Family turns grandma’s recipes into cookbook.
BRANDON, S.D. (KELO) — From Grandma’s homemade apple pie to Mom’s chocolate chip cookies, we all have those recipes that we cherish.
Now a Brandon, South Dakota family has a new way to remember their family favorites, and at the same time, they’re baking up a new business venture.
A family baking together during the holidays–it’s a scene that’s been played out over generations.
“Gathering around the table is something that’s really important to our family,” Becky Blue said.
In fact, the recipes Becky Blue and her daughter Julia are making are from Becky’s mother-in-law. They’re also the inspiration for their new cookbook, “Made with Words.”
“It all started with these hand-written kitchen tiles that were on my husband’s family home kitchen wall. Augustana needed to bring the house down. They invited us to come in and retrieve those tiles,” Becky said.
The Blues wanted to share the tiles with other family members, so they decided to put them together in a book.
“That’s how the project started. It was just a Christmas present for my grandma,” Julia said.
That present has turned into something even more precious. The mother-daughter duo self-published a book, and now anyone can buy it online or in several local stores.
“I think cooking is really trendy right now. Everybody has their Instant Pots and Paleo recipes. This is just good, home cooking. They’re recipes that maybe aren’t on Pinterest anymore,” Julia said.
Recipes that the Blues hope not only to make some dough off of, but also encourage future generations to break bread together.
“The traditions we have in the kitchen are shared experiences and shared memories. It’s very different than just sharing an experience via social media. It allows you to truly connect with people, and then share the meal,” Julia said.
“Keep feeding souls because I really believe that’s what my mother-in-law has done all these years,” Becky said.
Years in the kitchen not only baking up recipes, but also relationships.
You can buy the cookbooks online, along with at several South Dakota stores, including Sunshine Foods in Brandon, the Augustana Center for Western Studies, Plum’s Cooking Company in Sioux Falls and j.ella boutiques in Sioux Falls and Brookings.