My grandmother used to make these pineapple and walnut sponge cakes that were absolutely incredible, but when she passed away a few years ago we kind of lost that tradition in the family. I wanted to try making them myself using the recipe she had written down in an old notebook. Has anyone else tried to keep their grandparents' recipes alive?
Don't get hung up on replicating exactly how your grandmother's turned out, because the flour, your oven, and even the altitude where you live are going to make them come out different anyway. What matters is that you follow that recipe from the notebook to the letter the first few times (without improvising), take mental notes of what works and what doesn't, and then after that you can start adjusting to your taste. If at any point in the notebook the handwriting isn't clear or something's missing, ask other family members who might remember details or have seen your grandmother make them, because those little details sometimes make the difference between a decent cake and one that takes you right back to that time.
That's honestly the nicest thing you can do; those cakes are going to taste different because you're the one making them, but that recipe from your grandmother's notebook is a treasure worth rescuing. I'd say don't obsess if the first batch doesn't come out identical, because cooking is also about adjusting and testing, so take the chance to put your own stamp on the recipe while you keep it alive.
I've tried this and I'll tell you that the experience of making them in your own kitchen is what really keeps the tradition alive, more than getting the recipe exactly right. People remember the cookies because they associate them with that person, so when they try them they're going to feel that anyway, even if they come out a little different each time you make them.
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