Twenty-five years ago, much of my family traveled to America from Soviet Russia to build new lives and escape the oppressive regime of Soviet communism. Now, the number of cook books in our house is ever-growing, yet the one my mother uses the most is an old, tattered, and dilapidated one that she brought from that old country. 
My mother received her cook book on Women’s Day March 8, 1989 when men would buy women presents. When she received it, it was empty. When the family decided to immigrate in 1992, my mother remembered the book and filled it with all of the cooking knowledge she was taught by her great grandmother, grandmother and mother, and whatever she could find in their old cook books. She also took many recipes from my aunt who incessantly collected them from everyone she met.  
The result was a book of heritage told through food. It was the perfect object to bring to America, small yet full of meaning. By bringing over her cook book, my mother brought residual nostalgia and culture. These recipes have shown me bits and pieces of what it was like living in the U.S.S.R. and for that I am very grateful. 

– Alexandra Kononenko

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant