When you think you're getting a priceless heirloom....

[beergut]

and then you don't.

Story time.


We had 19 people over for Christmas, did a 10 course meal. 

For the primo (third course), I made gnocchi. 

I've made gnocchi several times before, but never for a group this large. My father volunteers to come over early on Christmas day and help. 

Christmas Eve, I'm at my parents' house, and asking Dad for advice. Gnocchi for 19 people is going to take up quite a bit of space, and I'm wondering where I'm going to put it all while we go through the first two courses. While we're talking, Dad tells me to go into a room off the kitchen, pull up some trays, and bring him the board underneath. I go grab the board. 

He tells me, "This is the gnocchi board your grandfather used every holiday. He would sit at the table and roll his gnocchi on here. Take it home with you tonight."

Omigod, omigod, omigod,  this is Pop's gnocchi board!! My father's father passed away two years before I was born, so I never met him, but this is something he used! This was passed down from him to my father, and now it is being passed down to me!! 

I was so excited!! I resisted the urge to take a picture of the gnocchi board, text it to my brother, and tell him this is proof positive that I am the #1 most favorite son. I'm the one getting the priceless (to me) heirloom!!

Dad tells me when serving a large group, you roll your gnocchi, then store it wherever you can. We have cool weather outside, so I figure I'll put it all on trays, cover the trays, then stack them on the car in the garage, letting the garage act as a temp controlled storage. 

We get a later start than we thought we would on Christmas, and are still rolling gnocchi when guests begin arriving. We end up filling every tray we have, and piling plates of gnocchi on the counter. No one says anything, and truth be told, I think it actually helped make the image of Christmas for some of our guests, seeing us making gnocchi from scratch right before their eyes. 

My father, my uncle, the 16 YO and I all rolled gnocchi on Pop's gnocchi board. The 16 YO actually snapchatted pics of herself cutting and rolling the gnocchi, which I think means there was a brief moment there where we were cool enough to share with her friends. 

We have dinner, it is a big success.

Afterward, Dad tells me, "Remember to clean off that board, and bring it back by the house."

*sad trombone*

I was not being given the priceless heirloom gnocchi board, he was just letting me use it for the day so we could feed everyone. 


Dream dashed!!!


BTW, I have since searched for a board of similar dimensions online. The closest I can come is a pastry board that retails for $96 before shipping. 

[haapai]

You can still pull a victory out of this.  Buy your own similar gnocchi board and let the original slide to your sibling.  The odds are very good that your 16 YO will tell the story of the two gnocchi boards for a long time. 

[Deleted]

beergut, if it helps, I loved your story!  And I loved the bonding between you and the 16-yo.  

[dannylion]

Do you know anyone who is a woodworker?  Maybe you can find an artisan who would make one to your specifications.  The components of a gnocchi board are relatively simple. Getting just what you want may simply be a matter of finding the right woodworking artisan to make it for you.  Then you can begin your own tradition, and your gnocchi board can become a valued heirloom.

[wmpeon]

I'll be honest, my family has no shame.  The next time I needed a large gnocchi board, I'd ask dad if I could inherit the board and pass on the tradition (while oohing and aahing about how much the board means to me).  Unless dad's household still uses the board, he may just hand it over. 

[Tiny]

I, too, loved your story. AND I understand the "priceless" value of the gnocchi board.   What you (and your dad did) added to the mystic and magic and pricelessness of it.  I would be willing to bet every one will remember this Christmas fondly.      Memories are very very important.    


I have something similar - when my mom passed - all I really wanted was the large wooden pastry board, the old wooden rolling pin, and the mishmash of cookie cutters. The old board is probably close to 100 years old, has the PERFECT patina on one side and is absolutely necessary of producing "walnut cake" and "Easter sweet bread"  and "walnut horns" the rolling pin (also probably close to 100 years old)  is also perfect for these tasks. I just like the cookie cutters because they span time from the 30's thru the 60's and some of the most pagan symbol ones are necessary for Christmas...

