The Christmas Eve menu is complete. This year I'm serving a simple old-fashioned meal accompanied by a somewhat elaborate fancy white cake. MJ is making and bringing her famous beef brisket. I'm preparing the other items on the menu. Our Christmas Eve dinner and the following morning are my favorite two days out of the 365 days throughout the year.
The menu was inspired by my grandmother Lola. Her cooking talents sparkled and were shared with a many happy towns folks during her career as a restaurateur. Lola's Cafe appropriately named helped pave the way for other small town cafe's across the Midwest. My grandmother was the proprietress of the dining establishment during the thirty's and forty's. The restaurant was before my time, unfortunately. Lucky for me, my uncle happily had, has is a talented photographer so I have pictures. Sweet!
Owning a restaurant during this period in time posed its challenges. I'm sure money was tight. Every single penny was counted. Hot coffee was served in iron-stone cups. Real cream sat at each table. Fresh Banana Cream Pie along with Chocolate had a reserved spot on the counter. I have proof of the latter from a letter that was written by my grandmother to her landlord.
That's a picture of my dad sitting at the counter. His best friend awaiting a treat. Remember the fresh cream I mentioned? That's my grandmother Lola standing holding the bottle of milk. My grandfather, whom I never met, he passed before I was born, sits at the table.
Entrepreneurs should enjoy reading this letter. The letter emphasises how there's no limits when you're passionate about what you do.
I love this image! My grandmother and grandfather wearing their little matching bo-ties. Do you recognize who's in the picture? That's a picture of our 33 rd President, Harry Truman. He served during 1945-1953.
Is that a bottle of Heinz ketchup in the picture? I'm thrilled that the packaging still looks like that. Notice the army of canned goods neatly lined up on the open shelf? That's another shot of my dad. Handsome young man, isn't he? He looks like a happy soul too. A trait that has followed him to this day. I believe he's passed it down to his daughter.
During this time of "want that", "need that", "gotta have it", it feels good to touch on my roots and remember what's really important to me. The pictures are evidence of simpler times when less was more. Happiness was not determined by how much you had, but rather it came from within. Happiness was driven by passion.
I'm blessed to have such wonderful pictures and stories passed down to me throughout the years.
I have these pictures hanging on my office wall to remind me of those blessings.
Enjoy caring and sharing holidays.
Warmly,
Jill 00
