I hear it all the time. “I’m afraid to cook for you.” I finally met someone who wasn’t.
Matuce. Her real name’s Violet, but when her husband died many years ago and she came to live with daughter and son-in-law Babs and George, her young grandson called her Mom-Two. It came out Matuce and it stuck.
I came to know Matuce because I happened to be teaching at Kitchenware Outfitters in Savannah, Georgia, near my sister-in-law, Jeanne. Matuce, Babs, and George are her neighbors.
Back in September Jeanne e-mailed that Matuce wanted to host a dinner for me. “Cooking is her passion, “ she wrote. “That’s nice,” I thought. “Love a good home-cooked meal on the road.” No one prepared me for the extravaganza I experienced.
I pull into Jeanne’s driveway a couple of hours before dinner just as she’s heading over to Matuce’s. She’s been enlisted to write name tags for each of the 27 (no kidding) dishes Matuce, George and Babs are making.
About now you’re probably picturing grandmotherly Matuce in her mid-sixties. Wrong. Matuce just turned 86. Over the years she’s suffered a severe stroke and survived a car accident that broke her back and should have killed her. Clearly at this point she could justify a life of leisure.
Instead she is still adding to her thousand-plus cookbook collection. Everyday she combs the Internet for new recipes and makes dinner for George and Babs every night. (George also takes coffee to Matuce every morning before he leaves for work. Now that’s a model son- and mother-in law relationship)
Matuce greets me at the door and walks me into the dining room to a table filled with room temperature entrees—grilled rack of lamb, beef and pork tenderloin, chicken salad, and fried turkey. Broccoli salad, cucumber mold, marinated tomatoes and okra and tomatoes have already been laid out too, Jeanne’s place cards holding spots for the dishes warming in the oven—tarragon pork, broccoli and sweet potato casseroles, scalloped and stuffed potatoes, mac and cheese!
We move into the kitchen where we’re handed Kir Royal’s and ushered to a table of hors d’oeuvres—Sausage Pinwheels, Onion Rounds, Tomato Cups, and Matuce’s Marinated Shrimp, a recipe she’s not ready to part with just yet.
The kitchen island groans with desserts: coconut cake, fruit dumplings, Death by Chocolate, Neiman Marcus Bars, 7-layer cookies, Reeses Pieces, and a congealed mold dubbed “Green Stuff.”
As I was taking it all in, someone asked how I felt. “Humbled,” I said. I write about food for a living. I love it, but it’s work too. Matuce, Babs and George cook for the sheer love of it.
I don’t know what to say, other than: I want to be Matuce when I grow up. What a woman! I wish I had been there to enjoy the feast.
I love this post! I wish I knew Matuce. What a great example of staying in the game and playing (cooking!) for fun in every minute we’re graced with. P.S. How the heck did you even sample 27 dishes?? 🙂
I was complaining about cooking an entire Thanksgiving dinner from scratch by myself. And as I moaned and groaned about dishes and leftovers, my hubby goes “yes but even a bad day in the kitchen for you is better than a good day doing anything else” and he is totally right! I love cooking, even when I hate it. 🙂
Though 27 dishes is WAY out of my league. That is amazing!
Incredibly Inspiring!! I agree with Maggy – I would like to be a male version of Matuce. She’s fearless!!
What a sweet friend and wonderful neighbor!
Matuce, you always inspire me!
Love you!
WOW.
After a stressful week- with a LOT of cooking (and prepping… and cleaning!)- all with my 84 year old grandmother, this is a pure delight and inspiration.
(a little jealous that I wasn’t there;)
what a heart-warming story! and you are all so cute!
Matuce is a wonderful, loving, kind woman and I am very blessed to have her as a friend. She not only cooks dinner for George and Babs every night but it is a gourmet meal, the kind you would get in an up-scale restraurant complete with deserts. George fights to keep his weight off but the food is too good to pass up! George has several types of outside cookers that they use on a regular basis. They even cooking pizza on a Green Egg. George made 6 gallons of chili on the Green Egg and won first place in a chili cook-off here in Hinesville. Babs says she can not cook but I have eaten her cooking and she CAN COOK! The things she cooks are just as good as Matuce’s. I enjoy watching them cook together.