I was afraid someone would 'throw out" the board, rolling pin, and cookie cutters OR that one of my non-baking SILs would claim them (as a memory? for their kids)... but no, I got the set.      Oddly enough, it was my niece (who also bakes/cooks) who was in AWE of the board, rolling pin, and cookie cutters.   I've told her that some day they will all be hers.     Those things are "priceless" to me (and my neice).   We understand the "magic" and the "mystic" of the tools and how well they do their job.   We also spent time and effort and deciphered two old recipes using the board/rolling pin - one hand written by my mom and another I assume was written by her mother in  broken English

.
FWIW:  I did 'gift' a new pastry board (the darn things are pricey!!)  to my niece - it's not as big as the old one but I hear it's starting to get that nice patina (after about 5 years of use).       I know she's using her mom's rolling pin (also with a lot of mystic and magic attached to it).     

You did a good thing.

[Bob Ross]

Meh, just get a piece of plywood and start using it as the same.

That way, in many years, your great-grandkids will point with ooohs and ahhhs at said plywood while you point and laugh from beyond the grave.

That is, if people still eat gnocchi in the future, or food for that matter.  My prediction is that all sustenance will be beamed directly into people's brains by Facebook.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Yeah, I'm going to need to get a meal-size sample of said gnocchi to decide whether or not the board is a genuine priceless heirloom. ;-)

[beergut]

Jan 10, 2017 9:20:34 GMT -5 deminmaine said:

OK, so how does a guy who declares that a gnocchi board is a family heirloom have a moniker like "beergut"?  Inquiring minds and all that.


Anyway, you better have some German lineage in there as well.

The 'beergut' nickname was actually from me making fun of myself.

I was posting on a football coaching forum, and trying to think of a good handle to use. I remembered a poster my HS football head coach had over his desk of a coach which diagrammed all of his 'tools'. Several arrows pointed to his stomach and showed "guts", "extra guts", "more guts than you'll ever have". Going by CoachExtraGuts didn't seem like it would work, but from 'gut' it was a natural to go to CoachBeergut. 

A lot of coaches liked it, and it made me easy to remember when we met at clinics. 

I've kept 'beergut' as a variation of original handle.

The irony, of course, is that I rarely drink and any gut I have is from eating. 

As for the German lineage, nope, Italian. I have family members on my mother's side who refuse to ever own or drive a German car. The reason? Still hold a grudge over the Holocaust. 

[Deleted]

I agree with wmpeon- no harm in telling Dad you'd like to be in line to inherit it.

It's been interesting to see what's been most important to those left behind after DH's passing as well as my mother's.   One of the first items claimed was Mom's ancient cookbook with all her hand-written recipes (the fruit cocktail cake my SIL made was a big hit at the gathering after the funeral).  On my visit to Dad at Christmas I found the green fountain pen Mom always used when she paid bills.  I love writing with fountain pens so that went home with me.  My youngest brother claimed a very large wooden salad bowl Dad bought Mom in Vermont.  He remembered us using it for popcorn at night.  Another brother was adamant that Mom's HS ring stay in the family.  He didn't want it but wanted to make sure it didn't disappear.  I have it on a chain around my neck, along with DH's wedding band. His wife, my SIL, was the only one who wanted Mom's sterling (the rest of us had our own) and we said fine.  So, the distribution of Mom's assets has been uneven, to say the least- but each of us got things that mattered to us.

I'm gradually pitching/donating DH's things that I no longer need but running some items by my stepson.  So far he's claimed DH's two wool caps he always wore, the worn chambray shirt left over form DH's days in the Navy, and the black marking pens from DH's desk.  I never would have expected the latter but DSS is welcome to them.

[haapai]

beergut, could you post a link to what you found online that was close to what gramps had?  I've been googling "gnocchi board" and "gnocchi making" and all I am seeing is $10 gnocchi paddles and continuous feed industrial machines.  I have no way of visualizing what this heirloom looks like. 

[Cookies Galore]

Jan 11, 2017 11:45:54 GMT -5 @athena53 said:

I agree with wmpeon- no harm in telling Dad you'd like to be in line to inherit it.

