Sugar. Butter. Flour. My hands pluck the things I know that I’ll need
I’ll take the sugar and butter from the pantry
I add the flour to begin what I am hoping to start
And then it’s down with the recipe
And bake from the heart…

Such are the lyrics to a fabulous musical and opening number from the Broadway show, Waitress.  The first time I heard the song, my heart skipped a beat and my eyes instantly watered.  I felt certain Sara Bareilles stepped directly into the kitchen with grandmothers and me…

There’s a metal string of pastry and cookie cutters proudly hanging in our kitchen to this day.  They’ve packed up and moved with me to each kitchen since I was a “baby teacher” in my first apartment.  Rusty, some broken, and all likely requiring an extra tetanus shot just to be in the vicinity, these delicate shapes remind me of the many hours gratefully spent in both of my grandmothers’ kitchens.

Our experiences usually started by gathering our ingredients from the pantry – sugar, butter, flour, eggs, and such – while locating the recipe card covered in prior smears, smudges, and fingerprints.  If it was a particular pie or a batch of cookies, the cutters came out as well.  We mixed shapes and holidays because, well, we could.  Both Nanny Folsom and Granny Brock lived by the philosophy to make (and sometimes eat) dessert first.  As one who rarely breaks from tradition or “Granny Law,” it’s remains my first task in tackling a meal (besides, you never know who might stop by and need a little something sweet to go with a cup of tea or coffee).  🙂

So on Day #25, consider this:  Is there a kitchen tool or implement bringing a touch of nostalgia to your culinary world and what does it gratefully remind you of each time you use or see it?  

While permanently retired now, this special collection of shaped cutters gracefully resides in tribute and gratefulness to the bakers in our family who rolled and cut out scrumptious treats and beautiful memories all baked with the most important ingredient…love.