“You should make meatballs,” my grandmother (Mummu) said. I was afraid to admit to her that I had never attempted to make them. Mummu was pretty quick. She must’ve read the expression on my face because she said, “Let me teach you how.”
I had never cooked a meal for Jamie (then fiancé) and decided it was time to learn how to be domestic. However, immediately after inviting him for dinner, I panicked. I wasn’t a good cook, I knew how to cook simple things (think instant pudding and microwave popcorn). Even with my limited skills in the kitchen, I wanted to make a good impression. And I moaned out loud to my mother and grandmother (she was my mother’s mother, important detail to remember) and said, “I don’t know what to cook.” It was then that Mummu said, “You should make meatballs.”
Mummu taught me how to make meatballs
One of my most cherished memories is when Mummu taught me how to make meatballs. She chuffed when I attempted to roll my first meatball in my hands. I laughed internally as she made eye contact with my mother (this is the important detail 🤣) as if to say, “Why does she not know how to roll a meatball? What have you not been teaching her?” What should have taken 40 minutes took double the time. Standing behind me while browning the meatballs in the frying pan, she sternly coached me. “No, it’s not brown enough. Stop playing. Turn up the heat.”
For you reading who didn’t know my grandmother, her stern words weren’t harsh. She was a matter-of-fact, no-nonsense lady. She raised eight children while working on the family farm in Finland. I’m told that once, she gave birth to one of her children while the rest of the family was out working in the fields. When everyone got home in the evening, there was a new baby in the cradle and dinner on the table. There was no one who even came close to her level. She was amazing and I loved her.
Finnish meatballs are superior
The meatballs were a big hit. Jamie asked if they were Swedish meatballs and I huffed, “Finnish meatballs” of course. Why would a Finn make Swedish meatballs? Of course, our meatballs are superior, at least in my mind they are. 😆
Years have passed and I’ve learned, out of necessity, how to make just about anything we might want to eat. I shed many tears in the process. But, the good news is that we made it! My kids survived those early years of learning is all I can say. When I finally was skilled enough to make pizza and enchiladas, all from scratch including sauces because there were no bottled sauces or instant seasonings, I was crowned queen.
But, to this day some 40 years later, whenever I set myself to make meatballs, I’m transported back in time to when I heard Mummu say, “The gravy is lumpy, mix it better.”
A strong handshake made an impression
Mummu loved Jamie from the day she met him. He is tall and handsome with broad shoulders (I’m feeling all woozy just talking about him 🤣). He has a strong handshake, this impressed Mummu. She said after first meeting him and shaking hands (for Finns don’t hug when first meeting someone) that he had a “strong handshake” unlike some people whose handshakes are lacking. He was, and still is, a diligent worker—a quality that is highly valued by us Finns. He came from a good family and loved Jesus. When we married she said, “Now you have a real man.” That kind of praise from Mummu meant you had arrived. She approved and I felt accomplished.
I’m thinking of loved ones whose voices are now only in my memories because of the events of the last several days. Even though Mummu has been gone for about 30 years, I still hear her voice. When I get to heaven one day, we’ll talk about meatballs.
If you want to know how to make Finnish meatballs, here is a recipe that is close to what I use. Enjoy! They really are the best meatballs.
