"The Way To A Man's Heart" I can't remember what episode it was, but Matt, Kitty, and Doc are eating at Delmonico's and Doc is complaining about the food. He tells Matt he should go hunting and bring something back for Kitty to cook. Kitty responds by saying she can't cook. Seasons later Kitty does cook. This story focuses on what made Kitty decide to learn how to cook.
Kitty's words kept echoing in her mind. She had been eating supper with Matt and Doc and she told them that she could not cook. Kitty still held onto the hope that one day Matt would hang up his badge and she would be his wife. What kind of wife would she be if she couldn't cook for her man? Kitty knew that she had to do something about her lack of talent in the cooking department. The only way to learn how to cook was to take cooking lessons and who better to teach her than Ma Smalley. Kitty had the day off tomorrow. She would go to Ma and ask her to give her cooking lessons.
The next day Kitty walked over to Ma Smalley's boarding house. Ma happened to be outside hanging up laundry on the clothesline. When Ma saw Kitty coming up the walkway, she greeted Kitty with a kind smile.
"Ah, Miss Kitty, my dear, to what do I owe this visit?" Ma asked.
Kitty hesitated before she answered. "Well Ma, I wanted to ask a favor of you."
"Let me know what the favor is and I'll see what I can do," Ma answered as she finished hanging up the last piece of laundry.
Once again Kitty hesitated before she answered. She was almost embarrassed to admit she could not cook. Here she was a successful business woman, yet she couldn't cook. "Ma, I was wondering if you could give me cooking lessons."
Ma Smalley could sense Kitty's reluctance in asking the favor. It was obvious to Ma that Kitty felt uncomfortable admitting she couldn't cook. "Kitty, I would be delighted to give you cooking lessons. Why the sudden interest?" Ma asked, even though she had her suspicions.
"Doc, Matt, and I were having supper at Delmonico's and Doc mentioned something about Matt going hunting and me cooking what he brought back. I told them I couldn't cook. After saying that, I realized I wouldn't make a great wife if I couldn't cook for my husband," Kitty quickly said.
"Kitty, it takes more than being able to cook to make a great wife. But I can see how important it is for you to learn, so I'll give you cooking lessons," Ma said. "When would you like to get started?"
"Oh Ma, thank you so much. You don't know how much this means to me. Is it possible to start today?" Kitty asked.
"Today would work. Tell you what. Why don't you come back at lunch time. You can observe me while I make lunch," said Ma.
"I'll be here. Once again, thank you for doing this for me," Kitty told Ma. "Ma, could you do me a favor and not mention these cooking lessons to anyone, especially Matt? I want to surprise Matt."
"Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me."
Kitty left Ma Smalley's with a new found confidence. She had faith that Ma would be able to teach her how to cook.
Kitty returned later that day for her first lesson. Her first lesson was mostly observing Ma. Kitty made sure to ask Ma questions and Ma patiently answered every one of them. Kitty did not go to Ma's everyday for lessons. Afterall, she did have to work. Kitty would usually have her lessons on her day off. As far as she knew, nobody knew she was getting cooking lessons from Ma.
Kitty had been taking lessons from Ma for several weeks now, and Ma felt Kitty was ready to cook her first meal. Ma was going to have Kitty make lunch for her boarding house guests. Kitty was nervous, but Ma assured her that she would do just fine.
"Just remember one of the most important things when it comes to cooking is time. You don't want to rush things," Ma said to Kitty.
Kitty got to work and prepared a lunch of baked chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Ma was very pleased at what she was seeing. Not once did Ma have to help Kitty. Kitty too was pleased with what she had accomplished.
"Well done, Kitty. I'm proud of you and you should be proud of yourself. In these last several weeks, you've learned how to make chicken, a roast, pork, and fixings to go along with it. As time goes by you'll learn how to cook more on your own. Sometimes it's just trial and error when it comes to cooking," said Ma.
"I couldn't have done it without you Ma. I think I'll surprise Matt tonight with baked chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans for supper. I know that's one meal I can cook," said Kitty. Before she left, Kitty gave Ma a hug.
After leaving Ma Smalley's, Kitty walked over to the jail to ask Matt to supper. Walking in the jail, Kitty saw Matt sitting at his desk. Matt looked up from the sheet of paper he was reading, when he heard the door open.
"Hello Kitty. What can I do for you?" Matt asked.
"I'm here to ask you to supper. What do you say?" asked Kitty.
"Supper with my favorite girl sounds wonderful. How about Delmonico's at six-thirty?" Matt asked.
"Six-thirty sounds great, but we'll be eating in my room," Kitty replied.
"Did you want me to bring something back from Delmonico's?" Matt asked. It wasn't unusual for the two of them to bring food from Delmonico's and eat it in Kitty's room.
"Nope. I've got everything all set. See ya at six-thirty," said Kitty as she left the jail.
Kitty went back to the store to get what she needed for tonight's meal and then went to the Long Branch to cook. At a quarter after six, everything was done. Kitty put the food on a tray and brought it to her room. She waited for Matt to arrive. He did so around six -thirty.
Matt and Kitty both enjoyed the meal Kitty had made. Matt still had no idea that Kitty cooked the meal. "Kitty, that is one of the best meals I've had from Delmonico's. I wonder if they got a new cook."
"Oh there's a new cook, but not from Delmonico's," Kitty replied.
"Who is this new cook and where is he from?" Matt asked, confused.
"The cook is not a he. It's a she, and she lives in Dodge City," said Kitty.
"Don't keep me in suspense. Who is it?"
"It's me," Kitty answered, waiting for Matt's response.
"What? I didn't think you could cook. You said that several weeks ago at Delmonico's."
"I know and after I said that, I realized it was time that I did. I asked Ma Smalley to give me cooking lessons. I wanted to surprise you. After all, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach," said Kitty.
"Sweetheart, I am definitely surprised and honored that you would take cooking lessons just for me. I want you to know how much I appreciate this, but I also want you to know that you made your way to my heart that first day I saw you sitting in Delmonico's." Matt said softly, taking Kitty's hand into his.
"And I have no intention of giving you back your heart," said Kitty as she leaned over to give Matt a sweet and sensual kiss.
The End
