by Annie Bowden
The relationship between flavors and memories has a remarkable intensity that amazes me. All it takes is a single forkful of gingerbread cake to send me back to cozy winter evenings around the fireplace in my childhood East Texas home (yes, it actually did get chilly enough for fires sometimes), surrounded by my family, softly glowing Christmas lights, and the beautifully blended smells of woodsmoke and evergreen. I can still picture the shadows from the firelight flickering across the room and hear the gentle crackling of the flames as we shared conversations and laughter over plates of Mom’s homemade gingerbread. In my mind, that flavor will forever be associated with warmth, family, and contentment.
Growing up in a family of 7 children meant that there was never a dull moment, and we kept Mom and Dad busy with our endless escapades and adventures. When I stop to reflect on those years, however, I realize that many of the best memories were created around the kitchen table. Whether it was a massive Thanksgiving dinner or a late-morning pancake breakfast on Saturdays, the sweet simplicity of shared meals and the discussions that happened during them bonded my family together in a special way.
I’m grateful for memories like these and for the fact that God gave our brains the capacity to make detailed associations, both good and bad, with different flavors. This means that eating isn’t just a physical action necessary for survival—it can be an intricate experience that also includes emotional and mental components. Furthermore, God chose to create an incredible variety of flavors, textures, and temperatures for us to enjoy. Everything from spicy, rich gingerbread to savory eggs and sausage is a reminder of His goodness and creativity; we can be thankful for that even if we do have negative memories attached to certain foods.
During the upcoming holiday season, I hope you’ll enjoy reflecting on old, fond memories while making some new ones that involve a batch or two of gingerbread. This particular recipe is for a soft, fluffy cake rather than the usual crisp cookies. It was passed down by my great grandmother as part of our family’s German heritage and has been a holiday staple for as long as I can remember!
Gingerbread cake ingredients:
2.5 cups flour
¼ t cloves
1.5 t ginger
1 t cinnamon
1 t soda
½ t salt
½ c shortening
½ c sugar
1 egg, beaten
¾ c molasses
¾ c buttermilk
Directions:
Sift dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, cream shortening and sugar until smooth, then beat in egg and molasses. Add buttermilk to sugar mixture alternately with dry ingredients. Beat until smooth. Bake in a greased 8×8 pan for 20-30 min at 350. Cut into squares and serve warm. Top with butter if desired and enjoy!
Annie Bowden, a Texan by birth, moved to Minnesota almost 4 years ago to begin her career as a pediatric nurse at Mayo and has been attending Calvary since that time. She developed a love for baking at an early age, and when she’s not caring for children at St. Mary’s, she works part time across the street at Sweet House Bakery. Annie and her husband Andrew were married in May 2022 and enjoy hiking, biking, reading, spending time with friends, and making music together.