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Food For Thought: Mom Food Memories

Concept: Stein; Photoshop: Parker Miles Blohm
Nancy Leson relaxes at home on Mother's Day

"Well, Nance," I reminded Nancy Leson.  "Mother's Day is Sunday – let's talk about some mom food."   Since Nancy actually is somebody's mother I wanted to know not just what dishes her mother made, but also the ones she thought her son would remember. First her own childhood favorites.

"This kind of Sunday gravy Italian dinner thing," (Note: "Sunday gravy" = red spaghetti sauce)  "I remembered that she made gnocchi.  But she opened a package.  She didn't make gnocchi like I make gnocchi." Leson pooh-poohed.

As for her own son,  Nance figures Nate will remember her sauce bolognese and Sri Lankan beef curry.  Definitely mom food if your mom is Nancy Leson.

My favorite was Mom's meatloaf.  She combined Campbell's condensed alphabet soup with hamburger, egg, and shredded Wonder Bread.  Topped with condensed tomato soup and three strips of raw bacon, it slithered out of the oven floating in orange grease –  perfect for mixing with the Minute Rice.

I'd always assumed that my mom had originated that recipe but Nancy said her mother made it, too.  They must have both seen it in some magazine.  "Better Homes & Gardens," Nancy thought. "Or Popular Mechanics," I speculated. 

Wherever it started, that recipeis still floating around on the web in its own pool of virtual lubricant.  Give it a try if you dare.

And happy Mother's Day to all you mothers.

"If you break your leg don't come running to me!" – Shirley M. Stein

Dick Stein joined KNKX in January 1992. He retired in 2020 after three decades on air. During his storied radio career, he hosted the morning jazz show, co-hosted and produced "Food for Thought" with Nancy Leson and wrote and directed the Jimmy Jazzoid live radio musical comedies and 100 episodes of Jazz Kitchen.