Remembering

Today my maternal grandmother would have been 97 years old. For much of my childhood, she cared for me while my parents were at work. Summers were spent at her house, helping with the day's chores. Monday was washing day with the wringer washing machine and tubs. Friday was deep cleaning day. In between, she taught me to scramble eggs, make pancakes, set a perfect table, and bake cookies.

I baked Caramel Cream Sandwich Cookies today in memory of Grandma. I always thought they were her recipe. As a high school senior going off to college, I copied this recipe into a book I received as a graduation gift. Only when I purchased The Complete Book of Baking from Pillsbury almost 20 years ago did I discover the recipe was actually a Bake-Off winner back in 1955. That book has been a mainstay for recipes in my kitchen.

I still like to clip recipes from magazines and catalogs, and I imagine my grandma cutting out this one to save. She baked it many times in my childhood, and I hope my mom will enjoy a sweet bite of her mom's cookies when she visits tomorrow. It feels good to keep someone you love close in one's heart and kitchen!