Adventures in Charm

I'm almost afraid to admit this, but as Paul Harvey used to say, “And now—the whole story.”

I fixed a pork tenderloin dinner last night and roasted that dead pig in my expensive double-lined Wilmot “meatloaf” pan. I love that pan set and really try to take care of it. Well, wouldn’t you know it? I made an exceptionally delicious blackberry jam marinade (does anyone hear ‘sugar’?) and all that sweetness roasted itself into a thick, thick tar all over both parts of my expensive double-lined Wilmot “meatloaf” pan.

Well, all our kitchen cleaners and scratch-proof utensils were no match for the sugar imps that built up that deep, rich, black patina of scorched jam. I scrubbed, I rubbed, I soaked, I waited, I chipped, I dug. I got frustrated, but kept my temper well under control. It’s a good thing, too, because suddenly—*Ding!*—another of my brilliant strokes of genius. Try WD-40.

Worked like a charm.

And dinner was delicious, by the way. You can get the recipe from the October issue of Better Homes and Gardens. Try it. Hint: roast your dead pig in a cheap aluminum pan and throw the thing away when you’re done.

Disclaimer: I sure hope no one says I used the wrong product because... really, it was a great idea and it worked like a charm.