First Lady Katherine Matthews’ private kitchen on the third floor of the White House combined a chef’s dream with a thorough undercoating of disaster. Emily couldn’t stop turning around to see everything.
The decorator’s motif shone in lush cherry wood and mirror-polished brass. A ring of the finest nonstick pans, cast-iron pots, and copper sauciers dangled from iron hooks above a dark cherry-and-maple striped butcher block table big enough to seat a party of eight comfortably. A pro-level gas range to die for, plus a griddle, an indoor grill, and a pair of wok burners. The top-quality kitchen machines lined a long slab of marble for baking. A windowed door led out to a sunny porch on the back side of the third floor of the Residence.
Emily swung the door open, far heavier than she expec
