From Book girl fan: A Christmas secret
Holmes bent over his chemistry set with a look of intense focus. Several beakers bubbled with an ominous enthusiasm. Curiously, the aroma was rather like ginger and cinnamon.
"What are you working on, Holmes?" Watson sniffed appreciatively. "Anything potentially explosive?" Watson kept his hand on the door for a hasty exit, just in case.
"My current calculations estimate a fifty percent chance of combustion," Homes answered cheerfully.
Watson paused a moment, weighing his options. At last he settled on keeping an umbrella within easy reach. It was the closest thing to a protective shield that he could find.
~ooo~
"Tea?"
"Certainly, Mrs Hudson," Watson smiled and indicated the table furthest from Holmes' science corner.
"Are those your famous Christmas ginger snaps?"
"Oh yes, Doctor. I made a batch with the Irregulars earlier today. Holmes seemed quite interested in our baking but there simply wasn't room for him in the kitchen. The boys were so enthusiastic. I suppose only half the dough made it into the oven but we had such a delightful time."
"I am sure the Irregulars will be talking about their time with you for the rest of the year."
"You know, Doctor, all those young children in my kitchen. It reminded me of baking cookies with my mother when I was a girl. My mother passed on her recipes to me when I got married. It contained her secret ginger snap recipe that was her favourite. I have many happy memories whenever I bake a batch.
"How beautiful, Mrs Hudson. I must agree with your mother, these ginger snaps are the most fabulous I've ever tasted. What's your secret?"
"Well, you know," Mrs Hudson bent in close to whisper in the doctor's ear. "You're the second person to ask me. I suspect Holmes might be trying to analyse my ginger snaps. He didn't come out and say it in so many words, but I could tell by the way he was snooping around my kitchen today. To tell you the truth though, it's not about the ginger or the buttermilk; it's about the love. One has to bake these ginger snaps with people whom you love. When you stir the ingredients with love and joy in the atmosphere, the snaps somehow become imbued with an extra special holiday spice that makes them taste so much more delicious."
Watson smiled and reached for a second ginger snap. "You are amazing, Mrs Hudson."
Mrs Hudson paused momentarily as she turned to leave. A tender expression floated across her face as she looked at Watson relaxing in his reading chair and Holmes bent eagerly over his science bench.
"Holmes, you can stop your experiments now," Watson called out to his flatmate. "I don't think you'll find the secret ingredient in Mrs Hudson's ginger snaps through your chemical analysis. Come join me for tea and I'll explain all."