I called her "gram" though- which of course, was "gramma" shortened. I didn't have great parents, but that's okay- I was raised by my grandmother, who was a mom, a dad, and a Grandma rolled into one.
I called her "gram" though- which of course, was "gramma" shortened. I didn't have great parents, but that's okay- I was raised by my grandmother, who was a mom, a dad, and a Grandma rolled into one.Madeleine, pronounced "Ma-Da-Lay-Na" was the toughest woman I ever met. She came from Italy through Ellis Island and she was afraid of nothing. For her entire life, she worked in the dirty, hectic steel hauling business- she was a very hard worker. Her brothers died in World War II, and she had to send her only son to Vietnam.
She Taught Me Frugality, My Best Quality
Now, to be clear, this is different from "cheapness", as Zappa would say. She wasn't cheap, but she was frugal.
The stuff she taught me, I still use 40 years later. (I'm 55.) She taught me that:
- You can clean anything with Vinegar (windows, laundry odors gone);
- Baking Soda (heartburn relief, odors, burned pan soak, freshen drains),
- Salt is a corrosive and it's gritty, especially Kosher. Take a green pad and some salt and scrub that burnt pan after you do the baking soda soak. Great for coffee stains in the glass pot.
- Bleach for everything! (Just don't mix it together.)
She taught me about food, and she was a helluva cook. But she used to intentionally make "great depression food." She wanted to show me how I could eat if I ever didn't have any money. "This is what you do if you don't have anything Miguel," I remember her saying.
Her favorite depression meal was getting a "free bone" from the "butcher shop" and making gravy. She would make a loaf of Italian bread and she would say, "This is all we had Miguel!!"
And we would just dip our bread into the bowl.
I never told her that was my favorite meal as a kid.
Miss you gram.
Sidebar: Unfortunately, you can't get a soupbone "for free" from "the butcher man" now- bones costs as much as hamburger used to cost. Gram would be appalled!
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