Originally posted by koxka
Koala: Your relative was catalan or basque? or both? Empanadas
aren't catalan nor basque , in fact are from Galicia. The recipie you told me is something I got severals times from people from Chilie, have nerver eat such empanada as a local from spanish people.
Koxka, we always have a good time trying to figure out what the "Quiroga Girls" really were, whenever the family gets together! My sisters-in-law and some of my husband's female cousins got into a serious discussion when my mother-in-law passed away two years ago. OMIGOD, today is (would have been) her birthday!!! She would have been 84. Wow! Love you, Mom!! Thanks for all the great meals.

We Americans hold on to our various national and ethnic roots. Immigration to this country comes in waves from various places, and there usually is a two generation transition for the family to go from being from "there" to being "American". Does this make sense to you?

Anyway, for some of the much older generations, they changed names, family histories, and their claims to "roots" to ward off the prevailing bigotry-du-jour. We know through records that her grandparents (father's side) were from Spain, and that Grandpa Quiroga was Basque/Spanish. He was raised in Mexico, where his parents immigrated in the 1800's. Her mother was born and rasied in California of Basque and ???????? descent. Who knows where she got her recipes from. She did once tell me she remembered meals from cooking with HER grandmother. Mom could cook, I'll tell you that!!
And her table was always beautiful, no matter what the meal. She was passionate about presentation!!
Can you tell us more about Galicia? I sure value the information!!!