topic Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe in Kitchen

Relatives not sharing a recipe

CrazyKittyLvr2 — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 19:51:17 GMT

My great Aunt and her husband owned a luncheonette when I was growing up and while everything my Uncle made was wonderful he did a chili dog that was my favorite as a kid. They would never give anyone the recipe even after they sold the place. They and their kids took the recipe to their graves. I've looked on line and tried to replicate it with no success. He came here from Greece so I don't know if it was specfically a Greek recipe or not. Anyone have a relative who won't share a recipe?

Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe

dex — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 19:55:49 GMT

@CrazyKittyLvr2@That is strange...maybe he used a mix or something that he didn’t want anyone to know about.I had a friend who always baked the best cakes and then she finally admitted she used a mix and added stuff to make it her own.

Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe

Lilysmom — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 19:58:19 GMT

@CrazyKittyLvr2, my story is not really the same but related. I have a family member who takes my best recipes and claims them as his own. Never gives credit and does it right in front of me. My pie crust, my chow, my scalloped potatoes, and the list goes on. One thing he can’t seem to make is my chip dip. I gave him the recipe but he says it never tastes the same. I didn’t leave anything out but he has accused me of that lol.

What do you do with someone like that? Not to worry. Not high on my worry list. LM

Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe

PhilaLady1 — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 20:02:38 GMT

My Mom and her brother, my uncle, were from Vienna, Austria. My uncle used to make a delicious Zuchertorte. Would never share the recipe and he took it to the grave.

My Grandmother was a great cook and baker. Almost every recipe was in her head, and of course, long gone. That's how it goes, I guess.

Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe

ALRATIBA — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 20:09:14 GMT

Yes, my grandparents. Partcularly my grandfather.

He and his brothers had a company that made jelly back around the very late 1890 to about the time of the Depression. Company was sold ... but they kept the recipes.

Grandfather had a book of recipes for varies jellies and other preserves that he kept locked up. We weren't even allowed in the kitchen when he was making the stuff. In the basement was a big cabinet - filled with mason jars of every type of jelly and preserve you could imagine. Absolutely delicious stuff.

My grandmother was the same way about her bread pudding and wine sauce recipes. We had to wait until the one time of year she made a batch of each.

It's kind of fun thinking back about the idiosyncrasies of our family members. My brother and I still laugh about it.

Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe

Group 5 minus 1 — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 20:09:21 GMT

Not sharing a receipe is a sign of insecurity. I'm sure if you think about it you may be able to find one similar. There was aplace in New Castle,PA that made a Coney sauce. Let me see if I can find it in my older receipes.

Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe

CrazyKittyLvr2 — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 20:15:16 GMT

@dex I'm 68 so it was a long time ago. Not sure mixes were common then. If it was a mix no reason to hoard it after they were out of the biz.

@Lilysmom If he made something of mine and presented it as his I would make a point to ask in front of others "Is this my recipe I gave you?".

My Mother-in-law would ask for a recipe, subsitute store brands and then complain it didn't taste the same. You can use store brands for a lesser ingredient but no for the main ingredients. Cheesecake comes to mind.I would tell her only Philly brand cream cheese but she would use something else. It's the main thing so don't mess around with it.

Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe

CrazyKittyLvr2 — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 20:17:13 GMT

@Group 5 minus 1 Thanks for looking.

Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe

kittyloo — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 20:45:35 GMT

i only have one recipe i don't share. i make the best rocky road candy. my sis wanted this recipe for the last 20 years, many have asked me for it. i finally gave sis the recipe a couple of years ago. no one else though

Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe

AuntG — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 20:52:40 GMT

Unless it's a trade secret for their business, I can't imagine why someone wouldn't share a recipe. If course, the person should always give credit to the originator and not claim it's their own recipe.

Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe

chickenbutt — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 20:54:19 GMT

I really don't see why anybody should be expected to share their recipes. Granted, I really don't have a family but even if I did I would imagine it would be my choice as to whether or not to share.

The name-calling in one post is out of line.

I've written a LOT of recipes over the years. I used to post some of the ones I wanted to share here, many years ago, but stopped when somebody told me my recipe was good but they didn't want to go to the trouble of some of the ingredients or time so they just dumped some canned soup in there and made it totally different. Ooh, yummy - NOT! That was offensive, so I have not shared a recipe here since then.

