HCMCF’s
featured resident “chef” for the month of May was Charlene Hickman.
Charlene is native to Oklahoma but recently moved to Michigan to be
closer to her daughter, Andra Shier, who is the Assistant Dining
Services Director at HCMCF.
With
the help of her daughter, Charlene shared two of the recipes that she
was famous for within her family, Apple Pandowdy and her Broccoli Cheesy
Rice Casserole. The Pandowdy happens to be Andra’s favorite dessert.
Charlene taught her daughter, Andra, all her cooking skills. She also
shared the love and passion for creating in the kitchen, just as
Charlene’s mother, Stella Hickman taught her. All the women in the
Hickman family have shared many recipes in local cookbooks. Stella even
cooked for “the seniors” at her local meal site up until the age of 85.
It is because of this shared heritage that Andra enjoys working in the
kitchen today and creating delicious desserts and decorated cakes.
While
the residents sampled her recipes, Andra and Charlene shared family
stories and keepsakes. A picture board filled with photos of Charlene
was also shared. The keepsakes that Charlene brought included two Quilts
handmade by Charlene’s mother, Stella and a family ring. Creative
homemaking skills were passed down thru the family. Charlene’s mother,
Stella was known for her quilting and knitting talent and she made many
of the grandbabies and great grandbabies quilts and blankets. Charlene’s
sewing skills were so impressive that most couldn’t tell whether it was
designer or handmade. Charlene sewed many outfits for her daughters
including several prom and banquet dresses, FHA sweetheart gowns and
Andra’s wedding dress. She could look at several different dress designs
and create the dress that her girls dreamed of without any patterns
needed. She had a knack for procrastination however, and was often
finishing many outfits just in the nick of time. Andra even shared a
wedding picture of her mother still sewing her bridal veil just before
Andra walked down the aisle.
The
story behind the family heirloom ring was also shared. Charlene’s
grandmother, Bessie, was given the ring in 1918 when she was 17 years
old as a gift for tending to the family and farm while her parents were
gone for a period of time. When Bessie had a daughter, Stella, she gave
the ring to her when Stella turned 17. Stella had one daughter, Charlene
to whom the ring was passed down to. Charlene ended up having two
daughters and decided to have the ring split in two and gave half to
each daughter when they turned 17. When it was time for Andra to pass
the ring to her daughter she added birthstones of each of the women who
have owned the ring, along with a handwritten story of the family ring.
The
residents enjoyed hearing Charlene’s stories and seeing her keepsakes
but the one who enjoyed walking down memory lane the most was Charlene
herself!
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