Artificial intelligence has nothing on the picture accompanying this piece.
Because I can actually smell it. I can actually taste it. It’s my childhood on a platter. I can feel the texture of the glorious corner pieces.
I can hear the sound of the Cool Whip I would gloop (is that a word?) on to the wonderful concoction.
‘It’ is my Mum’s amazing peach upside-down pudding cake. My favourite dessert as a young lad.
I mentioned it a couple of weeks ago, noting it was one of Mum’s old recipes, lovingly catalogued on recipe cards and placed into an old plastic container, currently guarded by my sister.
Many of you lovely readers asked for a copy of the recipe and I happily shared, joking I needed a picture in return.
Well, one reader named Molly indeed shared a picture and she’s clearly a culinary wizard.
She noted: “Hi Philip, thank you for sending me this delicious recipe. Instead of decorating it with whipping cream, I decided to serve it with a scoop of ice-cream. What a wonderful childhood memory for you! Cheers, Molly.”
Amazing.
Another reader named Jane also wrote in, and included a photo of what appeared to be the exact same recipe box my Mum had.
She joked: “Can’t help but wonder if your Mum and I were somehow separated at birth! I too, typed out my favourite recipes as a teenager on my Smith Corona and carefully underlined the titles with my extra-fine red felt pen before placing the recipes behind the correct tab, mostly ‘cakes’ or ‘cookies’ in the near identical recipe box that your Mum treasured. Sometimes a typing error or spelling mistake would dictate a second attempt as trying to line up the offending letter to correct, resulted in an intolerable smudge on my recipes. That of course would never have been noticed after dripping batter on the cards, but I bet your Mum would have done the same. I was just cleaning and saw the box in the cupboard and had to reach out to you to say thanks!”
Thanks right back at you, Jane. What a wonderful story.
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All this talk of old recipes has spurred us on at PQB News/VI Free Daily headquarters.
I’ve chatted with publisher Teresa Bird and we’re going to come up with some type of contest that allows readers a chance to share some of their own recipes and have a shot at fame and fortune (or at least a nifty regular prize).
We’re still sorting out the details, but make sure to stay tuned, and keep some of your own favourite recipes at hand as we’ll likely launch this fun initiative early in the New Year.
There’s something terrific about food and family together – passing memories, knowledge and traditions down through the generations.
Maybe some of those traditions can be shared from family to family.
I might even share some of Mum’s other old gems. Her roast beef and Yorkshire pudding was something else.
My mouth is watering already.
PQB News/VI Free Daily editor Philip Wolf can be reached by phone at 250-905-0019, or by email at philip.wolf@blackpress.ca.