Cooking: A Family Tradition

Wed, 07/31/2013 - 8:27pm by PattySmith

Cooking together as a family is a great way to create bonding moments and to pass down family recipes. Some of my fondest memories are of learning to cook authentic Mexican food with my grandmother. She made everything from scratch and did it without fancy gadgets like a food processor or a microwave. In Gwyneth Paltrow’s book, My Father’s Daughter, tradition flows through the pages that feature her family recipes. The book is a window into her life growing up with famous parents and how her father helped shape her culinary style.

It is filled with over 150 recipes that range from a simple balsamic and lime vinaigrette, to a complex recipe of duck ragu. Paltrow also includes a section on how to stock your food pantry, from the spice rack to the frozen goods to keep in your freezer. Many of her recipes can easily be modified to suit your personal taste and diet restrictions. I personally am going to leave out the fish stock she uses in her paella, fish soups, and risottos. However, there’s no way I’m going to pass on her grandad Danner’s favorite peanut butter cookie recipe! Yum!