Baby Girl Ward was born recently (view pics of the cutie here!), so while I’m out trying to raise her proper, I’ve asked some amazeballs bloggers to visit! Today’s post comes from Tanya Kateri of The Wonderist! This gal is sharing all about her recipe fails and what she learned from her mother!

Hi, everyone!

As Lexy begins her new adventure as a mom, I thought I’d talk a little bit about love and family traditions…. I’m really looking forward to sharing this post with you and to hearing about your traditions!

My Grandparents

A couple things you should know about me first:

I have the culinary sophistication of a kindergartner, and I am a firm believer in the Costco sheet cake.  Ain’t nothin’ wrong with store-bought. That being said, my mom was the opposite.

My mom’s yearbook picture – oh, the hair!

As the daughter of a baker, she wore the kitchen like a second skin.  If Michelin rated private homes, ours would have been 3 stars.  Sadly, I didn’t acquire any of her talent for cooking.  She tried to get me to learn for years (so that I could get a husband, I’m pretty sure) – I just never took much of an interest in it.  But now that she’s gone (3 months ago to a long battle with cancer), I find myself really wanting to learn, wishing I could turn back time for her to teach me.

And so I decided a few weeks ago that I would cook my way through her favorite recipes – they were the centerpiece of our traditions – holidays, visits home from college, you name it.  And, for me, where there was tradition, there was her love.  When I chose this crepe dessert – “The Gateau de Crepes Cerises” – for my first attempt, I could almost hear her cautioning me to pick something easier.  But I was always stubborn, and she always relished a good “I told you so” moment!

I had a bit of a rough start, as it were.  Turns out I don’t even own the basic appliances required to cook.  Like a blender or a food processor.  Me.  Caveman. Off to Target I went, with my self-esteem in my purse. When I finally got down to brass tacks – I was still missing one thing: the superhuman genome it requires to make a SINGLE, BLEEPING crepe.  I poured, I shook, I flipped.  I poured again.  The result was a house full of smoke and a sink full of failure.

So, the bad news?  

My mom directing everyone in the kitchen – even on her wedding day! 

My first recipe was a recipe for a disaster.  The good news?  I have renewed appreciation for what they do at IHOP.

The moral of the story: moms are always right, even when they’re no longer with you.  I shouldn’t have started with something so hard. I knew my dessert wasn’t going to win any beauty pageants, but I would have loved it all the same because it was a piece of her.  The Gateau is an unassuming dessert.  A little rough around the edges but just so good on the inside.  A lot like my mom.  Gosh, I miss her.

I would love to know – what traditions do you share with a loved one that help you keep them close when they are far away or no longer with you?

(Click here for the recipe for the Gateau! If you’re brave enough to try it!) 

Read more about Tanya and her traditions over on her blog, The Wonderist!