It's been interesting to see what's been most important to those left behind after DH's passing as well as my mother's.   One of the first items claimed was Mom's ancient cookbook with all her hand-written recipes (the fruit cocktail cake my SIL made was a big hit at the gathering after the funeral).  On my visit to Dad at Christmas I found the green fountain pen Mom always used when she paid bills.  I love writing with fountain pens so that went home with me.  My youngest brother claimed a very large wooden salad bowl Dad bought Mom in Vermont.  He remembered us using it for popcorn at night.  Another brother was adamant that Mom's HS ring stay in the family.  He didn't want it but wanted to make sure it didn't disappear.  I have it on a chain around my neck, along with DH's wedding band. His wife, my SIL, was the only one who wanted Mom's sterling (the rest of us had our own) and we said fine.  So, the distribution of Mom's assets has been uneven, to say the least- but each of us got things that mattered to us.

I'm gradually pitching/donating DH's things that I no longer need but running some items by my stepson.  So far he's claimed DH's two wool caps he always wore, the worn chambray shirt left over form DH's days in the Navy, and the black marking pens from DH's desk.  I never would have expected the latter but DSS is welcome to them.

I think that family dishes are so important to keep alive. I have done a pretty good job with replicating my grandmom's mac and cheese, and my brother has pretty much mastered our other grandmom's jello mold recipe. The holidays wouldn't be the same without the jello! Both grandmoms are alive and well, but getting those favorite recipes was a good day for me and my siblings.
It makes me think of a friend's step grandfather dying suddenly. We were all talking after the funeral, telling our favorite stories, when someone brought up his macaroni. One of his daughter's said "shit! We don't have the recipe!" and we haven't had Don's macaroni in nearly seven years.

[MJ2.0]

I don't know of anything food wise that is super memorable from my mother. She made great mac and cheese - and still does! - but she likes mine just as much if not more. My aunts make the "memorable" dishes like pretzel salad and stuff like that.

[milee]

Jan 11, 2017 15:21:08 GMT -5 MJ2.0 said:

I don't know of anything food wise that is super memorable from my mother. She made great mac and cheese - and still does! - but she likes mine just as much if not more. My aunts make the "memorable" dishes like pretzel salad and stuff like that.

What's in pretzel salad? (Other than the obvious...)

[MJ2.0]

Jan 11, 2017 15:32:53 GMT -5 milee said:

Jan 11, 2017 15:21:08 GMT -5 MJ2.0 said:

I don't know of anything food wise that is super memorable from my mother. She made great mac and cheese - and still does! - but she likes mine just as much if not more. My aunts make the "memorable" dishes like pretzel salad and stuff like that.

What's in pretzel salad? (Other than the obvious...)

I think jello, cool-whip... not sure what the rest has but it's formed into some kind of casserole dessert. I do not partake in that dish, lol.

[milee]

Gotcha. So when we use "memorable" about food it's like describing art as "interesting" or babies as "breathtaking".

[MJ2.0]

Jan 11, 2017 16:22:32 GMT -5 milee said:

Gotcha. So when we use "memorable" about food it's like describing art as "interesting" or babies as "breathtaking".

Lmao, that's not exactly what I meant! I just meant it's kinda like a staple at holidays.

[beergut]

Jan 11, 2017 11:55:19 GMT -5 haapai said:

beergut, could you post a link to what you found online that was close to what gramps had?  I've been googling "gnocchi board" and "gnocchi making" and all I am seeing is $10 gnocchi paddles and continuous feed industrial machines.  I have no way of visualizing what this heirloom looks like. 

This is a close approximation

Pop's gnocchi board didn't have the 1 1/2 inch 'lip' on it, it was perfectly flat.

[beergut]

Jan 11, 2017 15:16:49 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

Jan 11, 2017 11:45:54 GMT -5 @athena53 said:

I agree with wmpeon- no harm in telling Dad you'd like to be in line to inherit it.

It's been interesting to see what's been most important to those left behind after DH's passing as well as my mother's.   One of the first items claimed was Mom's ancient cookbook with all her hand-written recipes (the fruit cocktail cake my SIL made was a big hit at the gathering after the funeral).  On my visit to Dad at Christmas I found the green fountain pen Mom always used when she paid bills.  I love writing with fountain pens so that went home with me.  My youngest brother claimed a very large wooden salad bowl Dad bought Mom in Vermont.  He remembered us using it for popcorn at night.  Another brother was adamant that Mom's HS ring stay in the family.  He didn't want it but wanted to make sure it didn't disappear.  I have it on a chain around my neck, along with DH's wedding band. His wife, my SIL, was the only one who wanted Mom's sterling (the rest of us had our own) and we said fine.  So, the distribution of Mom's assets has been uneven, to say the least- but each of us got things that mattered to us.

