Charlotte’s Beef Brisket

What would Passover be without my Mom’s beef brisket? She would start it the night before, and the house would have a wonderful smell. By the time the Passover Seder was over, you couldn’t wait for dinner to be served because you knew there would be beef brisket. The best part was Mom always made extra so we had leftovers for a few days. Yummm, a brisket sandwich.

I’ll never forget my first attempt at making beef brisket for a large crowd. I had a new kitchen with a new oven. Beef brisket needs to cook for a long time to reach that perfect falling-apart stage. I had the pan loaded up with two large briskets, and after a couple of hours, not much had happened. Needless to say, my state-of-the-art oven was useless, and with one hour before the guests were to arrive I was in a state of panic. I turned the oven to convection, turned up the heat and let it go. The meat was cooked, but it never did reach the falling-apart stage. Oh well, live and learn. I have made it several times, but there is still no substitute for when my Mom makes it. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!

Deanna’s Beef Stew

While we were growing up, the kitchen was the quietest room in our Los Altos Hills house. Despite a long tradition of well-groomed cooks in the family spanning back to the old country in Tuscany, Italy, my Mom preferred to direct her energies elsewhere. She would repeatedly tell us that her dream house wouldn’t have a kitchen.

No matter her grumblings, Mom did manage to make a few signature dishes that my two sisters and I can pass down to future generations. Mom’s beef stew is one of these. It is my favorite. Knowing this, Mom still treats me with a bowl of her stew on special occasions.

Ann’s Summer Shrimp Salad

We always knew summer was around the corner when my mom made this delicious shrimp salad. Perfect for warm summer Los Altos days.

- Susan Glaze, ad sales manager

Jeanne’s Sweet Potato Muffins

When I look back on my childhood, I can’t recall my Mom ever cooking a spectacular gourmet meal. As a single working Mom, she was usually running around the house doing a hundred different chores in addition to cooking dinner. Often, she would stick some chicken cutlets or a slab of steak in the oven and then descend into our basement to do a load of laundry. We’d know dinner was done when the smoke alarm went off.

Other times, when mom was feeling creative and didn’t want to turn on the stove, we’d have untraditional concoctions like waffles with ice cream or a hodgepodge of cheese, crackers and fruit. There is one thing, though, that mom has always made well and never charred: sweet potato muffins. Only prepared around Thanksgiving or Christmas, her muffins were a special treat. To this day, the holidays don’t seem right without the smell of sweet potatoes, cinnamon and nutmeg filling the house.

Florence’s Leche Flan (custard)

Mama didn’t spend a lot of time in the kitchen when we were growing up. It was my father who typically prepared our meals, so naturally, when Mama did cook, it always seemed much more special. Birthdays and other special events were marked by Mama’s specialty, leche flan. It is a simple custard recipe but one that she made from the heart.

- Janice Fabella, real estate ad sales

Kanchan’s Chicken a la Loknath

Cooking isn’t high on my mom’s list of priorities, but the few dishes she cooks are delicious. Growing up in India, we always enjoyed her moist and tender “chicken a la Loknath” (named after the person she learned it from). She usually made it when my dad or one of us four children was sick, because it has just a touch of oil and no spices.

- Sandy Lal, copy editor

Linda’s Buttermilk Rolled Sugar Cookies

This is a recipe that our whole family loves. Mom makes sure there’s a batch in the freezer when we all go to her home in Minnesota, where we will be for the week of Mother’s Day. It’s an annual thing we do.

Even the family cat loved Mom’s cookies. About 14 years ago, my three siblings and I purchased a Himalayan kitten for Mom’s 80th birthday. Mom named her Angel. She was adorable and very smart and loved to mimic my mom. One day Mom took a package of these sugar cookies out of the freezer and put the open bag on the kitchen counter to thaw. Later Mom made herself a cup of coffee and took a cookie and sat to rest on her recliner in the family room. A few minutes later, Angel walked in with a big white sugar cookie in her mouth and sat at Mom’s feet to have her afternoon snack, just like Mom.

Barbara’s Baked Ziti

This dish is one of my favorites, and probably the easiest meal that my Mom prepares. She uses her delicious homemade sauce to make it. Those without as much time can use their favorite ready-made sauce from the store.

- Dawn Pankonen, restaurant and hotel advertising

Louise’s Meatloaf

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds ground beef (15 percent or 20 percent fat)

Linda’s Fried Rice

My brother and I were a real handful for my Mom. Feeding two hungry, yet finicky kids must have been a challenge to say the least. But my mom’s fried rice was able to satisfy us, even when we were at our most ravenous. The ease of preparation and its simple ingredients made this recipe a mainstay in her arsenal. It would also be one of the most requested meals she ever made for us.

- Joe Hu, staff photographer

Diane’s Polenta

My Mom is a busy lady. As a middle school teacher and the mother of four kids, she somehow found time to cook up a storm. These days on the rare occasion the entire family manages to assemble in one place, my mom treats us with her amazing meals. She’s the best cook I know. Here’s a recipe for her polenta:

- Jason Sweeney, Town Crier Intern.

Food Bites

Farmers market opens Thursday
The Los Altos Farmers Market is set to open for its sixth season 4-8 p.m., Thursday, on State Street between First and Fourth streets in downtown Los
Altos. Every Thursday through September, California certified farmers will offer fresh produce, dried fruit and nuts, baked
goods, flowers, eggs and fresh […]

York Creek wines and Fritz Maytag are a dynamic duo

Fritz Maytag owns York Creek Vineyards and an evening with Fritz is a unique experience. Fritz is member of the Maytag Appliance family but has never been active in the business. He has however been very active in the wine and spirits world.

He is from Newton, Iowa, where all the family endeavors began. He graduated from Stanford University and as a young man bought the failing Anchor Brewing Company. The microbrewing business has never been the same. Anchor Steam is now world-renowned and has been the model for the legions of microbreweries that have followed.

Datebook

Datebook items are run on a space-available basis for entertainment, non-profit events, low-cost classes and groups of wide interest in our circulation area. The deadline is noon, Tuesday, for the next week’s paper. Notices must be typed and include a contact name and phone number. Items may be submitted via e-mail (peteb@latc.com); fax (948-6647) or post (138 Main St., Los Altos, CA 94022).

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