Mama T

One of my dearest friends, Katie Sendak, recently lost her grandmother who was a glorious 96 years young when she passed away.  Though I never met Tennessee Sendak, "Mama T," I pieced together the remarkable woman she was through stories from Katie and her family and the fabulous treasures of hers that Katie displays proudly in her apartment.  Katie asked if she could "guest blog" about the things in her home from Mama T and I felt honored to be able to use my small forum for a well-deserved tribute to such a special lady.  Always remember that there are diamonds to be found amid the darkest of basement boxes in our grandparents' homes...all it takes is a little creativity (and quite possibly a heavy dusting).

"I recently inherited my grandmother’s collection of cookbooks and recipes and could not be more thrilled that my grandmother, ‘Mama T’, felt me deserving enough to keep well over 80 years of family memories.  My grandmother majored in Home Economics in college and later taught high school Home Economics in Crown Point, IN where my dad and his siblings were raised. 

 Mama T passed away a month ago at the age of 96 and the loss has been hard but I feel lucky to have such treasured mementos of her extraordinary life.  I found myself collecting depression-era glass in the past few years.  I find these pieces to be such a paradigm of optimism.  Sold in gas stations in the 1920s and 30s to many families that were struggling, they were made in vivid colors of pink, gold, blue, and green.  A marketing strategy to provoke cheer and hopefulness.  And these pieces do this for me generations later.  A couple of years back, as my grandmother sold her home in Indianapolis, I received her pieces; teacups, saucers, sugar bowls and they are combined with my other Depression glass discoveries from the World’s Longest Yard Sale (which is another post for another time).  In addition, I was given her collection of porcelain shoes.  Mama T and I had a common love of footwear and while these ‘chotchkies’ as I lovingly call them, are not for wearing, they are a wonderful reminder of her house in Indianapolis covered in photos, books, and this collection of shoes. 

And finally, as the beginning of this post noted, I received boxes of cookbooks and recipes a few months ago.  I have recently unpacked a box of them and have them on my bookshelf along with my fiction and biographies.  They are hard back and musty and wonderful.  ‘The Settlement Cookbook’ printed in 1944 (in its 26^th edition) with the motto ‘The way to a man’s heart…’ or an old Home Economics text book from 1923 entitled, ‘Elementary Home Economics; Cookery, Sewing, Care of the House’.  Or the education pamphlets which I believe my grandmother used to teach with ‘How to give Successful Dinner Parties’ and ‘How to develop Pose and Self-Confidence’.  They are so fun to look through even though some recipes and lessons of poise are from a by-gone era; they represent the grace and beauty of my grandmother and her generation. 

My Mama T was an amazing woman, someone who I strive to be in my life.  If I can be half of the lady that she was, I will have had success.  There aren’t enough words to write and memories to convey that would accurately some up how much I admired and adored my grandmother.  I believe we had a special bond of love of beautiful things, good food, family, and friends.   These cookbooks, recipe cards, porcelain shoes, and Depression glass are a picture of my family before me and I am looking forward to the day that I pass these down to my daughter.  But in the meantime, it is off to try these recipes.  I think first is going to be my grandmother’s famous Chocolate Cherry cake…"