Nonna, Grand-mère, Murmur, Oma, Yaya, Lola, Bomma, Savta, Babushka, Nani, Dadi etc are all words that mean Grandmother in different languages around the world. The sound of these words bring back so many memories.

This blog post is inspired by the book that I am currently reading. It is called “At Grandmother’s Table” edited by Ellen Berkeley. In this book, more than 50 women share their grandmother’s touching life stories and favorite family recipes, and comment on how food forms the common bond that connects these women across the generations.

I am not someone who follows recipes from a cookbook. So, when I borrowed this book from the library, I was eager to find out the connection between grandmothers and granddaughters through the powerful language of food.

These ladies have lived through tough conditions. They have survived the wars and the independence and civil right movements. Most of them, taking on big responsibilities, very young. Living through pain and loss and still putting up a brave face.

The turmoil they went through became interesting stories by the time they narrated it to us, their grandchildren. I remember writing a blog post about my 95 year old granny. ( What A Life, Salute! )

As a kid, I loved coming home to granny’s delicacies. All my memories about her are that of her in action. She would either be cooking, cleaning or reading the religious books. Interestingly, she never missed reading the newspaper and followed a very strict routine every day. After all the hard work during the day, she still had the energy and enthusiasm to tell us stories at night.

We kids loved to see her dentures floating in a jar of water at night.

As small kids, her stories seemed like stories of heroism. As teenagers they were stories that we were bored of listening to. Now, as adults, those are stories that bring a smile on our face, glad that we have the good fortune of hearing it one more time.

I recently asked some of my friends and family a question: What is the first thought/words that come to your mind when you think of your grandmother. The people who answered were between 25 and 45 years of age.

Nurturing.
Extremely Loving.
Always praying for our well being.
Laughing out loud at our every silly joke.
Delicacies cooked by her.
Hardworking and understanding.
Best human being ever.
Roly-poly and benevolent.
White haired and charming.
Gentle and helpful.
Independent and bold.
Affectionate and Loving.
Source of inspiration.
Laid the foundation of my personality.
Feeling of warmth, comfort and safety.
Summer vacation memories.
Never ending bed-time stories.

And some said:

Strict but loving
Never compromising but loving
Disciplinarian but loving

All these answers brought a smile on my face.

These were exactly the emotions conveyed in the book by the women who wrote about their grandmothers who lived in different parts of the world, 1840 through 1910.

“We see,” says Ellen Berkeley, “the importance of their relationships with us, their granddaughters, in the lessons they taught us, the values they gave us, the strengths they lent us, and (not least) the foods they served us. It does not demean these women to say that we sometimes evoke them most readily when preparing the dishes they prepared. Indeed, by cooking what they cooked we are in contact again with their lessons and their values, their courage, their comfort, their love…”

As we grow older, a lot of our relationships metamorphose. We sometimes understand the pain that they have gone through. We even judge them for the decisions they made or the way they handled their life. Not all grandmas are sweet collections of humanity. They had their share of flaws. But then, who doesn’t?

Nevertheless, the thought of her, always brings a sigh and a smile.

I wonder what answers I would get if I asked kids today about what they thought when they heard the word “grandmother”.

“Today’s grandmothers are as likely to be playing tennis as baking pies. Some do both, rinsing away the gray and, in their spare time holding down a full-time job. A stereotype? Possibly. But no less stereotype than the notion that the grandmothers of an earlier time were ample-bosomed, white-haired and homebound. ” Ellen Berkley states in the book.

What are your most treasured grandma memories? What comes to your mind when you hear the word “grandmother”?

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