I could easily title this post and picture "where it all began". I was 14 years old the first time I worked for Miss Judy and Beth. I don't think there was even a resturatunt back then. I was asked to serve tea and basically buss tables at a holiday dinner. Two years later I was 16-I had my own car and by that summer Harmony House had opend. I was hired to baby sit Beth's children. As fate would have it, I ended up working in the resturaunt. (And by "as fate would have it" I mean-I wasn't that great at baby sitting. Honestly? I really never have been that GREAT at it. Sappose I am not particularly talented as it pertains to children-I mean-kids are always in need of something "Im thirsty, I'm hungry, I need help going to the bathroom, can you help me with this?" And they are messy. I don't say this about Beth's children, I say this about ALL children- How do they get sticky all the time? Okay it's way too early in the blog to get all worked up- I was saying working with children is not my strong suit- Im okay with it) So...As fate would have it...I began working in the resturaunt. I came in early in the mornings to press linen napkins and ready their collection of miss matched antique table cloths. Durring the lunch service I played "hostess" or filled ice tea glasses and a few weeks into the summer I started waiting tables. When the lunch service was over I washed dishes or swept floors or ran errands for the kitchen. I continued working at Harmony House thru that summer and although I wasn't exceptional at any of the work-I was exceptionally eager to learn. I loved that place. It smelled like freshly baked bread and appricot tea. Everything there was calm and pretty and crisp-like the cover of a Martha Stewart Living magazine. ("Freshly baked herb bread in the oven? It's a good thing") I mean it, it was all just right. From the sample cookie on the table to the lime slice on your glass-it is all perfect and it made me happy then-just as the memory makes me happy this morning. Beth would ask me to load up the cd changer with cds from the drawer and she had all this great stuff- James Taylor, Kenny G, Eric Clapton. Beth taught me about details like the acceptable volume for that music in an atmosphere such as this. She taught me to pan cookie dough into precise ball shapes in such a way that all cookies would be the same size.Consistentcy and presentation, fundamentals for success when serving food. I learned valueable lessons like "pour the tea thru twice" means "pour two pots of WATER thru the machine" and I learned it causes quite a stir if you actually do pour already brewd tea back into the machine. (still sorry about that)Judy taught me some key information I still use and pass along today, like how to choose produce and what type of meat from the butcher makes the best hamburgers on the grill. And that it's better to do without something than to serve a lesser version of that item. (I don't buy tomatoes out of season and I can still pick a perfect avacado pretty much every time) I learned about breaking down chickens to roast for "Beth's Grilled Chicken" an essential skill in any kitchen. Even in Africa. I learned to appreciate all the work and behind the scenes attention to detail it takes to present a wedding reception that litterally looks and feels like a scene from a clasic film. I learned that customers are not always kind but you should ALWAYS be. And on the subject of kindness-I learned that from them too. Miss Judy was my Sunday School teacher for more years than she wanted to be I'm sure. (I know it's hard to believe but as a child-and clearly I grew out of it- I was precocious and a bit of a cut up-finding it difficult to be quiet or still and nearly impossible to do both at the same time). Harmony House is a chapter in my story I go back to time and time again. I still meet childhood friends there when I go home-and the vibe is still the same. Such talent and so generous many years ago to share that talent with a wild child who just wanted to earn enough money to fuel her Geo Metro.
In Memoriam Mrs. Judy Cockrell 1940-2011
No comments:
Post a Comment