Food and Family History – Episode 287 (Audio Podcast)
AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: Food has always been at the center of family life, so if you want to know more about your family’s history, a logical and tasty place to start is with your family’s culinary heritage. The food they ate and the recipes they cooked can actually tell you a lot about them, and my guests today can help you uncover those stories.
My guests in this episode:
- Ashley Covelli is the food photographer, recipe developer, and culinary instructor behind the website Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen.
- Lisa Lisson is the genealogy researcher behind the Are You My Cousin? YouTube channel.
Together they produce and host Passing the Plate, a podcast that explores the intersection of family history, cultural heritage, and culinary traditions.
Listen to the Podcast Episode
To Listen click the media player below (AUDIO ONLY):
SHOW NOTES
Documenting Family Recipes
Ideas for documenting the recipes of family members:
- Go to the store together to shop for the ingredients.
- Cook side by side.
- Take detailed notes.
- Feel it, taste it, and document those details.
- Have them scoop the amount needed into an empty bowl so you can measure for exact measurements.
- Note sensory indicators. (What it should look and smell like.)
- Be very curious about everything going on!
- Record video of them cooking.
Sharing Recipes
- Update the recipes so that they can be enjoyed by modern cooks.
- Consider updating recipes to accommodate various dietary restrictions.
WRAPUP: Action Items
- Digitize and organize family recipes and recipe-related materials.
- Reach out to other family members to gather additional information and memories about family recipes and culinary traditions.
- Experiment with modernizing and adapting traditional family recipes to make them more accessible for contemporary home cooks.
- Explore opportunities to share family recipes and culinary heritage.
Passing the Plate podcast episodes recommended:
#34, 35, 36, and Lisa’s grandmother’s cornbread recipe episode.
How to connect with Lisa and Ashley:
- Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen blog by Ashley Covelli
- Lisa Lisson’s Are You My Cousin? Website
- Are You My Cousin? YouTube channel
Lisa Lisson
Ashley Covelli
Resources
- Recipe-related blog posts: https://lisalouisecooke.com/category/recipes/
- Find Family Recipes in Old Newspapers (video & article)
- Download the show notes for this episode which include Lisa’s Bonus Tips for finding old cookbooks online. (Premium Membership required.)
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