A heartfelt compilation of recipes passed down through generations by influential women in the lives of chefs and food creators is showcased in this collection. Each recipe pays tribute to the mothers, grandmothers, aunties, and friends who have influenced their culinary paths.
Yakuta Yamani shares her breakfast recipe, Mango Lassi Chia Pots, inspired by her grandmother’s tradition of making mango lassi during the fruit season. Eric Kim’s cookbook, Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home, features Judy’s Empanadas, a recipe passed down from his mom’s friend, Judy.
The Kimchi Sandwiches in the same cookbook draw inspiration from Kim’s Aunt Georgia and their family picnics. Montreal-based food writer Murielle Banackissa presents a vegan version of Mini Blinis, a traditional Russian dish that has graced her mom’s Christmas menu for years.
Luladey Moges’ Misir Wot recipe is a tribute to an auntie she stayed with as a child, known for making the best misir wot. Jackie Kai Ellis’ family pork and chive dumplings, a favorite passed down through generations, were often made with her grandmother.
Hetty Lui McKinnon’s Baby Bok Choy and Rice Vermicelli Soup from her cookbook, Tenderheart: A Cookbook About Vegetables and Unbreakable Family Bonds, reminisces on the quick noodle soups her mother cooked during her university days. Aman Dosanj’s Golu Molu recipe recreates the after-school snack her grandmother used to greet her with.
Yasmin Fahr’s ‘My Mama’s Chicken’ dish reflects the essence of the chicken dishes her mother prepared for family dinners. Shayma Owaise Saadat’s Sarosh’s Chicken Jalfrezi Pita Pockets with Quick-Pickled Onions repurposes leftover chicken, inspired by her mother’s recipe.
Chef Paul Toussaint’s Diri Sos Pwa Legim, a classic Haitian comfort food, was a staple often cooked by his grandmother. Kim Thúy’s Caramel Pork recipe from her cookbook Secrets from My Vietnamese Kitchen: Simple Recipes from My Many Mothers holds a special place as one of her favorites.
Wayne Gretzky’s family recipe for Grandma Gretzky’s Great Perogies has been cherished through generations. Joann Pai’s Ah Ma’s Pork Meatballs are a tribute to her late Ah-ma’s Taiwanese meatballs.
Nik Sharma’s Chicken Kanji recipe includes additional spices in the savory soup his mother would make for him when he was unwell. Chef Ismael Castro’s Tres Leches Cake recipe, prepared with custard, is reminiscent of the cakes his mom used to make for him as a child.
Preena Chauhan’s Decadent Shrikhand dessert was a birthday tradition made by her mom each year. Mena Massoud shares his grandmother’s Basbousa recipe, an Egyptian coconut crumble cake passed down through generations.