Around Thanksgiving The NY Times had a call for 100 words or less “tiny gratitude” stories. In a few minutes time I had an idea, it would be an homage to my parents. I began writing about my mom’s recipe box and my dad’s stuffing patties, but alas, 100 words goes fast. I was thinking of my dad sitting with his yellow legal pad, responding to an op/ed piece in his local paper. He had a lot to say and was published often.
My 100 words or less Tiny Gratitude went through many renditions and ended up coming down to talking about one recipe, by far the most popular recipe in our family. It’s a family favorite any time of year. And although my writing did not get chosen for The NY Times, I enjoyed the process and feel such gratitude for going through it!
My Tiny Gratitude 2022
I don't have many keepsakes from my parents but what I am most grateful for is my mom’s busting at the seams recipe box, filled with those hand written goodies of my youth. The worn out folds and butter stained edges of the Chocolate Chip Loaf recipe clearly tells a tale about popularity. I could never figure out how to make the meringue topping as fluffy as mom’s, but over the years, my siblings and I have each found our way to the perfect "loaf", and as I read the list of ingredients written in my mom's handwriting, the true gift is knowing this recipe binds our family together.
