Most people are surprised to learn that my very All-American-looking extended family actually spent many years living in Thailand, where my grandparents were Presbyterian missionaries. I grew up surrounded by souvenirs from their life overseas, and am now lucky enough to call one my own: my grandmother's teak wood salad bowl. I'm undoubtedly biased, but I think salad tastes best when it is served out of a wooden bowl.
It was in this bowl that I made my first Caesar salad, mixing egg, anchovies and oil into a dressing I was proud to find tasted like the real thing. Nowadays it's more likely to be carrying a salad of dressed grains and roasted vegetables to a potluck, or serving up a farmers market salad to friends at a dinner party. Back when it was my grandmother's, it held a lot of iceberg, tomato and sliced cucumber salads with bottled french dressing on the side.
And that's why I love this bowl — no matter what is inside, it serves it up with style and warmth. Fifty years from now, I hope to have a grandchild who feels the same way.
Do you have any special serving pieces you inherited from family?
Related: Kitchen Heirloom: A Large Wooden Salad Bowl
(Image: Anjali Prasertong)
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I have that same wooden bowl in the photo. Funny as I was just telling the story about how it was a big purchase for me, some twenty years ago, I had to splurge for it! I love it!
I have my maternal grandmother's cut glass pitcher and celery jar. She got them over 100 years ago for a wedding gift. I use them often. I also have my mom's red plate with covered candy dish that sits in the center. Every Christmas it is used for my homemade goodies. Family heirlooms are a treasure and it is a shame that many young people don't treasure the linens that our ancestors spent hours making. I collect them and use them everyday.
@CCP MBD - I think that it's a bit unfair to say that young people don't treasure our ancestor's linens. Many of us are living in very small places that simply don't have the room to store it all. I barely have room to keep my clothes, let alone hand-embroidered tablecloths and napkins. Luckily, my grandmother has the ability to store her linens and china until I live in a place where I have the capacity to have it. So please give us "young people" some credit. And really, should we keep something simply because our ancestors spent hours making it if we won't use it? Why not give it to someone who would? This was my grandmother's philosophy and mine as well. I don't want my future kids to feel obligated to keep the quilts I have made over the years if they don't want them.