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Meeting Your Ancestors....In the Kitchen

© Deanna Corbeil

”When from a long distant past nothing subsists, after the people are dead, after the things are broken and scattered, still, alone, more fragile, but with more vitality, more unsubstantial, more persistent, more faithful, the smell and taste of things remain poised for a long time, like souls, ready to remind us, waiting and hoping for their moment, amid the ruins of all the rest; and bear unfaltering, in the almost palpable drop of their essence, the vast structure of recollection.” --- Marcel Proust

If there is a common denominator in our family memories, it would most likely involve food and kitchens. For many of us, our recollections of names and dates is often hazy, and our grasp of the historic events that shaped our ancestors’ lives often borders on ignorance. But if there is one thing most of us share, it is clear, immediate images of a favorite family recipe or meal. These “food memories” are often our closest, most tangible connection with our family’s past.

But is food really an important part of our family history? If you believe, as I do, that family historians should be concerned about more than just census data and provable pedigrees, then yes, it is very important. Food, in so many ways, touches on the most elemental factors that have held our families together. Indeed, you could say, if it were not for food, we wouldn’t have family histories. We definitely would not have so many wonderful memories and stories to share.

We now live in a time when food is analyzed for its caloric content, fat percentage, carbohydrate value, etc. It is seen as a means to an end—weight loss, increased energy, improved health. It is true that food can help us with all of these things. But in our desire to be scientific and analytical, let us not lose the joy of food, and the deeper meanings of shared sustenance. Meals provide more than just physical fuel, but help nourish the soul and cement family bonds. Where else, during a busy day of farming, or after working in a factory, did the family gather for comfort, community, and prayer? For many families, whose lives were so often fraught with poverty, premature death, and uncertain futures, the kitchen table was a place of reassurance and connection. It is not coincidental that the largest room in most older homes is usually the kitchen. It was both the literal and figurative heart of the home.