The Journal Of Anne Johnson

March 17, 1639

I hadn’t a moment of rest today. The guests are now streaming out the large doors into the moonlit night. If I stand right by the door I can see their long gowns that stretch all the way to the ground and their many layers of petticoats swaying. If only I could be like them. I wish that I could put on one of those angelic dresses and dance upon the smooth ground of the ballroom deep within the elegant palace belonging to the governor. Their grand carriages sat just beyond the brick gate just waiting for them to meticulously climb in. The beat of the horses hoofs fades as the carriage disappears into the night. The governor daintily shakes the hands of all the guests just before they reach the door. If I was even invited to such a ball, I would never want to leave. As people leave the palace, the noise from within slowly fades the same way as syllabub does when you pour the alcohol in with the whipped cream. They slowly fade together until it is all the same. Jane is cleaning out the pot we made the stew in earlier today and the water slashes as it hits the sides of the pot. The water is slowly losing its clear color as remaining stew sitting on the inside of the metal pot mix in with the water. I must go help her with the cleaning now or we will never be able to get any rest.

Sincerely,

Anne Johnson

March 18, 1639

I have worked all day and I won’t be able to write for that long. Since the governor had so many people over yesterday, there were many less people to cook for today. I must confess that today I tried a small bite of macaroni and cheese. The creamy cheese was just so tempting sitting on the table in front of me all day. The delicious smell of the wonderful dish made my mouth water. I couldn’t help but take a bite. If my dear sister Jane figured out, she would be so dreadfully angry with me. But I must say, just a small bite of that wonderful macaroni and cheese is worth any consequence in the world. The dish is so flavorful and if fills your whole body with joy. I can’t believe that so many people have never felt the joy that macaroni and cheese brings. If I were one of the people invited to dine with the governor, I would simply eat macaroni and cheese all night. Just having one small bite makes you attached to the dish. When you delicately place the small piece of macaroni in your mouth, it’s like a volcano of flavors erupts leaving you in awe at the magnificent, hunger quenching, dish. Though I know Jane will be so very angry with me when she finds out, I must say it was worth it for the sensational flavor of each singular piece of macaroni in unforgettable. I must now go hide this journal in a place not to be found by anyone else but me for I fear the consequences of my wrong doings terribly.

Sincerely,

Anne Johnson

March 19, 1639

This day could not possibly get any worse but you never know. I thought this day couldn’t get any worse when I got the letter from Mother this morning but I was clearly wrong. When Jane and I read the letter this morning we began balling but very soon we saw the governor coming over to give us strict instruction on what we must cook so we quickly hid our tears before he saw how upset we were. If he saw us crying instead of working he might fire us and then Jane and I would have nothing. I never realized how much I truly missed Father until I received the letter saying that we had died. I can’t believe that I will never see him again. I wish Mother and Father had traveled to the new world with Jane and I. When the governor came to talk to Jane and I, he told us that we must prepare a queen’s cake to eat after dinner. After I made that batter for the queens cake, I placed it in the oven and went over to comfort Jane who was crying near the window. We sat there for a while and just cried but we soon went on to admiring the clouds in the sky and think how lucky we were to live in America. Just then the whole kitchen started to smell like smoke and we then realized that we hadn’t taken the queens cake out of the oven. We raced across the kitchen and pulled the burnt cake out of the oven. We could never feed the governor such a dreadful looking cake. We rapidly began to mix new batter. I glanced out the door and across the yard to see the governor walking our way. Jane and I should have known that he was bound to check on the condition of the cake. After all, it was such a delicacy. We threw the necessary ingredients into the bowl and Jane quickly mixed it while I grabbed the burnt cake off the table and hid it under my stained apron. Jane threw the cake into the oven and stood by my side to greet the governor. I stood behind the table so the governor didn’t notice the large cake hidden beneath my apron. The governor nodded in approval when he saw the cake baking in the oven. When Jane and I were positive that he was out of earshot, we couldn’t help but laughing. I suppose we were laughing out of happiness that we were safe and that he hadn’t realized our mistake. We were also happy that we had a large queens cake and nothing to do with it. It’s not everyday that a cook is able to feast upon a queen’s cake.

Sincerely,

Anne Johnson