elliot_patel•15d agoProlific Poster

My grandma's 'secret' chili recipe turned out to be from a 1978 newspaper clipping.

She swore it was a family original passed down for generations. After she passed, I found the exact recipe, word for word, in an old Cincinnati Post food section she'd saved. I'd spent about $40 on special spices she said were 'vital' that were just sitting in her cupboard. Anyone else have a family food legend that turned out to be less than original?

3 comments

3 Comments

ivanross15d ago

Happens all the time with recipes and stories. People add a layer of myth to make things feel more special. Makes you wonder what else gets polished up over the years.

wendyg4315d ago

Honestly, the real family secret was her joy in sharing it. The clipping was just the tool she used to build that memory for you. The special part was never the recipe itself.

the_tessa15d ago

Yeah, that "layer of myth" thing @wendyg43 mentioned is everywhere once you look for it.