--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Margaret cleared her throat. 'Now, how…" description: "\"“Margaret cleared her throat. 'Now, how long have you been baking?' 'For twelve years. Since I graduated from the CIA.' 'You learned to bake from the g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/louise-miller-41114_baking_margaret-cleared-her-throat-now-how-long_2900432.jpg" --- # Margaret cleared her throat. 'Now, how long have you been… ![“Margaret cleared her throat. 'Now, how long have you been baking?' 'For twelve years. Since I graduated from the CIA.' 'You learned to bake from the government?' She scowled. 'No, no, it’s a culinary school in New York.” quote by Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/louise-miller-41114_baking_margaret-cleared-her-throat-now-how-long_2900432.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/louise-miller-41114_baking_margaret-cleared-her-throat-now-how-long_2900432.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/louise-miller-41114_baking_margaret-cleared-her-throat-now-how-long_2900432.jpg) > ““Margaret cleared her throat. 'Now, how long have you been baking?' 'For twelve years. Since I graduated from the CIA.' 'You learned to bake from the government?' She scowled. 'No, no, it’s a culinary school in New York.”” [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A humorous exchange highlighting unexpected career paths and assumptions about training. **In simple terms:** People often jump to conclusions about others' backgrounds. Key Takeaway Question assumptions before judging. Themes humor misunderstanding career Mood lighthearted ironic Type anecdotal conversational When to use this quote - social gatherings - networking events - career interviews Key Concepts stereotypes communication identity Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions do you make about others' professions? - How can humor reveal hidden biases? A Different Perspective The joke may rely on specific cultural references that not all audiences share. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baking/) [City-baker-s-guide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city-baker-s-guide/) [Cooking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cooking/) [Country-living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-living/) [Funny quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-quotes/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [“You asked me what I thought about our friendship.' I nodded, wide-eyed. 'It makes me feel like I’m home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/you-asked-me-what-i-thought-about-our-friendship-i-nodded-wide-eyed/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) > [“Sharp-nosed and thin-lipped, with dark eyes framed by black plastic eyeglasses, haircut and shave long overdue. He felt familiar. Then I realized I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/sharp-nosed-and-thin-lipped-with-dark-eyes-framed-by-black-plastic/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) > [“Not making a decision is making a decision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/not-making-a-decision-is-making-a-decision/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) > [“But you made it for Dotty. You should keep it in the family,' I said. Henry took my hands in his and leaned toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/but-you-made-it-for-dotty-you-should-keep-it-in-the-family-i-said/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) > [“Welcome to Guthrie.' 'What do you mean?' I asked. 'Where everybody knows everything but no one says a word.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/welcome-to-guthrie-what-do-you-mean-i-asked-where-everybody-knows/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) > [“I spent the day stripping the purple out of my hair and redyeing it—Manic Panic Electric Tiger Lily. The jar promised it would glow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/i-spent-the-day-stripping-the-purple-out-of-my-hair-and-redyeing-it/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) > [“You should always do what you can to make life sweeter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/you-should-always-do-what-you-can-to-make-life-sweeter/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) > [“Only a couple of weeks in the country and I was getting dangerously close to becoming what all chefs loathed—a vegetarian.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/only-a-couple-of-weeks-in-the-country-and-i-was-getting-dangerously/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) > [“It’s not what happens to you but how you respond to it that matters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/it-s-not-what-happens-to-you-but-how-you-respond-to-it-that-matters/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) > [Sister Maria Martinez whom I believe I've mentioned before has been giving me cooking classes. Today I learned how to bake mean banana bread.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adele-griffin/sister-maria-martinez-whom-i-believe-i-ve-mentioned-before-has-been/) [Adele Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adele-griffin/) > [“I rolled my eyes at his exuberance. “I have an older brother,” I said. “He got all the sports knowledge. I learned how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-alexander/i-rolled-my-eyes-at-his-exuberance-i-have-an-older-brother-i-said-he/) [Monica Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-alexander/) ## More by Louise Miller > [“You asked me what I thought about our friendship.' I nodded, wide-eyed. 'It makes me feel like I’m home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/you-asked-me-what-i-thought-about-our-friendship-i-nodded-wide-eyed/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) > [“It’s not what happens to you but how you respond to it that matters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/it-s-not-what-happens-to-you-but-how-you-respond-to-it-that-matters/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) > [“Only a couple of weeks in the country and I was getting dangerously close to becoming what all chefs loathed—a vegetarian.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/only-a-couple-of-weeks-in-the-country-and-i-was-getting-dangerously/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) > [“You should always do what you can to make life sweeter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/you-should-always-do-what-you-can-to-make-life-sweeter/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) > [“Welcome to Guthrie.' 'What do you mean?' I asked. 'Where everybody knows everything but no one says a word.