Two of my loved ones I miss the most are my Nanny (grandmother) and My Aunt Em (Emily). My Nanny was my mom’s mom and my Aunt Em was my dad’s sister. They were two peas in a pod! Fairly close in age, they had a beautiful friendship full of laughter!
I have MANY wonderful memories of them! I learned my love of baking, cooking and entertaining from them and so much more! My Nanny taught me the art of making sugar cookies! When I think of food and my Aunt Em, my first thought is Tuna Salad!
My dad comes from a large family. There were always parties to go to…special birthdays, crab feasts, wedding showers and baby showers. I remember the food well! We would get colored long loaves of bread from the Rolling Pin bakery in Bladensburg, Md. (sadly, no longer in business) We would roll the bread slices out thin. Spread them with cream cheese, top with a gherkin pickle, roll them up and cut into rounds! We always had the square pastel mints that would melt in your mouth and Jordan almonds. Then there were the cream puffs! My mom made awesome cream puffs and they would be stuffed with Aunt Em’s famous tuna salad! Delicious! She used tuna, Hellman’s mayonnaise and sweet pickle relish. Sometimes she would add hard-boiled eggs chopped. I loved the family closeness that came in preparing the food for these parties! Special Memories!
Today I am serving Aunt Em’s Tuna Salad on Endive leaves with regular Utz potato chips (in the white, red and blue bag). My Nanny always had these chips whenever we had a sandwich for lunch!
Hold close to your special memories for they are a part of you and your story! ENJOY!
Debbi K.
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