Today as I welcomed the New Year I did so paying homage to my dear sweet mother. My mom passed away in 1997 and not a day goes by when she is not in my thoughts. My mother immigrated to this country with my then 3 year old sister from Portugal. She was coming to join my dad who had established his residency years before. They came to the country without speaking the language, without the support of nearby family, with only the dream to begin anew in this land we call home.
As I do many times when I am cooking some Portuguese recipe my mother taught me I find that I am surrounded by her spirit. Today I was cooking some red beans for my mother's recipe of "feijouda' a dish of red beans and rice from her native country of Brazil. I always reserve some of the broth and beans to make a Portuguese soup called " Soupa de Coves" to make at a later date. My intention was to serve either of these dishes in the coming days as I return to work after the holiday break. Knowing that these dishes require time and pot watching I thought I was getting a head start.
My youngest son, home from college, walked in the house and immediately said what's for dinner? I asked him what he wanted and reminded him that the fridge was full of food from a week of home cooking. His response was, 'it smells like grandma's soup'. I smiled and asked if that's what he wanted and of course that's what we had, a little earlier than planned.
It's funny how theses smells emanating from the kitchen can take us back in time and unite us with loved ones long gone. I channel my mom whenever I cook one of our Portuguese Brazilian dishes, she never used a written recipe but I have managed to remember what she taught me in the kitchen. My children love these dishes as do some new members of our family. I am certain that while I can never make things exactly as my mom did my efforts to try are met with her guidance and smiles from heaven. I love you mom and miss you still.
As I do many times when I am cooking some Portuguese recipe my mother taught me I find that I am surrounded by her spirit. Today I was cooking some red beans for my mother's recipe of "feijouda' a dish of red beans and rice from her native country of Brazil. I always reserve some of the broth and beans to make a Portuguese soup called " Soupa de Coves" to make at a later date. My intention was to serve either of these dishes in the coming days as I return to work after the holiday break. Knowing that these dishes require time and pot watching I thought I was getting a head start.
My youngest son, home from college, walked in the house and immediately said what's for dinner? I asked him what he wanted and reminded him that the fridge was full of food from a week of home cooking. His response was, 'it smells like grandma's soup'. I smiled and asked if that's what he wanted and of course that's what we had, a little earlier than planned.
It's funny how theses smells emanating from the kitchen can take us back in time and unite us with loved ones long gone. I channel my mom whenever I cook one of our Portuguese Brazilian dishes, she never used a written recipe but I have managed to remember what she taught me in the kitchen. My children love these dishes as do some new members of our family. I am certain that while I can never make things exactly as my mom did my efforts to try are met with her guidance and smiles from heaven. I love you mom and miss you still.
What a lovely post about your Mom. Her Recipes sound delicious.
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