What inspires me

an introduction to an important collection

Leigh Olson

Dec 17, 2022

Images of Ruth's, Jane's, and Thelma's recipe boxes. Each is sitting on a wooden surface and noted with a handwritten sticky not. — Ruth’s, Jane’s and Thelma’s recipe boxes

Grandma’s, Peggy’s, and my recipes boxes

I’ve been able to determine the owner of each of the recipes boxes through the ephemera that the ladies carefully tucked into these culinary time capsules. This gives me great joy. Each time I make a recipe from a given box, I am able to connect with and honor the creator - though I will never meet any of them - with the exception of the my grandma, of course. Though, I have learned so much more about her by thumbing through her collections.

I’m excited that together, we will learn more about these ladies as we explore the recipes and clippings they requested, wrote, or shared and tucked carefully inside their recipe boxes

When was the last time you looked through that recipe box you inherited from a loved one?

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Next week is the launch of what I’m calling “A Cookie For…” This project was inspired by an interview with artist Tucker Nichols by

DrawTogether with WendyMac

Nichols painted flowers for imagined recipients during the pandemic. He shared the paintings on Instagram and his website in hopes to provide comfort and ease to people isolated, ill, or discombobulated. I hope you’ll join me next week for the first in the series entitled A Cookie For Watching Falling Snow.

Let’s Connect!

Find me on Instagram @leigh_olson, join the Family Recipes, Traditions, and Food Lore community on Facebook, or subscribe to The Heritage Cookbook Project on Substack.

Do you have a recipe, tradition, or story you think would make a great visual narrative, send me an email at connect@theheritagecookbookproject.com.

If you would like to further support this project, there are a couple of ways that you can become a patron subscriber. Choose one of the paid tiers here, purchase something from my Amazon wish list, or buy me a tea - I know it says Buy Me a Coffee, but I’m a tea gal.

Illustrations of some of my favorite tea cups. They are decorated with flowers and fruits. There are two spoons laying on the surface ready to stir in some sugar, lemon or a splash of milk. — Coffee is good, but my preference is tea. Here are some of my favorite tea cups.

If you aren’t able to support monetarily, sharing this with a friend really helps to grow our delicious community.

Help spread the word about The Heritage Cookbook Project by sharing this post with your food loving friends.

The Heritage Cookbook Project Weekly

What inspires me

an introduction to an important collection

Let’s Connect!