Tunes and Wooden Spoons: Recipes from a Cape Breton Kitchen

Mary Janet MacDonald launched her Facebook group, Tunes and Wooden Spoons, in the spring of 2020, more for a lark than anything else and to have some fun with family and friends.

Well, she has been having a ton of fun. Never, though, did she think in her wildest dreams that her Cape Breton Cinnamon Rolls would turn her into a social media sensation. Today, her followers have grown to more than 50,000 and she is must-see viewing for anybody who loves down-home cooking and Cape Breton charm.

Tunes and Wooden Spoons, is the cookbook we’ve all been waiting for. It includes all her most popular recipes, mixed, of course, with more than a pinch of that famous Cape Breton wit.

Five questions with our authors

Coming soon..

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.

YOUR BELLY WILL GO WILD

"If your feet love Mary Janet's down-home dancing and your funny bone loves her down-home wit, your belly will go wild with her down-home cooking."

Linden MacIntyre award-winning author The Bishop's Man

MADE WITH LOVE

"Thank you, Mary Janet, for making us welcome in your Cape Breton kitchen with delicious treats, a good cup of tea and musical fun. When so many of us couldn't get home to our families, you brought home to us. These recipes are memories of our mothers and grandmothers, and all of them were made with love."

Lesley Crewe best-selling author of The Spoon Stealer

THE REAL DEAL

"In my travels, I am often asked about the local food traditions in Cape Breton. For me, it was the baking that left the best memories! In this beautiful book, my aunt Mary Janet shares many of the incredible local treats of home from her own kitchen. Having seven children and 12 grandchildren herself, I can assure you that these have been tried, tested, and loved over the decades. This book is the real deal and Mary Janet is the queen of Cape Breton baking! You will simply love every recipe."

Natalie MacMaster award-winning fiddler

A PART OF TRADITION

"Nova Scotia has weathered the COVID pandemic storm by focusing on caring for one another. Mary Janet has used longstanding traditions of music and food to foster connection even while we are physically separated. This book is a wonderful legacy of these connections and a reflection of Nova Scotia's heritage. Thank you Mary Janet for being an important part of Nova Scotia Strong!"

Robert Strang Nova Scotia Chief Medical Officer of Health

FEEL THE WARMTH

"Having taught Cape Breton step dancing for many years in Canada and beyond, Mary Janet's patience and mastery come through in her cooking discipline as well. Whether it's love of family, love of Gaelic traditions, or love of baking — you'll feel the warmth jump right off the page and into your heart, as if you were sitting beside her in her kitchen, on a Sunday afternoon."

Dawn Beaton Artistic Director, Celtic Colours International Festival

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