Reading a Recipe

I'm glad I had to privilege to learn 'Grandma' recipe language from the Grandma herself. When I asked her for a recipe for her potato salad she informed me what time to be at her house to watch her make it - that was my recipe.

Looking in the fridge I noticed that the leftover Easter ham was still, well leftover. I sent Aunt Eileen a message asking if she knew how to make Grandma's ham salad. Her text back to me:

yep, ham eggs mayo sweet relish and a dash of onion

Now I'm pretty sure most people would ask the obvious question - how much? What kind of recipe is that just telling you what to use. But I knew Aunt Eileen's reply would be.....depends on how much ham you have and when I'd asked Grandma how much mayo she said "until it tastes right", my mother would always say "just add a little more....yah that looks about right".

I found this somewhat frustrating when I was learning how to cook, but after having made potato salad many a time now I realize that it's never the same. Sometimes the potatoes are dry and soak up dressing, the more you add the more they soak it up. I accept that it really does just depend and you mix a little more until it tastes right.

Well, I was able to successfully 'read' the ham salad recipe texted to me and will be having it for supper tonight - thanks for the recipe Aunt Eileen!