I'm gradually pitching/donating DH's things that I no longer need but running some items by my stepson.  So far he's claimed DH's two wool caps he always wore, the worn chambray shirt left over form DH's days in the Navy, and the black marking pens from DH's desk.  I never would have expected the latter but DSS is welcome to them.

I think that family dishes are so important to keep alive. I have done a pretty good job with replicating my grandmom's mac and cheese, and my brother has pretty much mastered our other grandmom's jello mold recipe. The holidays wouldn't be the same without the jello! Both grandmoms are alive and well, but getting those favorite recipes was a good day for me and my siblings.
It makes me think of a friend's step grandfather dying suddenly. We were all talking after the funeral, telling our favorite stories, when someone brought up his macaroni. One of his daughter's said "shit! We don't have the recipe!" and we haven't had Don's macaroni in nearly seven years.

If you want to make sure a recipe is passed on for future generations, take a video of your mother or grandmother describing how to make the dish, or better yet, record them actually making it, step by step. 

[chiver78]

Jan 11, 2017 15:16:49 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

Jan 11, 2017 11:45:54 GMT -5 @athena53 said:

I agree with wmpeon- no harm in telling Dad you'd like to be in line to inherit it.

It's been interesting to see what's been most important to those left behind after DH's passing as well as my mother's.   One of the first items claimed was Mom's ancient cookbook with all her hand-written recipes (the fruit cocktail cake my SIL made was a big hit at the gathering after the funeral).  On my visit to Dad at Christmas I found the green fountain pen Mom always used when she paid bills.  I love writing with fountain pens so that went home with me.  My youngest brother claimed a very large wooden salad bowl Dad bought Mom in Vermont.  He remembered us using it for popcorn at night.  Another brother was adamant that Mom's HS ring stay in the family.  He didn't want it but wanted to make sure it didn't disappear.  I have it on a chain around my neck, along with DH's wedding band. His wife, my SIL, was the only one who wanted Mom's sterling (the rest of us had our own) and we said fine.  So, the distribution of Mom's assets has been uneven, to say the least- but each of us got things that mattered to us.

I'm gradually pitching/donating DH's things that I no longer need but running some items by my stepson.  So far he's claimed DH's two wool caps he always wore, the worn chambray shirt left over form DH's days in the Navy, and the black marking pens from DH's desk.  I never would have expected the latter but DSS is welcome to them.

I think that family dishes are so important to keep alive. I have done a pretty good job with replicating my grandmom's mac and cheese, and my brother has pretty much mastered our other grandmom's jello mold recipe. The holidays wouldn't be the same without the jello! Both grandmoms are alive and well, but getting those favorite recipes was a good day for me and my siblings.
It makes me think of a friend's step grandfather dying suddenly. We were all talking after the funeral, telling our favorite stories, when someone brought up his macaroni. One of his daughter's said "shit! We don't have the recipe!" and we haven't had Don's macaroni in nearly seven years.

ditto. one of the things that I love that I was able to do for my sister's bridal shower (and that I've benefitted from as well) was to mail a blank index card with the shower invitation. I asked that each guest bring a recipe - or more, if they chose - to the shower to help "fill the bride's cookbook". that line was a laugher, since my sis is a great cook. but the point was to collect the family recipes. we got some great ones! 

[Cookies Galore]

Jan 11, 2017 16:47:14 GMT -5 beergut said:

Jan 11, 2017 15:16:49 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

I think that family dishes are so important to keep alive. I have done a pretty good job with replicating my grandmom's mac and cheese, and my brother has pretty much mastered our other grandmom's jello mold recipe. The holidays wouldn't be the same without the jello! Both grandmoms are alive and well, but getting those favorite recipes was a good day for me and my siblings.
It makes me think of a friend's step grandfather dying suddenly. We were all talking after the funeral, telling our favorite stories, when someone brought up his macaroni. One of his daughter's said "shit! We don't have the recipe!" and we haven't had Don's macaroni in nearly seven years.

