Family - What's Important To You?

Growing up, the kitchen was the center of my house. Mom made it so.
Sure, Dad was around, and there's no doubting the grill was his domain... he passed that along to me.
But mom made the kitchen into the place to be, in our house. Sitting around the kitchen table, drinking, eating. telling stories. All with this heavy butcher block table, as a solid background.

Visiting my grandparents, it was clear, my Yia Yia (my Greek grandmother) made her's so, as well. No surprise, when I married someone equally amazing in the Kitchen. Now, don't jump all down throat, I was taught by my mom. I was on her coat tails, learning, watching how a sauce was made, or a something was chopped or cut. I learned to season, and not season. I learned that cooking is more so art, than science. (I never learned that bit in baking, which is very much a science more than art!) I cook most nights, maybe 4 or 5, and my wife, once or twice. When my wife puts her mind to it, she can easily outdo me in the kitchen.

AND, we're working on passing it along to our daughters. Sitting around that butcher block table. Telling stories, and making food. What better way, than family cookbooks filled with stories and recipes?

Above, all 3 books we've printed so far. Left, in Maroon, favorite recipes from my brother. Middle in Blue, the book my wife and I made with recipes, original notes and pictures from her Swedish side of the family Passed out just this last Christmas. Right, the light green, My mom's picture from her high school graduation. With our Greek Family recipes.

Above, recipes and photos from when my parents, uncles, and aunts all traveled to Greece to see family.

Above, another shot inside the Greeks. My mom, left, my brother, my wife, and my aunt, all making Trahana (трахана). It's a semolina pasta like tiny ball, used in Avgolemono soup among many others. We make dozens and dozens of jars (it's a huge pain in the ass to make, and takes up every surface in the house while drying) at time. Note: my yia yia's original recipe notes (r).

Curiously, that large butcher block table from my youth?
It's in my kitchen; the very same kitchen I grew up in.
Yes, I live in the house I grew up in.
For me, capturing the images of everyday kitchen and life are important.
We all still laugh about the times we have in that kitchen and many other kitchens.
And capturing those bits of history, and make no mistake:
recipes from family are bits of history

Family.
It's what matters to me.
What's important to you?