Alma Washington

My grandmother Alma Washington, the matriarch of our family, was such an amazing person. She always welcomed any family member or friend with open arms. You could always count on her for a hot meal, a place to stay, and to make you laugh and put a smile on your face.

Grandma was from Mississippi – Jackson, Mississippi, I believe – and Shonda and I share the same birthday with her. She had eight kids, five boys and three girls, and our mother is the youngest child. Grandma met and married my late grandfather, Bernard Washington, and he was the reason she came to live in Chicago. They had 13 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren.

I really admire that she loved to cook southern dishes. My favorite was her salmon croquettes, with cornbread made from scratch. And don’t get me started on her homemade biscuits – again, made from scratch. All her cakes and pies were made from scratch, from southern-style recipes.