When visiting Grandma and Grandpa, or working on the farm for a summer, I always loved Grandma's cooking.

Grandma's rule was that I was not allowed to leave until all the leftovers in the fridge were eaten. That made for some funny breakfasts. Grandma loved to re-tell the time I had beef stir-fry for breakfast.

Grandma stood up for justice in the kitchen and patiently included us all in the cooking, regardless of gender. She was an advocate of local food, especially the 100-step variety, and was very conscious of world food problems. While Grandma was an excellent cook, she usually only cooked if she was going to enjoy it. She loved taking a ''vacation' on the couch while we stirred.

At various points, she advocated for the 'wash and chop' diet (you know it's healthy if you had to wash and chop something).

I will miss all of her cooking; the chunky soups (borscht, potato leek, cabbage, gypsy soup, chili), creamy vegetable soups, the lemon meringue and apple pies, sandwhich banquets, tuna burgers, tuna casserole, oatmeal cookies, shepherd's pie, cabbage and raisin salad, garden salads, fresh bread and peppered tomatoes from the garden, peaches and brown sugar, and then the traditional holiday dinners, the stuffing, jello grape salad, gravy, mashed turnip and so many other delicious entrées. 

Sometimes, the cooking would take backseat to Grandma's curiousity. She would fill metal bowls with water and play the different tones. She would mix food colouring and soap, and show us the magic of a thickening roue with butter and flour.

Everytime I heat up the cast iron pan and brown a bit of butter, I think of Grandma.