Family Tree Foodie is a love story to my mother, my grandmothers, my aunts, and cherished family friends from my childhood. These beautiful and unique women have either directly or indirectly shaped who I am today.

The recipes on my blog recreate and build upon a broad collection of special food memories. Many of the recipes originated with these women - my “matriarch muses.” Finding their favorite recipes in their handwriting on aging, fragile paper feels like finding precious artifacts. I adore talking to other family members to learn more about them, their cooking styles, influences and preferences – from everyday family meals, to weekly bread baking, to festive treats and holiday traditions. Hearing their stories and recreating and adding my own twist to their recipes makes me feel like I am cooking beside them in their kitchens.

Sharing these recipes with loved ones who remember them, as well as introducing them to younger generations, is such a privilege. Food is such a multi-sensory time machine. It takes us from a still black and white photo to the technicolor vibrance that encapsulated these women during their lives.

At the bottom of each recipe inspired by a matriarch, you’ll see a photo and brief bio about her, as well as a quick links to her other recipes.