Grandma Ida:
My biggest Inspiration
Ida Klein was born in 1910 to a modest family in Lancaster, PA. She wasn’t born into riches, but she was made for great things. After attending a small school in Schaefferstown, she returned to Lancaster where she met Albert Senior. They tied the knot on Christmas day in 1929, just before the Great Depression hit, and soon after started a family—first their son Albert in 1934, and then their daughter Patricia (my mother) in 1939.
Ida learned how to run a home from her own mother and, boy, did she know her way around a kitchen! Whether she was cooking over an old Ben Franklin wood-fired stove or later using her new gas Westinghouse range, she was a master at her craft. She passed her love of cooking and baking down to my mom, and lucky for my sisters and I, we got to learn from both of them.
Like many women of her generation, Ida rolled up her sleeves when tough times came around. She worked at RCA during WWII to support the war effort, sang on the radio, and even worked at the local General Hospital. Through two World Wars, the Great Depression, Korea, and Vietnam, Ida made things for family members in the service and shared her giving spirit with all of us.
One of my first memories is from the early 70s when Ida made me a homemade chocolate cake for my birthday. Like any little kid, I couldn’t help myself—I put my hands right in it and then smeared it all over my face. There’s a picture of it somewhere that still makes me laugh.
With both of my parents working to keep our big family going, I spent a lot of time at Ida’s house, which was close enough to walk to. She’d let me help her bake cookies by hand with nothing but a big wooden spoon and a bowl. She showed me how to feel the dough, know when it was just right to scoop onto the cookie sheet, and trust my nose to tell when they were done.
Back then, we didn’t use timers much—we just went by instinct.
Christmas was something special in our family. Every year, Ida, my mom, my sisters, and I would spend days baking cookies, pies, and cakes for our church, neighbors, and folks in need. We’d make dozens and dozens of treats, filling our house with warmth, laughter, and that holiday smell that can only come from fresh-baked goodies.
Ida passed at our home in 1997 with family members and her beloved dog Ebony by her side. It was a peaceful end to a life well lived.
Now, all these years later, my love of baking is still going strong. To honor Ida’s memory, I started Ida’s Classic Confections to keep her tradition alive. Every cake, cookie, and pie I make is filled with the love and care she taught me.
I miss my Nan every day, and I hope my baked goods remind you of someone you love, just like they remind me of her.
-Daniel Wagner-