Signora Sheila

They say the kitchen is the heart of the home because nothing brings people together like food! But some people have a real talent for making their kitchen especially welcoming. A special place for reliving fond memories and making new ones with good friends, old and new!

Three people stand out in my memory for having this kind of heartwarming kitchen. My maternal grandmother, our first pastor’s wife, and an older couple in the same church. But what was it about them that made such an impression on me?

It couldn’t have been fancy cabinets and appliances, because although I don’t remember them well, I know they were pretty ordinary. And it wasn’t like they were serving gourmet meals. Good and nutritious food, yes. But nothing special or exotic.

So what was in those kitchens? What about them said, “Come in! We’ve been waiting for you?”

All the latest gadgets? Hardly! Even the furniture never changed. The same cupboards, the same table and chairs for as long as I knew them. But even without the fancy food or designer looks, there was a special something about them.

They had such a warm and homey feeling. It enveloped you the moment you walked in the door. With a big hug and a hot cup of coffee, they showed how happy they were to have you there.

That kind of enthusiastic welcome, even for unexpected visitors, is something we don’t seem to find very often anymore. Everyone is so busy. And with so much to do, visitors are almost a nuisance. Just one more thing to squeeze into an already crammed schedule.

But in those three kitchens the door was always open to visitors. Whether you were expected or not. Whether you came at a convenient time or not. It didn’t matter. You were a guest. Someone to be welcomed and treated with honor.

That’s the kind of kitchen I want. One where the teapot is always ready.  Figuratively speaking, because I don’t even have a tea kettle; it went in one of my decluttering sprees. ;) But my espresso pot is always ready!

A welcoming kitchen

So what does it take to create such a friendly space for your guests, a home where others feel welcome and wanted?

My favorite kitchens were proof that fine china, fancy furniture, and gourmet meals don’t really matter. What counted was that the welcome mat was always out and the coffee was always ready. They opened their hearts and their homes, and they did it with joy!

Our pastors’ kitchen

This old pastor was a master gardener. There wasn’t a weed to be found in his big and flourishing garden. And all that bounty showed up on the table. His wife made the best pickles I’ve ever had!

Her kitchen was simple, but neat and inviting. Their table overflowed with old-fashioned goodness and their hearts with love. Our visits always ended with everyone sitting around the table and praying together. We’d leave feeling truly blessed and with bags of vegetables! And those prayers and blessings followed us to the mission field. She wrote to us every month until the Lord took her home.

The elderly couple’s kitchen

The elderly couple I mentioned before were of Mexican descent. I may be biased, but I have always found that people from Latin cultures have a special gift for warm hospitality. If they knew we were coming, they watched for us at the window and ran to the door saying, “Coome in, coome in, we’ll put the coffee on!” They spoke good English, but that sweet Latin accent always came out. (Much like my American accent does when I speak Italian, but I doubt mine sounds as cute!)

They always served Mexican food. But not the restaurant stuff. Everything fresh and homemade. Great hot sauce and tortillas that were out of this world! We felt like family and never wanted to leave!

Grandma’s kitchen

Grandma’s kitchen was special because her house was a second home to us kids. We always called this grandma “Buddy Grandma.” (Read Buddy, Grandma, and the Cleaning Parties to learn why.)

Her kitchen was what my husband calls “a real grandma’s kitchen.” A bit cluttered, and often no rhyme or reason as to why things were stored where they were. I never remember Grandma cooking much. After she went blind, it was pretty hard for her to get around. But she liked to make jello and made a great pot of baked beans!

It was Grandma herself who made it a special place. She was the kind of grandma who made everything fun, but I’m not sure why. She was just fun to be around, happy and hospitable. And we knew that we were wonderfully and deeply loved.

There was really nothing special about these kitchens. It was the people who made them special. And because of them, I will always cherish our times spent there.

My kitchen may not be remembered for its aesthetics or for great food. But I hope it will be a place that others will remember fondly. A place where they always heard, “Come in, we’ve been waiting for you!” A place where they always felt welcome, safe and loved.

Every house where love abides, And friendship is a guest, is surely home, and home sweet home, for there the heart can rest.

Henry Van Dyke

📷 Image credits: kitchen; coffee