The event, held in the Reception Hall of Zaragoza City Council, was chaired by Social Policies Councillor Marian Orós. It brought together SAD users who took part in the initiative, the care assistants who accompanied them throughout the process and representatives of Senior Servicios Integrales, one of the companies responsible for managing the service. Chef Cristian Palacio, from Zaragoza restaurant Gente Rara, also attended as the project's patron.
Over recent months, Home Help Service assistants invited the people they support to share their best recipes and, above all, the stories behind them: dishes passed down from generation to generation, recipes linked to family celebrations and flavors associated with people and moments that are part of their lives. The process resulted in the collection of more than 1,500 recipes, of which 36 were ultimately selected for the book.
The result is a cookbook that includes both the preparation of each dish and the emotional element accompanying it. In this way, gastronomy becomes a tool for stimulating memory and attention, working with reminiscence, sharing experiences and strengthening the self-esteem of older people by recognizing and highlighting knowledge and skills that are part of their personal history.
WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF CHEF CRISTIAN PALACIO
The cookbook also features the participation of chef Cristian Palacio, from Gente Rara restaurant, who wanted to join the initiative by contributing a recipe linked to his own family memories. His participation helped connect the culinary knowledge and memories of older people with the city's contemporary gastronomy.
The book "Savoring Memories" is now available on the project's website, where the 36 selected recipes and the stories accompanying them can be viewed. A total of 2,000 copies have been printed and will be distributed free of charge among the users who took part in the initiative and those attending the presentation event. In addition, given the interest generated by the project, a second edition is being considered.
