97-year-old Latrobe woman livestreams baking lessons on Facebook

Back in the day, mothers and grandmothers passed down their culinary knowledge to daughters and granddaughters side-by-side in the kitchen, waiting to mix in an egg or lick extra icing from the spoon.

On Sunday, 97-year-old Lucy Pollock, of Latrobe, will do the same. The only difference is that her daughter will stream the whole thing live on Facebook for anyone to enjoy and learn from.

It began as a suggestion by a friend, made all the more meaningful amid widespread social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We did the first one last week, showing how to make her Easter buns,” said Pollock’s daughter, Mary Ellen Raneri of Latrobe. “It got tons of views, and we were answering questions about it for the rest of the day.”

Raneri’s grandmother and her family came through Ellis Island as immigrants, and large-scale baking and cooking was simply part of life for them.

“My grandmother did baking for her 10 children as well as for other people,” Raneri said. “When my father passed away in 2012 and we were cleaning the house out, two big red boxes were a top priority. They were full of recipes going back to the 1920s. It’s very cool to go through them.”

On Sunday, Pollock will show how to make nut rolls. Raneri said her mother had no reservations about streaming on Facebook.

“I asked her what she thought the hardest part would be about videotaping and she said, ‘Nothing,’ ” Raneri said with a laugh. “She was more worried about the yeast.”

In the background during an interview with the Tribune-Review, Pollock could be heard expounding on the topic and giving tips.

“My mother was very particular when she used yeast,” Pollock said. “People tend to make the water too hot. My mother pounded into our heads not to make the water too hot and burn the yeast.”

Raneri said she enjoys being able to celebrate older traditions and also give them a modern twist through livestreaming.

“It was great to see the messages and comments we got during the first livestream,” she said. “People would mention all kinds of recipes that they’d also had passed down through their families.”

Pollock’s nut roll baking live stream will be at 1 p.m. Sunday on Raneri’s page, Facebook.com/maryellen.raneri. You must be logged into Facebook for the link to work properly.