Perfection.

The noon meal was ready precisely at noon, and not a minute later…steaks, boiled new potatoes and gravy, garden-fresh sweet corn and sliced tomatoes, hot homemade rolls slathered with butter and homemade jam, fresh apple pie with ice cream and coffee for dessert…enough to serve her four growing boys, her husband, and the three or four hired men.  Already, she had prepared a huge breakfast from scratch before they went out to the fields at dawn, as well as a mid-morning meal to hold them until noon.  Later in the afternoon, she would serve Coffee – which was not simply coffee, but coffee and sandwiches or cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven – and travel out into the fields so the ravenous workers could eat without wasting a second of daylight.  A supper of fried chicken with all the trimmings would be waiting for them in the evening, and they had worked hard enough to burn off every last calorie consumed during the day.  She had managed all this while keeping up with the laundry and dishes, tending the garden and the chickens, and preserving food for the coming year.
And yes, you read that right – she had four boys.  Sounds like superwoman, right?

Welcome to an average day in the life of my grandmother.

I was lucky enough to grow up near Grandma’s house.  Watching her in the kitchen was like watching a magic show.  No one could cook like Grandma!  Not only was the food absolutely delicious, it was always ready at just the right moment.  She knew that the men would be in to eat at precise times, and they couldn’t afford to wait for their meal to finish cooking.  She had to be ready.
Noon meant noon, not 11:49 or 12:04.

I just assumed Grandma had The Knack – you know, that amazing ability to pull everything together flawlessly.  My mom had married into the family and had learned enough to be competent in the kitchen, but she didn’t have The Knack like Grandma.  As a girl, I wondered if someday I would inherit The Knack…

…and eventually I did.  I cooked gloriously.  Scrumptious meals were ready on time, every time.  The Knack made it all so effortless!  Then I had kids and - POOF! - it was gone.

How do you lose The Knack?  Did I ever really have it to begin with?  The questions haunted me as I stood before yet another pan of scorched rice, over an hour past our usual mealtime.  How did Grandma do it?  She raised four boys, and washed her clothes BY HAND!!!  I’m such a wimp.

The next time I visited Grandma, I paid special attention as she cooked.  For years she had worked her magic in the kitchen, and I hoped to pick up a few of her tricks.  As I watched, though, I saw something I had missed during my childhood - not magic, but science.  I was stunned to discover that Grandma had not relied on The Knack to get her through all those busy years.

So how did she do it?  In my next article, I’ll introduce you to your new best friend.  Until then, here is Grandma’s famous Carrot Cake recipe.  Enjoy!