Tunes and Wooden Spoons III: Come In, the Kettle’s On!

In 2020, during the middle of the COVID pandemic, Mary Janet MacDonald from Port Hood, Cape Breton, became an international Facebook sensation with her show, Tunes and Wooden Spoons. In 2021, her first book, Tunes and Wooden Spoons: Recipes from a Cape Breton Kitchen, became a national bestseller. She followed that up in 2022 with her second book, Tunes and Wooden Spoons: Love Without Measure.

She’s back with the third and final book in the trilogy. In Tunes and Wooden Spoons: Come In, the Kettle’s On!, Mary Janet and her daughter, Margie, take us on an incredible culinary journey into several Maritime kitchens where they find good company and tasty food. Come In, the Kettle’s On!, grandmothers and grandfathers from throughout Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island invite us into their kitchens where they share their secrets to healthy eating and strong families.

From the 102-year-old grandmother in Pomquet who is still making rolls for family and friends to home cooks and bakers in Halifax, Moncton, Saint John, Fredericton, Miramichi, Janeville (near Bathurst), and the small fishing Acadian village of Shippigan, you’ll enjoy incredible visits with inspirational people as well as delicious Maritime foods!

At every house, Mary Janet and Margie met at the door and were invited to “come in” and have a cup of tea. They visited with humble bakers, widowed seniors who needed time to chat, and others on fire with their baking. Their hearts (and bellies) were filled at every stop.

If you enjoyed the first two books in the Tunes and Wooden Spoons series, then this book is a “must have” for fans of Mary Janet MacDonald. So come on in, the kettle’s on!

In 2020, Mary Janet MacDonald took the Internet by storm with her Facebook group, Tunes and Wooden Spoons. In 2021, her first book Tunes and Wooden Spoons: Recipes from a Cape Breton Kitchen, became a national bestseller. In 2022, her second book Tunes and Wooden Spoons: Love Without Measure, became a provincial bestseller.

Margie MacDonald is a photographer, math teacher, and an adventure seeker. Her photography captures the essence of places, the spirit of people, and, in this book, the beauty found in many kitchens across the Maritimes.

Mary Janet is a household name for us, but her "star power" is hard-earned. You don't get a reputation as a good cook in Cape Breton without delivering the real goods (or in this case, goodies)!

Kate Beaton New York Times Bestselling Author

From the very first cinnamon roll, Mary Janet MacDonald had us hooked — not just on her recipes, but on her heart. I've been a fan ever since (my mom still meticulously follows that original recipe!), and I adore the way Tunes and Wooden Spoons brings people together through food, music, and love for the East Coast. Come In, the Kettle's On! is more than just great recipes — it's a celebration of kindness, sharing, and special memories. Thanks to Mary Janet and Margie, those moments will now be shared for generations to come. Mary Janet MacDonald, you are a true Maritime gem, I just LOVE you!

Katie Kelly CTV Atlantic personality

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