Grandma had the smallest pantry I’d ever seen. Not that it mattered she could turn a pair of old socks into a tasty meal.
What Grandma had was a magic touch and her pantry, a collection of bottle, jars and packets with strange markings were all she need to turn the impossible into a mouth-watering treat.
I remember once there was a shortage of potatoes as the drought had gone longer than expected. People were queuing up for the basics.
Grandma never bothered with all that instead she’d say: ” Tonight we are a roast, baked vegies the lot.” So we’d all line up at dinner time mouths salivating and there in front of us was the most delicious roast you could imagine. “It’s all in the bottle up the top,” she’d say.
On the top shelf to the left was a bottle marked,” Baked Dinner…just add….” The lettering had faded so I never knew what it was you added and I didn’t care as Grandma asked if anyone wanted seconds.
Written for: https://flashfictionforaspiringwriters.wordpress.com/2016/10/10/fffaw-challenge-week-of-october-11-2016/
Morpethroad 
There is a reason that mother’s and grandmother’s cooking can never be duplicated. Nicely done
Thanks Mark appreciate you stopping by…
,,,just add Grandma’s magic! YUMM, I could almost taste that delicious roast dinner! Great story, Michael! Love how the pantry became a source of magic for Grandma!
Some grandma’s are like that Joy…
My grandma was! 🙂
Yum – she should be in Master Chef and teach George and Gary a few of her tricks 🙂
You think? Thanks for stopping by…
Thanks for the smile.
You’ve caught the magic of Grandmas cooking. I do so miss mine 😦
Thanks Graham, yes they were special people weren’t they..
I follow in my mums footsteps… Though instead of adding water I press the minutes on the microwave! Cute story.
The modern way isn’t it, thanks for stopping by Jen…
Neat. My Mum’s cooking was great and my paternal Grandfather’s fourth wife was a tasty cook (but you’d never eat anything if you saw her work), but I never had a proper grandma, so from this post I feel I missed out a bit!.
I hear what you are saying, I was too young to appreciate my grandmothers. Mine lived away and died when i was very young.
Both of my natural Grandmothers died way before I was born, so I only had ‘Aunties’ by default. Still nothing like Home Cooking though.
Why is it that some Gran’s are so brilliant at cooking? Mine definitely was. A lovely, warm and mysterious take on the prompt Michael. Nicely done
Thank you Lynn glad you could stop by, appreciate your comment.
My pleasure 🙂
My paternal grandmother was a horrendous cook, but she baked like an angel (or the pastry chef at Hell’s Café).
Thank you both my grandmothers were old ladies by the time I came along so I didn’t know them so well….my dad’s mum cooked for eleven kids so she must have been very accomplished.
Eleven! Wow — that must have been quite the dinner time.
Grandma’s cooking is always magical! A lovely story, Michael. 🙂
Well, I’m a grandma too, and I wish I had a few of Grandma’s bottles when all our gang come around for Sunday dinner! I don’t suppose Grandma left her secrets behind…? A fun story, Michael.
I think in the back of my mind Millie was the recent weeks we had had several family dinners which I found very tiring, I must be getting old, but as the ones around all work I tend to do all the prep and cooking not that I mind but by bedtime I am dragging myself around…so some of Grandma’s stuff would be handy for me as well. This week will be my birthday and I WONT be cooking as the kids have decided to bring dinner to me…looking forward to it….
First, Happy Birthday, Michael! I think it’s great that the kids are treating you to dinner this time. I know all too well about getting tired – and getting old. I think you and I are about the same age. I love cooking, particularly baking, but in small doses nowadays. I hope you have a really nice meal. 🙂
Oh I am sure I will Millie, my girls are good cooks though what worries me is my son is supervising…lol
Your son the artist? If it’s him, I imagine it will be a very creatively displayed meal and will look too good to eat. 🙂
Yes him…lol…..one time we had a meal with all the food served on plates with his design, now that was a lot of fun….I have in recent acquired a set of his ceramic plates, dinner plates, salad bowls and serving plates all with his beautiful designs…..
You must be very proud of him! He is so very talented. I didn’t realise he created pottery designs. You should have them all displayed on a big Welsh dresser or something – if you haven’t already!
Good idea..I just need a Welsh dresser…
Are you only 41 too Millie?? Who’d a thought??? 🙂
Haha. I wish! But I suppose we can kid ourselves, can’t we…? Unfortunately, mirrors don’t lie too well. 😦
Even the mirror I am sure is lying these days..:)
That’s what I’ll tell myself from now on. Great idea.
This story is just so warming. There’s something about old hands and the kitchen 🙂