Now first it is important to let you know that I am not known for my expertise in the kitchen. I am more known for not being relied on if one is looking for a home-cooked meal. Being from Long Island, perhaps the joke about Jewish girls making reservations as a means of preparing dinner was actually conceived by someone who knows me.
Some years ago I decided to share in providing a homemade goodie to bring to the Thanksgiving meal that I was invited to. By homemade I mean that I really wanted to make a yummy treat all by myself. I decided to bake an apple pie with a delicious recipe that had been handed down in my family. I cut the apples and prepared the crust. All was going quite well. I popped the pie in the oven pleased with my achievements. I placed the oven timer on and enjoyed the aroma as the baking pie scent filled my house.
As the pie baked I utilized my time in another room working. Soon I smelled smoke and rushed into the kitchen. I forgot that apple pies drip from the overflow as they bake and did not place anything on the bottom of the pan to prevent spillage. Now the bottom of the oven was cooking the drippings, filling the kitchen with smoke and setting off my burglar/ fire alarm. Now this was funny all in its own proving that I should definitely not be allowed near a stove, but it does get better. My alarm does not emit a loud alert instead it sets off an automated voice alert shouting ”The fire department must be called” and the alarm itself is tethered directly to the fire department.
As I am trying to clean up the very hot oven of pie drippings and air out the kitchen of smoke, I now have the Fire Department dressed for action, complete with truck in tow banging at my door. The fire house is up the block from my little house in the one square mile village that everyone knows each other in, so of course the brave rescuers coming to what they thought was my rescue personally knew me. Relieved that my beautiful home was not up in flames and all was safe we all had a good laugh. Soon the entire town heard of my kitchen mishap and I was somewhat jokingly informed that I was never allowed to attempt to cook again by myself. To this day I have stayed true to my word and have not even opened the oven.
But actually, I remember that apple pie coming out perfect and tasting quite good with everyone enjoying it… too bad I am not allowed to bake it again without supervision.
(Pie image courtesy of Michael Ballard/Dreamstime.com)
The post Why Carol Doesn’t Cook appeared first on Smiles For All.