The recipes she, her family, and friends have cherished for years will go on for at least one more generation and it is hoped many more to come. Susan Barberry has put together a cookbook for each of her three children.
"It was suggested by my youngest daughter Chelsea last Christmas," Susan explained as she thumbed through the pages of cooking memories. "Last year I had made each of them a photo book of their lives. At the dinner table Chelsea said, ‘Mom, why don’t you do a book of your recipes.’ That’s this year’s Christmas present and they don’t even know that I’m doing it."
Although the contents of each is the same, the covers and the interior is designed to reflect each of their personalities. To add to the love of putting these books together Susan has written an introduction: "My Dear Children, I know that I don’t have to tell you this but we have never been wealthy. Not in dollars that can be counted…We have eaten numerous meals and they have always served to bring us together as a family. Over the dinner table we have shared events of the day or what is happening currently in our lives, we have argued and most of all we have laughed. I grew up with a love for cooking which was passed on from my grandmother. Nothing makes me happier than when everyone is gathered together laughing and sharing stories and enjoying something that I prepared. Many of the recipes you will find here have been passed on from family, friends and co-workers…I hope they bring you great memories as well."
Susan’s introduction tells most of the story of her cooking. She is an excellent cook and especially enjoys baking. Although her children are grown, she still "loves to cook" and still does a lot of it. "My mother was a wonderful cook. We were a large family and everything was held at our house. I’ve been carrying on the tradition.
"There are nine in my husband’s family that are close by, so we are always getting together for meals."
As a full-time employee in the accounting department at EVB bank at Glenns. Susan does most of her cooking these days on Saturdays. "It is always a day of a lot of cooking. I love to cook." Somewhere in between, Susan knits, crochets and "enjoys doing all sorts of crafts."
The following recipes are the favorites of Heather, Reagon and Chelsea, the one recipe that she and her husband, Mike, prefer the most, a recipe that she has made for her co-workers often and they insisted she include it, and one everyone requests.
