The Unforgettable Place: My Grandmother’s Kitchen

Back in the days of my childhood, my grandparents were essential in our family; they gave unconditional comfort and lessons in life. My grandmother’s house was a place to relax, and my siblings and I loved her home, where everything smelled older, warm and safe. However, her house was a special place when my siblings and I played games in my grandma’s kitchen. We ran through her kitchen, fought, screamed and laughed there. As a kid, the kitchen was a safe heaven. When I was there, everything in the world was fine, and all the troubles were blocked out. When we spent time with my grandmother, we had a sense of comfort that I could not find anyplace else. She could console us, chasing away our foul moods when we were down. The sight of my grandmother’s smile would bring my world back to normal.

However, when I think about my grandma’s kitchen, it reminds me that it had nothing special. It had a red, rustic tile floor, a big cedar table, chairs which were not fancy or new, and two big windows facing the street that were twenty years old. The obvious off-white coloring showed their age. Her old, white refrigerator showed some spots of rust.  The walls had all the old kitchenware and utensils because my grandmother refused to throw any of them out. Also, all the old broken-handled ladles and serving spoons with their bent necks were hidden in some cabinets. As a kid, I did not really mind the look of her kitchen. I cared more about the food it produced.

One deep memory that comes to my mind is the aroma of food, which it had baked itself into the furniture. I think that my Grandma Caterina is the best chef in the world.  She made a delicious onion soup that made my stomach smile and my favorite a homemade pumpkin cake. Also, I can never forget the smell of paella in the house. I remember her drawers of seasonings and spices whose smell fully impregnated the kitchen and the pantry. She used natural, fresh ingredients and a lot of seasoning and spices; therefore, the taste of her food was also unforgettable. When I was growing up, she let me try to cook sometimes. She taught me a lot of recipes, especially her pizza. She explained every single detail about the pizza recipe, which was very famous. When I made her pizza, all my friends loved it.

Another remarkable memory is that my grandma’s kitchen was the central point of our family meetings. For example, when we were all sitting together around in her old cedar table, we said grace for the food. I also remember when I held my brother’s hand; he waved it during our prayer as well as our special Christmas dinner when we made our hallacas. The preparation of the hallacas had different steps, and each person had a special task during their preparation.  It was really fun, and we enjoyed preparing the hallaca on her cozy table. 

 We all contributed something. Also, all my cousins and aunts met at her old table cedar to enjoy a coffee or her delicious homemade cookies or cake. She always had something in her kitchen for us to eat; therefore, her pantry was full. 

 My grandmother and the times in her kitchen are part of my best childhood memories; I always will hold them close to my heart.