I think of my grandmother, Henriette Zimmern, every day in my kitchen.
Her salt box, a 150-year-old German ceramic piece, sits on my kitchen counter.
My hands touch it whenever I am in my home.
Braised brisket is one of the first dishes Andrew Zimmern helped his grandmother make and a staple at his family’s holiday table for generations.Photo: Madeleine Hill
The connection is immediate.
She taught me to cook, and what she taught me was the gallimaufry of her family’s cooking.
I love this holiday.
Even the empty chair for Elijah meant that someone, anyone could show up.
As a young kid I found that exciting.
), I felt compelled to race around the house in search of my prize.
For decades after that, the spiritual significance and the religious import of the day became a major focus.
This year will be extremely powerful, I imagine.
And I have the salt box to prove it.