If you want to make sure a recipe is passed on for future generations, take a video of your mother or grandmother describing how to make the dish, or better yet, record them actually make it, step by step. 

I just said thank you when they gave us the recipe cards.

[cronewitch]

Jan 11, 2017 16:22:32 GMT -5 milee said:

Gotcha. So when we use "memorable" about food it's like describing art as "interesting" or babies as "breathtaking".

My great aunt made candy as Christmas gifts.
We kids called it snot candy, we didn't like it. So when I was 19 I wrote her saying I missed her candy so she mailed me some. It was memorable and interesting. I have her old glass candy thermometer I use it to make fudge. It is still in the box must be at least 60 years old I have had it almost 50 years.

[Deleted]

Jan 11, 2017 16:47:14 GMT -5 beergut said:

If you want to make sure a recipe is passed on for future generations, take a video of your mother or grandmother describing how to make the dish, or better yet, record them actually making it, step by step. 

The trouble is, they adjust it on the fly. DH tried to write down his mother's recipe for biscuits as she made them. He carefully measured things before she added them, but then she tossed in a little extra flour- "because it's a bit humid today". DH was a good cook but never made biscuits because he swore they'd be like hockey pucks.

My Ex's grandmother made "gravy meat"- to Italians the red sauce is gravy. It involved simmering it all day, of course, and Grandma DiG. varied the meat according to what was on sale. Grown adults fought over leftovers at family dinners. They tried to record how she made it but my Ex said it ended up with SIL and BIL throwing dinner rolls at each other. I have no idea; I wasn't there. Grandma DiG. took the secret to her grave when she died at 102.

[beergut]

Jan 11, 2017 19:57:03 GMT -5 @athena53 said:

Jan 11, 2017 16:47:14 GMT -5 beergut said:

If you want to make sure a recipe is passed on for future generations, take a video of your mother or grandmother describing how to make the dish, or better yet, record them actually making it, step by step. 

The trouble is, they adjust it on the fly. DH tried to write down his mother's recipe for biscuits as she made them. He carefully measured things before she added them, but then she tossed in a little extra flour- "because it's a bit humid today". DH was a good cook but never made biscuits because he swore they'd be like hockey pucks.

My Ex's grandmother made "gravy meat"- to Italians the red sauce is gravy. It involved simmering it all day, of course, and Grandma DiG. varied the meat according to what was on sale. Grown adults fought over leftovers at family dinners. They tried to record how she made it but my Ex said it ended up with SIL and BIL throwing dinner rolls at each other. I have no idea; I wasn't there. Grandma DiG. took the secret to her grave when she died at 102.

Guilty 

I have a sauce I make completely from scratch, starting with nothing but pounds and pounds of tomatoes. It's perfect for people who like to eat 'clean' or are on a paleo diet. I have a friend who absolutely loved it, and wanted the recipe. I told her, "I start with 10 lbs of Roma tomatoes. If I could get fresh San Marzano tomatoes, I'd use those instead. As for spices, I don't measure them. I just add spices until it tastes right to me." 

I don't measure anything, I just know the poundage of tomatoes because I weight them at the store. Everything else is 'season to taste'. I do invite people over when I'm cooking if they want to watch, though. 

As for the 'gravy meat', do you know if she made a braciole? I've heard Sicilians mostly call their sauce 'gravy', I call it sauce    The 'Sunday sauce' that you make by letting it simmer all day usually has some meats simmering in it to give it flavor, including sausage, meatballs, beef ribs, and braciole. 

My grandmother always made the best sauce, and she browned beef and sausage in olive oil before she put it in the sauce. I always felt using sausage let some of the fat render in the sauce, giving it a greasier consistency than I wanted, so I don't use sausage. I typically just use meatballs. 

However, if your Ex knows how to make her sauce, making the 'gravy meat' is probably just a case of taking various meats, browning them with olive oil and some garlic, then letting is simmer in the sauce until it is tender or falls apart. If he worked at it, I'm sure he'd figure it out through enough trial and error.