I once considered writing a book of mine but it really doesn't matter. I don't have kids and - I mean really, who cares. They'll probably all be thrown away when I die. Doesn't much matter.

Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe

RetRN — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 21:01:42 GMT

I totally don't get this either. I would be proud to share a recipe with others who enjoyed it.

Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe

dex — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 21:10:55 GMT

@chickenbutt@I wish you could reshare and give us another chance.We are a different group now and I am sure we would be more appreciative.

Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe

dex — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 21:14:23 GMT

@RetRN I would be really proud too if someone asked me for a recipe...but they don’t.All of mine are a little too healthy tasting for most of my friends tastebuds.

Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe

chickenbutt — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 21:15:55 GMT

@dex wrote:
@chickenbutt@I wish you could reshare and give us another chance.We are a different group now and I am sure we would be more appreciative.

You know what? I appreciate the point you made. In thinking about that one incident I mentioned, that was probably over 10 years ago. Can't remember exactly when, as I've been here since 2004 or 2005. Anyway, I did used to enjoy sharing recipes back before everything became dump cooking here for quite a while, and then I just never looked back.

Thank You for pointing that out. I like to be friendly and helpful, but admit that it ticked me off when somebody converted a recipe of mine to a dump recipe, while my name was on it. Maybe just don't tell somebody when one does that, is a thought. hehe Fortunately, I don't even remember who it was, as I don't retain much anymore so I don't hold it against anybody at this poink.

I don't do much well anymore, but have always been and still am a good cook and a good driver! But not at the same time, of course.

Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe

KLm — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 21:18:57 GMT

@chickenbutt. Whoever messed up your recipe it was her loss.

Good food is a gift. I have my favorite recipes from my MIL, who is no longer with us. I make them on special occasions. I also put them in books for my children, so they have the legacy of special recipes from all the good cooks I've known who did share their recipes. (credited of course). I didn't get any of my mother's cookbooks when she passed, so it's important to get these when they are still here.

Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe

QVCkitty1 — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 21:19:29 GMT

This isn’t a relative, but years ago I worked with a doc from India. She as a lovely woman who brought the tastiest noodles to our potlucks. People fought over them, and it was one of the best things I ever ate. When she was leaving, I begged her for the recipe. She refused, nicely, but she refused. Maybe she thought we wouldn’t do it justice without her ingredients. I would love to taste those noodles again.

Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe

chickenbutt — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 21:25:52 GMT

@QVCkitty1 wrote:
This isn’t a relative, but years ago I worked with a doc from India. She as a lovely woman who brought the tastiest noodles to our potlucks. People fought over them, and it was one of the best things I ever ate. When she was leaving, I begged her for the recipe. She refused, nicely, but she refused. Maybe she thought we wouldn’t do it justice without her ingredients. I would love to taste those noodles again.

(bolded by me) I have kind of wondered about something similar to that.

Years ago, my husband's ex-mother-in-law gave me her minestrone recipe, as that was his favorite. I've been cooking since the dawn of time so I figured I did it justice. But I don't think he really loved it like he loves it when she makes it.

He was gracious, of course, but I'm psychic so I can generally tell what somebody is NOT saying.

Whenever he goes down there I always hope that he at least visits her and I know, although she's getting up there in age (90s), she might not be able to do that anymore. She's from Italy, BTW. But she was and is the mother he never had. Funny thing - not only does she and I have the same birthay, but she has a twin sister (now deceased).

Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe

Harpa — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 21:49:04 GMT

I'm always happy to share a recipe! But so often, especially in cooking, recipes can be tweaked according to one's (and their family's) palette.

@chickenbutt

Ah! That explains it! I think I called on you a couple of times to share something, and now I forget what it was. No worry! But at least I know it wasn't personal. At least I hope it was not.

My uncle owned a bar and a restaurant + catering business. My, how they could cook! I waitressed for them for years. Why didn't I ever think to ask for the recipes?!

Re: Relatives not sharing a recipe

NYC Susan — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 21:49:18 GMT

I've shared recipes when asked for them, and I've never had anyone refuse when I asked for theirs. But it would be okay with me if someone wanted to keep a recipe to themselves or just within their own family or whatever.

It belongs to them, and they can do whatever they want with it. I would completely understand.