Passing recipes down through an oral tradition is something we can all relate to.
I don't normally link to other sites and articles, but this one resonated with me. The author is writing about the Somali diaspora, which caused recipes passed on by the oral tradition to be nearly forgotten. It is a fascinating article and brought back so many memories for me.
I remember my grandmothers telling me to add flour until the dough "looked right" and written recipes calling for a "tea cup of sugar." My maternal grandmother's cornbread dressing is legendary. However, there is no written recipe. Once it became hard for here to stand and cook, I became the sous chef. I put in the ingredients and she'd poke the dressing. Add chicken broth - poke, poke, poke. Then she would have me add the poulty seasoning. No measurements other than "add more than that." It was an experience. Thankfully, the recipe seems to be part of my genetic code, so I can come pretty close to replicating it.
I hope you enjoy the article. I would love to hear about your family recipes.
Xawaash Is The Somali Food Blog That Taught a Generation of Diaspora Kids How to Cook