SOME of my favorite memories as a child revolve around the kitchen table of my mother, Margaret S.
FEEDING family and seasonal farmhands for more than 20 years meant that my mom, Jean Bailey, spent lots of time in her huge kitchen.
LIKE most Amish and Mennonite women, my mom, Orpha B., learned to cook
from her mother. Mom grew up in a Mennonite community in Stuarts
Draft, Virginia, and she lived there through the first 11 years
of marriage to my dad, Marvin. They moved to Tennessee in 1988.
"OVER the years, my mom has spent more time in her kitchen than any other room in the house," writes Cris O'Brien of Virginia Beach, Virginia.
WHEN I was growing up, I loved to watch my mom cook. She made fixing a hearty mouth-watering meal from scratch appear so effortless—though it was sometimes at a moment's notice.
WHEN I’M ASKED to describe my mother, Blanche H. (right), the words friendly, nurturing and deeply religious come to mind. But she’s also funny, vivacious…and a wonderful cook.
Mom's saucy Grilled Sirloin Roast is always a hit.
"Easter was a memorable time when I was growing up," shares Lorrie Bailey of Pulaski, Iowa. "After we finished with church in the morning, mom served the most terrific Easter dinner."
MOM, Anita B., was an accomplished cook at a young age. She grew
up in Oak Hill, West Virginia, where her parents worked full-time.
So Mom would have dinner ready every evening when they came home.
Imagine cooking without the basic ingredients—or even electricity—in 120° heat. My mom, Shirley Randall, faced such challenges daily when our family lived in Africa.
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