When most people talk about memory cookbooks they worry about the recipes only. I have always preached that the stories can get lost as easily as the recipes. But also the family traditions can get lost. I am talking about more than religious practices but family traditions.

My mother was clean freak in my youth. And spring was when she went on a terriror in our home. The windows were washed, the woodwork and yes, the walls. Now I can not say that I wash the walls in my house except with a sponge and some cleaning product to get the skuff marks off but I do have the windows washed twice a year and every four or five years I wash the woodwork but I vaccum them each week.

Where I do my mother one better is once a year, usually in the spring I go through my baking and cookies sheets and throw out those ones that will never be cleaned again. I go through my pots and pans and those that were teflon get hoisted in the garbage can. And lastly, I go through my plastic containers and any one that does not have a lid that fits gets pitched. Any lid that does not have a container joins in th garbage can. My plastic containers keep over taking the drawer that they are in so every once and a while I check to see if I need all those different containers. This lid match makes it easier to decide which ones I really need or not.

I love spring cleaning. It makes me feel very light and joyful. I think getting rid of stuff and be a lighting experience. Therefore in  my cookbook I want to share those experiences with my family. Joy is a good thing to share and so are family traditions. Cookbooks are more than just recipes. Humor and stories are nice to make your cookbook special and truly your own and reflecting your own family.