I would like to take a moment to give homage to the place where all my dietary needs are met; where my coffee gets extracted, where my biscuits get browned.  Its the first thing I see when I get home, and so far, my favorite place in the cottage.

If you know me at all, then you will not be surprised to find that the oven has been kicking out delicious cups of coffee, skillets full of drop biscuits, roasted sweet corn, and very soon: my first apple pie of the season.  Unfortunately, this oven and I had a rocky start;  although I gave it a cursory scrubdown when we first met, it had a nasty surprise in store.

As the story goes, while the cottage sat awaiting it’s rightful tenant; little mouse friends made themselves welcome.  What they left could only be described as appetite-killing.  This I discovered while baking my first morning’s skillet full of delicious biscuits.  While the biscuits began to rise, so did the stench.

I tried to ignore it; I tried to imagine that it would go away.  I thought that I might still be able to enjoy my fluffy biscuits in perfect olfactory comfort.  Alas, the gift of the Mighty Mouse’ Summer Holiday refused to be ignored.  Being a sturdy fellow, I waited it out and ate the (still tasty, if bad-aura’d) biscuits anyway.  Upon finishing my breakfast, I declared to the oven that this aggression would not stand.  Two hours, two sponges, and many sickened looks later, I declared my victory.  My oven now gleams with humble pride; it radiates calm and confidence.  You see, my Kitchen and I, we work together.  It’s not always easy.

A Most Important Meal