LET'S BRUNCH: TASTY TRADITIONS
Photos by Elizabeth Bernhardt
My older sister, brother, and I each have the same memory of the plate. Individually, and at separate times, Aunt Ella would serve us a meal on the plate
HOLLIE KAZSYNKSI
and then tell each one of us, “This is your special plate.”
In the midst of what can feel like holiday chaos,
The plate became precious to each of us because we
I cling tightly to the traditions I can call my own.
knew it was special to Aunt Ella. We knew it was an
They are a constant source of comfort.
honor and a privilege to get to eat from it, when it was clearly one of her most valued possessions. We were
One of my most cherished traditions centers
each creating our own memories with it each time we
around Christmas and a plate. The old enamel
got to visit Aunt Ella. Naturally, when Aunt Ella passed
plate you see in some of my recipe photos
away, my siblings and I had trouble agreeing on the
belonged to my great, great Aunt Ella. She was
matter of who actually got to keep the plate. There
born in 1902 and ate her meals from that plate
were words exchanged. Real arguments. Over a plate.
every day of her childhood. She took the plate with her when she was grown and left home,
I see now that it was never really about the plate. The
and it remained with her for the rest of her
three of us were trying to cling to something that
life. The plate was an item of value to her, so
couldn’t really be touched. It was that special sense of
when she allowed each of my siblings and me
belonging Aunt Ella gave to each one of us each time
to eat from it, we knew it was no small thing.
we got to eat from the plate.
LOVE OF DIXIE MAGAZINE
- 16 -
WINTER 2018-2019
