
Mel, this is such a beautiful tribute to your mom, and will be a treasured gift for your children and grandchildren. What a beautiful way to use your talent. Your mom would be so proud!
Thanks, Erin. I can’t wait to to turn the pages.
SO awesome Melanie!
Thank you, Melissa, for all your encouragement this past year. 🙂
what a wonderful idea! love this and love you Melanie!
Sending you lots of love back, Lea! Maybe one day I will see a Little House on the Prairie cookbook from you? 😀 That would be awesome! <3
Mel, this is such an incredible tribute to your mother and an amazing gift for your family. I hope you share more about how the project is going with us! I am sure it is going to be a cookbook that is a feast for the eyes. You have such talent with food photography!
Thanks, Ann. I definitely will. 🙂
This is going to be such a treasure!!
What a beautiful memory and treasure! It’s a beautiful tribute to your mom. Your images are also Stunning!
Mel, this is truly a wonderful way to pay tribute to your mom as well as bring her heart to life. Both your boys as well as your sister will treasure this piece that you will create. Can’t wait to see the finished product when it is done. If you’ll share it with us that is.
This is such a meaningful project, Mel. Can’t wait to see it unfold!
What a wonderful and precious idea Melanie! I look forward to seeing it.
I LOVE this project and all of the heart that goes into it, Mel!
Oh wow that is amazing actually! I love how family heirlooms can hold so many special memories and wonderful food to boot!
This is such a beautiful project! How touching!
Thanks so much for all the kind words. I am very excited about this project. I hope some of you are inspired to pass along your own happy memories and recipes to your family members.
I plan to keep in touch and update when my project is complete!
Happy New Year to you all! <3
Melanie, I’m finally getting around to read this. And I’m so glad I did! What a wonderful and touching tribute to your mum. I can’t wait to see the finished product – I’m even tempted to buy a copy if you publish it. xxxx
Awwwww you are so sweet, Sharyn! Thank you. <3
What an incredible gift this is going to be, Melanie…to your family members, for you, and for your mom’s memory. I love this so much!!
This is fantastic. I absolutely love it!
SUCH a wonderful idea!!!!
I did this with my grandma’s recipe box and other favorites. I moved into my Grandma’s house and therefore, I have all her treasured items. I scanned the recipe cards and added photos of us associated with memories of each recipe. I gave them to my siblings a few years ago for Christmas. Best gift ever!
Love the idea of scanning in photos of family members! I bet they adore their books!
I love what you are doing. I am doing something similar. http://www.tableanddish.com It is a work in progress for sure. I would take my Mom’s recipes over her diamond ring any day! You have a beautiful way of expressing yourself. Thanks for sharing your lovely work here.
Sally