Tribute to Mom

Mom´s recipes

I learnt cooking and baking from my mom. My mother was a professional chef. However I didn´t know that growing up. I just saw her making food whether it was home or away. She was always so at ease and it didn´t matter if it was for two or 200 people. Nothing seemed hard or be a problem. Unexpected guests no matter what time and hour would be well fed. She baked cakes for weddings and celebrations from our home and me and my sisters used to help. So we learnt to make the most beautiful decorations and cakes without knowing that it was not many people who actually could do those thing. She made all from scratch and the old fashioned way. Now I have realized how really deep her knowledge and skills were and what I learnt just by watching and taking part.

She would be hired as a cook or it could be for relatives party´s. There are some “parade dishes” that would be part of my mothers festive tables at Weddings, Christenings, Confirmations, Anniversaries. But she would also make those special dishes just for our family and we also learnt to make them. So what was good for a wedding she would also make as a treat on a Sunday for us. She would set the table with the best china, silver cutlery and the nicest ironed linen cloth even if it was only for us.

My mother worked as a professional chef and was also teaching nutrition at the nursing school in Molde where she was the Kitchen Manager. She was a chef, but mother and wife first. She was a farmer, a politician and mission worker. There are so many areas she would deserve a tribute. However I have found I can do it best by sharing some of her recipes and knowledge of cooking. So more can learn and enjoy and they will live on.

The most important thing I learnt about food from my mother was that it was a labor of love and care for others in daily life. It was worth time and effort, because it was going to give someone she loved and cared for both nourishment, strength and happiness.