Does your family have different words for food? It’s fun to think them up, or just notice those words when they happen naturally, and to record them all.
My oldest used to call swiss cheese “hole cheese”. For years I even wrote “hole cheese” on the grocery list. We call the homemade version of a chain restaurant’s teriyaki burger “messy burgers” because between the pineapple and teriyaki sauce and tomato slice – they really are extra messy. My kids love to eat those multi-colored pasta shapes with a little olive oil and grated cheese. They call them “wild oats” noodles because we often buy the noodles in bulk there. If they want a lot of ice cream, they say they want a “granddad serving” because their grandfather loves ice cream and eats huge amounts at a time. As I type this I realize that I have never recorded these family words and phrases anywhere. I need to fix that. I don’t want to lose those memories.
I recently finished reading Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech. Since this isn’t a book review, I’ll just briefly tell you that the story is about two orphans who go to live with an older couple in a hollow in the woods. The thing I loved most about this book was the names this older couple gave to food. They called them their secret recipes: beat-the-blues broccoli; anti-cranky crumpets; getting-used-to-kids-again stew; be-kind-to-orphans brownies; and welcome-home bacon. I thought this was such a cute and charming idea to make special food even more special.
I’m thinking of Monday-morning-hard-to-wake-up-sunshine-smoothies. Or after-school-recovery oatmeal cookies. Tonight I think I’ll make we-are-tired-of-snow-and-winter blackberry cobbler. We may even throw a “granddad serving” of ice cream on top.
Related Links for Family Words and Special Recipes:
The Healing Comfort of Family Words
Journaling: Childrens Thoughts and Words