My mother followed my grandmother all around the kitchen as she cooked and took notes so she could learn Grandma's secrets. She still has her notes and recipes sitting in a book in the kitchen. I found the book a few years ago, and took pictures of the recipes I wanted, so I have all of those recipes preserved in a photo album online and on my phone. 

When I go back East and visit relatives and family gatherings, we talk about how we're all cooking certain things. The authority in my family was always Grandma, and when she passed, the authority on how she did things became her youngest daughter, my aunt. Now, one of my great-aunts ran a restaurant in New York, and was a phenomenal cook. She passed some years back. Her daughter, my second cousin, is the first person I inquire with if I'm trying something new that I've never cooked before. When my father and I were making the gnocchi, he was recalling how my great-aunt made it, so we had that historical reference. 

[Cookies Galore]

Oh gravy, the only thing I miss after not eating meat for 20 years. My grandmom and stepmom make awesome gravy!

[Deleted]

Jan 12, 2017 0:06:54 GMT -5 beergut said:

As for the 'gravy meat', do you know if she made a braciole? <snip>

However, if your Ex knows how to make her sauce, making the 'gravy meat' is probably just a case of taking various meats, browning them with olive oil and some garlic, then letting is simmer in the sauce until it is tender or falls apart. If he worked at it, I'm sure he'd figure it out through enough trial and error.

Yes, she included braciole. Great stuff- I always tried to get some of it in my serving.

My Ex is gone, too, and wasn't much into cooking. There are several women in the family who were avid cooks (including her daughters) so I'm sure they learned the basic techniques such as browning the meat first, including the meat in the sauce, etc. but just never got the mix of spices right,

[hsclassic]

OP, something to try with you dad (works between me and my mom).

I ask if I can borrow the item and would she mind if I kept it at my house since I'm getting more use out of it than she does. OF course, I'll return it to her if she needs/wants it for her use.

Needless to say, the "borrowed" items are still here and she has never asked for their return. That way mom doesn't have to have any guilt about giving me an item (and no issues with the rest of the family either - they just don't know what I have!).  I think mom is just happy that her item is wanted and used.

[teen persuasion]

Jan 11, 2017 16:44:34 GMT -5 beergut said:

Jan 11, 2017 11:55:19 GMT -5 haapai said:

beergut, could you post a link to what you found online that was close to what gramps had?  I've been googling "gnocchi board" and "gnocchi making" and all I am seeing is $10 gnocchi paddles and continuous feed industrial machines.  I have no way of visualizing what this heirloom looks like. 

This is a close approximation

Pop's gnocchi board didn't have the 1 1/2 inch 'lip' on it, it was perfectly flat.

I'm going to second the suggestion to find someone to create a board for you.  Use a food safe wood like maple.  Have them seal it with a food safe oil finish.  It sounds like it's just a large rectangular cutting board, right?

Maybe ask to borrow gramp's board to take measurements - dad might get the message that you'd like to have it and use it.

[Deleted]

My mother's beef stew. I have the recipe, found by accident, and the magic stew pot (Dutch oven she had for 20 years) but I can't make the stew all that well. I tried a few years ago as my birthday dinner to myself but it didn't seem to come out as well as hers.
I also have the candy thermometer from hell I had to buy to replace the one I broke and I have the recipe for her butter crunch candy but for some reason I just cannot bring myself to make it. It's been 5 years and the stupid thing has like 4 ingredients so why do I have such a block? I just don't get it. I salivate for it every Christmas but can't bring myself to make it.

[beergut]

Jan 14, 2017 23:18:43 GMT -5 teen persuasion said:

Jan 11, 2017 16:44:34 GMT -5 beergut said:

This is a close approximation

Pop's gnocchi board didn't have the 1 1/2 inch 'lip' on it, it was perfectly flat.

I'm going to second the suggestion to find someone to create a board for you.  Use a food safe wood like maple.  Have them seal it with a food safe oil finish.  It sounds like it's just a large rectangular cutting board, right?

Maybe ask to borrow gramp's board to take measurements - dad might get the message that you'd like to have it and use it.

 I measured it before I took it back, hence how I knew what to look for online.