We are in the process of losing an entire generation. Every time we get together with my husband’s family, usually over a meal, there is mention of, “Mother’s chocolate chip cookies,” or “Mother’s onion rings.” Their mother died over twenty-five years ago.

As we were eating our Thanksgiving dinner I asked who had their mother’s recipes. I received a lot of blank stares as the conversation came to a screeching halt. My sister-in-law said she had the cookie recipe. No one else knew what happened to the others.

That made me think about how recipes are legacies. Recipes can keep the memory of someone around long after they are gone.

At that moment, I realized that I had just asked my mother for her pie crust recipe to make a pumpkin pie, but I didn’t have any of her other recipes. She is eighty-nine and will turn ninety next month. I’m seeing her tomorrow, so I will start the process of getting all of her classic recipes recorded.

My mother, Bea Bumbicka, is a fabulous cook. My love for cooking I owe to her. She was born in London, England and was trained through the Cordon Bleu, just like Julia Child. In fact, she bequeathed me her Mastering the Art of French Cooking book. The printing date is 1961. We have been Julia Child students for decades.

I hope my “ah-hah” moment to document loved ones’ recipes will inspire you to do the same. We owe it to the people we love to keep their legacy alive. Who would have thought that a simple recipe could do that?

On a side note – I have always let the month of December fly by with being too busy. This year I have drawn my peppermint stick in the sand to put a stop to that and celebrate Christmas for twenty-five days. Each day I will post a new Christmas Idea. Please join me at my other website dedicated to more spiritual ponderings and practices at http://guidedchristianmeditation.com.