[email protected]

by Mary Mendoza
(Hammond, In USA)

I am a 58 yr old white female who has always loved to cook. I had been a Geriatrics nurse since 1970. My cooking style is very versitile (sp?)I am Austrian-Irish raised in a Polish-Slovac neighborhood.

My years of working led me to learn from the elderly recipes that were passed down over the years mostly not written down until I wrote them for my own convenience.

I learned soul food, Greek, Italian,Chinese, Mexican, German Jewish and many others. There was a fire in our home some years ago and many recipes were lost. I remember alot but I became permanantely disabled in 1996 due to a coma I recovered from but some memories escape me.

I found this site by chance today and hope if I describe a recipe there will be readers that may have recipes to share. One piece of advice I would like to share with others is write and pass down your recipes and secrets because if you don't how will the younger generation learn.

So many of the cookbooks are instant or partially bought and prepared. I have always been a cook from scratch person. I say it can be done because I was a divorced mother of two, Director of Nursing and at times have been Administrator of different Nursing homes.

I'd say I had a full life and yes I've used some convenience foods for time reasons, I just hope people learn and teach home cooking. Love to hear from some of you readers.

Thanks for letting me bend your ears.

Mary