Were there any foods in particular that made you feel special as a kid? Did your family have a unique food tradition that you loved?
Before I even knew who George Washington was, I always looked forward to celebrating his birthday. My mother transformed the typically cold and wintry government holiday into something special and a memory I still cherish.
Every February 22nd my mother baked me a homemade cherry pie, complete with a lattice crust, to commemorate George Washington’s birthday.
Our cherry pie tradition celebrated the famous story of George Washington’s sixth birthday. After receiving a hatchet, he used it to cut down his father’s cherry tree. When his father confronted him about it, Washington confessed “I cannot tell a lie. I chopped down the cherry tree”. Washington’s father was thrilled that his son was honest and said his son’s honesty was worth more than one thousand cherry trees.
The cherry tree was a legend for George Washington. The cherry pie was a legacy for my mother. I still have a soft spot in my heart for Thank You brand cherry pie filling. It was a treat for me back then and a wonderful memory for me now.
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Share your food memories in the comments. I would love to hear your stories!