Matuce and i are the same age with one of us a few days the senior (as a gentleman I will not say which of us it is) and I will always call her Vi and leave Matuce for the young folks. I, and my wife, have been rewarded many times by having a meal at the Holtzman’s home and I hate to admit how many pounds that has added to my frame. I have many times told Vi that if I were a bachelor she better be ready to accept my proposal of marriage. George is lucky to have her as a mother-in-law and I know she enjoys the coffee he brings her in the morning, but if she was my mother-in-law it would be a flute of a vintage champagne every morning. Vi is not only a great cook, she is a great friend and I love her and wish her many more years of fun in a kitchen.
There is only ONE Matuce! We love her (and her cooking) and always look forward to seeing her and sampling her next new recipe. Did she make Chris’ favorite tomato/swiss/bacon shells?
Yummo! Matuse is the bomb! WE Love her food ! Thanks for sharing this. Isn’t her food yummy?
Let the countdown to the Holtzman Companies Christmas Party begin!! I have been fortunate enough to be attending now my 5th party and look forward to the food every year. Pam you are correct…my wife has been trying to obtain that shrimp recipe…every year!! Thank you Matuce!!
I was one of the very honored guests at this special event. Everything was absolutely delish, which is what everyone here has come to expect of anything coming out of Matuce-Babs-George’s kitchen. Matuce is probably one of the most facinating and inspiring women I have met. I hope we get to enjoy her company (and cooking!) for a long time to come!
What a lovely article about Matuce.. ( my Aunt Vi to me) I also enjoyed some wonderful food there a few years ago. I must make an effort to get down to Hinesville and enjoy some more….Babs, George and Aunt Vi.. you all look wonderful.. and the food on the table looks yummy… hope you all have a Blessed Christmas Love to all!
I have been blessed to know Matuce, Babs and George and have the honor to have enjoyed several meals cooked by Matuce. She is an increidble chef and individual. I could not say enough about how wonderful she is.
What a great tribute to Matuce! She is such a lovely lady who we all adore and have come to love very much. I am priviledged to be part of her family and enjoy her cooking. Although her cooking is the “absolute best”, it is her warm personality and sense of humor that is the “icing on the cake”. BTW, George knows that I have tried to steal Matuce for years since I am her favorite “nephew-in-law”. Blessings to all.
She is a great aunt Love her!!!! Every time we visit there from the north, she has always made us great meals, you really start to look forward to what she will make. I have even got just a few recipes from her that I cherish. Even our 2 boys have used her recipes. Keep it up. Looking forward to the next visit to see what the “chef” will make.
I can honestly say that I have had the pleasure of tasting many of Matuce’s great dishes over the years, especially the desserts!! Matuce is a great woman, and holds a very special place in my mother (Dee Baker’s) heart!! She is known as her best friend and mom enjoys all the time spent in the kitchen with Matuce when she’s whipping up those tasty cakes and pies…….
We Love You Guys Matuce, George & Babs God Bless
Was sorry to have been in the hospital while this was going on . . . now I’m REALLY sorry! What a lovely tribute to three of my favorite regulars at Kitchenware Outfitters! Thank you, Pam!
I have had the pleasure of having Matuce’s cooking and it is AMAZING! I am really excited about the Christmas party to have some of her goodies! You know, it might just be time to have another food day here at work (Wink Wink)
I was privileged to be invited to “A Taste of Tuse” and, believe me, it was a night to remember! And, yes, I tasted all 27 dishes. What a lovely lady Matuse is. She sat down with me and we looked through all her recipes together. All of a sudden I saw the shrimp recipe, but she quickly hid it! So funny. The relationship she has with George and Babs is rare and beautiful to see. Thanks again for an unforgettable evening.
I have had the privilege of working for the Holtzmans for 8 yrs now and it has been a wonderful time when I first met Matuce I was so excited because you can’t help but just love her. She is absolutely a wonder..Great cook is not the word for what she does. We in the office love anytime she send stuff for us to eat. The annual Christmas Party is our opportunity to get her great food and then she always sends a huge tray of goodies to the office for snacks in the Christmas season. Of course the weight is out the window when she cooks….I love her and appreciate the fact George and Babs have continued to allow their employees to be just like family. We all love you, Matuce. Thank you for being all our Matuce.
