It is just so hard to imagine the work that went into food preparation in bible times, without refrigerators, microwaves, or running water.  There is an amazing culinary scene at the beginning of Genesis 18.2-8 when Abraham is trying to impress three lordly gentlemen who had come to visit:

He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

First, picture the 97 year old Abraham RUNNING to get the meals arranged.  That would have been worth paying good money to see.  Then after offering “a morsel of bread” he had a three course meal prepared.

They must have had a different definition of “quick.”  Three seahs is roughly seven quarts. That is a lot of flour, and somebody had to go get enough water to mix up the batter.  Since you don’t just throw out some wet wheat globs in a couple of minutes for glorious guests, there was probably some rising yeast involved. Mixing, rising, cooking and without a nice gas grill, the fire had to be stoked.

Separately, their young chef was grilling the meat.  There was no nice hunk of steak aging in the cooler; this meal started with a live animal on the hoof!  Butcher it, clean it, put it on the spit.  Cook it up just right and plop it on a plate with cottage cheese.  Must have taken at least two hours, even if the herd was right next door.

I can see where the jokes come from when service is slow at a restaurant: “they sent somebody down the road to Meijer to get a head of lettuce!” or “the butcher must be on a lunch break.”  But the three men in Genesis didn’t seem to mind waiting and probably had a pleasant conversation.  I will try to remember to do the same.