The large, thick cookbook rests softly on the counter, its red black cover worn and loved over the years. Whenever I want to try something new like a special dessert, this is the first place I reach for. This book was compiled by my great aunt and is a collection of my great grandparents recipes, carried down through generations. My great aunt made copies of it to share with each sibling and cousin of my grandpa's enormous family - one that grew from a household of fourteen children. I first learned about this book when I was very young. My grandma and I would flip through its pages together, searching for new desserts to bake together. Holding it now makes me feel warm, nostalgic, and deeply connected to my roots. It feels like family members from the past are standing right there in the kitchen with us. This cookbook holds generations of history, memories, and traditions. It proves how something as simple of a collection of recipes can bring family together so much. It teaches us that shared experiences and traditions are what keep families close as the years pass. 

– ND

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more