Are we losing our recipes?

Hailing from one of the newest Tiny Spoon regions, Washington, D.C., Chef Blair is serving big thoughts in this week’s blog! 

Jump to Butter Bean Soup Recipe

Where have all the recipes gone?!

For me, food and family go together like salt and pepper. They’re classic and inseparable.

Whether it’s celebrating holidays, helping mom and dad get dinner on the table, or peeling apples for one of grandma’s delicious pies. I think it’s safe to say food brings a family together like no other.

Heading into Fall, I often find myself reminiscing about family gatherings and the culinary staples that went hand in hand with spending time with family. Something as simple as the smell of a pie can bring back memories of hovering around the kitchen while the aunties gossip, trying to sneak a piece of something delicious before thanksgiving dinner.

Food is the central line for my family BUT very rarely did my grandmother share her rich recipe magic with anyone. For years I had to prove I had the chops in order to be able to comb through her hand written recipe book. Some of the pages were so old they were no longer legible.

Nowadays, it’s no longer common to be handed an “old family recipe”. You have to want it. In some cases you may have to beg or wheedle in order to get access to these magical recipes. The invokers of memories and holiday magic.

Which begs the question, are we losing our recipes?

So how bout I list a couple things I fear will never quite have Grandma's touch again: (cue “Grandma’s Hands” by Bill Withers)

• Lemon meringue Pie
• Warm Dinner Rolls 
• Braised Collard Greens
• Sweet Potato Pie
• White Bean soup 
• Aunt Angela’s Bread Pudding
• Uncle Larry’s Smoked Turkey
• Corn Pudding 
• And the list goes on…..

Can I recreate many of these dishes? Absolutely, but I can’t help but feel there’s something missing.

Maybe it’s an extra pinch of an ingredient that wasn’t written in a recipe, maybe it’s because I’m not using the same pots and pans. It could even be chalked up to the fact some ingredients just aren’t made the same anymore but I’d bet, one of the big reasons nostalgic dishes just aren’t hitting the same is because recipes aren’t being passed down like they used to be. Maybe it’s a Millennial problem, or even due to the fact most recipes can be found on the internet.

One thing I can definitively say is I miss, is the way an old school dish from childhood feels.

I may be missing the feeling behind some of my favorite childhood recipes but one thing I can say was passed down was the love and passion for every single dish and the insistence on high quality ingredients.

The highest compliment a chef can give is to try to emulate their favorite dishes and cooks. In my case, those can be traced right back to my family. 

Blair’s Southern Butter Bean Soup

Prep Time: 35-40 mins 

Cook Time: 4-6 hours

Ingredients 

• 56oz Of Chicken Bone Broth 
• 24oz Of Dry Navy Beans (Or 2 Cans of Goya beans for a Quicker cook)
• 1 TBSP of Fresh Chopped Thyme 
• 1 TBSP of Fresh Chop Rosemary 
• 1 1/2 Medium Dice Spanish Onion 
• 3 Cloves Mince Garlic 
• 2Tsp of Chili Powder
• 2Tsp of Paprika
• 2Tsp of Cumin
• 1 Bay Leaf
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 16oz Can of Fire Roasted Tomato’s 
• 1 Bunch Chopped Chives 
• 1.5 LBS of Smoked Turkey necks
• 1/2 lbs Large Dice Thick cut Applewood Bacon
• Sour Cream 

Method

1.) Soak Beans for at least 1 Hour 

2.) Sweat Onion, Garlic and Bacon until the bacon is has a soft tenderness.

3.) Season with Thyme, Rosemary, Chili powder, paprika, Cumin and Salt & Pepper to taste, sauté/ stir for another 2 mins or so 

4.) Add Choice of Broth then Beans, and smoked Turkey necks

5.) Let it Come to a boil then reduce Heat to Low, cover and let simmer for 6 hours .

6.) Be sure to check intermediately to stir and taste checking for tenderness of beans and if you would like to add more salt and pepper for your liking 

7.) Once soup is close to being done within the last hour add fire roasted tomatoes 

8.) Once beans are tender, and the Turkey meat is falling off the bone , your dish is ready to serve With Chopped chives , and sour cream for a cool tangy finish.

Need a hand recreating Nana’s Pies? Or Pop’s ribs?

Book a call with Team Tiny Spoon! We’ll help you breathe life into those family recipes.