“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. At that time, he was my fiancé. I 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 cooking skills, I wanted to make a good impression. I moaned out loud. I complained to my mother and grandmother. She was my mother’s mother, an important detail to remember. I 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 an 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 twice as long. 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 those of you 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 worked in the fields. When everyone got home in the evening, a new baby was in the cradle and dinner was on the table. No one even came close to her level. She was terrific, and I loved her.
You should make meatballs; the Finnish ones 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, and that’s all I can say. When I was finally skilled enough to make pizza and enchiladas, all from scratch, I was crowned queen. This included making sauces from scratch, as there were no bottled sauces or instant seasonings available.
To this day, whenever I set myself to make meatballs, I’m transported back in time. It’s been about 40 years since 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, which impressed Mummu. She said that after first meeting him and shaking hands (for Finns don’t hug when first meeting someone), he had a “strong handshake,” unlike some people whose handshakes are lacking. He was, and still is, a diligent worker—a quality that we Finns highly value. 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. 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 close to what I use. Enjoy! They really are the best meatballs.
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