Noemie's recipe

Emma shares her grandmother's recipe for lemon pound cake, which holds a special place in her childhood. The cake reminds her of summers at her grandparents' farmhouse and the love her grandmother put into baking it. Making the cake now is bittersweet since her grandmother passed away, but it allows her to keep her spirit alive and share the cake with her own children. Emma believes that recipes passed down through generations preserve not just the food, but the stories, love, and memories associated with them. The secret to the cake is using real butter, fresh lemons, and adding lemon zest for extra flavor. Emma's story encourages listeners to cherish family recipes and the memories they hold. Welcome back to our cozy corner of the world, where every story is a journey, and every meal is a memory. Today, we have a special guest, Emma, who's here to share not just a recipe, but a piece of her heart. Emma, welcome to the show. Thank you so much for having me. I'm thrilled and a bit emotional to be here today. We're all about the emotions and story behind the recipes that have shaped us. Emma, you've mentioned there's a particular recipe that holds a special place in your childhood. Can you share with us what that recipe is? Absolutely. The recipe I brought with me today is for my grandmother's lemon pound cake. It's not just any cake. It's the taste of my childhood summers spent under the shade of old oak trees at my grandparents' farmhouse. Wow, that sounds utterly delightful. There's something about lemon cake that just whispers home, doesn't it? What is it about your grandmother's lemon pound cake that makes it so memorable? It's the warmth and the love. My grandmother, she was the heart of the family. She had this old, battered recipe book, and the page with the lemon pound cake recipe was almost falling out. It was used so often, you can imagine. The cake was a constant at every family gathering, and its zesty scent and sweet taste were like a hug from her, even when she couldn't be there in person. It is beautiful, isn't it? How scent and flavors can transport us back to moments we hold dear. Do you remember the first time you helped your grandmother make this cake? Yeah, I do, actually. I was about seven, and she decided it was high time I learned. I remember standing on the stool beside her, watching her every move with wide eyes. She handed me the lemon to zest, and I thought it was the most important job in the world. She had this gentle way of guiding me, making me feel like I was crucial to the creation of this family masterpiece. Oh, what a tender memory! It is fascinating the roles food and cooking play in bonding us with our loved ones. Now, Emma, when you make this lemon pound cake today, what goes through your mind? Making this cake is like a time machine, you know. Each step, each ingredient takes me back to those simple, sunlit afternoons. It's bittersweet, though. My grandmother passed away a few years ago. Sorry, a little emotional. The first time I made the cake without her, I broke down in tears when it came out of the oven, smelling just like hers. But now it's a celebration of her life and the love she gave us. It's my way of keeping her spirit alive, sharing this cake with my own children, Luna and Noemi, telling them stories about her. Oh, Emma, that's profoundly moving. You're really making me emotional here. Sharing her recipe is like passing on a legacy of love. Do you think that's the magic of recipes passed down through generations? Absolutely. It's not just about the food, is it? It's about the stories, the laughter, the tears and the love that's kneaded into the dough or stirred into the batter. It's a way of preserving our history and keeping our loved ones close, even after they're gone. That's beautifully said, Emma. Before we wrap up, would you mind sharing a tip or a secret ingredient that makes your grandmother's lemon pancakes so special? My grandmother always said the secret was the love you put into it. But practically, she swore by using real butter and fresh lemons, never the bottled juice. And she added a tablespoon of lemon zest to the batter, which wasn't in the original recipe. It made all the difference, I swear, adding that extra burst of flavor. A simple change with a big impact. Emma, it's been a pleasure, absolutely pleasure, having you and hearing about your grandmother's lemon pancakes. Thank you for sharing your story and this cherished recipe with us. Thank you for letting me share it. Thank you so much. It means the world to me. And to our listeners, we hope this story has touched your hearts and maybe inspired you to dust off those family recipe books. Until next time, keep sharing those stories and savoring those memories. Goodbye for now.