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/welcome-to-guthrie-what-do-you-mean-i-asked-where-everybody-knows/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) > [“But you made it for Dotty. You should keep it in the family,' I said. Henry took my hands in his and leaned toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/but-you-made-it-for-dotty-you-should-keep-it-in-the-family-i-said/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) > [“Not making a decision is making a decision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/not-making-a-decision-is-making-a-decision/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) > [“Sharp-nosed and thin-lipped, with dark eyes framed by black plastic eyeglasses, haircut and shave long overdue. He felt familiar. Then I realized I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/sharp-nosed-and-thin-lipped-with-dark-eyes-framed-by-black-plastic/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) > [“I spent the day stripping the purple out of my hair and redyeing it—Manic Panic Electric Tiger Lily. The jar promised it would glow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/i-spent-the-day-stripping-the-purple-out-of-my-hair-and-redyeing-it/) [Louise Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) [Explore all 10 Louise Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/) ## More Baking quotes > [I'm a fan of a big roast or a bolognese, but I also love baking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-lowe/i-m-a-fan-of-a-big-roast-or-a-bolognese-but-i-also-love-baking/) [Daisy Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-lowe/) > [Always my fallback is - I'm gonna move to a poor town and open a scone shop... Sometimes after some bad auditions I think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-rannells/always-my-fallback-is-i-m-gonna-move-to-a-poor-town-and-open-a-scone/) [Andrew Rannells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-rannells/) > [Simple jewelry is best - bigger pieces get in the way when I'm baking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-tosi/simple-jewelry-is-best-bigger-pieces-get-in-the-way-when-i-m-baking/) [Christina Tosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-tosi/) > [The ordinary activities I find most compatible with contemplation are walking, baking bread, and doing laundry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-norris/the-ordinary-activities-i-find-most-compatible-with-contemplation-are/) [Kathleen Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-norris/) > [I don't have a very good relationship with baking. I do bake sometimes, but my natural instinct is to just do what feels right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thu-tran/i-don-t-have-a-very-good-relationship-with-baking-i-do-bake-sometimes/) [Thu Tran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thu-tran/) > [“Baking, by contrast, was solving the same problem over and over again, because every time, the solution was consumed. I mean, really: chewed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sloan/baking-by-contrast-was-solving-the-same-problem-over-and-over-again/) [Robin Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sloan/) > [Always bake in the center of the oven. A pan placed too close to the bottom of the oven will receive more heat radiating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-saffitz/always-bake-in-the-center-of-the-oven-a-pan-placed-too-close-to-the/) [Claire Saffitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-saffitz/) > [Pecans are not cheap, my hons. In fact, in the South, the street value of shelled pecans just before holiday baking season is roughly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celia-rivenbark/pecans-are-not-cheap-my-hons-in-fact-in-the-south-the-street-value-of/) [Celia Rivenbark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celia-rivenbark/) > [“If you bake a cupcake, the world has one more cupcake. If you become a circus clown, the world has one more squirt of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-e-landsburg/if-you-bake-a-cupcake-the-world-has-one-more-cupcake-if-you-become-a/) [Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) > [I like to take mustard baths. I combine 4 lbs Epsom salts, 3 oz mustard powder, 12 oz powdered milk, and 1/2 cup baking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-coughlin/i-like-to-take-mustard-baths-i-combine-4-lbs-epsom-salts-3-oz-mustard/) [Natalie Coughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-coughlin/) > [After 'Bake Off,' I got these book deals that were very much baking books. But the books I'm producing now like 'Perfect Plates in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-whaite/after-bake-off-i-got-these-book-deals-that-were-very-much-baking/) [John Whaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-whaite/) > [“It’s amazing how much easier it is to bake a cake when you’ve got an eternity to get it right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-walrath/it-s-amazing-how-much-easier-it-is-to-bake-a-cake-when-you-ve-got-an/) Holly Walrath > [In my eyes, baking and pastry-making is like a science - all the measuring of quantities and temperatures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-stein/in-my-eyes-baking-and-pastry-making-is-like-a-science-all-the/) [Rick Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-stein/) > [“There are divisions between a culinary chef and a dessert chef, also called a pastry chef. At Zomick's are specializations within the pastry chef…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-ben-israel/there-are-divisions-between-a-culinary-chef-and-a-dessert-chef-also/) [Ron Ben-Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-ben-israel/) > [Picture your grandmother in Hell, baking pies... without an oven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/picture-your-grandmother-in-hell-baking-pies-without-an-oven/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) [Browse all 331 Baking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baking/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Margaret cleared her throat. 'Now, how long have you been baking?' 'For twelve years. Since I graduated from the CIA.' 'You learned to bake from the government?' She scowled. 'No, no, it’s a culinary school in New York.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Louise Miller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/margaret-cleared-her-throat-now-how-long-have-you-been-baking-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Baking" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/margaret-cleared-her-throat-now-how-long-have-you-been-baking-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/louise-miller-41114_baking_margaret-cleared-her-throat-now-how-long_2900432.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/louise-miller-41114_baking_margaret-cleared-her-throat-now-how-long_2900432.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/louise-miller-41114_baking_margaret-cleared-her-throat-now-how-long_2900432.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Margaret cleared her throat. 'Now, how long have you been baking?' 'For twelve years. Since I graduated from…” — Louise Miller", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Louise Miller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-miller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Margaret cleared her throat. 'Now, how...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/margaret-cleared-her-throat-now-how-long-have-you-been-baking-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-miller/margaret-cleared-her-throat-now-how-long-have-you-been-baking-for/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```