Matuce is my Mother-in-law and is a terrific cook. She is a inspiration to all who know her.She has a great sense of humor,especially when she is laughing at her self. She is like a sister that I never had. She is fun to RV with.You don’t interfere with her morning coffee and meditation.
Pam, thank you for coming to our home and your wonderful tribute to Matuce. Babs is a terrific wife and great cook. Please come again and we will have a pig picking.
Son-in-law. George
We are fairly new to Matuce and love her to death. She is the type of person you just want to hug. Babs & George are so grateful to have her. We can’t wait to share a dinner one time at their home. We love the cakes she makes when we are traveling. Congratulations Matuce. We are so glad we know you. You are the best. Gerry & Jack
Matuce…we are so proud of you. We have the unique opportunity to taste your passion for cooking for years. Having done so, we can confirm that the title of this blog is unquestionably true. You cook because you love too. And, even more special, you love the people you cook for. In reality there is no better ingredient…right?
It is always a treat for us to come down visit you, Mom, and Dad, and have each of our personal favorites made to order. People have left comments about how extraordinary it was that you and Mom put together 27 dishes for the evening. Honestly, we have come down for a weekend when you have cooked just about the same number of dishes for the four of us. The reason you go through all of that effort to cook when we come down to visit is clearly obvious…you love us with all of your heart.
And We Love You Too!!
Great job Matuce! You should be very proud of yourself.
I met Matuse when I came to paint for the Holtzman’s. What a warm and wonderful person she is. THE word to describe Matuse is simply: “hospitality”. She knows how to make anyone feel right at home while she creates for them a meal fit for royalty. Alton Brown has “Good Eats”, Matuse creates “Divine Dining”. Wish I could be there for your Christmas party. Love you Matuse. Tim
Hello, Violet – I’m writing from myself (Jennifer) and my Mom (Marie Clark). We have memories of your yummy snacks and goodies! Your beautiful home and your beautiful food make the perfect backdrop for you – a warm and beautiful woman. You inspire me. Love you bunches, Jennifer Walts
Hi Matuce! I have been lucky to have know you for the past 12 years, and you are the best! I feel very honored and priviledged to have been part of that great dinner. Each dish was better than the next, and we could barely taste everything. I am so inspired by your willingnees to try each and every recipe you find, and then not to be intimidated by anything you discover in your massive library. Thank you for reminding me to enjoy the food, and its preparation, and then savor every moment. I do see where Babs gets her humbleness trait, and Gearge just compliments both of you!
Think about including our favorite shrimp, artichoke and caper dish-it is my favorite! Love you all!
Matuce is my niece’s husband’s grandmother, and I have had the pleasure of experiencing her culinary skills, but more importantly, her personality. What a beautiful woman she is. I absolutely love my visits to Isabel and Greg, particularly when I know Matuce, Babs and George will be there. Well deserved tribute.
I am one of Jeanne’s three sisters who were visiting her when Matuce gave her party for Pam. We had met Matuce before (because she and George and Babs are such good friends of Jeanne), but this was the first time that we were treated to her cooking. What a wonderful evening it was. I can’t imagine the countless hours which went into that party! I’m glad that you chose to give the recipe for the Onion Toasts, Pam. They were so good! I’m just wondering when Matuce is going to publish her own cookbook!
Thanks for a great night, Matuce (and Babs and George!), and thanks for such a great write-up, Pam. Such a good memory!
I am another of Jeanne’s sisters who had the privilege of experiencing “A Taste of Tuce.” We not only experienced Matuce’s wonderful food but also her warm hospitality. I loved reading the account of the evening, Pam. It brought back memories of a truly delightful evening.
Many thanks to Matuce as well as Babs and George!
Matuce truly cooks from the heart. Sitting down for a family meal prepared by Matuce rivals most fine restaurants. Whether she prepares a meal for four or forty you are treated as family and I am proud to be considered one of her extended family.