My Grandmother

My Granny Helen (on my Mother's side) was a remarkable woman in many regards. However, the thing about her that people bring up first and foremost is her cooking. She was one hell of a cook. And not just those related to her felt this way, pretty much anyone who ever ate even the smallest portion of her cooking did, including restaurateurs. She had the ability to whip up incredible meals in no time at all, without using any measuring implements but instead all by feel.

Her signature specialties included pierogis (potato & cheese - the absolute Best in the World, bar none), "City Chicken" (cubes of pork and veal lightly breaded and fried on skewers, no chicken whatsoever), her homemade chicken soup (by "homemade" I mean everything was - including the noodles - she would spend the better part of a day making the dough and cutting the noodles very fine on the table with a large knife), her canned pickles from her garden, her "Italian cookies", and her famous Iced Tea.

She was a very tough lady and also had a great sense of humor - she loved to laugh. One trick she pulled on people who asked for her recipes was to always leave one lesser ingredient out, so they could make it, but not as good as she could. For a while now I (who can't cook at all) have been trying to zero in on her magical iced tea. Today, I think I've done it, getting as close as I have to date. I am elated. Naturally, I have to submit samples to experts in our family, the Sorbonne, and the Nobel Committee, but I am optimistic. It is The Greatest Iced Tea in the World.

Perhaps now on to more challenging dishes. My brother has come close on the pierogis, maybe City Chicken?