About

My grandmother held onto a cookbook from what I believe was a church fundraiser many years ago. The front cover is missing so I’m not positive exactly where she got it from. The only hit of age of the cookbook is a note on the index, which was ripped and taped. It says: “Compliments of Christian Alexander Gray on November 22, 1975,” but whether that refers to the cookbook itself or the rip is anyone’s guess. 

As she cooked, grandma made notes and marked off which recipes she tried. Other recipes, handwritten and cut from newspapers, were stuck between the pages over the years creating an amazing memory book of a life lived. Did she cook for my father, aunt, and uncle with this book? Did she cook for friends and the mysterious Christian? Perhaps, my journey will eventually tell me.

After my grandmother passed away, my mother found the cookbook amongst her belongings and kept it for me–mainly because of the classic Greek recipes. I decided to attempt some of these recipes using the exact ingredients and directions. At some point, I might update some of these recipes, but I wanted to start with the recipes that I believe my grandmother actually cooked.

Original photos of the each page shows the original format and the wear and tear of the book. I have included typed text copies of each recipe in exact form for those people who may be visually impaired or using an accessibility reader. Below the original recipes, I’ve tried to include additional information and steps that I took to recreate the recipe. 

Expect these recipes to be cooked in my kitchen and photographed poorly. Plating will not be pretty. This will likely look just like it will look when you cook it at home. Yours might even be prettier. Food should first be about tasting good. Following the recipes will be some of my tips and thoughts after the test cook. I hope you enjoy this and try out some of these recipes. And then take better instagram-worthy photos to share with even more people. If you do try this out, let me if you have any notes and I’ll add them to the recipe page.

Let’s cook!!!!

*My Grandmother passed away long before Twilight and 50 Shades, but I’m sure this would give her a laugh. Now to find out who this Christian Gray is…