Peppermint Patties & Family History

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Food memories lead to the sharing of family history. Meals and foods eaten with loved ones sparks fond memories of earlier generations.

Some of the best food memories revolve around the people we cooked and ate with. We may not remember every bite, but we remember who was there and how we felt.

Sometimes we associate foods with specific people in our lives. Maybe your grandmother always offered cheese and crackers to her guests, or your favorite teacher handed out Tootsie Rolls as rewards for good behavior. Now, when you see, smell, or taste that one familiar food, you immediately think of that special person.

This is certainly true for Taneya Koonce of Nashville, Tennessee. A classic candy never fails to make her feel connected to her great-grandfather, who loved to treat the children in his family:

“My great-grandfather, William Lawhorn Sr., passed away when I was two years old. Though I was so young, I am fortunate to have one memory of him, even though I was so young when I knew him. That memory is of he and I at a store, in the checkout line, and he bought me a York Peppermint Patty. I love York Peppermint Patties to this day and I wonder if it is because of him having taken me to get one and my knowledge, throughout my life, that he had been the one to take me and get it.”

William Lawhorn, Sr. Picture taken in the 1960s?

“Later on in life, in my 30s, I was having a discussion with my cousin about this memory and she told me that taking the kids in his family to the story to buy York Peppermint Patties was “his thing” and he used to do it all the time! And you know what, that makes this memory even more special to me that it is the one memory I have of him; him taking me to do something he enjoyed doing. Makes me smile every single time.”

Food doesn’t have to be complicated or fancy to hold precious memories- in fact, simple is often best. (Of course, a little chocolate never hurts!) Thanks for sharing your memory with us, Taneya!

Find Taneya at Instagram and on Facebook!

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