Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Aunt Gladys' Disappearing Chili Sauce

This chili sauce has a unique history. It came from my great aunt Gladys on my father's side (where she got it I do not know). Aunt Gladys passed it to my mother after she had tasted it during a visit to their Oklahoma home. I remember I was about four at the time, and was quite taken with their lovely home that included a vast rose garden and walk-in freezer. You might want to read those last couple of words again. My mother was in absolute heaven at the thought of a walk-in freezer. She was an avid maker of pies, and could envision them all stacked up waiting to be baked at some future point.

After we concluded our visit and returned home, my mother made the chili sauce. She loved it, I loved it, everybody loved it. Next year, following a bumper crop of tomatoes, she decided to make it again, but couldn’t find the recipe. That recipe stayed hidden for the next decade or so. Aunt Gladys had passed away at that point, and no one knew what had become of it.

Fast forward five more years when my mother pulled out an old cookbook to use, and found the chili sauce recipe that she'd apparently used as a bookmark. Immediately, she sat down, wrote out a copy, and gave it to me for safekeeping, just in case she lost it again. After my mother passed away, I had such a taste for that chili sauce that I went in search of my copy, but, alas, couldn’t find it. About a year ago, I did. It was during the winter, so I decided I was going to put it somewhere for safekeeping so as not to have it escape me during the summer. You know what I’m going to say here, right? I did lose it. Then I found it, and then I lost it again.

When I finally found it for the last time I decided that I was going to do something so as to prevent this from ever happening again -- I framed it. It is now hanging on the wall in my kitchen where I see it every day, and am thankful for my mother, my aunt, and a family history that caused such a stir. Because it gives me such a warm feeling every time I see it, I encourage you to consider giving one of your old family recipes this same treatment, and if you do, I would like to hear about it.

Come back tomorrow for the chili sauce recipe in readable form with my delicious adjustments.



 
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7 comments:

Linda said...

In what part of Oklahoma did your aunt live? That is so funny about losing the recipe so many times, but what a wonderful idea you have given me on preserving recipes. I've pulled out my recipe box (which my Mom decoupaged, and which deserves a blog post) and will preserve one of her recipes!
I'm looking forward to your post about the sauce. I could read all the ingredients except for the last one.

Pattie @ Olla-Podrida said...

I'm thinking Muskogee, but it was a LONG time ago.

Shirley said...

I have some of my grandmother's recipes (on my mom's side in a special file box on my counter. Also, some of my mom's recipes are bound together in a special hardcover book. It's so priceless to be able to access these recipes whenever I feel the need. Thanks for the post, Patti !

Scribbler said...

This looks like my Aunt Agnes's Homemade Ketchup. Great story!

Thelma said...


What a story! It made me laugh. LOL. It will never be lost again.
I'm anxious for the recipe.

JDM said...

Make sure it is not hanging where the sun or too much light can hit it. If it is in ink the ink will disappear in a matter of a few years. Then gone for good.

What do you put the sauce on?

Pattie @ Olla-Podrida said...

Shirley, I love that you have some of your mother's recipes bound in a book!

Scribbler, I have never tried to make homemade ketchup, but it's now on my list for next year!

JDM, it is no where near the light, so I'm good. Plus it is now on ther blog where anyone can find it. :-)