Journal

Today was a snowy day spent at home with my eldest daughter who was off from school with a sinus infection. She’s nearly ten and loves to bake so when she suggested we make some cozy banana chocolate chip muffins on a cold January day, I was all in.

Luckily, we had all the ingredients needed and we like to use my maternal grandmother’s recipe handed down through the family. We are also fortunate to have a big bright country kitchen in our 1832 century home to work in. It’s not renovated, it’s far from perfect, but it has two large original windows and the sun was pouring in. We don’t have a large island for baking covered with a fine marble top but I can tell you that working on a regular stretch of laminate counter top, we enjoyed ourselves every bit as much as if we had a more luxurious set up. We have a pot of forced yellow daffodils sitting on the windowsill and they’re all the luxury we need.

We mashed up the bananas, added melted butter, an egg and sugar, then measured out the dry ingredients and started mixing, using my favourite vintage jadeite bowl for the process.

As we measured, combined and mixed and later when I was washing up in the sink, I couldn’t help but think of all the muffins and many other things that have been stirred up in this very bowl. Jadeite bowls were popular through the Great Depression and mid twentieth century, so this bowl has certainly seen a lot of action. At least a couple of generations have likely used it to prepare meals for their families. They’re solid and heavy glass in a cheerful colour and work just as well today as when they were new. I sought this bowl out because its a beautiful collectible, but more than that, today I felt connected to the many home cooks and family traditions that have gone before me and my daughter baking today.

When I stop and think about it, I believe this is a large part of what connects me to antiques and inspires me to acquire them for my home. Each one has travelled through time accumulating use, patina and stories that I can imagine.

Well the muffins turned out great (thanks to Nana’s recipe!) and the bowls have been washed up in hot soapy water to be used another day and hopefully, be passed on to the next generation of bakers.

With the kitchen smelling of warm, fresh muffins, I turned my attention back to those daffodils and the sun shine-y window.