Last week, I shared our family’s favorite spaetzle recipe. But as is the case with so many recipes, it’s not just about the food…it’s also about the story.

I first attempted making homemade spaetzle about a decade ago (give or take). I didn’t have a spaetzle maker at the time, so I just pushed the batter through the holes in a colander. It was kind of a lot of work, but I was so excited to make one of my favorite German foods, and share it with my family.

But 10 years ago, my oldest child was five. And everyone knows that five-year-olds (and their younger siblings) aren’t exactly the most adventurous eaters. So Ryan and I enjoyed the spaetzle, but nobody else even tried it. And I decided it just wasn’t worth the effort to make it again.

Until last year. I was planning a German meal for the Fourth of July, and I decided to give it another go. I even ordered a spaetzle maker, which made the job a lot easier, and this time, everybody tried it. It seemed like the children liked it ok, but I didn’t think they were thrilled with it, so I still didn’t make it too often. But a few weeks ago, I had some extra sauerkraut, so I figured I would make some spaetzle to go with it. And suddenly, children were appearing, and begging for a bowl. Apparently, they hadn’t just liked it last year, they loved it. And they still do.

I’ve lost track of how many batches of spaetzle I’ve made in the last few weeks. Today, I tripled my recipe, just to make sure we have enough to go with tonight’s dinner, and to enjoy with lunches throughout the week. It’s a HUGE bowl, but I bet I’ll go through it faster than I expect.

Ten years ago, I despaired of ever sharing this part of my heritage with my children. Now they can’t get enough. So if you’re dealing with young children, and longing to share favorite things from your past with them, whether recipes, books, games, movies, or anything else, just give it some time. They may not appreciate it today, or tomorrow, or even a year from now, but eventually, their tastes may change, and you’ll be left just wondering what you got yourself into!