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A few weeks ago, I remember logging on to Clearly Delicious and being pleasantly surprised by its most recent post: a guest recipe provided by Miranda Gellert for Miranda’s Monkey Bread. Just by glancing at the picture, I was instantly transported back in time, catching glimpses of some of my fondest memories. Flashes of Christmas morning and my sixth birthday appear in my head.
Obviously, Miranda’s recipe had my mouth watering as soon as I saw the the caramel brown color of the cinnamon-esque bread, but—as I just mentioned—it also reminded me of all the holidays, birthdays, and celebrations during which I would help my mom make this scrumptious breakfast treat.
In my mind, I can still see the tattered, yellow-tinged recipe page once crisp from the Sunday newspaper of my parents’ small hometown Ringgold, Louisiana. The years of handling have now made it worn and soft, with holes connecting the lines where it was repeatedly folded. My mom always mutters something about needing to “rewrite it” on a clean recipe card, but I like the idea of using a piece of kitchen history. There is a certain vintage sentiment in carefully taking the worn newsprint out of the recipe box and placing it on a safe piece of countertop.
Besides, the sticky stains left from the old days assure me it was a good enough recipe to make time and time again.
If it was good enough then, then its definitely good enough now.
Pictured: Monkey Bread recipe by Miranda Gellert (guest-post) at Clearly Delicious (here)
As my mom recalls, this was the breakfast item of choice during her childhood and her mom always used this specific recipe. However, instead of being called, “Monkey Bread,” the recipe was long-titled, “Pullin’ Bread.” I don’t think it could get more southern than that.
Why name it after some animal for no apparent reason? Just call it what it is: “Bread that you pull. Pullin’ Bread.”
Yet, our recipe is almost exactly like Miranda’s, the only difference being that we used a bundt pan instead of a bread pan. I remember shaking that ziploc bag full of the cinnamon-sugar mixture like my life depended on every inch of the dough being covered. And, embarrassingly enough, I still do.
[Its funny how certain foods bring out the kid in us.]
Pictured: family recipes are an everyday treat at Clearly Delicious (as seen with Linda’s recipe box, here).
I try to imagine my grandmother’s steady hands preparing the bundt with butter. No PAM or vegetable oil for her. In the south, we use butter wherever we can (just ask Paula Deen). In one quick swoop, she covers the entire pan with the slick ingredient, pushing the greasy butter into uncovered edges and crevices.
I often think of my own tiny hands covered in flour, clumsily rolling sugary-dough balls and looking up to my mother waiting for her nod of approval. It never seemed right—making that much of a mess—yet she never scolded me.
These are the images that fill my heart with warmth and make me realize that this recipe is more than just a melt-in-your-mouth delicacy. Rather, it represents a bond between three generations of women. Although I never knew my grandmother, I listen to my own mom’s description of their time together making this dish. There is no difference between our time (mine or my Mom’s) and theirs (my grandmother’s). It is almost as if I have risen to take my place in the Pullin’ Bread assembly line. Someday I’ll take my place as “Pan Butterer,” no longer thinking of my clumsy, childhood hands.
At our intern meetings, we always find ourselves reminiscing about certain dishes and the power these dishes may have played in our lives. It is well-known fact that food is inherently tied to our memories just as Dianne Jacob explains in Will Write for Food. And, for this reason, I was so excited to begin working at Clearly Delicious:
I love the sense of community found through discussing, eating, and preparing food. As we interns know, talking about food is a huge part of the joy of eating it. We get the chance to realize what makes it so special by closely examining everything about the food itself. Thanks to the blog, I get to experience this type of togetherness each week.
One day, I will make this same dish with my own child (hopefully the original copy of the recipe will still be in one piece by that time) and s/he will begin to formulate their own memories much the way I came to form my own. I will add that, along with my experiences at Clearly Delicious, to the images that run through my mind whenever someone mentions this gooey goodness so strangely referred to as “Monkey Bread.”
Sources:
Miranda’s Monkey Bread: https://www.clearlydeliciousfoodblog.com/2013/guest-post-monday-cinnamon-roll-monkey-bread-with-cream-cheese-frosting/
Past Family Recipes at Clearly Delicious (“Linda’s Recipes”): https://www.clearlydeliciousfoodblog.com/2011/lindas-recipes-a-look-back-at-some-of-my-favorite-recipes-in-the-new-year/
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Meredith Quinn is a senior at LSU seeking a degree in English. Naturally, she is thrilled to be a part of the Clearly Delicious team as an Editorial and Writing Intern. A self-professed addict of anything British, Meredith can often be found with a cup of Earl Grey and a Raspberry Scone.
Contact: meredith [at] clearlydeliciousfoodblog [dot] com
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