Lifestyle / June 14, 2017

The Gift of Southern Cooking

I am so grateful that my parents bestowed upon me a deep love and understanding of cooking and good food. As a child, I was always in the kitchen learning how to bake cakes and cobbler, how to make rice and pasta and just once, how to roll sushi [long story]. The list goes on. My dad, my step mom and my sister may not have known it at the time, but they have handed me a very special gift. This gift has transcended generations of Southern men and women and somehow, I am lucky enough to carry on a family tradition.

family
I shared a little of this in my “about me” section, but truly some of my best memories growing up are Sunday suppers at my Nanny’s house. She always had a pot roast in the oven, rice on the stove and apple cake on the table. As I get older, I have a growing appreciation for those moments and wish I could go back, if only for a minute. Although my Nanny has passed, my family still carries on these traditions today, as I will when I have children of my own.

Betty Jo Brogdon
Sorry for the quality of this photo of Nanny, but it will always be my favorite. After she passed, we found this picture in an old grade-school yearbook. Back then each photo was glued into the book separately. People tell me I look like her – perhaps that is why I love it so much.

Is all this a little dramatic? Maybe, but in the kitchen I am at my best. I am able to create new dishes and perfect old family recipes [except for cornbread dressing because apparently my sister is never going to share that one]. I am able to share meals and smiles with the people I love and to me, that’s what this life is about.

Blue Cheese Bungalow is a way for me to share a little piece of me that may inspire a little piece of you.

Blue Cheese Bungalow is a way for me to share a little piece of me that may inspire a little piece of you. That’s why I started this blog. I love to cook, to share ideas and pretty pictures, but what I love most is when a friend tells me that they’ve cooked one of my recipes for their family. I’m not perfect. I still have a lot to learn about cooking, blogging, etc. But one thing I know for certain is that cooking is a gift and I am honored to share it with all of you.

Kelsey Renee

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