The Nose Knows #2

By Tracy Schruder

Can we actually time food preparation with our nose? Knowing when something is finished baking or cooking by smell alone is a wonderful talent to possess. My mom taught me how to bake and cook in this manner. “The nose knows” she used to say.

I remember times when the crackle of the wood blazing in the cook stove meant that there were some wonderful aromas to follow. When mom stoked the stove that full, it meant there was going to be some good old-fashioned baking (from scratch) happening in the house.

We didn’t have a timer for the cook stove oven, but it did have a temperature gauge on the front of it. Mom never needed a timer for baking and cooking. She would sniff the air and say “not yet.”

I enjoyed watching her prepare the pies, cakes, and cookies. Sometimes she would let us kids help. As we got older, she opened up more and shared her secrets with us. She would let us prepare it on our own.

She’d be sporting the “frady eye” if we dare take it out of the oven too early. She taught us about the difference in aroma between an almost-baked and a completely baked good. In most cases, the differences were subtle, but when cooking a roast beef or chicken, the differences were more noticeable.

I use a timer, but not out of necessity because I can tell by the smell when something’s finished. However, I’m a busy lady, and sometimes I need a little reminder. I enjoy impressing dinner guests with my nosy skill. It never fails me.