| This week, we're steeped in nostalgia, gazing into the past and sharing sepia-toned recipes for fluffy rolls, spice-rubbed baked chicken, a Romanian-style moussaka and thrifty fish cakes. The reason: Mother's Day is May 9, and so our minds are on childhood memories and those reminiscences are all tied up with food. Food writer Arlyn Osborne recalled learning to make Pandesal, an iconic Filipino roll, with her grandmother on her first trip to the island nation: "Each dawn, my lola and cousins performed the same ritual, and I soon found myself in the routine. It brought me comfort and in some remarkable way, language. Even though they couldn't speak English and I couldn't speak Tagalog, we found a way to 'talk' through this morning ceremony, each answering in our own tongue." My colleague Aaron Hutcherson wrote about Baked Chicken Thighs With Butter and Onions and learning to cook at his mother's hip, but adding his own tweaks and twists as he matured and came into his own "— even if it was sometimes met by my mother's skeptical eye." Food writer Kristen Hartke developed a deeper understanding of her husband's heritage through a cookbook, "Carpathia: Food from the Heart of Romania" by Irina Georgescu. She made Musaca de Cartofi (Potato Moussaka) from the book for her spouse and that sparked memories of his grandmother's paprika-scented "potato lasagna." As she noted: "I may never have met my grandmother-in-law, but I've finally found the food ingredients that connect us." I wrote about a dish I made so many times I couldn't begin to count: Cod Fish Cakes, one of the penny-pinching recipes that my mother made for our large family. It called for canned cod, which I can no longer find, boxed mashed potatoes and dried parsley flakes. Like Aaron, I tweaked it a bit with fresher ingredients, but one bite and I was back around the family table in New Orleans. We bet you have recipes with backstories, too. Share tales of your mother's cooking with us on Wednesday, May 5, at noon (E.T.) during our weekly food chat. And, if you're brainstorming Mother's Day brunch ideas, check out this from Becky Krystal: 3 bright, flavorful menus for spring brunches at home. (During our Food chat, we're happy to help you with any general cooking questions, too. You must register for the chat, but you don't have to be a Post subscriber to participate. Want to get a jump-start or can't join us live? Submit a question or comment now.) ***
Want even more recipes? Sign up for the Eat Voraciously newsletter and you'll get an adaptable, quick dinner recipe delivered to your inbox every Monday-Thursday.  (Laura Chase de Formigny for The Washington Post; food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post) The plush and pillowy yeast roll coated in breadcrumbs is an everyday staple in the Philippines. By Arlyn Osborne ● Read more » | | | This crisp-and-juicy baked chicken recipe is a great hands-off main course for busy households. By Aaron Hutcherson ● Read more » | | | Dig into this paprika-scented, layered potato and meat dish, a Romanian take on eggplant moussaka. By Kristen Hartke ● Read more » | | | This fish cake recipe is a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes or white flaky fish. By Ann Maloney ● Read more » | | | Full of garlic and anchovies, this Caesar dressing coats the fresh ingredients in this grilled fish and vegetable recipe. By G. Daniela Galarza ● Read more » | | | This vegetable-filled egg dish makes for a light, satisfying meal any time of day. By Ellie Krieger ● Read more » | | | This recipe with chops, thin-sliced vegetables, soba and peanuts comes together in about 30 minutes. By Ann Maloney ● Read more » | | | |
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